The Stuggle to Find Volunteers

This has been happening a lot lately.  The statement often goes, "Why is it so difficult to get people to become part of an organization?"  Or a variation on the theme might be, "Why is is so difficult to get people to commit to an effort over a long term?"  Those are perplexing questions for many volunteer groups and organizations.  What follows is not backed up by years of research but more anecdotal evidence that collectively we may be asking the wrong questions at the wrong time and maybe we are not asking enough times.

A friend of mine named Steve once told me in order to get someone to do something you have to have multiple touches.  A touch is considered an encounter in which a particular subject can be broached as opposed to a physical touch.  Sometimes it takes just a couple of touches before we can convince someone to get on board.  Sometimes is takes multiple touches before that happens.   The point seems to be that unless we are flat out told "No" we need to keep asking and with each additional encounter provide the prospect with a little more information about the cause, mission or organization.  Sometimes I think we give up too easily.

There is also the notion that volunteers are hard to come by because we live in an "instantaneous" society which demands immediate gratification without committment.  This begs the question, " What would happen if we invited the prospect to get involved in a one time project or event without hitting them upside the head with the membership push?"  I have seen evidence,  first hand, of people deciding to get involved with a group or organization after they have experienced the sought after gratification through a project or event as opposed to joining something just to join it.

So maybe its is not so much how we ask but what we ask.  Maybe giving someone an opportunity to experience the rewards of volunteerism is the route to go and let the membership aspect fall into place afterwards.    We may have to ask multiple times or have multiple "touches" as Steve indicated but experience seems to dictate our success rate for engaging more people in our cause or organization will be higher with such an approach as opposed to the phrase, "Do you want to be a member?"

Next week, thoughts on how to break the ice to diplomatically pursue the new volunteer.  

Be well