"Hey Cameron, what's happening?
"Oh, not much. Just kind of hanging out this weekend."
"Say" Jocelyn replies. "Do you want to help at the tree lighting ceremony next weekend? The group I'm with could use some extra hands."
"Not really Jocelyn. It's not my cup of tea."
"OK."
The conversation ends right there for a lot of people. Some would argue it would be time to just move on. But if a slightly different approach is used from the start, our success rate for getting more people to volunteer or perhaps getting them to join the cause we hold dear will increase.
There is a school of thought I subscribe to that says we first need to find out what the strengths are of the person we are approaching and only after we ascertain some of those should we go to the next step which us asking for the volunteer commitment. This may likely require more than one conversation which goes back to "touches" talked about in last week's blog. It could take a couple or three cups on coffee on just as many occasions before we learn what trips their trigger. The next cup if coffee is our opportunity.
A person is more likely to say yes if we ask them to help by using one of their strengths or passions for the project at hand. Once they have done so, they may then be more inclined to join our cause on more than a one time basis.
Note: This is in no way the fool proof, 100% guaranteed way to get someone to volunteer. It's simply a tool in our arsenal as a means to get more people off the bench and in the game. It is one of several I have used over the years.
If you decide to try it I would be most interested to hear from you. We could develop a discussion that would attract and help others find more people to give back to their community regardless of the mission.
Be well. And enjoy that next cup of coffee.
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