Internet 101: Communication with Volunteers

Staff
For those running a national organization, email can be incredibly useful. Need to send someone the latest proposal to give to a funder? A quick email and, wherever they are, they have the information. Today, almost every hotel phone hooks up to a laptop. If you have people on the road, email can save the day. From sending out routine memos to transfering updated documents, going online can save paper and time. Best of all, coming to a decision by concensus is a lot easier to accomplish when people can all discuss the issue via email.

On the other hand, for those organizations that are close-knit and locally based, email does not make a whole lot of sense. Stick to the phone and real conversations, or, if you need to send information, don't forget the fax. Just because email is 'cooler' don't ignore simpler methods.

Volunteers
Phone trees. Bulk mailings. Posted fliers. These are the traditional means of reaching people quickly and easily. Add to this list email - a new way to reach people. Email allows the creation of lists that allow you to, with the touch of a button, let everyone know the big news. This is especially useful when time is critical. Those people with email tend to check it everyday. What better way to let them know about your important event than when he/she is at the computer and near a datebook? For example, The Volunteer Exchange of Santa Clara County informs Apple employees about volunteer opportunities online.

A first step: See how many of your volunteers have email at work or home. Send out email versions of your newsletter so that people can use them as references for events. Also, allow people to 'register' for you email on your webpage.

Professionals Outreach