Most volunteer managers know the classic call to action: “Volunteer with us.” It’s clear, direct, and functional.
But here’s the problem - function alone rarely inspires action.
In a recent Rosterfy webinar, Martin O’Neill (Head of Marketing at Rosterfy UK & Europe) reminded us that people don’t engage with programmes because of details, features and actions. They engage because of how volunteering makes them feel.
Consider the difference between these two headlines:
- Volunteer with us
- Help us make a difference in your community
The first highlights the “feature” (an opportunity to volunteer). The second hits the emotional outcome - belonging, contribution, pride.
The Recruitment Challenge: Getting Noticed
Volunteers are everywhere and people are just as keen to offer support to causes they are passionate about today as they have always been - the challenge is there's so much demanding their attention.
Time is at a premium, and today’s fast-paced environment means you must deliver something truly compelling to stand out. Your programme is competing for attention against a range of other priorities, such as:
- Alternative charities and volunteer initiatives
- Family responsibilities
- Professional obligations
- Financial pressures
- Seasonal events and distractions
Volunteering programmes can learn a lot from the consumer marketing industry and how they manage to cut through the noise to reach their audience - they use emotional hooks.
There are many examples of this:
Patagonia - focus on their clothing products being environmentally friendly and ethical
AirBnB - Lean into the feeling of a global community
Tony Chocolonely - promote their brand as ethically sourced and committed to eradicating modern slavery
Charities, community programmes and mass events have a major advantage because of how they make people feel. With the right messaging you can harness those emotions, cut through the noise and improve your volunteer recruitment.
How to apply this to your volunteer listings on your volunteer portal
Organisations that use Volunteer Management Software like Rosterfy have a great advantage when it comes to marketing their volunteering opportunities - their Volunteer Portal.
Tips for writing better content on your portal
- Update your portal language: Shift from “Sign up to volunteer” to “Be part of the movement to…”
- Segment by motivations: Use Rosterfy’s data fields to capture why people volunteer (community, skills, cause) and personalise messaging accordingly.
- Design outcome-based roles: Frame positions in terms of impact (“Champion sustainability onsite”) rather than just tasks.
How Formula E created a new 'Content Champion' volunteering role
Formula E is blessed with a vibrant and growing community of supporters and volunteers. As one of the fastest growing sports in the world - it's expected their cumulative audience is due to surpass 500 million by the end of 2026.
Each race weekend requires a huge team that includes volunteers but recently they introduced a new role that amplified their reach and recruitment - Content Champions.
The role was born out of an insight the discovered in Rosterfy - their volunteer management software. Our platform allowed them to identify how people discover their opportunities by stating the source - social media, website, email etc...
The Events Team at Formula E discovered, to their surprise, that a significant number of volunteer roles were being filled through TikTok - even though the programme itself had no official TikTok presence.
This revelation prompted them to create a new role within the volunteering opportunities on offer - Content Champion - with the sole responsibility to capture the excitement of a race weekend and use that user generated content to encourage further participation.
Key Takeaway
The most successful volunteer programmes don’t just manage people - they inspire them. By focusing on emotional outcomes rather than transactional activities, you’re not only filling shifts, you’re creating long-term ambassadors for your mission.
Watch Now: Marketing for Volunteer Managers: A Practical Guide for Non-Marketers
Rosterfy we're joined by Guide Dogs UK and Formula E for this special - 1 hour webinar - focused on improving your marketing skills, creating a story around your brand and specialist advice from the social media and event team members at some of the most engaged volunteering programmes.
Click here to watch now