There are so many volunteer and activism opportunities available today that many non-profits might struggle getting and keeping volunteers and donors engaged in their cause. Working in the theatre, both non-profit and professional, has shed some light on how non-profits can keep those individuals engaged long after they come to the show.
- Know your audience
It does not make sense from a business perspective in the theatre to produce a show that no one is going to come and see. Particularly in the non-profit theatre world, if you do not have butts in seats you do not have money and resources to fund future projects. It is the same with any other organization. You MUST know your audience – who they are, what makes them tick, what inspires them, what turns them off. Most of the non-profits that have a direct influence in the community have one thing in common – they are trying to fix a problem that they see in the community. More than anything that we do in the non-profit world, resonating with people and their direct connection to that communal pain is among the most paramount missions we can have.
- Never bore that audience
In the theatre, particularly children’s theatre, there is one benchmark that you can utilize to tell whether or not the production is interesting and engaging - children. If the production can grab the kids attention and keep them engaged you know that you have something special. The gauge of success is the amount of rustling that you hear in the seats. The minute that there is something that is not engaging in the production those kids will begin to wiggle, chat, whisper, and look for something more interesting that what is happening in front of them. Donors and volunteers are much the same. Unless what they are seeing from you as a non-profit is engaging, interesting, and important those individuals will go to find the thing that is engaging, interesting, and important FOR THEM. The things that are important for you and your non-profit may not be the things that are important to the donors and the volunteers. it is key to align your objectives with the expectations and interests of your base.
- It is always easier to scale back from going full out rather than trying to pull more out of anyone/anything
Working as a theatre director one of the most frustrating things that I would run into would be actors who would come to a rehearsal and not be “present” in the rehearsal process or those that would “mark” their performances. I, as a director, cannot pull good acting out of an actor (shocker, I know!). It is much easier for me to tell an actor to scale back what they are doing on stage in a rehearsal than it is to pull acting out of an individual. The same applies for non-profits. Stop approaching projects (fundraising, special events, community outreach) half-heartedly!! It is much easier for an organization to ask for something to be scaled back slightly than to hem and haw over not getting what they needed to begin with. Think BIG. Act BIG. Set goals that seem like they are OUTRAGEOUS. Then, get some perspective, scale the project into manageable steps and GO GET THE OUTRAGEOUS!!
- Always leave them wanting more!!
“Remember, our production in March is coming and you do not want to miss it!!” There needs to be something that keeps your audience engaged after they have done something for you; whether that is attend a production of donate to your current giving campaign. There is nothing more dangerous than a volunteer or donor who thinks that they are done with your organization simply by giving a couple of hours or a couple of dollars. Keeping your volunteer base engaged after your major event can increase the retention rates for future interactions with those individuals. Now, this has been used to a point in the traditional non-profit fundraising scene for some time, but only in a limited way. A post-event email/letter/card is not enough. Period. Personal interaction with donors and volunteers after events, donations, etc. with a further call to action are imperative. That means having something for them to DO after they have already done something else. Planning is key. Commitment to further activities, planned giving, corporate partnerships - all of these might work to an organizations advantage in this regard. Communication of further need and an apreciation of the good work that has already been done can keep your organization in the forefront of their activism and volunteer calendar.
Don’t let those engaged, willing volunteers and donors slip into inactivity. Keep them engaged. Ask them to do hard things. These things can help non-profits help to get and keep those key players engaged for longer in their causes.
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