This is an English translation of today’s post by Rachel Blom of Youth Leaders Academy that appears in Dutch here.
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A while back, I was in a church where a women’s conference was being promoted. They hung large posters in the lobby and there was also a special registration desk where you could register for the conference.
The welcome package I received had a very neat flyer about the conference and stated where it was, when and how much it cost. During the service, there was a special promo video shown and the conference was not only mentioned during the announcements, but also during the sermon.
You could say that this was sufficient to direct me to sign up, but that wasn’t so – even though I belonged to the target audience. Do you know why? Because in spite of the many forms of communication, I had not been told the “what” about the conference.
The church had communicated via the name of the conference that it was for women, but beyond that I had no idea what the conference was about. Nothing was said about what we ought to expect: music, worship, workshops, speeches? I had no idea what the objective of the conference was and that was after I had read a flyer, seen posters, watched a video and heard two statements. Not useful.
When planning a youth event, you shouldn’t forget these important communication elements:
1. What
What is the event? What will happen, what can people expect, what is the purpose? Identify this explicitly.
Tip: Ask an ‘outsider’ to look at your invitation critically. Does he or she understand what the event is about?
2. When
It’s a beginner’s mistake, but I still see it regularly. Always, always make sure you advise ‘when’ the event is on the invitation.
Tip: Write the actual day on the invitation too, so people remember it more easily. So instead of December 24, write Saturday, December 24.
3. Where
This is also one that is easily forgotten, especially when churches have their own building where everything takes place. Young people from outside your church should also know where they should be. Indicate the name of your building, street and city and possibly the area where the event is being held in the building, so they don’t have to search when they get there.
Tip: Many people use GPS to get somewhere (for example, parents of teenagers), so for their convenience provide the postcode or GPS coordinates. If you have a large building, put up signs around the building so that they can find their way once they arrive!
4. Who
Ensure that it’s clear who the event is for. ‘Teenagers’ is such a vague concept and everyone between 12 and 20 is included. So if you mean high school students, put that on it. This means that everyone who is eligible to attend will know they can come.
Tip: Have a clear idea on whether the youth work event is for a particular age (e.g. 12-16 years) or for a particular group (everyone involved in the teenage group).
5. Why
Where possible, always try to communicate the reason why people should come to your event. What is there for them to pick? What will they miss if they don’t come? This aspect is often forgotten in event communication, but young people often need a reason to be persuaded to come!
Tip: If you have difficulty clearly articulating why people should come, it’s wise to think again about the event. The ‘why’ would really be clear to anyone who is involved in the organization.
6. How
The ‘how’ is the practical information about the youth work event. For example, whether or not they have to sign up (if yes, where, how and what is the deadline), what young people should bring along, how much it costs and how to pay.
Tip: Make it as easy as possible. You might be inclined to refer to a website or Facebook page for extra info, but this is an extra step many young people may not take and will keep them from registering. Always try to put all the info in one place to provide to young people, as this makes it as easy as possible for them to come.
Rachel Blom is of Dutch origin, but has lived two years in southern Germany. She is a very passionate and experienced youth worker who wants to serve youth workers worldwide by helping them grow in their role as a youth leader. Check out her blog www.youthleadersacademy.com and find her on Twitter.