Develop a plan to give every man five to seven touches.
Men need the facts, and they need to hear them many times in many ways. The average woman will be informed of an event and she will check her calendar to see if she can go. She has a disposition to say yes to the invitation. Most men do not have this disposition. The average man may not even check his availability until he becomes convinced that he would like to attend the event. My experience is that it often takes five to seven touches to move a man to the point of checking his availability. Men are different and you reach them in different ways. Make sure to develop a comprehensive plan to promote your event. Here are a few ideas:
1. Pray. Ask Almighty God to move the men to the event.
2. Brochure. Make sure the quality represents the quality of the event.
3. Posters. Men may not read the brochure - but they will see the poster.
4. Bulletin Insert. If their mind wanders they may give it a look.
5. Postcard in the mail. Midweek arrival to the home.
6. Email. Take some extra time to copy and paste and send 'personal' emails.
7. Website. Every detail a man should need you can provide on a website.
8. Women's Ministry. A gentle nudge and a full release to attend.
9. Platform Announcement. Works best if the Senior Pastor says. "Please join me."
10. Phone calls. Organize a team of men to call men.
Nothing beats a personal invitation from a friend.
A slick brochure marketing a superb event will not touch the power of a personal invitation from a friend. This is not a phone call reminder from a man on the men's ministry team; this is one man asking another man to go with him to the event. It will be important for the men who serve as the leadership of the church to understand this reality.
Sometimes church leaders see entry level events for men as a low ministry priority for them. They have a low felt need for gathering with other men to engage in something like a men's breakfast or a fishing trip. It is critical that these leaders understand their role is to invite another man to join them. When the leadership of the church embraces a men's event and makes personal invitations to other men to go with them - the event takes on a life of its own. The reverse is also true. When the leadership of the church does not embrace a men's event, then the promotional efforts will always be a challenge.
Adapted from Brian Doyle, Director, Iron Sharpens Iron Conferences. Used with permission.
