Daily Buzz: Tips to Bring In More Chapter Volunteers

Every chapter gets by with a little help from its volunteers. If your chapter is in low supply, try these volunteer recruitment strategies from Peggy M. Hoffman and the YourMembership blog  (opens in a new tab):

Build a team dedicated to improving the volunteer pool. “You can call it the membership engagement team, welcome team, or the talent council,” Hoffman says. Whatever the name, use this team to “seek ‘talent’ (aka volunteers) and match them to cool opportunities (aka jobs).” Consider interviewing members to learn more about their skills and preferences.

Try microvolunteering. Members are busy and might not have the time to commit to a long-term volunteer program. “Micro-volunteering is small, bite-sized volunteer opportunities that can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours to complete,” Hoffman says.

Make it easy for members to raise their hands. If members don’t know volunteer opportunities exist, they can’t sign up. Get the word out about volunteer activities, and then give them an easy way to sign up.

Highlight volunteering’s member value. “Your volunteer messaging is more successful when it’s specific and inspiring,” Hoffman says. “Paint a picture of what the volunteer role is along with the desired outcomes. Sell the value of volunteering and give your members a compelling list of benefits.”

Added Member Perk: Mentorship

The impact of a great mentoring relationship stays with you the rest of your life. Could your association create that opportunity for your members? #memberbenefit  (opens in a new tab) #mentoring  (opens in a new tab) #assnchat  (opens in a new tab)https://t.co/0pmF71mkl8  (opens in a new tab)

— Higher Logic (@HigherLogic) November 20, 2019  (opens in a new tab)

Not many people get from Point A to Point B on their own—they have mentors who help them along the way.

In fact, that’s what attracts many members to associations in the first place: the opportunity to network and learn from other industry professionals. To ensure members are getting this value, consider developing a mentorship program.

Because mentorship can come in many different forms, be sure to set expectations, both for mentors and mentees.

“You could establish different mentoring ‘tiers’ to make sure every mentor can find something that works best for them (so they’re more likely to keep their commitment),” says the HigherLogic team on its blog  (opens in a new tab). “For example, participants could choose monthly coaching, a one-time resume review, or a regular weekly meeting.”

Once the framework of responsibility is set, use existing member data to match members accordingly.

“With the right leadership and planning,” the team writes, “your mentoring program can emerge as a top member benefit and help you meet association goals like recruitment, renewal, and engagement.”

Other Links of Note

Calling IGTV users: Instagram is testing new displays for its video platform. Social Media Today explains  (opens in a new tab).

Running an email re-engagement campaign? Nonprofit Marketing Guide highlights the mix of responses from its own campaign  (opens in a new tab).

When leaders do these things, employees are happier—and stay longer—according to LinkedIn. Inc. outlines the research  (opens in a new tab).

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