Running a booster club is much easier with a sufficient number of booster club volunteers and consistent communication. Like many workplaces, booster clubs can become stressful environments if there are not enough people to do the required work or if booster club volunteers do not have the information needed to complete a task. If a booster club does not have enough volunteers, booster club activities will be significantly limited. Likewise, poor communication between booster club volunteers can lead to mistakes and misunderstandings. In order to prevent these problems before they occur, it is important to regularly interact with booster club volunteers. Below, you will find tips to increase booster club volunteer engagement and improve their efforts.
Provide Easily Found Contact Information for Potential Volunteers
If you run a booster club and wish to increase booster club volunteer numbers, you should first make sure that all potential volunteers are able to find the information needed to contact your organization. Many individuals may try to find information about your booster club by searching for you via the internet. This means that having some sort of online presence (even just a booostr.co profile) is a good way to engage booster club volunteers, since any booster club social media accounts (ie. Facebook, Twitter or Instagram) or websites associated with your booster club may turn up in internet search results. On these platforms, you should provide easily found information such as phone numbers or email addresses through which the booster club can be contacted. The easier your booster club contact information is to find, the easier it will be to increase booster club volunteer numbers.
Recruit Volunteers at Booster Club Events
Individuals who show an interest in the organization or school program your booster club supports may be willing to hear you out when you speak to them about your booster club. In fact, these individuals may not only be willing to contribute to your fundraising efforts, but perhaps also join your booster club as a volunteer. Many booster clubs have members who were already associated with the cause the booster club supports. Parents of student athletes or school orchestra members will, for example, wish to see their child’s school program flourish. Booster clubs often provide the support these programs need, so individuals such as the parents of students may be likely to support athletic booster clubs or music booster clubs or the specific activity your booster club supports. Reach out to the people in the community your booster club supports. You may be surprised to find how many people wish to provide a helping hand.
Interact with New Booster Club Volunteers
When you recruit new volunteers, it is important to make them feel at home within the booster club. Working to support a cause you care about is rewarding. However, not being taught how to properly carry out booster club tasks or feeling unwelcome within the group can make for an unpleasant experience. Engage booster club volunteers and make sure they have a clear understanding of their duties. Rather than bossing around new members, present yourself as someone who would be happy to answer any questions new members may have. Creating an environment in which all questions are welcome will help to improve volunteer efforts and clear up any misunderstandings.
Consistently Interact with Current Booster Club Volunteers
Even after volunteers have a good grasp of their responsibilities; it is important to continue to engage booster club volunteers. Running a booster club is a team effort and, as such, requires consistent communication between members. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to complete a task only to find you were unaware of important information needed to complete a task. While members may learn some necessary information at booster club meetings, it may not be a bad idea to regularly interact with booster club volunteers via emails or text messages. If you interact with booster club volunteers through group messages, everyone in the booster club will be on the same page and have access to the same information. Maintaining consistent communication between all members will also help to prevent any members from feeling alienated within the group. Regular, efficient communication within a booster club will help create a team with members who are all on good terms with one another, which will improve volunteer efforts and ultimately leading to increased success for the booster club.
Your booster club volunteers are the lifeblood of your booster club and it is important to keep them involved and make them feel welcome. Maintaining open, clear communication and clearly explaining booster club tasks will help you both recruit and engage your booster club volunteers.
