4. Q: Why Volunteers?
A: To get important work done!
TM
VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier.
5. Q: Why Volunteers?
A: To get important work done!
A: To cultivate committed champions to our
cause/organization who are long-term
advocates, donors and leaders….
And in doing so….
get important work done!
6. Volunteer Avoidance Cycle
60% of nonprofits
cite lack of funds as
primary obstacle to
Wish U providing volunteer
management
Had Help
~ Reimagining Service
2010
Do it No Time
Yourself
TM
VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier.
8. Journey of a Volunteer
Thanks to Chris Jarvis, @RealizedWorth
for sharing this model
9. Journey of a Volunteer
Social Media:
Easy Access, Rapid &
Meaningful Promotion
Thanks to Chris Jarvis, @RealizedWorth
for sharing this model
10. Common Social Media Tools
Social Media: Any online technology or practice
that lets us share (content, opinions, insights,
experiences, media) and have a conversation
about the ideas we care about. Socialbrite
http://socialbrite.org/glossary
TM
VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier.
11. Social Media
Builds Your Community
Listen
When we have
calls-to-action,
Inspire Share our community
will be engaged.
Connect
It’s like having
a conversation!
TM
11
VolunteerSpot
DOING GOOD just got easier. , DOING GOOD just got easier.
12. Social Media
Builds Your Community
Listen
Trust
Inspire Share
Action
Connect
TM
12
VolunteerSpot
DOING GOOD just got easier. , DOING GOOD just got easier.
13. Who Connects for your Org?
TM
13
VolunteerSpot
DOING GOOD just got easier. , DOING GOOD just got easier.
14. Free Web Tools for
Coordinating Volunteers
Specific Donations of
Group Public or Ongoing
Website size Private
jobs & food &
needs
Extras
shifts supplies
No limit Both, add Difficult No No Collect fees, mobile
links to check-in
Facebook/
Twitter 20+ custom
registration fields
Global event
No limit Public, add No No No mapping,
links to community
Facebook conversations
/Twitter
API available
Recruit both
No limit Public, skilled and No Yes Micro-volunteer
Registration unskilled from your mobile
required volunteers device
10-400 Schedule multiple
signed up Both, add Easy Yes Yes days/months
per links to
sub-team or Facebook/ Hours tracking , 5
activity Twitter custom registration
fields (Premium)
TM
VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier.
15. Volunteer Engagement Best Practices
1. Find ‘em! (cultivate community)
2. Onboard Quickly & Be Specific
3. Setup to Succeed
4. Measure & Share
5. Recognize Volunteers
TM
VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier.
16. 1. Find ‘em! (Cultivate Community)
• Where are they already hanging out? Build your
Community!
• Facebook Fan page, LinkedIn Groups, Twitter, Blog, Email list
• Engage others to involve their friends & network
• personal appeal
• social media appeal
• Consider service groups
• workplace service, service learning, Scout Troops, faith groups,
community groups (Jr. League, Rotary, etc.)
TM
VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier.
17. 1. Find ‘em! (Cultivate Community)
MeetUp Community Examples
TM
VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier.
18. 1. Find ‘em! (Cultivate Community)
Workplace Service - Keller Williams
International Example
TM
VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier.
19. 2. Onboard Quickly & Be Specific (examples)
Second Harvest Japan
+ Clear & specific – gets amplified!
31 RTs in 1 day to > 47K people
Δ Add location hashtag (e.g. #Tohoku) to find
geographically possible volunteers (RTs in Chicago
likely not very productive)
‒ Event is 3 days out and link lands on a map
Risk: Folks forget OR too many people show up then
think Second Harvest has enough supporters and
doesn’t need them next time.
Δ Add an online signup sheet link or ‘volunteer
interest’ Google Doc to the landing page
•capture volunteer contact for future needs
•signing up for a specific spot firms up
commitments
•volunteers can amplify to their communities
•auto-reminders boost turnout rates
TM
VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier.
20. 2. Onboard Quickly & Be Specific (examples)
Girls on The Run DC and Bay Area
+ Reach out on multiple
channels
+ Includes actionable signup
link
Δ Twitter: Add location and
theme hashtag (e.g. #SFO,
#Running, #GirlPower) to find
location and interest-aligned
volunteers
Δ Add event details (date, and
# needed to tweets &
facebook)
Newsletter Blast
TM
VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier.
