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Responses to: Marketing Savvy – Our Field’s Blind Spot

Submitted on 25Oct03 by Naidoo Co-anchor / Insert Director SPIRIT SUNDAE, SABC 1 CEO: Volunteers VIA Africa (volunteer position)
Volunteers VIA Africa, the media and mobilisation campaign highlighting volunteers and volunteer opportunities across Africa, has launched a volunteer feature "Spirit in Action", on SPIRIT SUNDAE, South Africa's first multi-faith Live breakfast show, on SABC 1, Sunday 9-10 am. Within the hour-long menu of in-studio experts and celebrities, "Spirit in Action" features inspiring volunteers, and volunteer opportunities where people serve humanity as their service of God.

Media plays a huge role in people's lives and I came into media as a social activist, disturbed by the moral degeneration amongst youth who live out what they see on TV. Producing programming that reflects the true spirit and potential of human beings to be Divine, is my agenda for being in the industry. The real stars are the Volunteers - Visionaries in Action across Africa! So proposing to direct the volunteer feature was natural ­ it shows people putting their spirituality into practice.
This spirit of compassion, non-judgment, universal love, truth and all pervading Self shines through when we serve God in each Other. We want to inspire viewers to volunteer, and experience their innate divinity. [visit www.viaafrica.org ]

Submitted on 20Mar03 by Susan Lebovitz, SAFEHOME Volunteer & Special Events Coordinator, Overland Park, KS USA
I think the word "passion" is the key to marketing for volunteers. If a volunteer is passionate about an agency's mission, then our responsibility as volunteer managers is to find a place where this person will best benefit the agency and feel gratified. We need to recognize unconventional areas where people can volunteer. This involves interests as diverse as computer skills and manual labor to involvement with clients and fundraising. I've always thought that the majority of people work to make a living, and volunteer to follow their passion. When I talk to groups or socialize with friends who don't know where to go to volunteer, I always ask where their passion lies. Their answer, along with some creative brainstorming, will lead them to the right volunteer opportunity.

Submitted on 18Mar03 by Stephanie Coleman, Manager ActNow, Inspire Foundation, NSW Australia
I agree the volunteering community needs to think more about how they market themselves. At The Inspire Foundation, we developed the ActNow website (www.actnow.com.au) as a pilot project to try to encourage more young people to get involved volunteering. The pilot was a huge success, and we believe this was because we chose to “market” the volunteering positions to young people.

Before posting our opportunities we looked at them as a potential volunteer might, and asked the question “What’s in it for me?” So we chose to answer that question in all our advertisements by accentuating the positive side of all our volunteer opportunities.

For example, instead of starting a posting with something like “we are looking for people to help us restore old boats in Sydney” we wrote “ Do you have a passion for boats, and want to spend time on sparkling Sydney Harbour, then this is the position for you!” This proved to be a successful tactic, pointing out the benefits to the volunteer, and many organizations reported huge responses to positions they had previously had little interest in. These positions had been previously advertised offline, and even on other websites and had little response. Exactly the same positions had markedly different response rates from volunteers, just because they were marketed differently!

We believe the key is to look at what you can offer the potential volunteer and market that. Is your organisation a fun place to work with a supportive team? Are you flexible about the hours they can contribute? Do you offer a certificate of appreciation for their contribution? If so, then make sure all of that is in the ad, written in a friendly tone ­ this is the best way to market volunteering opportunities and doesn’t cost your organization a thing!

The ActNow website is currently in a transitional phase. We hope to roll the project out around Australia in the next year.

Submitted on 6Mar03 by Vicki Henrichs, Houston Association of Volunteer Administrators, Houston, Texas, Harris County, USA
As an active member of the Houston, TX volunteer community and professional member of the Houston Association of Volunteer Administrators (HAVA), we compete with an enormous population of many, diverse interests to reach local media. Public Service Announcements (PSA’s) flood local news sources. However, there is usually some unique element about a conference, volunteer group or special project. With our multitude of ethnic minorities and vibrant social service community, we repeat the emails and faxes until we obtain responses. Bottom line is: seek new sources and maintain old ones; repeat and refuse to give up.

Submitted on 5Mar03 by Cara Blank, Director of Online Publications, Energize, Inc., Pennsylvania USA
On a lazy, snow-covered Sunday in Philadelphia, I was delighted to find a prime example of “headline-grabbing, real news” in the volunteer world and immediately wanted to share it with all who would read Susan’s hot topic of this month.

Amid headlines of imminent war and a plunging economy, the Philadelphia Inquirer covered a group of activists who uniquely knit for peace and social justice. Yes, knit! Sweaters, scarves, pot holders… (Click here to read the complete article.) I was able to apply each of Susan’s 4 criteria for what really makes news. And to boot, I wanted to run out and become a member of this group of volunteer activists, even though I’ve only finished half of a cockeyed pot holder in the last 2 years. Marketing at its best!

Although I don’t know if the founder of “Sew What?! Radical Knitters” intended to market her organization or the news reporter found her, the article still proves that volunteer organizations can make headlines. With the right press release and unique blend of news criteria, even the New York Times might bend its ear your way!

Submitted on 5March03 by Sam (Sarah) Elliston, Sr Vol Associate, Volunteer Connections Services, Cincinnati, OH
I think everything you say is true, Susan, in terms of our not being savvy enough to find the real news in our programs. I appreciate your criteria list, it will help me in the future.

I have found a challenge recently in the marketing area when I am posting volunteer opportunities on websites as recruitment tools. I am told by our marketing department that these posts are NOT like press releases and so shouldn't include the kinds of hearts and flowers compelling language that a press release might use.

Is this correct? Or am I again missing an opportunity?

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