Likely, Lent and Easter have brought a whole bunch of new people into your marketing world.

New customers buying Easter products. First-time donors for Lenten almsgiving. New email sign-ups to follow along on your Lenten series. First-time event attendees.

But just like I tell my churches: Easter is just the beginning.

Now that they're in your world...do you know what you want them to do next?

In marketing, there's something called a customer journey. It's a series of steps we want people to take from first hearing about something all the way through purchase and beyond.

For example, maybe you see an ad on social media for a new independent book shop in town. You click on the ad, go to their website, and follow them on social media.

Then, you see their update a few days later promoting their latest book drop, and you read some reviews about the shop.

Two weeks later, you see that they're one of the sponsors for the local parade.

A week after that, you get a postcard from them in the mail about a sale and decide to stop in and make a purchase.

Great! You made a purchase! That's the end, right?

Nope. They don't want just one purchase; they want a loyal, engaged fan.

So after you purchase, you're on their email list. You get regular emails from them promoting new books in stock, and you begin to visit regularly.

After a few visits, they invite you to become a VIP, where you get an extra discount for each purchase and voting on new genres in the store.

A few more visits, and you start to know everyone by name.

It only takes a few more times to become a raving fan: attending author signings, joining the book club, even repping them at the grocery store with their logo on your reusable tote.

If that book store was smart, every single one of those interactions (and more!) were plotted out and planned.

Because if we don't know what we want our people to do next, neither will they.

I've talked a lot here in this newsletter about customer journey: How we get people from first interaction to first action taken (purchase, donation, event attendance, etc.).

But just as important is what you want them to do next AFTER that action.

Because doing all of that marketing work just to get them to take one action, then rinsing and repeating for new people is exhausting and ineffective.

It's like setting yourself up to be a one-hit wonder, marketing style.

And it's not how Jesus markets.

He invites people from onlookers to disciples then apostles.

The Church doesn't stop at baptism; there's six other sacraments to take us deeper on our journey.

Even Easter isn't the end; if I've learned anything about Salvation History, it's that I bet God has every detail planned out from the Resurrection to the Second Coming, all leading us incrementally deeper in relationship with Him.

So why shouldn't our marketing be the same?

With all of the new people likely entering your world these next few weeks, now is the time to make sure you know what you want them to do AFTER Easter too.

From their second engagement with you all the way to loyal, raving fan.

It's all about going just one step deeper, inviting people to cast their nets just a little deeper each time in relationship with you and hopefully thus their relationship with Jesus.

But so it doesn't get too overwhelming, let's just figure out the next step for now:

• If someone made a purchase from you for the first time this Lent or Easter, what should they do next? Is there a companion product or service? Should they get one for a friend? Sign up for your affiliate program?
• If someone donated for the first time, what should they do next? Is there a next level of giving commitment to invite them to? Can they volunteer with you? Upgrade to monthly giving instead of one-time?
• If someone did your free program, what should they do next? Is there a small paid step they should take? Do you want them to simply share you with others?
• If someone attended an event for the first time, what should they do next? Do you want them to go through your automated email series? Attend a longer event (i.e. they did a one day event and now they should plan a weeklong retreat)? Is there a class that comes next or can you invite them to be the leaders of the next event?

Whatever they did for the first time this season, just ask the question: Now what?

It doesn't even have to be a paid next step, just the next thing that will help them to go a little bit deeper.

If all else fails, simply invite them to connect deeper — sign up for your email list, share a prayer intention, follow you on social media, etc.

Easter isn't the end of the story for Jesus.

Don't let it be the end of your new audience's story with you either.

For His greater glory,

Emily