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ACS ACS ideas to impact Special Events, Part 2 Execute Your Event & Follow Up With Guests from ACS Technologies The previous ACS Technologies article on special events discussed strategic planning prior to holding your event. This article, excerpted from the ACS ministry guide Events From Start to Finish, will cover the execution of special events, including how to: • gather necessary resources • raise awareness of your events • make a great first impression • track attendance • follow up with guests Gather Necessary Resources Now that you’ve planned your event, it’s time to pull together the resources needed to properly execute your event: facilities, materials, equipment, and volunteers. Make a task list for each team member and create deadlines for each task’s completion. Post your team’s lists on your Web site and have them modify their lists as they accomplish tasks. Many of the materials and equipment you need are available through the church, so remember to reserve them early to ensure availability. Facility scheduling software that allows you to keep track of reserved resources can help eliminate double-booking. Another key element of successful events is volunteer involvement. When recruiting volunteers, find people with skills relevant to your event. Many churches use volunteer management software to organize their volunteers, post opportunities online, and allow volunteers to sign up in real time. Raise Awareness of Your Event If you want to attract people to your event, publicize it in a way that is honest and appealing to help the community see Christian Computing® Magazine who you are as a church. Everything you say and do, even the location of your services and events, communicates who your church is to the community. There are numerous tools available to help you raise awareness of your event. For instance, by using an online data management system, your leaders can access the database from anywhere to retrieve phone numbers or e-mail addresses. They can then easily contact small group and Sunday school class members, new members and visitors. Make a Great First Impression Once your preparations are complete and people begin to arrive for the event, do everything you can to make each attendee’s initial experience at your church a positive one. Friendly hosts can provide the relational connection that attendees want as they enter your event. In addition to having hosts, set up an information table with volunteers who can answer questions, give directions, and hand out resource materials such as brochures about your church. Track Attendance Another important aspect of successful events is being able to track who attends, which will help you better measure and analyze the results of your event. This, in turn, allows you to make more effective decisions regarding future events. August 2008 24
Try to gather the contact information of every event attendee. If the event does not require pre-registration, think of creative ways to get people to leave their contact information, such as holding raffles. You can then record this information and follow up with the individuals later. With an online data management system that interfaces with your church management system, you can maintain attendance records by individual or event, and even view/print attendance summaries of all your events. Follow Up With Guests & Volunteers After your event, bring your team together to evaluate and share their thoughts on the entire process. This is important for the growth and commitment of the individuals and for the success of your future events. Remember to show your appreciation of the team’s efforts, perhaps through a party or small gift. Volunteers that feel appreciated are much more likely to volunteer again. Guest follow-up is crucial to increasing the chances that attendees will return to your church. Personally thank your attendees for coming and invite them to another function, either through a phone call, email, or visit. Final Step to Success Proper execution of your event is necessary for success. When you gather your resources, and raise awareness of your events, you can make a great first impression on your guests, track and analyze attendance, and follow up with guests to invite them to return. Proper execution combined with cohesive planning will strengthen your special events ministry and help grow your church. By implementing these ideas and tools, you can take your event ministry to the next level and grow your church. To get more information about how ACS Technologies can help you more effectively execute your events, download the ACS ministry guide Events From Start to Finish, visit www. acstechnologies.com, or call 800-736-7425. Christian Computing® Magazine August 200825
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