When organizing events and volunteer activities, you will soon learn that not every volunteer will attend every shift. When thinking about your volunteer participation and attendance, the shift completion rate can fluctuate from about 40%-80% of original attendees. 

A lot of work goes into recruiting attendees for your events. To make the most of your signups and ensure maximum participation, we recommend following a communication cadence of Confirms, Chasing, and Reshifting.

These are all types of communications (typically a phone call, email, text, etc.) that contact a volunteer at specific stages of their volunteer experience in order to communicate information and requests.

 

CONFIRMS:

Confirms (or confirmations) are used before an event to remind a volunteer of a commitment to take action that they’ve made, and to ensure they follow through on that commitment.

Political organizers confirm volunteers before a shift for several reasons:

• 1. Attendance and Reliability: Confirming volunteers ensures that they are available and committed to their assigned shift. It helps organizers gauge the reliability of volunteers and reduces the chances of no-shows or last-minute cancellations. 
• 2. Resource Planning: Organizers need to manage and allocate resources efficiently. By confirming volunteers beforehand, they can estimate the number of available volunteers for a particular shift or event. This allows them to plan the logistics, such as assigning specific roles, if needed. It also helps organizers make adjustments if there are too few volunteers or if additional recruitment efforts are necessary.
• 3. Training and Briefing: Confirming volunteers provides an opportunity for organizers to communicate important information, and answer any questions the volunteer may have. They can share details about the tasks, objectives, and expectations for the shift. This ensures that volunteers are adequately prepared, understand their responsibilities, and are aware of any specific instructions or protocols.
• 4. Volunteer Retention and Engagement: Confirming volunteers before a shift demonstrates that organizers value their commitment and time. It helps build a sense of accountability and engagement among volunteers, as they understand that their presence is expected and crucial for the success of the event. Regular communication and confirmation also provide an opportunity for organizers to address any concerns or questions that volunteers may have, fostering a positive and supportive environment.

Confirming volunteers before a shift is a vital organizational practice that helps ensure reliable attendance, effective resource planning, proper training, volunteer retention, and efficient resource allocation. It also helps streamline operations, improve communication, and increase the overall effectiveness of organizing efforts.

Example Confirmation Script:

Hi, is _____ available? This is _____ with the Democratic Party here in [CITY]. I’m giving you a call to thank you so much for committing to call voters with me on [DATE] at [TIME]. With your help, we’re going to be able to talk to so many Democrats about the issues that matter to them! I wanted to make sure you had all of the details, like our Zoom link. Do you have any questions or need anything before [DATE]?

Confirm Best Practices:

• Use the hard ask to make sure the volunteer will attend the event/shift, and include event specifics: date, time, location/link.
• If they WILL attend, make sure they have everything they need and thank them for their time.
• If they CANNOT attend, demonstrate empathy and understanding, and ask them to commit to joining your next event, giving a specific date and time.
• Always ensure volunteers feel appreciated and respected.

 

CHASING:

Chasing volunteers is vital to keeping folks engaged! Political organizers chase volunteers after a shift for several reasons:

• 1. Retention and Engagement: Volunteers are valuable assets to political organizations. By following up with them after their shift, organizers strive to maintain their engagement and ensure they continue to contribute their time and effort. By staying in touch, organizers can build relationships, provide ongoing support, and address any concerns or questions volunteers may have. This helps in retaining volunteers for future shifts and maintaining a committed team.
• 2. Feedback and Improvement: Following up with volunteers allows organizers to gather feedback about their experience during their shift. Volunteers may have insights into the effectiveness of campaign strategies, the quality of training and resources, or suggestions for improvement. By actively seeking feedback, organizers can refine their approaches, adapt their strategies, and provide a better experience for volunteers, enhancing overall campaign effectiveness.
• 3. Relationship Building: Political campaigns thrive on strong relationships, both with voters and volunteers. By actively pursuing volunteers after their shift, organizers can foster a sense of community, camaraderie, and mutual support. Regular communication and follow-up demonstrate that the organization values and appreciates volunteers’ contributions. Building positive relationships helps create a more cohesive and motivated volunteer team, enhancing the overall endeavor.
• 4. Mobilization and Action: Following up with volunteers helps ensure that they remain engaged and motivated to take further action. Organizers may use follow-up communications to inform volunteers about upcoming events or important milestones. By keeping volunteers informed and involved, organizers can mobilize them to participate in additional events. This ongoing engagement helps maximize the impact of the effort and increase the likelihood of achieving its goals.

By providing support, seeking feedback, and offering opportunities for growth, organizers can cultivate a dedicated and motivated volunteer base, essential for the success of any political effort.

Chase Script Example:

Hi, is _____ available? This is _____ with _____. I’m so sorry you weren’t able to call voters with me on [DATE]. We had a great time, had great conversations with voters, and definitely missed you! We’re going to make calls again on [DATE], at [TIME]. Can I count on you to join us then?

