Stonecroft volunteers get excited when Groups see growth in the number of first-time guests, women beginning relationships with Jesus Christ, and overall attendance. This excitement grows even more passion and energy to reach out to their communities.
Women’s Connection received some recent exciting reports on first-time guests.
The Waupaca, Wisconsin, Christian Women’s Club (CWC) featured a style show this summer that brought in 19 first-time guests, many of them affiliated with the models, reports Chair Phyllis Hunt.
New Feature Guests offer something different to attract a half dozen first-time guests monthly to the Neenah, Wisconsin, Fox Valley Women’s Connection. Serving an area with new fun and interesting shops, the CWC has been using the business
owners as Feature Guests, a draw for curious shoppers, explains Chair Sue Harvey.
The Bemidji, Minnesota, CWC changes its daytime outreach to a night-time gathering during the summer. This allows teachers to attend who normally can’t and they nearly fill a table, says Jody Anderson, Vice Chair.
Store Ticket Sales Attract Guests
When women in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, go shopping, they can pick up something extra, tickets to the Mandeville-Covington CWC outreach. About 70 percent of the monthly tickets are purchased through stores. Reservations Coordinator Mary Broussard and Chair Teresa Bourgeois explain below how it works.
Mary drops off packets monthly to a jewelry store, a gift shop, and a children’s clothing store. The packets contain:
- tickets
- invitations
- a sign-up sheet
- a high-quality poster advertising the event
Before the outreach, Mary picks up:
- the individuals’ checks for purchased tickets
- non-used tickets
- the sign-up sheet
Each sheet contains the purchaser’s name, contact information, and any food allergies. This sheet can be used to verify the purchase of misplaced tickets. It is also used for future invitations and follow-up. Both Mary and Teresa list advantages for this
method:
- their outreach gets greater community exposure to potential first-time guests.
- the number of no-shows are reduced
- sales are convenient for customers
The store owners also like the arrangement because it draws more potential customers into their stores. The owners display the invitations at the counter, tape the posters on the door, and collect the checks for the Group. Some have also participated as Feature Guests.
New ways to get first-time guests
Do you have other suggestions to attract more first-time guests? Share ideas on the Planning Team Facebook page. Here are a few to get started:
- Table Hosts remind women to invite first-time guests. Brainstorm various places to become acquainted with women to invite such as library workshops, hair salons, and home association meetings.
- Add your Group’s information to the Welcome Wagon packet in your community.
- Move the meeting to a place women enjoy: art museum, tea shop, large department store or mall, coffee house, antique shop, etc.