Assimilation: What to Measure

The first step in setting up a workflow is to map it.  That is to set a goal or define what success looks like. I use the example of success for a first time guest workflow is for the person or family to show up a second time. Then, the goal of the second time guest workflow is for them to attend a new members class. From there the goal is to help them respond to Christ in whatever way is best for them ultimately getting them involved in community and ministry.

In last week's post, Nelson Searcy gave a great list of questions to measure the effectiveness of assimilation.  The beauty of workflows, notes and tracking people by groups is that it helps you make sure you are collecting the data you need to do effective evaluation.

In the next 3 posts we'll talk about how to collect information. But before we start, let's make sure we have the end clearly in mind and the path we're going to take to get there.

1. Define your goal(s). The overall goal, of course, is to get people fully engaged in the life of the church. But there are lots of possible steps in there. Identify each one of these steps, and then the goal for each of those steps. keep it as simple as you can.
2. Set up the process. Here's where groups and workflows will really help. In sales, you are trained that it takes an average of 6 to 7 touches  (including automated emails and texts) for someone to make a decision.  This gives your follow-up team a clear goal.  Once they've done this, remove the person from the group and/or workflow. This will keep follow-up from becoming stale for staff or volunteers.
3. Capture important benchmarks. These will become the attributes you use to track movement.  They are member attributes that you've identified as defining moments in the process.
4. Run report. Our reports are extremely powerful.  Once you have the data, you will be able to track it with reports.  If you need help setting them up, let us know.  When you get the report you need, save it.  From then on, you can access it in Saved Reports.
5. Evaluate. The report is the feedback leadership needs to assess how well both the overall goal of getting people fully engaged and each incremental goal is doing.  This will help you discover the weak points in either your ministry strategy or execution.