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When people think of volunteerism, it is an image of people freely giving of their time to help others. When I have asked public officials about their volunteers, comments such as “wonderful,” “great” and “very helpful” are usually heard. Also, the comment “…and they’re free!”
The Independent Sector, a national membership organization, estimated the value of volunteer time contributed annually, through nonprofit organizations (for the year 2018) in the United States, at $203.4 billion dollars annually. Volunteerism has a significant economic impact and great value.
Recruiting volunteers continues to be an ongoing challenge for organizations. I have talked with organizations about the issues of recruiting and retaining volunteers, going back to the 1970’s. More than 50 years later, these issues continue as major challenges and topics of discussion.
There are many strategies which people, and organizations, have developed to meet these challenges. Often times, when organizations consider recruiting volunteers, their thoughts may focus on the “how” to bring in new members. In recent years, this includes such things as using social media to attract interested parties and developing strategies to entice individuals to become volunteers.
However, there are three very powerful, but often overlooked, elements that impact your recruitment of new volunteer members. These elements are your brand, alignment within your organization and mutual benefit.
Your Brand
Your Brand, or trademark, is a very valuable asset for your organization. Businesses have long recognized the power and importance of branding. Symbols, fonts, colors and other items contribute to give an organization their identity and make it easily recognizable.
Your brand makes you unique and sets you apart from other organizations.
The brand can also contribute to an organization’s stability simply by being familiar. Think of product and services of which are you use or purchase. However, this is sometimes forgotten with nonprofit organizations. With changes in leadership, a “new look” may be pursued. With this new look, elements of the brand are altered or discarded. The change in branding will alter your perception of the organization or services provided.
How identifiable is your brand in the community you serve? How well do you protect this valuable asset? When potential volunteers see your brand, do they readily know who you are? Are they attracted to it? Your brand can greatly influence and assist in your recruiting efforts. It is a valuable recruiting tool.
Alignment
Alignment contributes to your reputation in the community. Alignment is consistency in what your organization says and does. How closely does what you say lines up with what you actually do. Alignment involves accuracy and consistency. It involves how well your claims and promises are carried out by members of your volunteer organization.
Today, we hear a great deal about “customer service”. Many businesses, and agencies may claim great customer service but lack hitting the mark they claim. Think of a business or agency you frequent. How good, or great, is their customer service?
In your volunteer organization, how is the level of customer service? And more important, how is the level of customer service to your individual volunteers?
Follow-through is important with alignment. Think of alignment as a golf swing. You take your position, address the issues, take your swing and follow-through. How is your “follow-through” with your clients and volunteers? How does the alignment within your organization resonate with others when you are attempting to recruit new volunteer members?
Mutual benefit
Many times, I have seen recruiting efforts that emphasize “Volunteers Needed.” The statement is accurate. The need may be urgent. But it sounds desperate. I understand that sometimes there is an urgency because of an unexpected need that has arisen. But most often, the organization knows when and how many volunteers they need. So why the message of desperation and urgency?
Recruitment is often times approached as selling people on your organization. The “sales pitch” is made to convince individuals they should volunteer for your group. Once the sales pitch is made, efforts are made to overcome objections the potential volunteer has.
The volunteer organization should assess their recruitment on what they need and what they are offering to potential members. Yes, you will most likely spend more time up front in this process as you will be talking with the potential member about their interests, needs and wants. You will be discussing what your organization can offer and if it can satisfy those interest, needs and wants. It will be time well spent.
I ask you to consider the approach of “interested in volunteering…let’s talk.” Your approach is to present the benefits of your organization. However, you are not “pitching them,” or trying to sell them something that would not be a good fit or match for them or your organization. How comfortable are you when someone is trying to sell you something you do not want? They work hard to convince you and overcome your objections to make the sale. Will you be a satisfied customer?
Talk with each volunteer to determine their interests, needs and wants. It does take time. But it is more beneficial to do this early in the recruiting rather than after you have invested time, training and money into the new volunteer and finding out your organization is not for them, and they leave.
You seek volunteers who can perform the services you provide. And you are offering the opportunities and benefits they are seeking. If these match, then the potential volunteer could be a good fit for your organization.
Your Brand, Alignment and Mutual Benefit are three powerful tools for recruiting new volunteers into your organization or agency. Each of these elements are a long-term investment in recruiting quality volunteers to you organization. Each element also has the added advantage of helping with volunteer retention.
Daniel C. Olsen retired from a successful 33-year career in the fire-rescue service and public administration working with career and volunteer personnel. His experience includes working in the private sector and with nonprofit organizations. He has served as a staff member, volunteer and board member with several nonprofit organizations.
