With summer in full swing, many are in the midst of Freshmen Orientation events or planning for start of school Welcome Fairs, etc. What do you do? What do you give away that will help new students be aware of your ministry? In my next Blog or two, I will share some examples of different giveaways, etc, etc. Here are three (3) examples of Summer Orientation approaches.
SARAH FARLEY, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA BCM shared this:
"I think its important to have candy that not everyone else has because you want people to ask, 'Hey, where did you get that?' They love ring pops and it works! I had several come up tonight just because they saw people with one and and wanted one.
I'm getting them to sign up and give me their information. I went old school and we do paper cards for them to fill out. We are seeing studenst be pretty receptive! Two things I think are big deals:
-We ask them their name and call them by it and tell them welcome! We use the words COMMUNITY and FOR ALL BACKGROUNDS.
I think the big deal is that we are using the words like this: Hey, my name is Sarah, I/m with BCM - we are a student led religious organization that wants to help students connect with other students, build community and learning about Christ. We are not just for Baptists, we are a place for every college student-no matter what your faith background is or even if you don't believe or have one, we have a place for you and would like to have you be part of our community. Here fill this out and we will contact you about getting involved.
That has been a game changer....using the words community and no matter what your background is....I had 3 tonight that were "nones" and 1 Hindu (all Americans) sign up to get involved. We are very clear about using Christ but by adding the words community and for all religious and no religion, I think it has helped."
CHAD MCCLURG, UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA, MONROE (ULM) offers a free tee shirt to the first fifty (50) who sign up at each Orientation. They have four (4) different color attractive tee shirts that can be picked up at the BCM Center.
MARK WHITT, MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
"We are handing out BCM sunglasses along with a promo card with our first Welcome Week event (late night pancakes on Move-In night) on one side and the entire Welcome Week Schedule on the other side. Our card is round (like a pancake). These same cards will be handed out during Move-In and first campus event a few hours before pancakes start."
What are YOU doing? What's the best thing you have seen done? What is a CRAZY IDEA you have thought about doing??? Let me know, arlissdickerson@gmail.com.
Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry available for 99 cents each in eBook format at amazon.com. FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is available in paperback.
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