Tag Archive for 'communications'

Who’s answering your phone?

Here is a simple first impression most persons never even think about.  Who’s answering your phone.  Nine times out of ten the person answering your church phone makes or breaks the impression.

Not only who, but how they answer the phone is very important.  And if no one answers then the voice message is just as important.

My wife, Stephanie has been the voice for Hope Crossing these past several months.  If you call her you’ll hear these words, “HI, this is Stephanie with Hope Crossing Community Church, how may I help you today.”

Couple of tips:

  • be cheerful
  • welcoming
  • courteous
  • genuinely be helpful
  • know all your ministries
  • know the contact information for each ministry
  • be able to answer basic information about each ministry
  • know what is happening this week at your church… this month… and over the summer
  • know who to direct calls to from local media stations
  • know your service times and what is provided for each age group at each time.
  • know the numbers of all your local support agencies so you can assist in connecting persons with outside help if your church doesn’t provide a particular need.
  • know local police and fire station numbers in case of an emergency.
  • know your church address and how to give basic directions to your facility.

One last thought:

  • Who answers your phone during service times?
  • People will want to talk when they think you might be there so having someone available during a service time might be of help.

These are just a few thoughts.

Please add to the discussion.


Post Revisited: “They Know ‘Everything’ About You”

I received and email in resent days asking that I re-post a March 9th posting on, “They Know ‘everything’ About You“.  It was a timely email as I had just finished a discussion with a friend in communications asking ourselves how have we been surveying those who attend church on their first impressions.

Are we asking the right questions?  Are we providing them the most useful communication tools?  OR  Are we providing persons only what we think they need with our limited knowledge base?  We are probably not as good as we think we are…

We would love to hear your comments… please join the discussion in the “comment” section with us to dialog in our learning community.
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Here is the lead in to the original post with a  link to the complete posting from March 9, 2009.

Or at least they think they know everything about you.  The truth is they only know the perception of you and your church.

For the most part the people I interview on the street use the following terms about the local church… hear them out.

READ ENTIRE POSTING: They Know “everything” About You