The Volunteero app is super simple to use but ensuring a successful rollout will require a solid plan and some concerted effort. In this article, we give you a bit of a game plan and some resources which we hope will be helpful.
Pre Launch
A week or so ahead of adding volunteers and opening app accounts, we recommend sending out some comms. The aim is to sell the volunteers on what you are doing.
What is coming and how it will work
Why you are using Volunteero
Helps save staff time and headaches... remember they want to help you!
It makes their life easier, do away with emails, engage other volunteers, take ownership of their own volunteering
Anything else e.g. Safety, better data for board and funders, GDPR etc
What to expect
Here is an example email draft that you can tweak and use for your initial comms to volunteers.
Some additional tips around this initial email:
Really think of why it will benefit them - This might be the ability to engage with others through chat, it may be the ease of booking shifts, or it may be that it's the only way they can claim expenses now.
Be strong in your position - Remember, some existing volunteers will be resistant to change but we have seen time and time again that they will soon become total converts but don't be afraid of your volunteers. This is just the way you do things now. Be confident in what you are doing and the benefits it will bring.
Launch
When you add volunteers and open app accounts, we recommend sending an additional communication with some resources on how it works and what they should do.
Here is an example email you could tweak and send on the day you go live.
Shortly after launch
We may be talking a couple of weeks after going live here. Firstly it is always good to monitor activity. Check the insights page and specifically the volunteer insights tab within that page to see how many volunteers have signed in. Get a gauge for where you are 😊
Again... another email here. Don't worry, soon they will all be rockstar app users and you can use our chat feature which will be much more engaging but for now... email is best because we are looking at volunteers who aren't signed up yet.
You will be sending an email like this to those who have not signed in yet. In order to get all the emails of those who have not signed in, follow these steps.
Go to the Volunteer page on the left-hand side
Click on the three dots on the top right
Download all to CSV
Open the file in Excel
Filter the column labelled "Last seen" to show those where there is no date
This will give you all the volunteers who haven't signed in, copy all the emails
Troubleshooting
Alright, so you have done the above and still have volunteers who haven't signed in... don't fear. This happens! But remember, this work you are putting in will hopefully benefit you for years to come 🚀
Here are some ideas to try get the rest of the volunteers on board.
Assign them a mission
Create a mission and assign it to the volunteers who have not signed in yet. The mission could be anything you like. The reason this is great is that they will receive an automated email saying they've been assigned with a mission... typically that human curiosity will take over and bish bash bosh, they are on the app! Hopefully, then they will see how easy it is and jump in on group chats and other missions.
Create FOMO
Yep, creating a friendly bit of social pressure... nothing wrong with that! So how can you do this?
Share quotes from volunteers who are using it, use the best ones... ideally something like here's what John had to say "It is so easy and makes my life easier, I love being able to chat to my fellow volunteers"
Show them why they are missing out... the best events or shifts are being snagged by those using the app, get involved to avoid disappointment
Tell them that others are doing it... "We just hit 50% of volunteers signed up this week, when are you getting on?"
Gamify it
If all else fails, use bribery 😂 Remember, once they are on, they will browse and they are highly likely to become a regular user. So put some prizes up for grabs but in order to be considered, they have to have been active on the app over the last week or so. Here is an example...
"Want to win some {Charity Name} merchandise? We are sending out 10 hoodies at random. In order to enter, you simply have to login and engage with the Volunteero app over the next week. We can see the activity and will do the rest! Good luck 🍀 "
Other prize ideas could be Starbucks vouchers, amazon vouchers.
Anyway, that is a quick guide but if you have had success in other ways, we'd love to hear it and share ways you have increased app engagement! Good luck and reach out with any issues 😊