First Impressions

If your VBS is visitor-friendly, seven seconds is more than enough time to make a good impression.

If your VBS is visitor-friendly, seven seconds is more than enough time to make a good impression. And that good impression starts before families even get out of their cars.

Do You Have Clear Signage?

Depending on the size of your church campus, you may or may not need directional signage for parking. But all churches need something to mark which door VBS attendees should enter, even if you only have one door in your building! Purchase the new AiG welcome banners, put out a balloon arch, or post excited volunteers with signs at the door to let people know where to enter.

Are Parking Lots and Crosswalks Safe for Kids?

Parents want to know that their kids are safe, even in a parking lot. Do you have volunteers stationed at crossing zones to ensure that children are safe and provide your first line of welcome? Your parking lot attendees/crossing guards are often the first faces families see. Make sure these volunteers have been trained on the importance of being friendly faces.

How Does Your Entryway Decor Look?

What is the first thing families see when walking in the clearly marked door? Make sure that this area is clear of clutter and well-decorated. It should look fun and inviting. Remember those seven seconds? How would your entryway measure up if families judged your entire VBS based on that decoration?

Realistically (and hopefully), families will give you more than seven seconds before deciding whether or not they will return. Think about these things when it comes to being a visitor-friendly VBS.

• Check-In/Checkout—Are kids safe? How are the lines? Do new parents know what to do?
• Communication—Have you clearly communicated any important details for the week to parents? Have you communicated those details again? (Many parents need multiple reminders.)
• Relationships—Did someone connect with Mom and Dad? If you want a family to visit you again, they need to feel connected with and personally welcomed.
• Allergy Information—If children have food allergies, how are you ensuring they remain safe at snack time? Make sure parents know what those precautions are.
• Clutter—VBS can get messy pretty quickly, but cluttered spaces don’t make a great impression. Make sure to have a plan in place to deal with clutter or hide it from visitors’ eyes.
• Fun Level—This might sound silly, but if a child goes home telling Mom and Dad they didn’t have fun, they won’t likely be back. A child’s experienced amount of fun is an important first impression.

First impressions matter.

First impressions matter. As you plan and prepare for VBS, imagine you are a first-time visitor. Would you be impressed with your church? Would what you see and experience make you want to come back? Every detail and every second matters when it comes to first impressions; make them count!