Pointer's to Progress

"VERY FRIENDLY AND OBLIGING"

We are frequently reminded of our shortcomings, especially in relation to making visitors feel at home in our churches. But here is something on the other side of the picture that is heartening indeed. It appeared in an Edin­burgh newspaper, the Evening Dispatch, Tuesday, December 7, 1954. This note of appreciation points out the need of all of us to be on the watch. We never know who might happen to visit our services, and we are sure that those who attended that Sunday night meeting in the Edinburgh church little realized that they would be brought so prominently to the attention of the public the fol­lowing Tuesday.

Meeting there with our workers in Scotland, we were happy to bring this note of encouragement into the counsel, and felt that our workers in other parts of the world field would appreciate this little letter. The interesting thing was that this letter was given prominence by being printed in heavy black type. It reads as follows:

"Sir,

"I read your American correspondent's letter on stony looks received in a historic church he had attended, and can assure him that that is nothing new.

"If he is looking for a warm atmosphere in a church I would advise him to try the Adventist church on Bristo Street. I went there out of curiosity on Sunday, and found both elders and people very friendly and obliging.

"I am not a member of this church, but I must say I enjoyed the service.—M. K., Marchmont Road, Edinburgh 10, Scotland."

When the warm glow of the love of Jesus is in the hearts of the people it radiates to all, visitors and members alike. "By this shall all men know," said the Saviour.  

R. A. A.

EVANGELISTIC ADVERTISING

When a minister places an evangelistic advertisement in the local newspaper, he is, in a sense, placing his church on public display. People who see the advertisement will form certain conclusions in their minds about the church itself after seeing the ad. Check your own reactions as you see the difference in the dignity and appeal achieved by certain ads compared with others. You are more likely to buy from the company which creates the best impression with its advertising. At­tractive ads well presented in illustrations and words that have meaning to people are ads which bring customers." This good counsel comes from the pub­lic relations department of the Pacific Union Con­ference.

Here are some pointers you may find helpful: To sell your evangelism, your ads must attract atten­tion, arouse interest, stimulate desire, create con­viction, and get action. You cannot frighten, com­mand, scold, or threaten people into attending your meetings or your church. People must be influenced into wanting to listen to the message you have for them. Good advertising will do this. Your adver­tising copy must talk to your prospective customer in his own language and in terms of his own inter­ests. People are interested in themselves, their lives and futures, their families, their work, their posses­sions, and their own wants.

In preparing your ad layout, avoid the hodge­podge that big black type creates. A word printed in all capitals is harder to read than a word in capitals and small letters. Avoid the feeling of disorder created by the use of several different type faces in one ad. Use the same type face, achieving variety by various sizes of one particular type style. But be economical in the use of sizes of type. Don't crowd your ad. Give your ad beauty with white space. You can get good help from the advertising department of the newspaper with which you deal. Follow such suggestions. Also make use of the Metro service. Any newspaper editor will gladly explain this free Metro mat service. A good book on advertising is Newspaper Advertising, by John V. Lund, Prentice-Hall, New York.

SEAT TICKETS IN EVANGELISM

Today many of our evangelists are following the practice of reserving a sec­tion of seats in the auditorium, at least during the opening weeks of the campaign, and issuing re­served-seat tickets to those who request them. This is a commendable plan and has worked out well in practice. We do well, however, to observe a caution on this point. Sometimes the impression is received by some who read the advertising that the entire auditorium is reserved, Others who have been plan­ning to telephone or write for tickets, but have been too busy to do so, may have the impression by Sun­day that all the seats are taken. To guard against this false impression, some have followed the plan of emphasizing in their advertising that "Hundreds of Unreserved Seats Are Also Available."

If it is possible to arrange it without too much expense, the value of reserved-seat tickets is greatly enhanced if the tickets have actual seat numbers. This, of course, is possible only when the auditorium or theater seats are numbered.

Another ticket plan that is entirely different is used by Elman Folkenberg, of the Central California Conference, in his evangelism. Free tickets for the first night are mailed out with the announcement of the opening meeting. Five free tickets are mailed in an envelope with each announcement, and the number of free tickets sent out averages about four for each seat in the auditorium. This makes allow­ance for those who will not use the tickets. In some areas a larger percentage of free tickets per seat may need to be sent out. The free tickets should be at­tractively printed on enamel or glossy chrome-coat stock. They should look attractive, read well, and feel good to the touch when they are taken out of the envelope.