An idea to connect your guests through social media

Most of us want our guests to grow more connected to our church by "liking" its facebook page, following us on twitter, and sharing posts with their friends. Few of us have a way to systematically encourage that. I fell into one that has worked well at Eastside where I serve.

Our First Step with Gene (think pizza with the Pastor) is the first stop for all our guests. At this event, we invite everyone to a 7-week journey called the First Step Experience. At week 1 of FSX, I put my twitter username up on the screen when I introduce myself along with my email address. I let them know that every week, we will be having their table compete against other tables through some fun and unusual competitions that reinforce the training we are giving them in following Jesus. I also let them know that I will be posting photos of the winning tables each week on twitter and that these photos may end up on the Eastside facebook page as well for downloading or sharing with their friends. Since they have to follow me, Eastside, and like our facebook page, this gets them in our social media stream in order to see themselves and to enjoy the memories they make with each other during these 7 weeks.

Here is a tweet that typically gets retweeted and reposted on our church's facebook site. This table just won the Eastside orange coffee mugs from the week 7 competition.

It's simple, but the idea for communicating better with guests using social media is this: Take photos of your guests in each session of whatever assimilation environment you have and let them know that you will tweet/post them on your churches social media sites each week.

Since most people like to see themselves and share their experiences through social media, you will systematically gain followers and "likes" that will result in guests who are in the stream of communication and connection in your church.

Two previews:

1. Speaking of social media, I will be creating a members only facebook page for alumni of my Climbing the Assimilayas events. This will allow us to better learn from each other, ask questions, share resources and solicit prayer. Details to come next week.

2. Tomorrow's idea will be in the form of a personal habit for you and possibly your entire team and staff. This simple habit could change the culture of your entire church and exponentially raise its connectability with guests. This may sound like I am the Chris Harrison of assimilation touting "the most dramatic season of The Bachelor EVER", but seriously, I'm not kidding.

Use the questions below to further process this idea and I'll see you tomorrow.

• How do you currently use social media to communicate with guests? List touch points and which forms of media you use (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, email etc).
• Which ones seem to engage guests most (not members)? Which ones engage guests the least? Why is this?
• If you could experiment with one new form of engagement using social media with guests, what would it be? When will you try it?