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One of my most successful campaigns to recruit volunteers took place in the winter of 1991. As the Executive Director of a program called The Giving Tree, I was nearing the holidays with a shortage of a little over 120 gifts. I had sent out the annual call for volunteers that The Morning Sentinel so generously published. I had my steady stream of volunteers that returned every year. The shortage of gifts was not only a financial problem, because once we had the money to buy the gifts, we still had to shop, wrap, and deliver. This meant we needed additional volunteers to donate time, in the middle of the busiest time of the year. December. I was genuinely afraid that I would have to put my own family’s Christmas on hold as I managed to fulfill all the promises I had made. Again.
The answer that year came in a phone call from a young mother who called to ask if she could please ask for a winter jacket or a pair of shoes for a child who was walking to the bus stop with holes in her too-small sneakers and a zip-up sweatshirt for warmth. Do you remember the winter of ’91 or any Maine winter for that matter? How could I answer the question of which item to provide? It was really up to the community to answer. I called The Sentinel and explained the story. They sent over a reporter and photographer to photograph the interview. I didn’t embellish the story. I didn’t need to embellish the story. The raw facts that this young mother shared woke up the community around me. My phone didn’t stop ringing for days. My children had to weave their way through the dining room as the donated gifts reached the ceiling. I generated more interest in volunteers that year than all previous years combined and they stayed with me for the remainder of the program. The opportunity to help that young mother was so attractive; people couldn’t wait to help out.
I’ve been on many boards and served as a volunteer in many capacities, but that story has been the one that stands out in my mind as the most successful attempt at generating volunteers. The lesson isn’t new or flashy. My simple advice to non-profits who are seeking volunteers is “tell the story”.
Don’t stop asking. Don’t stop telling your story. Value the volunteers that you have and they’ll stay. When I was asked to write a blog entry on attracting and retaining volunteers through marketing, I had to draw on my own experiences. When you need volunteers for a big non-profit, tell a story that your community can own. Let them feel the success of their efforts. Let them hear the stories. The newspaper is an obvious choice but look into your community. There are so many people that want to be needed. Kiwanis and Rotary groups welcome the opportunity to hear your stories. Key clubs around the state are an obvious answer but if you know families with teens, ask them directly. I believe that the young adults in Maine are the most untapped resource in the State. Not once has a young adult failed to go beyond my expectations.
People want to be needed. Share your stories. Ask for help. But finally, never ever forget to thank your volunteers. Thanking someone for their hard work will produce more positive PR than you can afford to buy.
Thank you for reading this far. I would love to hear your success stories and welcome emails on the topic. I can be reached at maryannebeal@roadrunner.com.

Mary-Anne Beal is a guest blogger and Vice Chair of the Maine Commission for Community Service

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 24th, 2008 at 1:29 pm and is filed under Managing Organizations, People, Recruitment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.