We Want You! (online):How to Recruit and Retain Volunteers Using Social Media

Sam Davidson – CoolPeopleCare.org

Top two reasons most nonprofitsTop two reasons most nonprofitswantwant to use social media: to use social media:

FreeFreeEveryone Else is Doing ItEveryone Else is Doing It

Those are the Those are the two worst two worst

reasons to start reasons to start using social using social

media.media.

When nonprofits When nonprofits shouldshould use social media: use social media:

To start conversations with a new audienceTo start conversations with a new audienceTo deepen conversations with an existing audienceTo deepen conversations with an existing audience

To make all conversations more efficientTo make all conversations more efficient

Years it took to reach a market audience of 50 million:

Radio: 38 Years

TV: 13 Years

Internet: 4 Years

iPod: 3 Years

2 Years

Newspaper Readership

Newspaper Readership

96% of Generation Y belongs to a social network.

If Facebook were a country,

it would be the third largest in the world.

MySpace would be tenth.

Twitter would be 17th.

1 out of 8 couples

who married last

year met online.

1 in 6 college students takes at least one class online.

“We are the third place in the lives of millions of our customers. We are the coffee that brings

people together every day around the world to foster conversation and community.”

To start arevolution,people must

believe the unbelievable,do the unimaginable,

andbe the impossible.

strangersfriendsvolunteersloyal volunteers

advocates

People:

How wonderfulit is that nobody need wait

a single momentbefore beginning to

improvethe world.

-Anne Frank

Believe the unbelievable:

Believe the unbelievable:

Turn strangers into friends

In this life we cannot do great things.We can only do

smallwith

great love.things

-Mother Teresa

Do the unimaginable:

Do the unimaginable:

Turn friends into volunteers

Everyonecan be great

because anyonecanserve.

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

Be the impossible:

Be the impossible:

Turn volunteers into advocates

Get digitalGet relevantGet simple

Get practicalGet original

Monitor the conversation

Listen to the conversation

Participate in the conversation

Shape the conversation

Generation YMillennialsBorn after 198076 millionCollaboratorsAccessWork/Life BalanceEngagement

It’s about the future of your clients.It’s about the future of your clients.

According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, the growth rate of college student volunteers (approximately 20%) the growth rate of college student volunteers (approximately 20%) is more than double the growth rate of all adult volunteers (9%).is more than double the growth rate of all adult volunteers (9%).

In 2005, approximately 30.2 percent of college students In 2005, approximately 30.2 percent of college students volunteered, exceeding the volunteer rate for the general adult volunteered, exceeding the volunteer rate for the general adult

population of 28.8 percent.population of 28.8 percent.

Community doesn’t happen in one physical space.

Authority is needed, but it must be relational.

Helping people connect relevant dots will be the hallmark of a good organization.

If you’re able to have a conversation, then you’re doing something right.

Technology andthe Internetare a strategy,not a solution

Use processes that are both digital and ‘analog’

Embrace,

don’t fear,

the ever-changing world of

technology

Work with strategicpartners to ease

the learning curve

strategy

Who are you talking to?

Who do you want to talk to?

What are you saying?

Can people understand you?

What tools are you using?Are you using new media?

Are people talking about you?

Is anyone listening?Who’s talking back?

Can people have a conversation with your organization?

Are you saying something that matters?Do you understand the changing media landscape?

What’s next? Who’s speaking for you?

Benefits of aBenefits of aSocial Media StrategySocial Media Strategy

A Social Media Strategy helps your organization A Social Media Strategy helps your organization have a have a consistent message and voiceconsistent message and voice

A Social Media Strategy helps A Social Media Strategy helps link your online outreach to your link your online outreach to your organization’s traditional media initiativesorganization’s traditional media initiatives

A Social Media Strategy can help A Social Media Strategy can help increase the amount and increase the amount and depth of advocacy your organization doesdepth of advocacy your organization does

strategystrategyIt all starts with a It all starts with a

Pieces of a social media strategyPieces of a social media strategy

AudienceAudience

AudienceAudience

StrangersStrangersFriendsFriendsVolunteersVolunteersLoyal VolunteersLoyal VolunteersAdvocatesAdvocates

Pieces of a socialPieces of a socialmedia strategymedia strategy

GoalsGoals

GoalsGoals

Long-termLong-termShort-termShort-term

Pieces of a social media strategyPieces of a social media strategy

ResourcesResources

ResourcesResources

PeoplePeopleTimeTimeMoneyMoneyToolsTools

Pieces of a social media strategyPieces of a social media strategy

ActionAction

ActionAction

WhoWhoWhatWhatWhenWhenWhat platformWhat platformWhat purposeWhat purposeOutcomeOutcome

Start the conversationStart the conversationMake the commitmentMake the commitmentFind the championFind the champion

strategy

Volunteer recruitment

Board development

Press relations

Strategic planning

Employee relations

Buzz buildingPublic relations

CommunicationsDonor appreciation

Development

Event planningVolunteer retention

Employee recruitmentCommunity relations

Advocacy

Alliance building

Stnt image

Sam@CoolPeopleCare.org

CoolPeopleCare