Creating committees within your volunteer group is a great way to engage members but more importantly, focus on the work that needs to be done. Organizing any group of people is often a challenge, which is why it is so important to organize interested committee members from the start. We are often asked how organizations can make this happen. An exciting committee that often garners a lot of volunteers is the marketing committee.
The first thing you want to do is define the committee's purpose. You want to develop goals and objectives so that you can attract volunteers that are genuinely interested in the work that you'll be doing, and that serve as guideposts to keep the committee on task. These goals will also help you to name the committee. For example, if this group will handle all aspects of marketing, it could be the Communications Committee. If you have enough work to break out committees by the type of work they’ll be doing, (i.e. social media vs. newsletter vs. blogs) define your group as such. You will be surprised to find out what special skills your volunteers bring to the group! Oftentimes we find someone who is great at graphic design, or event planning or loves updating social media. Utilize their personal interests to your organization’s advantage.
The next thing you want to focus on are the individuals that make up this committee. You’ll want to have a diverse group of volunteers so that all of your members’ voices will be represented. Different types of people will bring a wide range of ideas and expertise to the committee, which can aid in problem-solving and thinking outside of the box. When you send out an ask for volunteers, make sure you have a realistic time commitment that you communicate. People are more comfortable accepting volunteer positions when they know how much time is involved. For example, if you feel this committee should meet once a week vs. once a month, be very clear on your expected time requirements. When deciding on these time requirements, be conscious of your volunteer's workload. If you work with restoration professionals who are on their feet for 12 hours a day, have a less rigid schedule with them. If you're working with contractors who are constantly on the road and rarely on their phones, try to have after-hours or weekend meetings and calls.
Most importantly, you want to make sure that your committee has the resources they need to be effective. If the committee is creating social media posts, make sure to have a free account on Canva.com to help design graphics. If newsletters are their job, set them up with an easy-to-use email service like Constant Contact. If training is needed, make sure to set up a time for the group to review these resources. There are many free training webinars, workshops, and manuals that you can find for your team through online resources. Lastly, you’ll want to make sure that there is a clear-cut process for decision-making. If someone on your team is writing articles or blogs for your website or newsletter, create an approval process that is easy to follow. This will either be a single point of approval or a voting system including the entire committee.
Once your committee is up and running, you'll want to evaluate and adapt as needed. Sometimes it's difficult to know what your committee needs to do or the resources they need when you're first starting. Maintaining an open communication channel with the committee is very helpful in keeping them relevant, engaged, and effective. This can be achieved by having regular meetings with them or having the group create reports for you to review the status of projects.
Above all else, make sure to show thanks and gratitude towards your committees. Remember your volunteers have lives outside of your organization and their time is valuable. Showing a bit of appreciation goes a very long way and it's key in keeping your volunteers motivated and engaged.
If you need a little extra help, partner with AH to improve your committee relationships! To learn more, download our Digital Marketing Toolkit or contact us at inquire@ahint.com.
