Monday, March 4, 2013

RETURN CUSTOMERS

    I have often mentioned to our church planters that if God is gracious enough to bring people to your church, you better find the best ways possible to keep them coming back for more. Outreach Magazine (which I highly recommend for anyone interested in making disciples) recently published the results of why visitors return to your church. This list was compiled by accumulating over 10 years of information from “Mystery Visitors” that attended various churches and then wrote a report for Outreach Magazine. Here are the results:
  • Visitors return to your church because you post clear signage on your campus. 
  • Visitors return to your church because you provide a good parking experience. 
  • Visitors return to your church because you are aware and eliminate sensory problems (smells on your campus).
  • Visitors return to your church because you were friendly, sincere and genuine.
  • Visitors return to your church because your Children’s Ministry area is clean and secure.
  • Visitors return to your church because the sermons relate to their lives.
  • Visitors return to your church because of your church has an outward focus. 
  • Visitors return to your church because you consider how the unchurched perceive what you say. 
  • Visitors return to your church because your church is diverse.
    There you have it, how would you evaluate your church? All of these “Mystery Visitors” gave each church they visited a letter grade, what would you grade out at? Maybe a better way of determining how many “return customers” a church get is to measure its retention rate. What is the percentage of first time, second time, and third time guests that return to your church?  If we don’t get “return customers” we will eventually go out of business. The only way the unchurched can eventually start the journey with Jesus is to return to hear the Story!