Are you having a problem getting volunteers to help out? Try this quick tip. Invite people to do specific tasks.

When you get specific in what you ask, it is much easier for people to gauge the amount of involvement that will be required and whether they have the skills to meet the need.

So, don’t ask for volunteers. Ask for someone to help set up the book fair from 9:00 – 12:00 this Thursday.

Sure, every parent group would love to have a stable of volunteers to call on for any need, but people are unwilling to commit if they aren’t sure what they are getting themselves into.

Next time you need something, think of your entire parent database as your volunteer base. Ask for people to fill in with specific needs.

Of course, the more you know about your parents, the easier. If you know a dad has a day off mid-week, you will know you can ask for his help that day. If you know a mom designs websites, you can ask her to help with your group’s site.

You will still get plenty of no’s. But you may get a few surprising yes’s if you can ask specifically. Also, it doesn’t hurt to stroke a person’s ego. Let them know that you heard they were really good at a certain task, and that you really need their expertise.

If you are not getting enough volunteers, you may just not be asking in the right way.

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photo credit: Kid_SBTG