Volunteer Engagement: Web and Social Media Best Practices

Web & Social Media

Strategies for Volunteer

Engagement

With Karen Bantuveris

VolunteerSpotTM

, DOING GOOD just got easier.

About the presenter

Karen Bantuveris Founder and CEO

@VolunteerSpot

VolunteerSpotTM


Q: Why Volunteers?

VolunteerSpotTM


A: To get important work done!

Q: Why Volunteers?

VolunteerSpotTM


A: To get important work done! A: To cul)vate commi0ed champions to our cause/organiza)on who are long-‐term advocates, donors and leaders….

And in doing so…. get important work done!

Q: Why Volunteers?

Wish U

Had Help

No Time Do it Yourself

Volunteer Avoidance Cycle

60% of nonprofits cite lack of funds as primary

obstacle to providing volunteer management

~ Reimagining Service 2010

VolunteerSpotTM


Wish U

Had Help

No Time Do it Yourself

Volunteer Avoidance Cycle

Journey of a Volunteer

Thanks to Chris Jarvis, @RealizedWorth for sharing this

model

Journey of a Volunteer

Thanks to Chris Jarvis, @RealizedWorth for sharing this

model

Social Media: Easy Access, Rapid &

Meaningful Promotion

 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

Common Social Media Tools

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11

Social Media Builds Your Community

DOING GOOD just got easier.

It’s like having a conversation!

Listen

Share

Connect

Inspire

When we have calls-to-action, our community will be engaged.

VolunteerSpotTM


Trust

12

Social Media Builds Your Community

DOING GOOD just got easier.

Listen

Share

Connect

Inspire

Ac)on

VolunteerSpotTM


Free Web Tools for Coordinating Volunteers

Website Group size

Public or Private

Specific jobs & shifts

Donations of food &

supplies

Ongoing needs

Extras

No limit Both, add links to

Facebook/ Twitter

Difficult No No Collect fees, mobile check-in

20+ custom registration fields

No limit Public, add links to

Facebook /Twitter

No No No Global event mapping, community conversations

API available

No limit Public, Registration

required

Recruit both skilled and unskilled

volunteers

No Yes Micro-volunteer from your mobile device

10-400 signed up per

sub-team or activity

Both, add links to

Facebook/ Twitter

Easy Yes Yes Schedule multiple days/months

Hours tracking , 5 custom registration fields (Premium)

VolunteerSpotTM


1.  Find ‘em! (cul)vate community)

2.  Onboard Quickly & Be Specific 3.  Setup to Succeed 4.  Measure & Share

5.  Recognize Volunteers

Volunteer Engagement Best Practices

VolunteerSpotTM


•  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.)

1. Find ‘em! (Cultivate Community)

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MeetUp Community Examples

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Workplace Service - Keller Williams International Example

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2. Onboard Quickly & Be Specific (examples)

+ 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

Second Harvest Japan

VolunteerSpotTM



+ 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)

Girls on The Run DC and Bay Area

Newsletter Blast

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Girls on The Run Race Setup and Race Day


Olive Tree, NOLA

+ Immediate needs & local tagging

+ Check-in as brand-building

+ Once they check in – you can text ‘em later

! Not likely to recruit immediate additional volunteers – but possible – especially if need is well-articulated and time-bound. “E.g. Need help filling sandbags NOW! 20 needed until 6pm.”

  Thank ‘em!

  Background on your organiza)on

  Map and direc)ons to the service loca)on

  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

  Confiden)ally requirements and sensi)vity issues

  Background checks?

  SOCIAL MEDIA PACKAGE!

3. Setup to Succeed: Before

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3. Setup to Succeed Sample Social Media Strategy

Create a Citywide Hopscotch Game!

Flickr • People involved in project • Flickr group leaders

Blog • Local mom/dad bloggers • Play bloggers • Newspaper blogs

Create a hashtag

Tweet loca)on each day

TwitPics of completed work

Submit photos to relevant Flickr groups

Tagging system

Create a photo pool

Guest blog

Share notable stories

Include con)nually updated map

Twi0er • Neighborhood groups • Child-‐serving orgs • Local government

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  Introduce yourself and wear a name tag.  Thank ‘em for coming & make it FUN!  Big Picture Review – summarize why it ma0ers 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 sta)ons (food, restrooms, etc.), and key work processes

 Photos/video permissible? << Encourage it, take ‘em, provide a Flip for those with out video smartphones

3. Setup to Succeed: Day-of

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•  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

4. Measure & Share

Amplify Volunteer Stories & Invite User ContribuJons • Via Social Media:

Blog Articles Facebook Shouts Twitter Kudos Flicker YouTube

• Via Email Stories, stats and links

• On Site Photos, progress ‘thermometers’

4. Measure & Share

VolunteerSpotTM


4. Measure & Share

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•  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!

5. Recognize Volunteers

•  Send a Thank You Note! Simple, specific, sincere!

http://www.VolunteerSpot.com/ebooks

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5. Recognize Volunteers

Volunteer Service Badge

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1.  Find ‘em! (cul)vate community)

2.  Onboard Quickly & Be Specific 3.  Setup to Succeed 4.  Measure & Share

5.  Recognize Volunteers

Volunteer Engagement Best Practices

VolunteerSpotTM


VolunteerSpotTM


Helping Those in Need this Winter?

Please email us at [email protected] with the ‘Subject: Winter’ and we will send you a free three month premium upgrade.

•  Choose your social media and web tools and use them consistently to speed a volunteer’s journey with your organiza)on.

•  Remember: Why Volunteers?

To cul)vate commi0ed champions to our cause/organiza)on who are long-‐term advocates, donors and leaders….

And in doing so…. get important work done!

In Closing

VolunteerSpotTM


Thank you!

Karen Bantuveris @Vspotmom

@VolunteerSpot

Facebook: facebook.com/volunteerspot

VolunteerSpot’s blog: Blog.volunteerspot.com

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Technology

Volunteer Engagement: Web and Social Media Best Practices