VOLUNTEER TIPS BY TAYLOR: TIP #6

#6 Use ‘em or Lose ‘em – Do You Know the Value of Your Volunteers?

Please do ‘just one thing’ for me!

Have you ever said that?  I’m sure! But have you ever asked a volunteer to do just one job for your organization?

When I first heard this concept I thought what a great idea – if I were approached and asked to do one task, it would be SO easy!

Keep in mind that this is for people who are so involved in their lives they don’t think they can add one more thing!

Be careful of what you ask – certainly not to chair your annual fundraising event. Remember: match the volunteer to the task!

If they are born salespeople, they wouldn’t mind making cold calls to ask for ____________ (fill in the blank). If they are artistic, they could ‘decorate’ for your next event. If they are organized, they could create a system for an event to make it run more smoothly.

You get the idea – Try it, they’ll love it!

VOLUNTEER TIPS BY TAYLOR: TIP #5

Use ‘em or Lose ‘em –

Do You Know the Value of Your Volunteers?

Job Descriptions are a pain!

When I worked in my ‘corporate’ life job descriptions were VERY important. Annual reviews were based on them, salary increases were calculated according to them and those dreaded 5-year plans had to include all the parts and pieces of that description.

BUT I also knew what I was ‘supposed to do’ at any given time.

Your volunteers need this type of guidance. In nonprofits lines are very blurry because of lack of time, too much to do, deadlines and, sadly, not enough people to do the tasks, making it hard to get the job done.

SO when your volunteers know what the responsibilities are, it’s much easier for them to grab a friend and ask them to do ‘just one thing’ to help them out.

Try it – involve your current volunteers in preparing a job description. It will elevate them (being involved in something ‘different’); it could increase your volunteer base when they think of the best person for that job and in the end it will make the job much easier.

VOLUNTEER TIPS BY TAYLOR: TIP #4

Use ‘em or Lose ‘em –
Do You Know the Value of Your Volunteers?

Treat your newest volunteer as though they were your best house sitter!
 
Why? Your house sitter knows where everything is, what to do in an emergency and how to reach you when it’s important.
 
Do your volunteers have that information about your facility, their fellow volunteers or emergency contacts?
 
Sometimes in our rush to welcome our new ‘people’ we forget what they don’t know! Again, we take things for granted and this can lead to upset and disorientation.
 
Prepare a ‘cheat sheet’ for every new person. Look at this information with a fine tooth comb. Ask yourself some of the questions I asked. Are the answers there?
 
Your volunteers will thank you and stay with you for a very long time.
After all, you treated them like your best house sitter!

VOLUNTEER TIPS BY TAYLOR: TIP #3

Use ‘em or Lose ‘em –
Do You Know the Value of Your Volunteers?

Okay, now you found a “new” volunteer – what’s next?

You give them a job and say ‘fly with it’ – it’s really easy, you’re smart, you’ll figure it out!

How long do you think you’ll have that volunteer?

BUT if you have a training system in place – you’ll keep them, they’ll be able to move around throughout your organization and be the TOP volunteer every time!

Better to train them, give them an inside edge and then let them fly. Let them put their personalized ‘stamp’ on the position and then have them train the next one!

You have grown your organization one fabulous volunteer at a time.

VOLUNTEER TIPS BY TAYLOR: TIP #2

Use ‘em or Lose ‘em –

Do You Know the Value of Your Volunteers?

How do you find NEW volunteers? The best way is to get referrals! How? Network! Most volunteers are very busy people but they want to GIVE to their community in some way. ASK!

You need to have a good ‘commercial’ in order to promote your particular cause! Why should I volunteer with you and not ABC organization down the street?

Always have one good example of how your organization helped someone – make sure it has punch! Would someone change the channel or fast forward through your commercial? OR would it grab them and touch their heart (or pocketbook)! Think Hallmark!

KNOW your need! Once you get a referral for a volunteer, do you know where you’ll USE ‘EM?

VOLUNTEER TIPS BY TAYLOR: TIP #1

Use ‘em or Lose ‘em –

Do You Know the Value of Your Volunteers?

What would a nonprofit organization do if there were no volunteers? Recently I learned that one long established group was being disbanded for lack of volunteers – or should I say volunteers who didn’t want to take the responsibility of the open positions.

Talk to your volunteers! Find out if they are happy doing what they have been doing so well! If they are NOT happy, give them a choice. There is a job for everyone – wouldn’t it be better to have a happy volunteer doing something different than one who is going to burn out if they have to do that task one more time?

The word ‘happy’ appeared three times in the last paragraph – that’s how important it is! The organization will win every time if they keep their volunteers in that wonderful state of HAPPY!