Visitor follow-up messages

Purpose

1.1. Automate timely and personalized visitor follow-up communication, ensuring first-time attendees at Alliance churches feel welcomed, informed, and encouraged to return.
1.2. Maintain records of visitor engagement, enable pastor or volunteer outreach, distribute event invitations and information, and continuously build connections for membership and discipleship pathways.
1.3. Reduce administrative workload for church staff by centralizing and automating multi-step outreach processes across various channels.

Trigger Conditions

2.1. New visitor form submission (physical or digital) with valid contact info.
2.2. Registration for church events as a non-member.
2.3. Attendance scanning/check-in at service using app or kiosk.
2.4. Import of contacts from tablets/response cards filled during service.
2.5. Update in CRM indicating "visitor" status.

Platform Variants

3.1. Twilio SMS
• Feature/Setting: Twilio Messaging API; configure "Send Message" with phone number, personalized message template, sender ID.
• Sample: Set trigger → API call to /Messages endpoint with visitor's phone.

3.2. SendGrid
• Feature/Setting: SendGrid Mail Send API; configure transactional template, visitor data merge fields, custom subject, sender domain.
• Sample: POST to /mail/send with dynamic_template_data for visitor.

3.3. Mailchimp
• Feature/Setting: Automation Workflow; configure "Welcome New Subscriber," set delay and content, enable auto-tagging for follow-up.
• Sample: Add to audience via API v3.0, trigger onboarding series.

3.4. Salesforce
• Feature/Setting: Process Builder/Flow Builder; automate sending emails, tasks, or SMS when new contact with "Visitor" flag is added.
• Sample: Create flow → If "Status" = Visitor, initiate Chatter alert + email.

3.5. HubSpot
• Feature/Setting: Workflow Automation; configure contact property trigger ("visitor"), execute multiple follow-up steps via email or SMS.
• Sample: Trigger workflow on new visitor contact, send templated email.

3.6. Slack
• Feature/Setting: Incoming Webhook; send notification to #guest-services channel when visitor detected for team awareness and call assignments.
• Sample: POST JSON payload with visitor info to webhook URL.

3.7. Constant Contact
• Feature/Setting: Automated Email Series; initiate sequence when visitor added to list from form or import, insert church-specific content.
• Sample: List API—add contact, kick off automation.

3.8. Pipedrive
• Feature/Setting: Workflow Automation; when contact tagged as “visitor,” add activity for member care follow-up and send automated first-touch email.
• Sample: Use API to update deal/contact, trigger email.

3.9. Planning Center
• Feature/Setting: Workflows in People app; auto-task assignment upon new profile creation with "visitor" label, email/SMS via integration.
• Sample: Trigger workflow step, send notification.

3.10. Church Community Builder (Pushpay)
• Feature/Setting: Process Queues/Automations; set up automatic email or SMS to visitors, assign follow-up team tasks, schedule calls.
• Sample: Configure process with new profile trigger, auto-message.

3.11. Microsoft Power Automate
• Feature/Setting: Automated Flow; trigger on new entry in visitor spreadsheet or CRM, send Teams message, Outlook email, or SMS via connector.
• Sample: Start flow → If new row, send follow-up.

3.12. ActiveCampaign
• Feature/Setting: Automation Recipes; visitor tagged triggers drip campaign and assigns staff contact for personalized outreach.
• Sample: API call to add contact with tag, initiate automation.

3.13. Zoho CRM
• Feature/Setting: Workflow Rules; when lead status = visitor, send automated welcome email, SMS, and assign task to outreach team.
• Sample: Set rule → email/SMS notification.

3.14. Freshdesk
• Feature/Setting: Scenario Automation; when visitor ticket created or contact added, auto-respond with welcome message and follow-up link.
• Sample: New contact triggers canned response.

3.15. Gmail (Google Workspace)
• Feature/Setting: Filter + Auto-Responder; auto-send templated mail when new visitor records appear in synced contacts.
• Sample: Filter email by subject, auto-reply.

3.16. WhatsApp Business API
• Feature/Setting: SendTemplateMessage endpoint; dispatch welcome and info messages using pre-approved templates upon visitor registration.
• Sample: POST request to /v1/messages with templateName.

3.17. Facebook Messenger (Meta API)
• Feature/Setting: Send API; auto-send welcome and info to visitors engaging via Facebook or Messenger registration.
• Sample: POST to /me/messages with recipient ID, message text.

3.18. Breeze ChMS
• Feature/Setting: Automated follow-up tasks; when new person added with "visitor" tag, auto-assign team and send custom message.
• Sample: API event trigger, assign task.

3.19. SurveyMonkey
• Feature/Setting: Email Collector Automation; dispatch post-service feedback surveys to visitors and log responses for further engagement.
• Sample: Trigger on add, send survey link.

3.20. Trello
• Feature/Setting: Automation (Butler); on new card for "visitor follow-up," auto-create checklist and assign team members for personalized engagement.
• Sample: Card trigger, checklist and assignment.

3.21. ClickSend
• Feature/Setting: Email, SMS API; configure bulk personalized messaging using visitor data post-service.
• Sample: API call with CSV import, message template.

3.22. Intercom
• Feature/Setting: Automated Campaigns; trigger messaging based on visitor tag, segment, or event for web chat, app notification, and email.
• Sample: Visitor registered event → start campaign.

Benefits

4.1. Consistent and prompt visitor engagement across SMS, email, and chat channels.
4.2. Increased likelihood of visitor retention and future involvement.
4.3. Streamlined workflow with reduced manual outreach load for volunteers and staff.
4.4. Enhanced data reporting and analytics to optimize follow-up effectiveness.
4.5. Seamless integration with existing church management and communication platforms.