Take a second to think about your favorite brands. Would you notice them anywhere? You likely would. Brand awareness is when an individual is familiar with a specific brand. One of your greatest assets is your volunteers. Why not use them to help build your brand awareness?
Word-of-mouth is one of the most effective forms of marketing and building brand awareness. When people hear your organization being talked about enthusiastically, it encourages them to become involved. People want to know what the “buzz” is all about. Here are just a few ways you can cultivate your volunteers to be brand ambassadors.
Share Your Mission
Sharing your nonprofit’s mission is a part of everyday life in your organization. However, every aspect of your business needs to portray your mission. It should be communicated daily. Whether you are sharing your mission on social media or sending out a weekly newsletter, your mission must be everywhere.
Volunteers should not only be involved but know exactly why they are doing what they are doing. This gives them a feeling of purpose and meaning. If they feel they are making a difference, they will share the message with their friends and family.
People remember stories and they can leave a strong impact on an individual. Share stories about your organization and create a permanent vision.
Encourage Engagement
Social media has a lot of benefits. One of the best things about social media is the ability to reach a lot of people in a short amount of time. Volunteers may need a little push when it comes to engagement through social media. Speak to them about events they are already involved in. Ask them to post pictures and use hashtags to spread the message.
One example would be to use an upcoming walk or run. Create a social media campaign that asks your team and volunteers to share pictures showing their excitement about this week’s upcoming event. By being creative and requesting engagement your team will want to speak out about your organization.
People need to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Allow them to be a part of your mission and share the word.
Supply Gear
Who doesn’t love a free T-shirt? It may seem simple but supplying gear for your volunteers encourages them to wear your logo. Using a logo creates brand recognition.
Create a buzz with your free gear. Don’t just use your logo and print it on a t-shirt, be creative and choose a campaign that will catch the attention of your volunteer’s friends and family. You want them to ask about the cause and what they are wearing. Get the conversation started!
Reward Outreach
Have you ever been rewarded for participating in a social media campaign? There are so many rewards for engagement, why not encourage the people who support your mission the most? The reward could be as simple as a water bottle. Here is an example of a social media outreach reward:
Create Memories
Memorable experiences are widely talked about. They do not have to be extravagant, but they do have to leave a lasting impression and cultivate volunteers. This could be as easy as making them feel a part of your organization. Creating a memorable experience begins the moment the volunteer signs up. From start to finish you have to create a lasting impact on the individual.
People love to talk. If you execute a well-crafted experience and cultivate volunteers, they will want to share it with their friends and family. Every detail matters.
Your brand differentiates you from your competition. You are competing for a volunteer’s time and contributions to your organization. People only have so much to give of each, why not it be used for your organization?
If you cultivate volunteers you can grow your organization exponentially. You must constantly be communicating your mission. Lead the movement and your brand ambassadors will follow.
