In this episode, we discuss how a church can build a culture that retains people by cultivating relationships and creating great experiences. Jonathan Hardy shares ideas about what a church can do to retain people based on his experience on church staff and as a church consultant with the Hardy Group. Churches should focus on cultivating relationships and on creating great experiences in order to retain guests.
Show Notes:
Large churches and small churches have a “back door” problem to retain people
• Pastors all over the country have a “back door” issue happening
• Churches must focus on retaining guests while being mindful of taking care of those who are there
• The goal for your church should be to shrink the back door as much as possible
• 2 big ideas: allow relationships to build and create a great experience for new guests
• The number one reason why people leave a church is that they have not connected
• Survey guests and ask them why they like the church and why they are choosing to come back
• Most people come back to churches when it is friendly and when they feel they can belong
• Churches need to create “wow” experiences based on their vision
• “Wow” happen with planning based on the brand of your church
• Experiences start taking place online first
• Create a culture of thoughtfulness toward guests
• Disney is a good example of a company that provides a “wow” factor
• Churches can get caught up in what they do to the point where they forget about people
• Retaining people starts with having the DNA to serve well which starts with leadership
• Hospitality should be the main area of devotion for a church
• Good marketing is when the experience a guest receives lines up with the core values of the church
