You might think this is silly but it’s not. People are getting up in front of congregations across America every week and boring the you-know-what-out of people with announcements. There they stand, droning on about some event or meeting at the church, while the average attender wonders when the madness will end. So, here are my suggestions for giving great announcements:
Direct the Announcement at Specific Group of People
Chances are that whatever you are saying is only for a sub-section of the people that you are addressing. So, before you start the announcement, get the attention of the people that matter. For example, if the announcement is just for teens then say, “hey students, I want to tell you about….” or if it is for new people you can say, “if you are new then I have some exciting information for you..” The reality is that people are bombarded with information almost all the time and this gives the rest of your audience (the ones to whom the announcement is not pertinent) permission to “turn-off” their brains for a second and absorb useless information. They won’t have to filter the information to find out if it’s necessary for them.
Give Details (but only what is absolutely essential)
Date, location, time, cost (if applicable) and possible an explanation of what will happen during the event (but only if it’s not obvious) are all that are important. For example, if you have a bowling event coming up you would say, “This Saturday we’ll meet at the Star Lanes at 6:30pm. Cost is just $5 per person.” Everyone knows what you’ll do at a bowling alley so there’s really no reason to tell people that you’ll be bowling. Additionally you may want to direct people to an optional source of information that contains expanded information regarding the event – such as a flyer, newsletter, bulletin, website, etc. But, if there is something about the event that would make it stand out then you can include that type of information in your announcement as well to generate some interest among your audience. For example, if you have an announcement about a picnic, most (if not all) people know about picnics – what happens, type of food, outdoors, etc., however, include details that set the event apart from others. You might say, “join us this Saturday for a picnic at Douglas Park around noon. We plan to have Beefy’s BBQ providing great ribs and we’ve also rented 3 jumphouses. It’s going to be a blast!”
Tell Them Why It’s Important
Most people have their schedules jammed packed with stuff already, therefore, it’s a good idea to tell them why they are interested instead of forcing people to come up with ideas on their own. For example, if you have a gathering for new people you would say, “this will be a great way for you to meet new people.” Or if you have a prayer group planned you could say, “you’ll definitely have a chance to connect with God on a deeper level.” Effectively, this is the REASON that people want to go to something or participate.