Volunteer Management ideas in the

Ultimate Ideas Newsletter

How to lead, recruit and retain more volunteers and members!

Issue 19

Welcome to all our members from around the world. Let's give you more ideas for recruiting volunteers in this issue of the newsletter! Don't be afraid to take a big step. You can't cross a chasm in two small jumps. David Lloyd George Become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid. Lady Bird Johnson From our latest E-book Beyond Just Words! 502 Inspirational Quotes for Those Who Serve

Get on Target for Volunteer Recruitment Success

In previous newsletters we looked at the secret to your success...your STRATEGIES!

During previous workshop tours I have presented the concept of 'target marketing' as a very powerful volunteer recruitment strategy. In the upcoming 2007 "The GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY" tour in Australia, I will be introducing a further volunteer recruiting concept to go to the next level. It is known as 'niche' recruiting and when combined with the power of 'front end' and 'back end' processes, has produced some great results for organizations.

What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail? How much time, energy, money and resources could you and your organization save if you knew exactly what would and wouldn't work and only implemented strategies and ideas that ensured your success? Then join me at... The GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY AUSTRALIAN WORKSHOP TOUR 2007   This ALL NEW workshop tour will be an action-packed, sometimes controversial and content rich and will go 'behind the scenes' of what really goes on in 100s of organisations, across all sectors. I'm going to reveal to you (without identifying individual organizations)...the GOOD - what strategies really do work, the BAD - what don't work and the UGLY!   CHECK OUT ALL THE DETAILS AND SEE YOU THERE

But for those who won't be able to join us at the workshops then let me get you thinking with some ideas on how to really begin to increase your volunteer recruitment success by starting with the concept of 'target marketing'.

Everyone Welcome

Most organizations tell me they 'welcome everyone' as potential volunteers and their recruiting brochures, flyers, etc reinforce that idea. This really isn't the case. Every organization and group has its own volunteer recruitment selection criteria and process - whether formal and written, or informal and unwritten. People are included or excluded based on numerous factors.

What actually happens is that most organizations use a volunteer recruitment strategy of trying to 'attract everyone' and then converting a percentage of those people they want into volunteers or members. This strategy can work when you are attracting large numbers of people initially and then acquiring a certain number as volunteers or members. However, if you are not attracting large numbers initially you need to look at a much more effective strategy to increase your conversion rate of people becoming volunteers.

Zero In

It's now time to re-consider your volunteer recruitment strategy and zero-in on target marketing. This very simply is selecting a particular target group and concentrating your efforts to market to them. The more effectively you target to a market, the greater your recruitment success. Now the market you choose to focus on will vary for different groups and organizations but here are a few ideas to get you thinking in volunteer management.

Pick Me
To identify your target one way is to begin by determining the volunteer jobs that need to be done, what particular skills and experience people will need to do the jobs, and where you might find such people. Brainstorming with your paid staff and volunteers can help you answer these questions.

Storming Ideas
When brainstorming for where to find the particular volunteers you want, don’t forget that they might be very close at hand. Ask all your volunteers and paid staff to make a list of the occupations, special skills and interests of everyone they know. This information can become your “skills resource” database. For example, someone may know a graphic designer who could design your promotional material, or a tax agent who could help with the annual tax return. When you need to target people with specific skills or expertise, head for your database first. It's an important resource in volunteer management and volunteer recruitment.

Get Crystal Clear
Have to look further afield? Then be as specific as you can about the exact group rather than just the skills that you want to target. It’s only after you’ve clearly identified your volunteer target market that you can work out how to attract them to your organization.

More ideas on volunteer management, volunteer recognition and volunteer recruitment continued next page...

We also welcome links to this issue of the newsletter http://www.morevolunteers.com/newsletter19.htm and are happy for you to forward the newsletter to others involved in volunteer recogntion, volunteer recruitment and volunteer management.