Action Tips: Creating Volunteer Recruitment Materials

When you create volunteer recruitment materials, they should be attractive, easy to read, and in sync with your brand. Consider where they will be placed and who their audience will be. These tips will get you started on creating strong recruitment materials.

First Steps

• Think about the type of volunteer that you want and tailor your materials to them.
• Indicate how much time your volunteers should commit to.
• Who are you looking for? Do your volunteers need to have a skill set? Based on the volunteer positions you need, create a job descriptions.

Types of materials to make

• Flyers can be an entire page of space, be careful not to clutter it up.
• Small handouts can be made by printing four pages on one and cutting each page. These are great to hand to people or place on small surfaces.
• Brochures can contain extra information and pictures. If you have Publisher on your computer there are templates available.
• You can also create an information page with tear outs on the bottom. This can be done by rotating text in Microsoft word and cutting each slit after you print. Then, tack these printouts to bulletin board spaces in your community.

Information

• Some basics to include:
  • What your organization does
  • Positions to be filled
  • Time commitment
  • Age requirements

Attraction

• Bright colored paper and cardstock can make your materials look more appealing.

Pictures

• Go easy on the pictures. Don’t use pictures to fill space, they should be a part of the presentation and show or explain something.

Contact Info

• How will interested volunteers contact you? Be safe with the information you give out. Perhaps create a new email address with Google and ask people to inquire for more information before you give out a phone number.

Consistency

• Be sure all of your materials and website content use consistent and concise language, colors, and pictures. Colors, fonts, and pictures should all match and convey your organizations brand.

Trial and error

• Create a few versions and ask your friends and family which one catches their eye and makes them most interested in the position. Some of the best materials are attractive but not overwhelming.

Be cost efficient

• Does your school or library allow you to print for free? Is there a paper cutter in the art room? Use your resources and save money.

Switch it up

• You may want to vary the type of material you put at different locations. Maybe put a flyer that says “Volunteers Needed” on your school’s campus while putting brochures in a business’s waiting area where people have more time to read through it.

Be ready

• Once you are getting responses, can you explain your organization or project quickly? Practice your 30 sec pitch to capture the attention of a potential volunteer.

Hint- Check and see if your computer came with Publisher, its a program that often comes with Microsoft Word and has templates.