A Sustainable Outreach Strategy

In planning an outreach strategy for young adults, Jessica Coblentz advises establishing realistic expectations:

Sustainability requires realistic expectations. In most parishes, 50 young adults will not show up to your first young adult ministry event regardless how effective your marketing. Don’t let unrealistic expectations overshadow the slow and steady success of your outreach plan. Set realistic goals so you can recognize your successes and see where your outreach strategy needs improvement.

Assess your resources. Some promotional tools require more time to maintain than others. Do you have that time or do you have a volunteer or young adult team who does? Some tools are free while others require a one-time or recurring fee. Do you have a budget that can support the tools you want to engage?

You’ll find more principles for support and outreach in the Essentials section of Young Adult Ministry in a Box.