Christmas is not yet 'right around the corner' but now is a good time to begin planning for your team's communication. You don't need us to tell you that 2020 has been a rollercoaster of a year, but Christmas brings a wonderful message of hope that you have the privilege of sharing. It is a great opportunity to invite your wider community to join you. The silver lining all of the online church of this year, is that it is such an easy and accessible way for new people to 'try' church. As you plan your Christmas calendar with these things in mind, we have put together some tips for your Media.
Tip One: Have a strategy!
Rather than posting sporadically, create a strategy for the way you will communicate your Christmas plans. With some forethought, you can ensure that groups at your church are not missed and can be included in your communication. You can also think of ways to invite people from your wider community rather than just your regular church attenders.
Tip Two: Create a Facebook Event
A facebook event is a great way to share the details of what is happening. By using this method, the event will be visible in calendars to people outside of your church
Top Three: Create one or more posts with SHAREABILITY in mind.
One easy and effective way to reach people outside your regular audience is to use your congregation to reach their own network. Consider creating some images to for social media with this in mind. Ask, How shareable is this post? Try and ensure that it would immediately make sense to someone who is not familiar with your church by including all context needed. If you can, make sure it is attention grabbing imagery so that it stands out on social media. This will empower your church members to be able to invite their loved ones.
Tip Four: Don’t forget about Email.
Of course, Not everyone is on social media. An extended email campaign is a great way to directly contact people who your church has been in contact with. Consider planning a series of emails including a ‘save the date’ followed by reminders for exciting christmas events that your team are planning. You can use your iKnow Church communication suite to do this!
