Most non-profits, and most businesses for that matter, rely on recruiting — volunteers, donors, members, customers — and this requires conversion. Yes, “conversio.n” For-profit marketers use the same word as churches, tracking how many people who view an ad “convert” from browsers into customers.

JCorps constantly needs to recruit volunteers, and that means converting kids who think “I’m not the type of person who’d volunteer” (I thought the same thing when I started JCorps) into people who think “I’m someone who helps out.”

JCorps  has been very successful recruiting — we’ve got thousands of volunteers from over 180 colleges and 450 companies to-date —  and yet we’re never satisfied. More volunteers = more events = helping and connecting more people.  So we’re always looking for new ideas.

Ari Teman & Seth Godin

In October, bestselling marketing guru Seth Godin gave a free, invitation-only seminar for leaders of innovative non-profits. As a huge Seth Godin fan, I was psyched to get the invite. It was inspiring and entertaining.  (You can view the video here.)

He gave one example that inspired an idea which recruited almost 800 people in one event.

Small Steps

We all want to knock on someone’s door (or Facebook message them) and have them convert right away. Except that almost never happens. There are [very] few “early adopters,” people so hungry for change they’ll jump on the first opportunity that fits. The rest of us are too busy, cynical, sane, timid, or content to try something new. Especially if it involves huge investment.

The trick is to make smaller steps to getting involved.

The Mormon Church knows this. In the example given by Seth Godin, they track statistics, and they know that if they knock on your door, the odds of you converting is about 1-in-100,000.  However, if they get you to say a prayer with them, the odds go to 1-in-7!  A small, seemingly innocuous step  increases their odds by 14,285 times!

In the Jewish world, Chabad — the most successful at recruiting — uses small steps, too. They don’t stop you on the street and ask you to start keeping the Sabbath or attend a class. They ask you to light candles on Friday night, a menorah on Chanukah, or to put on Teffilin one time. Small steps.

This is what psychologists and salesmen call the “Foot in the Door” technique. A small investment leads to a larger one.

JCorps

WeCanBeHeroes Flyer

I realized that even though the most frequent praise we hear from JCorps volunteers is “you make it easy to volunteer” (all they need to do is sign-up and show up), the idea of committing a few hours of Sunday (or Friday in Israel) when it’s often your only free day is still a lot to ask.

Entry fee: can or toy donation

So we created an event where the volunteering is a small step. All you need to do is bring a can of soup — and you’ll get admitted to a free, open-bar party in exchange.

The JCorps “WeCanBeHeroes Party / Can & Toy Drive” was a resounding success, with over 800 people signed up in a single event (the event cost us net about $0, btw). Despite the “Blizzard of 2009,” hundreds came out and brought cans, and the rate of inquiries and new volunteers we have for future events has almost doubled. Those who donated a can are more likely to volunteer at a soup kitchen. Someone who donated a toy is more likely to help at a children’s hospital.

We’ll continue to innovate, engaging people in volunteering at their own pace.

Ari