The Chronicle of Philanthropy recently concluded something close to my heart - that nonprofit organizations need to do a better job of recruiting and training volunteers, and keeping them engaged. We have all been there, personally and professionally, no doubt... asked to join a nebulous committee, perform volunteer feats that no mere mortal could be expected to achieve, pester and bully our family and friends into donating their time and money, and stuff envelopes too.

This is not a recipe for long term success. Instead:

• Recruit and orient your volunteers, and staff, carefully and with consideration for the skills and attributes you need. A live body or bum in the chair is not a recruitment goal! A volunteer or staff mismatch only leads to dissatisfaction.
• Once you have the right people on the bus, give them what they need to work and feel great -- tools, information and leadership!
• Keep them informed and engaged, making sure they know how they fit and how their efforts are appreciated.
• And last but not least, listen to them...communication is intended to be two-way!

The biggest obstacle many of us involved in fundraising have to overcome is our own mindset. Since our ultimate objective is to GET THE MONEY we set ourselves up to communicate the exact opposite of what we should. So starting now, think of your job as giving people what they want and need rather than raising money...because starting with the “go get the money” mindset is a trap! You are a “go-giver” -- you give people meaningful opportunities to give time or money to something that reflects their most personal values and interests.

There are many simple things you can do, right now, without any formal training, strategy or large output of resources to adopt this mindset and put it into action:

o Be a leader - your job is to facilitate and inspire matches

o Sell to the “right” people - focus your attention on the people whose interests and values fit your organization

o Make it easy for others to spread the word - explain what you offer and how to get involved, clearly!

o Have a clear “ask” - be specific - what and how

o Invite feedback and use it!

o Say thank you!

These simple tips are do-able; use them as checkpoints to guide you.

We've all heard the expression about one person's trash being another's treasure. This happens in our work environments too. Often our perspective is so narrow, and so laser-focused on our organization, that we can't see it the way others do.

If you are filling in the blanks for your donors, staff or other important audiences, you could be missing opportunities to connect with them in meaningful ways. By assuming what you think is important to them, from your organization's perspective, you could be:

• Overlooking untapped markets 
• Underwhelming important audiences
• Underselling benefits and attributes that they value the most about you.

In marketing terms, a value proposition is a clear statement of what a company or organization offers its clients. Like most things in life, simplicity is the key to clarity. The more focused the value proposition, the more effective the resulting communication.

The most powerful statement in the world will lead nowhere, however, if your value proposition is in direct contrast to your organization's core and culture. Nothing breeds disillusionment among your staff and volunteers (and your donors!) than the rank whiff of disconnect. An organization's culture, sometimes defined as how people behave when they think no one is looking, needs to be authentic and in tune to resonate. Inconsistency is the greatest demoralizer. Organizations that live their values are:

• authentic - act and do as they say they do
• receptive - actively interested in their donors' and staff needs and interests
• giving - focused on the needs of their clients first
• prosperous - attract supporters and partners

The more you do something, the better you become at it. This is as true for communications and marketing, as it is for anything else. A marketing expert I read once said, "writing is like flexing your marketing muscle" and I have certainly found this to be true.

The more you write to, talk to, listen to and absorb all you can about your donors, staff and volunteers, the more natural and authentic your communications will become. You will be speaking their language, rather than the clunky, formal org-speak of your mandate, vision etc. This leads to better matches, greater understanding, and more funds raised for the work of your organization. So feel that burn (the good and healthy kind)!