Picture this: you just Googled “how to patch the hole in my jeans,” and find the most irresistible article with the top three ways to mend your favorite pair (number 2 will blow your mind!). While reading about the best practices for denim patching, you notice a little box to the right of the article that says “sign up for our e-newsletter.”

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It can sometimes be a challenge to attract enough volunteers to your organization or event. Maybe shaking up your recruiting methods will help.

When traditional recruiting tactics start to return lackluster results, consider implementing these five creative and free approaches to attracting volunteers:

Mine Your Social Network

Maybe the volunteers you’re looking for have been right under your nose the whole time. Ask your friends and family if they or someone they know might want to volunteer. Ask your current volunteers and other staff members to do the same, and suddenly you have an army of recruiters working for you.

If every volunteer asks a friend who asks another friend, your reach will grow exponentially. Plus, a recommendation from a friend is worth much more than one from someone you don’t know.

Go Global

In today’s connected world, why limit yourself to your local area? If you have a job that doesn’t require someone to be on site, consider letting volunteers do it remotely.

Some possible remote volunteer jobs include writing newsletters, designing websites, consulting and even making small items that can be mailed in. You can find people to fill these positions on online job boards and sites like Craigslist and Reddit.

If you think a little bit outside the box, you can significantly expand your potential volunteer pool.

Post Information About Your Organization

Although being somewhere in person will draw more attention, you can still have a presence at local hotspots without physically spending your day there.

By printing out flyers or posters and putting them up on local bulletin boards, you can advertise your organization practically for free.

To make the process extra fun and to make your posters extra eye-catching, consider having a poster design contest. It’ll give local artists a chance to show off their skills, and you’ll get a striking advertisement.

Consider adding a QR code to the poster, too, so people can easily access your website, more information about the opportunity and a volunteer application. Make the application easy to download on mobile and desktop, so people can easily sign up.

Then, just have your current volunteers hang up the fliers in places they frequent or think might be popular with your future volunteers.

Have Some Fun

Volunteering shouldn’t be all work and no play. Hosting fun local events could help draw more volunteers to your organization.

As far as what those fun events could be, your imagination is the only limitation. You could have a potluck dinner and open it up to the public and have your staff and employees invite friends. Maybe you could host a meet-up at a local bar or restaurant. You could also plan a basketball tournament at the local park. Really, the possibilities are endless.

Contact Schools

College and high-school students are often in need of volunteer opportunities, and you’re in need of volunteers, so why not give them a call.

Students that participate in service organizations or other clubs often need volunteer hours to remain members of those clubs. Others may just be looking to beef up their resume.

Contact local schools and see what students and organizations are looking for volunteer opportunities. It’s a win-win for you and the students.

You don’t have to stick to the usual methods for recruiting volunteers. Getting creative with your strategies can help you stand out from the crowd, get your name out there and make people want to choose you to volunteer with.

The post 5 Creative (and Free!) Ways to Attract More Volunteers appeared first on Nonprofit Hub.

Source Taken From: Nonprofithub.org

The nonprofit sector is a strong and vibrant community full of people willing to help each other out. And now more than ever, it’s important to come together and work as allies and mentors.

The value of being mentored seems pretty obvious: new skills, confidence, friendship, etc. And in fact, the research shows that people who are mentored get more job promotions and earn more than people who aren’t.

But mentoring is also great for mentors: networking opportunities, leadership development, and a stronger sense of community.

Jesse Bethke Gomezwas mentored early in his career and is now paying it forward by helping others overcome their fears, have more confidence in their talents, and develop their strengths:

So yes, nonprofit professionals like Jesse shine when they connect, learn and share with each other. They get stuff done. And they make a bigger impact.

But do you really need a mentor?

Why you need a nonprofit mentor

Most nonprofit leaders are too stressed out or distracted to find that trusted friend or colleague who’s walked in their shoes.

But allies (mentors, peers, friends) are often essential for success. Here are a few examples:

• A veteran grant writer offers guidance to a novice grant writer that helps him or her achieve greater results.
• A promising nonprofit start-up founder can connect with an experienced leader who points out blind spots and encourages a drive toward success.
• A newly-hired Development Director is struggling to meet their capital campaign goals. She exceeds that goal with tips from a veteran fundraiser.

Find your nonprofit ally

Do you have experience or know-how to share with a nonprofit? MissionBox.com is a newly launched free resource that helps connects nonprofit leaders connect with that perfect peer who is seeking guidance.

The goal? Stop “reinventing the wheel” create a larger sense of community, and together, make a bigger impact.

Learn more about becoming a MissionBox ally by joining here for free.

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John Haydon is one of our Cause Camp 2017 speakers #CauseTheChange. He is one of the most sought-after digital marketing experts for nonprofits and charities. John has spoken at several conferences, is the author of Facebook Marketing for Dummies and is a regular contributor to the Huffington Post and several other like blogs.

The post Do You Really Need a Nonprofit Mentor? appeared first on Nonprofit Hub.

Source Taken From: Nonprofithub.org