So you’ve got a solid event idea and are ready to put it in the books. How do you start the planning process? How do you get as many people as possible to sign up and attend?
We know church event registration and planning comes with a lot of moving pieces, and we’re here to help! Check out these tips on setting your event up for success.
SETTING A DATE
Always try to schedule your events six months in advance. Remember, families and volunteers have jobs and other responsibilities and need plenty of time to prepare. To choose the best dates for your event, remember to think about major local events, holidays, school activities, and conflicts with your church calendar.
To choose the best dates for your event, ask a few questions:
- Are there any local events (games, dances, holidays, competitions) happening that weekend?
- Are there any conflicts on your church calendar?
- Are your family and friends okay with you being busy that weekend?
- Are there any school events or big tests that kids and teenagers need to prepare for?
These reminders are key details to ensure you set a date with the most flexibility for people to attend. By avoiding holidays or big school events, you can help the families and individuals within your church community add the big day to their calendars!
HANDLE YOUR EVENT REGISTRATIONS ONLINE
Whenever possible, handle your event registrations online! Online forms will save all registrations and allow you to make specific fields mandatory, so there’s no confusion about missing information, hard-to-read handwriting, or lost paperwork.
Inside your registration form, be sure to collect important information about each person, like…
- Name
- Birth Date
- Grade
- School
- T-Shirt Size (if you’re giving out shirts)
- Allergies and Medical Information
- Parent or Guardian Name(s)
- Parent or Guardian Contact Information
These are the essentials for every event. But for overnight events, off-site events, and events where you might want to post photos and videos to social media, be sure to include these forms…
- Liability and Consent Forms
- Insurance Forms
- Photo Release Forms
With online forms, your registration process can be so much easier. Plus, you can take payments immediately to help you keep track of accounts and balances. If you need help building your forms, there are several ways to do this online…
WUFOO
This online platform allows you to make online registration forms and surveys to follow up with attendees after the event. You can opt for monthly billing or pay annually for this service and use it across all ministries in your church.
GOOGLE FORMS
Google Forms may be the best way to get people registered for your event if your ministry uses Google Workspace for Gmail, Google Meet, and Google Drive. It is a free platform that allows you to make online registration forms and follow-up surveys for those who have attended.
PLANNING CENTER REGISTRATIONS
Planning Center is an app used by many churches and helps you coordinate with your team members and keep communication consistent as you plan your event. There, you’ll be able to see who is registered, attending, and volunteering.
TYPEFORM
Typeform allows you to create a variety of forms and surveys using their templates. It also integrates with various platforms, such as Slack and MailChimp. This way, you can promote your event while giving people direct access to registration.
JOTFORM
Jotform is a website that helps you design online registration forms and surveys. With their excellent customer engagement team, you’re never alone in building the best registration forms for anyone interested in attending your event!
Your church’s form builder or management system
Of course, you can always opt for whatever form builder or management system your church already uses. This promotes a good integration between the new event and a platform people are already familiar with.
We hope these tips help you pull off your next event with plenty of registered attendees! Having a church event registration strategy is a great way to reduce stress for you and for the kids, teenagers, and families in your ministry. The best part about online registration is that you can keep a digital record of when people registered, giving you insight into the next event’s marketing plan.
And if you’re using Grow Curriculum, we include our event strategy for you. Every volume of Grow Kids and Grow Students includes quarterly events, planning timelines, graphics for your screens and social media, and more. We give you everything you need to form a strategy around your events so you can focus on building relationships and having fun.
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