In today’s world we have more options than ever for how to communicate. However, does it ever feel to you like it is harder than ever to get your message through?
We have discovered that one of the greatest challenges is that each of the parents in our ministry pays attention to different modes of communication. Some only read what comes in on their smartphones and some don’t even carry a cell phone. Some see every piece of mail that comes in and some throw everything straight in the trash. Some check email once a quarter, while others are addicted to it.
Here are six communication tactics we use when we have a large event or very important announcement. Redundancy is the key and we utilize as many of the following as we can. Click here to leave a comment and share your favorite methods for getting the message across.
Six Communication Tactics that Actually Work
1. Facebook – If a large number of your families are on Facebook already, go to where they are! Post messages and reminders. Many of your people can see the info with just one click. Also, many people who ignore regular emails will faithfully read their Facebook messages.
2. Text Message – Dale Hudson’s blog really caught my eye when he mentioned that 98% of text messages are read. He also references a system that he uses to safely send mass texts. 98% is pretty effective! Probably 98% ignore the fliers we send home.
3. Email – Services like Constant Contact make it easy to send mass emails that look cool and provide easy links to additional information. You can also get reports later about how many people opened it (you can even see who!) as well as how many people clicked on links, etc…
4. Phone tree – Some people still respond best to the good, old fashioned phone call. You can accomplish this through personal calling by you or your team. Services also exist where you can send a recorded message to a specific group.
5. Web – Whether it is your church website or a ministry-specific blog, you need a home for all of the info that you are trying to communicate. People need a place to default to when they delete the email or forget what you said on the phone.
6. Get the kids excited – The most effective method of getting event info to parents is still to get the kiddos totally bought in. If you can get a kid fired up and wanting to come to the event, Mama is going to find the information. Don’t ever underestimate the power of a giddy child.
The comment section is open for you to share your ideas. We’d love to hear back about your favorite way to communicate your ministry details. For more on this topic, read our tips for communication that includes a sample communication strategy plan.