Chase Best Practices:

• Begin by expressing to the volunteer that their presence was missed during the event.
• Ask if the volunteer will sign up for another event, including event specifics: date, time, location/link.
• If they WILL attend, answer any questions the volunteer may have and thank them for their time and commitment.
• If they CANNOT attend, demonstrate empathy and understanding, ascertain their barriers and provide solutions/options, and respect their decision if they choose not to participate further.
• Always ensure volunteers feel appreciated and respected.

 

RESHIFTING:

Reshift is contact made after an event with the goal of having a volunteer who completed their action sign up for another one.

Your first goal for reshifting a volunteer should be to have them signed up for another shift before they leave your event! 

Political organizers often ask volunteers to sign up again after completing a shift for several reasons:

• 1. Commitment and Reliability: Requesting volunteers to sign up again after a shift reinforces their commitment to the organization. It signals that they are willing to continue supporting the organization beyond a single shift, which demonstrates their reliability. It also helps identify those who are genuinely interested in long-term involvement, as opposed to one-time volunteers.
• 2. Volunteer Management and Planning: Signing up again allows organizers to effectively manage their volunteer pool. It helps them assess the availability of volunteers for future shifts, plan events accordingly, and distribute responsibilities more efficiently. By having an updated list of volunteers, organizers can better allocate resources and ensure that shifts are adequately covered.
• 3. Data Collection and Analysis: Repeated signups enable organizers to collect additional data about their volunteers, such as their preferred activities, skills, availability, or specific interests. This information can be valuable for tailoring future volunteer opportunities and creating personalized experiences. It also helps organizers analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of their recruitment strategies and volunteer engagement initiatives.

Asking volunteers to sign up again after completing a shift serves multiple purposes, including accountability, commitment, communication, volunteer management, and data collection. It helps organizers maintain an organized and engaged volunteer base, fostering a more effective and sustainable organization.

Reshift Script Example:

Hi, is _____ available? This is _____ with _____. Thank you so much for calling voters with me on [DATE]. We had a great time, had great conversations with voters, and I know I can’t wait to do it again! In fact, we’re going to make calls again on [DATE], at [TIME]. Can I count on you to join us then?

Reshift Best Practices: 

• Thank the volunteer for taking action.
• Ask if the volunteer will sign up for another event, including event specifics: date, time, location/link.
• If they WILL attend, answer any questions the volunteer may have and thank them for their time and commitment.
• If they CANNOT attend, demonstrate empathy and understanding, ascertain their barriers and provide solutions/options, respect their decision if they choose not to participate further.
• Always ensure volunteers feel appreciated and respected.

 

Platforms To Use for Confirms, Chasing, and Reshifting:

When contacting volunteers, it’s important to choose effective communication methods. Before picking your method of communication, think about your attendees and where you think they will be most responsive. Here are some of the most common methods you can use:

• 1. Email: Email allows you to send detailed information, attachments, and updates to a large group of volunteers simultaneously. Use clear subject lines and concise, well-formatted emails to ensure your message is easily understood.
• 2. Phone Calls: Personal phone calls can be valuable for building relationships. Phone calls allow for real-time conversation, enabling volunteers to ask questions and receive immediate responses.
• 3. Text Messages: Text messages are quick, convenient, and often preferred by volunteers, particularly for short and time-sensitive messages.
• 4. Social Media Platforms: Utilize social media platforms such as Facebook groups, Twitter, or WhatsApp to create dedicated channels for volunteer communication. These platforms can facilitate group discussions, provide updates, and foster a sense of community among volunteers.
• 5. Online Collaboration Tools: Platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Google Workspace provide efficient ways to organize volunteer teams and streamline communication. These tools offer features like group chats, file sharing, and task management.

Always tailor your communication methods to the preferences and needs of your volunteers. Regularly ask for feedback to ensure that the chosen methods are effective. Using a combination of these methods will provide the most comprehensive communication strategy for engaging and mobilizing your volunteer base efficiently.

 

Example Timeline/Cadence for Volunteer Communication: 

Regardless of the chosen method of communication, the cadence of outreach is the same. Timeliness is crucial to ensuring volunteers have a positive and effective experience.

3-5 Days Before Event — First Round of Confirms: With a few days until the event, confirm that they will be there!

24 Hours Before Event — Final Round of Confirms: Within 24 hours before the event, send one final reminder and include any details they may need to join you.

During Event — First Attempt at Reshift: Your priority for reshifting should be to have all attendees signed up for another shift before they leave your event.

0-12 Hours After Event — Chase Attempts: Immediately following your event, reach out to the folks who didn’t make it but were signed up. Let them know you missed them and get them signed up for another shift.

12-24 Hours After event — Second Attempt at Reshift: Reach out to anyone who attended, thanking them for attending and reminding them to sign up for another event.