21. 2. Onboard Quickly & Be Specific (examples)
Girls on The Run Race Setup and Race Day
22. 2. Onboard Quickly & Be Specific (examples)
Olive Tree, NOLA
+ Immediate needs & local tagging ! Not likely to recruit immediate additional
+ Check-in as brand-building volunteers – but possible – especially if need
is well-articulated and time-bound. “E.g.
+ Once they check in – you can text ‘em later Need help filling sandbags NOW! 20 needed
until 6pm.”
23. 3. Setup to Succeed: Before
Thank ‘em!
Background on your organization
Map and directions to the service location
Where to park and which entrance to use
Who will greet them
What to wear/bring (water, snack, work gloves, etc.)
Safety concerns and physical requirements
Confidentially requirements and sensitivity issues
Background checks?
SOCIAL MEDIA PACKAGE!
TM
VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier.
24. 3. Setup to Succeed
Sample Social Media Strategy
Create a hashtag
Twitter
•Neighborhood groups
Tweet location each day
•Child-serving orgs
•Local government
TwitPics of completed work
Create a Citywide
Hopscotch Game!
Create a photo pool
Flickr
•People involved in project Tagging system
•Flickr group leaders
Submit photos to relevant Flickr
groups
Include continually updated map
Blog
•Local mom/dad bloggers Share notable stories
•Play bloggers
•Newspaper blogs
Guest blog
TM
24
VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier.
25. 3. Setup to Succeed: Day-of
Introduce yourself and wear a name tag.
Thank ‘em for coming & make it FUN!
Big Picture Review – summarize why it matters that they are serving today
in one or two sentences.
Make it Personal – ASK: Why are you serving? It’s THEIR story!
Is a site tour appropriate?
Nametags available (pre-printed if possible)
Review safety procedures, comfort stations (food, restrooms, etc.), and key
work processes
Photos/video permissible? << Encourage it, take ‘em, provide a Flip for
those with out video smartphones
TM
VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier.
26. 4. Measure & Share
• Results Measures: e.g. # families fed, # books distributed,
# trees planted, # patients treated
• Process Measures: e.g. # volunteer hours, #administrator
hours, # race stations staffed, gallons water provided
• Community Measures:
• Facebook views,mentions/likes/comments
• Flicker and YouTube posts/views
• Twitter followers, RTs and MTs
• Newsletter list, RSS subscribers
• Blog visits, bounce rate, time on site,
page views
27. 4. Measure & Share
Amplify Volunteer Stories & Invite User Contributions
•Via Social Media:
Blog Articles
Facebook Shouts
Twitter Kudos
Flicker
YouTube
•Via Email
Stories, stats and links
•On Site
Photos, progress
‘thermometers’
TM
VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier.
28. 4. Measure & Share
TM
VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier.
29. 5. Recognize Volunteers
• Track hours and results and publicly recognize blog,
facebook, YouTube, etc.
• Invite progression in Volunteer Journey by giving returning
volunteers MORE responsibility, options and decisions.
• Ask for feedback & act on it!
• Send a Thank You Note!
Simple, specific, sincere!
http://www.VolunteerSpot.com/ebooks
TM
VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier.
30. 5. Recognize Volunteers
Volunteer
Service Badge
TM
VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier.
31. Volunteer Engagement Best Practices
1. Find ‘em! (cultivate community)
2. Onboard Quickly & Be Specific
3. Setup to Succeed
4. Measure & Share
5. Recognize Volunteers
TM
VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier.
33. Questions?
TM
VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier.
34. Journey of a Volunteer
Social Media:
Easy Access, Rapid &
Meaningful Promotion
Thanks to Chris Jarvis, @RealizedWorth
for sharing this model
35. In Closing
• Choose your social media and web tools and
use them consistently to speed a volunteer’s
journey with your organization.
• Remember: Why Volunteers?
To cultivate committed champions to our
cause/organization who are long-term
advocates, donors and leaders….
And in doing so….
get important work done!
TM
VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier.
36. Thank you!
Karen Bantuveris
@Vspotmom
@VolunteerSpot
Facebook: facebook.com/volunteerspot
VolunteerSpot’s blog:
Blog.volunteerspot.com
TM
VolunteerSpot , DOING GOOD just got easier.
