The importance of guest follow-ups in church can never be understated.

They usually dictate whether or not a guest event comes back to your church!

I'm going to show you why email is one of the most powerful (and cost-effective) tools the modern church leader can use, along with a guest email follow-up strategy and follow-up email examples I've learned from other pastors who have seen amazing results with it.

A Proven Guest Email Follow-up Strategy

I've spoken with pastors who have honed their follow-up strategies over time, leading to a high return rate for first-time guests. Here are 3 effective tips they've shared with me:

Send Guest Follow-up Emails Right Away

Send an email within 24 hours of service. The sooner, the better!

Many pastors found that waiting until mid-week to contact guests leads to missed opportunities. Most people have already moved on from the experience they had in service and are already making weekend plans that might not include your church.

Don't wait. Send that email ASAP!

Add the Guest's Name In the Email Subject Line and Greeting

Make sure every email includes the recipient's name in the subject line. That helps it stand out from all the other emails in their inbox.

Also, don't use a generic greeting like "To Our Honored Guest". Most people are savvy enough to see through that and will know you are using a template.

Pro Tip: ChurchTrac adds the person's name into the subject and greeting for you with "{FirstName}". That way, even automated emails are personalized.

Send More Than One Follow-up

Send at least two emails the first week after a person's visit.

That first email solidifies the experience a guest has on Sunday at your church. But a second email inviting them to return next Sunday helps bridge the gap between services.

The pastors I spoke with said to send the second email on Wednesday or Thursday. Don't wait until Friday, because most people have already solidified their weekend plans by then.

Send More Emails in the Following Weeks

I really love this advice, because it takes guest follow up emails to new levels of intentionality.

Don't put all your hopes on the first week after a visit. Craft an entire email follow-up campaign that includes one email each week after a person's first visit up to 3 weeks.

In these emails, consider sharing the church's story, the pastor's testimony, and stories of how lives have been changed through the church. Help your guests connect with the story God is writing through your church.

Church Guest Follow-Up Email Template 1

One of the pastors I spoke with was kind enough to share the first email his church sends to all new guests. Use this to craft your own!

Pro Tip: Ask the guests who become members what they thought of the follow-up emails. Their feedback can help you make your follow-ups even better.

Church Guest Follow-Up Email Template 2

Another pastor sent me this one. They always send it to a guest just a few hours after service ends:

Pro Tip: Heavily encourage guests to return next week in your follow-ups. This church offers a welcome bag but also makes an effort to connect guests with upcoming events to get them plugged in fast.

Church Guest Follow Up Email FAQs

What is church follow-up?

The process of communication with a guest at your church to develop a relationship with them after their visit.

How many follow-up emails should I send?

Put yourself in the shoes of a guest and ask yourself: How many emails would I want to get if I was visiting a church?

There is no hard science to this...but we would stray away from sending more than 4-5 emails to a guest within a month.

Is email still relevant?

4.26 billion people use email worldwide. Wow!

How do you connect with new people at church?

A guest follow-up email is just one aspect of the connection and follow-up process.

A welcome team, gift baskets, phone calls, and inviting them to upcoming events are all extremely helpful in making first-timers feel welcome.

An Effective Email Follow-Up Process

By sending emails ASAP, personalizing the message, and sending multiple follow-ups, your new guest welcome process can make the difference between someone staying home next Sunday or coming back for a second visit.

Using ChurchTrac makes this process as easy as possible. You can even automate it! Check it out.

Wes Church Engagement