Are you “nagging and dragging?”

By Peggy Vinson

It’s that time in the annual campaign when we see “volunteer fatigue” begin to set in.  We’ve kicked off, we’ve trained, we’ve handed out packets, we’ve communicated weekly, but still we often feel like we have to “nag and drag” our volunteers to victory.

I’d like to suggest that some of the fault may lie with how we motivate them.  Are we doing the same old thing every single week, or do we have a “change up” plan?

Here are some ideas that may help to boost your campaign and your volunteers:

1. Give volunteers a “passion boost” each week.  I had one exec say to me that she realizes that no matter how busy she is with operational issues, she knows she must send her board members stories each and every Monday morning to remind them of the important work the Y does in their community.  She knows this gives them the renewed passion to go out and make their calls.  The weeks she does this, her pledges increase; the weeks she doesn’t she sees a slump.
2. Try a “Mid-Campaign” Rally.  Gather your volunteers or at least the leaders and celebrate successes to date.  Consider using this time of the campaign to present awards to your Board volunteers for their achievements…100% board giving, recognition of “productive” board members (give & get), increase in $1,000+ pledges, major gifts teams awards.  Use this as a type of victory for your major gifts teams and rally volunteers to complete the campaign through their community campaign efforts.
3. Issue new challenges to your volunteers for weekly highest producers.  Enlist a board member or major gift donor to issue a challenge to match $1,000+ gifts secured in the next 2-4 weeks.
4. Focus on Family Banners for one of your My Y Weeks.  Throw a party for families at the end of the week and celebrate new family banner donors!  Challenge your volunteers to talk with their friends about family banners and reward the volunteers who secure any banner donors during this week.

Other ideas???  Please reply and we’ll share other mid-campaign energy boosters!  It’s time to re-energize!

Last 5 posts by Peggy Vinson

• Sharing in the USA - November 29th, 2011
• Balanced Life? Are You Kidding? - September 26th, 2011
• The Return of the Annual Campaign - September 7th, 2011
• Always Look Up! - August 8th, 2011
• Slamming the Message Home - July 6th, 2011

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