Ideas that work:
1. Always begin with prayer- When we seek to reach people for Christ through an outreach event we first need to get on our knees and pray that God will guide us in our efforts, and stir peoples' hearts to be receptive to the invitation.
2. Recruit a team of dedicated, reliable people to help coordinate promotional and event planning efforts- the lone ranger approach doesn't work- trust me.
3. cultivate good relationships with local media, develop a contact person in as many media outlets (papers, TV, radio, etc) as possible, and get them well-written, concise press releases well in advance (3-4 wks ahead is often good lead time).
4. Get excited about your events and what you believe God wants to do through them- enlist others to help make personal invitations.
5. Network with other churches and Christian venues- seek to establish reciprocal relationships (i.e. we go to their events, and invite them to ours), also consider pooling some of your resources. Send out periodic mailers to area churches and include: a flyer, bulletin insert, and a brief cover letter- just be sure they go out 3-4 wks ahead.
6. Send out postcards or e-mails to your regulars announcing upcoming events, and inviting their participation. Develop an OPT-IN monthly newsletter to send out via e-mail. Internet Groups (such as Yahoo! Groups) are also a great place to network and spread the word- just be sure that the context of the group is an appropriate forum to post event listings- learn to use these resources judiciously but effectively.
7. Post flyers on as many public bulletin boards as you can find. Some good places to start are: public libraries, restaurants and coffeeshops, supermarkets, laundromats, train stations, college campuses, etc. I have found that about 2 wks ahead seems to be a good time frame for flyers- too much further in advance and they get taken down; too much later and people have already made their plans.
8. Be considerate to members of your community in how you promote (i.e. refrain from flyers on windshields, and spam e-mail, don't overdo it with flyers on phone poles, etc). You want as many people as possible to know about your events, but you also don't want to make enemies in your community.
9. Get an attractive outdoor sign or banner designed to promote the ministry or event. If you have someone in your congregation able to do professional quality graphic design- great, if not, take it to a professional printer or graphic artist, and tell them what you want to do- they will help.
10. Be persistent, and optimistic- it will take time to establish a support base for outreach events, and also hone in on your target demographic, but if you believe God has called you and your people to this outreach- pursue it with a passion!
Share your promo ideas, or stories with me- I would love to hear them!
e-mail: peacemover@yahoo.com
Feedback form- just type in your idea in the space below and press SUBMIT. Thanks!