Spring has sprung here in the Nashville, TN area, and that means Easter is on its way! If you work for or with a church, that means lots of activities are hopping your way—everything from elaborate pageants to simple Easter egg hunts. It also means that, other than Christmas, your biggest day of the year is coming up. If you work with a church group, then you know better than anybody that Easter brings in more attendees than any other religious holiday. With first time visitors, increased attendance, and special events, it's the perfect time to get some helpful signage to make your busy day go off without a hitch!

Things you need to consider for special Easter events and increased attendance:

Advertising: Let people know well in advance what activities you have coming up for Easter by placing outdoor signs and banners outside your church. Here in the Bible Belt people have a lot of options for churches to attend on Easter Sunday, so highlight what makes yours special and why they should come. Special performances, activities for children and families, potluck dinners, and any other events that you will be hosting are great things to talk about on your banners!

Wayfinding: For out of town visitors or irregular members, it is a great idea to get prominent wayfinding, or directional, signage to let people know where things are. Bathroom signs, directories, and room name plaques will all help people know where they need to be heading. You don't want people missing the sermon or worship service because they're not sure which room they need to go to.

Parking: With increased attendance people may be confused about where they are and are not allowed to park after the obvious spots begin to fill up fast. Getting signage that indicates where people can park without worrying about getting a ticket or towed with be greatly appreciated by your visitors.

Welcoming: Turn first-time and irregular visitors into regular members by making them feel welcome and comfortable. Large welcome signs can also turn into a sort of wayfinding sign by letting people know where front entrances are.

There are a ton of ways and places to put up banners outdoors!

Because these are temporary signs, there's no reason to drop a huge chunk of change. Your best options for outdoor signs to last you through the blustery winds and April showers of spring are:

Mesh Banners: The tiny holes in mesh keep banners from tearing in strong winds because the wind passes through the banner instead of creating a lot of tension like it does with vinyl banners. Grommets will also keep banners' edges from tearing.

Yard Signs: Corrogated plastic yard signs are an effective and cheap way to advertise upcoming events or organize outdoor events at your church. They are double sided so your message can be seen from either way people are driving by. They're also super easy to install. You just stick the posts in the ground and presto! You've got signage!

Flag Banners: Also known as feather banners, these are a fun way to promote your event on breezy days. Flag banners are designed to flutter and hold in the wind, and they are very tall so they'll be sure to catch the attention of people passing by. They can be directly spiked into the ground or weighted down with sand or water weights.

What are you doing this Easter that could use signage? Let us know in the comments below!