Word of mouth is probably the most effective way to recruit volunteers that there is. And your current volunteers are the best people to spread that word. But it rarely just happens. A few summers ago, I met a woman who was amazing at it. She could talk with people for as little as five minutes and convince them to sign up as a volunteer at her food bank. It wasn’t that she was pushy or standing on a soap box. She just had an natural, friendly way of weaving volunteering into everyday conversations.
The secret? She listened for cues.
Word of mouth recruitment works best when it doesn’t feel like recruitment. It’s not about talking people into it; it’s about noticing when someone might be interested and offering a genuine invitation. The challenge for many volunteers is figuring out when and how to bring it up. That’s where conversational cues and a ready-to-use script come in.
Learn to spot the cues.
Have you ever heard someone try to force a particular subject into a conversation? Bad sales people do this all the time. It’s awkward and off-putting for the listeners. There’s no point in asking your volunteers to “just talk about your volunteering experience”. They are more likely to share their story if they know how to do it naturally and avoid that awkwardness.
People are constantly dropping hints, usually without knowing it, that they’re open to something new. Here are some examples of cues that can lead naturally into a chat about volunteering:
Lifestyle Cues
- “I feel like I’ve been in a bit of a rut lately.”
- “I need to get out of the house more.”
Skill or Interest Cues
- “I wish I had more chances to use my {specific skill}.”
- “I’m bored. I’d love to learn something new, but I’m not sure what.”
Connection Cues
- “I don’t really know my neighbours very well.”
- “I love being retired but I miss the feeling of being part of a team.”
Purpose or Meaning Cues
- “It feels like all I do is work and go home.”
- “I wish I could help with {current issue in the news}.”
Life Changes Cues
- “I just moved here and want to get to know the community.”
- “I just retired and I’m not sure what to do next.”
Can’t you just hear the response “Have you thought about volunteering?” after each of those comments? If volunteers recognise these cues as opportunities, they can step in with a story and an invitation without it feeling awkward or forced.
Have a script ready.
Once volunteers recognise the cues, the next step is to make it easy for a volunteer to respond. That’s where a short, adaptable script comes in. Something like this:
“Have you ever thought about volunteering? I volunteer with Ocean Wise, and I help with shoreline cleanups. It’s so fun! It only takes a couple hours, and you get to meet great people and make a real difference.
If you’re curious, I can send you a link or you can even come along with me one day and try it out. It’s a great way to help you get to know the community.”
Switch out the italicised wording with whatever is appropriate. The key is the middle section; the volunteer’s personal story. Stories bring the experience to life and make the invitation “real” to the listener. If volunteers can keep one or two fresh stories in mind, they’ll always have something relatable to share.
Help them make it second nature.
To build confidence, encourage volunteers to practise listening for cues and telling their story. They could also keep a couple of “hooks” ready, like a photo on their phone, that can make the story more engaging.
You could even provide volunteers with a small “cue card” they can carry in their wallet, listing the most common conversational openings on one side and the script on the other. It’s not about reading it word for word obviously (how natural would that look?!), but seeing it regularly will keep the idea top of mind.
Provide them with a call to action.
A conversation that ends without a next step often gets forgotten. For word of mouth recruitment to work, encourage volunteers to:
- Offer to send a link to the organisation’s volunteer page,
- Invite the person to an upcoming event, or
- Provide the person with a “volunteer invitation” card that states the organisation’s mission, lists the benefits of volunteering, and has the website link or a QR code. (You could give a handful of these to all volunteers along with the cue card.)
Create a culture of invitation.
The woman I met used this cue-and-script approach, and her recruitment was effortless and effective. Once they’re comfortable with it, volunteers begin to see themselves as ambassadors, always ready to invite someone in. Done well, even conversations in supermarket queues can lead to new recruits!
Word of mouth is an inexpensive, simple recruitment option. Knowing the right cues to listen for and having a simple script to follow can turn every volunteer into a skilled recruiter. Good luck!
