I live in Raleigh, North Carolina.
That means that I’ve seen schools close for even the possibility of snow. And by snow, I mean flurries. Just look at what happens when it actually does snow in Raleigh.
It’s important to communicate with your church and keep everyone updated when there’s inclement weather.
Here are three ways to do that:
1. Post it on your website.
Create a web page that’s the first thing people will see if they visit your website. It’s a key place to keep people informed about any potential cancellations to services or events. Include “updated on” with a time stamp too so people know if the information is current.
2. Change your answering message.
Believe it or not, people do still use the telephone. Make sure to update your church’s answering message if you’re going to be out of the office for a few days. Let people know you’re currently closed and when you plan to reopen. Also, include an alternative way they can get in touch such as an email address.
3. Share through social media.
Social media is a great way to keep people up-to-date in real-time. If there’s bad weather coming, people look to social media for traffic reports and news updates so it’s a perfect place to share how your church services and activities are being affected by the weather.
What do you think? What are other ways to communicate during bad weather?
How about one more…push notifications through an iOS app! (shameless plug → http://theministryapp.com)
Thanks for sharing, Chuck! Our church doesn’t have an app currently but that’s definitely an excellent one to include.