Bring the Volunteer Opportunities to Your Members

Volunteering can be a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right strategy, you can get your members involved without pushing them too far out of their comfort zone.

Some ideas in today’s Social Media Roundup:

Make It Easy!

creating accessible volunteering for your assn http://t.co/RDxues9gle  (opens in a new tab) #assnchat  (opens in a new tab) #Ideas14  (opens in a new tab)

— Peggy Hoffman (@peggyhoffman) March 16, 2014  (opens in a new tab)

You’ve probably heard of responsive design, but have you heard of “accessible volunteering”? Mariner Management and Marketing’s Peggy Hoffman, who is currently doing a series of presentations on the topic with Spark Consulting’s Elizabeth Engel, explains what this concept means. Simple version: Make it easy for volunteers to take part in something. “Accessible volunteering is ‘opportunities that are available when I’m available,’” she explains. “So to create accessible volunteering it means creating opportunities that are virtual or that take place where I am (or going), or are not time-sensitive.” This might be performing short-term volunteer duty at an event, testing an app, or even getting involved in the association’s marketing through short videos. Sound doable? Check out Hoffman’s tips  (opens in a new tab). (ht @peggyhoffman  (opens in a new tab))

See the Signs

RT @BizBash  (opens in a new tab): 50 Ideas for Signage at Events http://t.co/AsLl0GbDV4  (opens in a new tab) #signage  (opens in a new tab) #eventplanning  (opens in a new tab) #eventprofs  (opens in a new tab)

— Peppermill Meetings (@MeetPeppermill) March 17, 2014  (opens in a new tab)

Just because you can print a message on a plain sheet of paper doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily the best idea. Sometimes, you might want to try something a little more adventurous with your signage, especially when you’re outside or in a large room. Which is why BizBash‘s newest photo roundup  (opens in a new tab) might be good to scan and ponder. From giant floorboards to letters built from shrubbery, the roundup has a little bit of everything. Take a look. (ht @MeetPeppermill  (opens in a new tab))

Have you done anything particularly cool with your signage lately? Share it with us in the comments.

(iStock/Thinkstock)