Beyond Christmas: Extend Your Church's Outreach into Year-Round Growth

Christmas is a truly special time of year, bringing together people from all walks of life to celebrate its joy and traditions. Even those who rarely or never attend church often feel drawn to its message of hope and community. For churches, this season offers a unique opportunity to connect with both regular attendees and those who may be open to exploring or rediscovering their faith.

To make the most of this opportunity and carry its impact beyond the Christmas season, churches need a thoughtful and strategic approach to outreach.

Christmas often attracts twice the number of regular guests, making it a pivotal time for churches to connect with their communities. 

Half of churches report that Christmas Eve is their largest event of the year¹. This increase in attendance brings joy but also demands extensive preparation, especially in creating effective Christmas outreach strategies. From creating engaging promotional materials to coordinating large-scale marketing campaigns, churches pour months of effort into making sure their message reaches as many people as possible.

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Churches spend thousands on traditional efforts to invite people into special Christmas services. Many churches spend between $10,000 and $25,000 on direct mail campaigns and commercials, hoping to engage their community.  Despite this investment, the return on investment is often disappointingly low. Direct mail response rates have declined to just 4.4%². 

Pastors are starting to raise questions about the effectiveness of traditional methods in today’s digital-first world.

Digital outreach excels where traditional methods fall short, offering year-round opportunities for connection. 

While mailers and commercials can draw attention, they often fail to track engagement or maintain connections beyond Christmas. Digital tools, such as 1:1 texting and targeted ads, allow churches to engage directly with their audience and connect with people who are searching for a spiritual community.

These tools go beyond attracting visitors—they create opportunities for meaningful follow-ups and ongoing conversations, turning one-time attendees into lasting connections. With 91% of U.S. adults owning smartphones³, these devices are a central part of daily life. People spend over 4.5 hours on their phones each day⁴ and more than 115 hours a month⁵—making digital outreach the perfect way to connect with your audience where they already are and build relationships that last well beyond Christmas.

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Capitalize on your Christmas spending by leveraging digital tools for consistent, year-round outreach. 

While Christmas often draws a surge of visitors, many churches see attendance and engagement decline once the holiday season ends. By prioritizing ongoing communication, churches can nurture these connections throughout the year, turning Christmas guests into meaningful, lasting relationships.

Here are some effective strategies to keep those relationships growing:

1. Be the Gospel of “Go,” Not Just “Come”: While Christmas services bring people into the church, many in your community may never walk through your doors. The gospel calls us to “go” into the world, meeting people where they are—and today, many of them are online. Engaging people digitally allows your church to reach beyond its physical walls and connect with those who may feel hesitant or disconnected from traditional church settings
   
   
2. Supporting People in Every Season: Christmas often highlights the need for community, but the challenges people face don’t end in January. Financial stress, relational struggles, and personal crises can occur at any time of the year. A continuous outreach approach helps keep your church visible and accessible to those who may need spiritual support outside of holiday times.
   
   
3. Shifting from Mass Communication to Personal Connection: Rather than relying only on large seasonal events, technology offers tools to connect with individuals consistently. Personalized outreach turns one-time visitors into regular attendees, building a stronger, more engaged community.
   
   
4. Engaging Your Local Community: Digital tools like Google Maps, Apple Maps, and social media make it possible to maintain visibility beyond Christmas. Optimizing your church’s presence on these platforms helps people searching for spiritual communities discover and connect with you.

Turn Christmas Visitors into Year-Round Relationships with VisitorReach

With VisitorReach, your church can turn seasonal engagement into lasting connections throughout the year. From digital tools that help you meet people where they are to personalized outreach strategies, VisitorReach helps your church stay visible, accessible, and welcoming every day. 

Build meaningful relationships that last well beyond Christmas and into every part of the year.  Get started with VisitorReach today!

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Foot Notes
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1. "Pastors Say Christmas Eve Is Most Attended Holiday Service," Lifeway Research, link.

2. "Direct Mail Trends and Stats for 2023," Presort Inc., link.

3. "Mobile Fact Sheet," Pew Research Center, link.

4. "Average American Spends Four Hours Per Day on Their Phone," TurnTo10 link.

5. "Smartphone Usage Statistics," Backlinko link.

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