FOLLOW UP THAT WORKS
The idea in marketing is to be noticed.
You need to do something different, something that sticks out.
In the technological world we live in, teenagers get 10 face-book invites each day and at least 50 text messages. If we follow up with our first time guests by dropping a face-book message or a text message we will be one of 100’s of other messages they have received that day thru those means.
We will not be noticed.
However – teenagers don’t get snail mail and teenagers rarely get phone calls – because of this, that is exactly how we have decided to follow up.
We are kicking it old-school simply because it is different … and different gets you noticed.
Here is how we have followed-up with our first time guest this summer.
Step One:
An intern writes a hand-written post card to every first time visitor on Thursday morning after the Wednesday night service, thanking them for coming as well as invite them to come back next week.
Step Two:
An intern personally calls every first time visitor on Thursday afternoon, thanking the student for attending, asking them how they liked the service and inviting them back next week.
Step Three:
I call the visiting students parents on the phone on Thursday or Monday, personally thanking them for allowing their child to attend, answering any questions they may have and let them know I’d be honored if they could come back this week.
Step Four:
An intern writes a second hand written post-card to the first time visitor, letting them know we were thinking of them and hope they have a great week.
I know. I know these methods are dated … But I DON”T CARE! They are working.
This summer we had around 200 first time visitors and we grew in average weekly attendance by more than 100. That is a return rate of nearly 50%. These methods are getting teenagers attention and they are coming back and that is what follow-up is all about.
