Unlocking the Power of Status: A Guide to Recruiting Volunteers

All people biologically need status

If you're looking to recruit volunteers for your organization, you need to understand a fundamental truth about human nature: people crave status. It's a biological need, backed by research. Sure, some may seek status through conventional means, like buying a fancy car or a big house, but others find it through contributing to a cause they believe in.

So, if you want to recruit and retain volunteers, you need to offer them a path to recognition. Merely promoting your mission won't cut it. You need to show potential volunteers how their contributions will be measured and celebrated. For instance, if you run a food bank, you can track the number of meals served and highlight individual contributions, like "Bob Smith helped serve 500 people."

The key is to make volunteering fulfilling by providing tangible, measurable goals. You need to have a strategy that resonates with people and is impactful. You need to set smart, measurable goals, and build a recognition system that tracks progress and celebrates achievements.

But be careful: if you don't keep careful track of who's doing what, you risk demotivating your volunteers. People want to know their efforts are appreciated, so you need to make sure everyone's contributions are acknowledged. You can do this through a public bulletin board, an applause at church, or any other means that suit your organization.

By understanding the role recognition plays in motivating volunteers, you can build a volunteer management system that works for you. So, focus on measurable goals, build a recognition system, and track progress. That way, you can make sure your volunteers feel valued, and your organization achieves its goals. If you want to learn more about how to build a volunteer management system, click here or schedule a meeting with me.