I just received an email from our church to begin preparing for this year’s Trunk or Treat.
I’m pumped. Our church puts on a great Trunk or Treat. And, I’ll be honest, Halloween has long been my favorite holiday.
You get to dress up like your favorite monster or cartoon character, knock on doors, tell cheesy jokes, and get CANDY!!
What’s not to like?
Unfortunately, for many like me who grew up in fun and safe neighborhoods that embraced trick-or-treaters, those fun and safe environments are quickly disappearing.
So someone (I don’t know who) developed Trunk or Treat! What an awesome idea. What an incredible outreach. It’s that whole idea of seeing a need and meeting that need by crafting a helpful response.
Many churches have adopted the Trunk or Treat as a safe and controlled alternative to traditional trick-or-treating. It’s great church outreach. It’s great church marketing.
But what’s the catch?
“Excuse me?”
When people come to your church for Trunk or Treat, what do you require of them?
“Why, nothing!” you say, proudly. “It’s our gift to the community. When they show up, we just ask that they simply fill out a brief form that allows us to follow up with them at a later date.”
Wait. I thought you said you didn’t require anything.
“We don’t. Just a little card that gives us their name and phone number, a way to contact them and invite them back to the church. It’s not like we’re asking for a donation.”
So your Trunk or Treat is really a marketing scheme designed to collect names and contact information? Kind of like when you sign up to win that car at the fair?
“It’s not the same. We’re a church….”
I’m sorry to say — yes, it is the same.
When you provide a gift to people, let it be a gift with no strings attached.
Forcing people to give you their name and contact information before they can partake in the Trunk or Treat (or any such event) is giving something but seeking something in return.
Traditional marketing says you need to measure, and that’s okay. You should certainly be counting the number of attendees. You should also engage those attendees in conversation and find out more about them.
What brought you here?
Are you enjoying yourself?
That Freddy Krueger mask just reminded me of my high school math teacher!
Do you have any prayer needs?
Should you collect their information? Yes.
“Wait. I thought you just said we shouldn’t require…”
Don’t require it. Make it an option at the end of the line.
Your church should have an information table, probably even a prayer table. Maybe have your church doors open for tours. Have your promotional materials ready, your contact cards on hand. Have your greeters — your best church marketing pros — ready to engage the people, to make them feel at home. Be neighbors.
Just don’t force anything. Make your Trunk or Treat safe. Make it creative. Make it fun. Make it hassle-free for parents. Make it a gift to the community.
I hope this provided some good trunk or treat tips. Have a safe and happy Halloween!
How does your church operate its Trunk or Treat event?
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