How To Write Text for an Email Invite

How To Write Text for an Email Invite

Using email to invite your congregation to the Table is an important step. But what to say? Too often churches rush through this step. We offer some recommendations for what to say and offer some sample text you can customize and use yourself.

There are two different ways to use email to invite members to the Table, both with their own benefits:

1. Send out an email to your regular email list that includes the link to your church's Table.

• The main benefit here is that the email comes from a familiar source. Your congregation won't be thrown by strange looking email that could end up in spam filters.
• You have complete control over the email. You can work it into your regular email newsletter or send out a special announcement with graphics. You can work the Table into your regular communication channels and do what works for your church.

2. Use the Table's invite feature to directly invite people to join the Table.

• You'll need to copy and paste email addresses into the invite field, so this can be more cumbersome. You should be able to export addresses from your email newsletter system.
• The bonus here is that when people click the link to join their email address is pre-populated.
• You have the option of adding a personal message to the invite and we highly recommend doing this. If your church members missed any of the announcements about the Table they may have no idea what it is and dismiss it as spam. Including a personal note increases the chances that they'll sign up.

Which approach you take is up to you, but we recommend sending out an email that's dedicated to the Table. If the Table is only one item in your regular email newsletter, it can be easy to miss. Sending out a second email that only covers the Table—whether you use your regular email list or send the invites through the Table—is a good way to make sure people don't miss it. Plus, you're launching a whole new online community. That's a step that really warrants its own email.

Fellowship One
If your church uses the Fellowship One church management software and has it connected to the Table, you can also send invites through Fellowship One. This is a great approach and highly recommend if your church uses Fellowship One. There is no custom invite text though, so no need for the samples below.

Text Tips

• The main thing to remember is to keep it short. People scan their emails pretty quickly, so save the lengthy explanations for another time.
• Let the Table intro video do the heavy lifting of explaining why people should join the Table.
• When you send invites through the Table, make it personal. Introduce yourself so people will see a name they recognize. A customized welcome video will help even more with this.

Sample Text
Here's some sample text you can use. Use it as is or work with it as a starting point.

Longer version:
(ideal for your church's email newsletter)

Church doesn't end just because the worship service is over. "Church" is the body of Christ seeking God's kingdom, not just an event on Sunday morning. Prayer, service, study and fellowship are important aspects of faith that shouldn't be restricted to the hour we sit in a pew. That's what the Table is all about. It's a private social network, just for our church, that enables us to connect 24/7, not just on Sunday.

Join the Table today: http://yourchurch.tableproject.org

Short version:
(ideal for the Table invite)

This is [Name] from [Church] and I wanted to invite you to the Table. It's a private, online community for our church. It will help us live church together. Pull up a chair!