New church visitors have a lot of questions and possibly some anxiety as they attend church for the first time. The way a church facility looks, the information presented on the church website, and how volunteers greet them as they arrive all impact their first impression of the church. That’s all before they’ve heard a sermon or participated in worship. Church leaders can leverage a first impressions volunteer team to make that initial visit one that’s positive, stress-free, and inviting to first-time guests.

Here are several tips on how to start a first impressions team:

Tip #1: Craft the Vision

Before you start recruiting volunteers, you need to have a clear picture of what impact you want them to have on guests. This may start by attending services at other churches to see how you feel as a first-time visitor. 

You might also need to attend a service at your church with a keen eye toward how someone new might look at various aspects of the facility and the service.

Take notes and decide what your new team can do to make a great first impression.

Consider the following as you evaluate what to include in your vision:

• Directional Signage: Can first-time guests easily locate the front entrance, main sanctuary, children's check-in, restrooms, and other key areas? Is there clear signage posted for those high-traffic areas?
• What are the first ten minutes like for first-time guests? Is it difficult to find the kids' check-in area? Is it easy to locate coffee, restrooms, and the main sanctuary? What will they think of the church facility? Is it clean, well-maintained, and smelling pleasant? Are the nursery and other children's areas clean and welcoming to children?
• Think about the signage, bulletins, and announcements at a typical service. Are these filled with insider language or terms that a new believer (or non-believer) might not know?
• How will you help volunteers develop meaningful relationships with guests?
• How do you want guests to feel about their visit? What do you want them to think about the church, about God, and about the congregation when they leave?
• Take a friend and visit a church across town that you've never been to before. What are they doing to make you feel welcome and comfortable as a first-time church guest? What could you adopt or adapt? What questions did you have as you're visiting? How could those questions be addressed?

Tip #2: Set Specific Goals for the Team

Determine how you'll accomplish the vision you've laid out for this volunteer team. Do you want to see a certain number of volunteers in each role by a certain date? Will you set up a way to gather input from new members regarding their first impressions of the church?

Document those goals and set realistic deadlines to achieve each one.

Tip #3: Decide the Roles Required

As you develop an idea of the structure for your team, decide what roles you need and the number of people in each role. A typical First Impressions team may include the following:

• Parking Lot - Smiling, friendly volunteers who help guide drivers to open parking spaces, walk guests to the main entrance, and more.
• Greeters - Welcoming team members who are on the lookout for people who aren't familiar or who look like they feel a bit uncertain.
• Welcome Center or Guest Services Table - Volunteers at a booth or table who answer questions, walk guests to the room they're looking for, and help sign people up for events or ministry services. This is also a great place for guests to return to after a service to hand in a connect card or to sign up for a new membership class.
• Ushers - These individuals help people find seating in the sanctuary and may pass out a receptacle for receiving the offering.
• Children's Check-in - In addition to volunteers who check children into the appropriate classrooms, you might have volunteers who help greet the littlest visitors while their parents provide contact information about other details.
• Facilities - Quick cleaning up as needed during services (restocking bathrooms, cleaning up spills, emptying trash bins)

Tip #4: Invite Team Leaders

Consider who you already know who might be a good fit for this team. Start by talking with those individuals about the vision you have for the first impressions team, then ask if they’d like to join.

From there, cast a wider net for additional volunteers. Talk with small group leaders, Sunday school teachers, the youth pastor, elders, and other leaders within the church to get their recommendations for team members.

Tip #5: Develop a Training Program

Update or develop a volunteer handbook that includes the vision for the first impressions team, volunteer role descriptions, and expectations for volunteers. From there, develop an onboarding process for new volunteers. 

Identify who will conduct volunteer training, when to hold training sessions, and how to provide hands-on training as needed.

Tip #6: Provide Training

Start by training the team leaders. Make sure this core leadership team fully understands and embraces the vision and goals you’ve developed for the team. 

Invite your team's input on those goals and how best to achieve them. Letting them generate the ideas will help them buy into those ideas and the execution.

Next, train each group within the team. Provide a documented job description for each role that includes specific expectations for that role.

Ensure each person understands the commitment you’re asking them to make and that they’re fully on-board with that before starting.

Tip #7: Evaluate Regularly

Walk around on a Sunday morning to see how the first impressions volunteers are doing. Observe them interacting with guests, talk with team members about their experiences, and gather feedback from newer members. 

Update the training program or talk with individual volunteers as needed to make improvements.

An engaged and passionate first impressions team can make a huge impact on the experience of a first-time guest. Before the worship leader sings the first note, before the pastor preaches a single word, visitors already have a first impression of your church. Make that impression a positive one so they're more readily open to the Gospel and return to your church.