Involvement Strategies That Work, by Patty Hendrickson

Want involved people? People who really want to be a part of your programs? Want people eager to participate? Hmmmm... No need to be frustrated. Take lessons from the masters of involvement -- WAL-MART.

This discount store giant has grown incredibly fast and is recognized everywhere. If you want your programs to grow and be recognized here's what you can learn from WAL-MART: Make Everyone Feel Welcome, Give People Opportunities, Show People the Value, Help People and Make the Process Simple.

Make Everyone Feel Welcome: What's the first thing you see when you walk into a WAL-MART store? The greeter. The greeter gives you a friendly smile and says, "Welcome to WAL-MART!" Immediately you feel welcome.

Events your group sponsors -- whether it's just a meeting or a special activity -- could benefit from the same technique. If every person who attends feels welcomed and valued, their experience will be enhanced and they will likely attend again.

Give People Opportunities: What's the first thing the greeter offers you? A cart. And not just any cart, but a big blue cart that is very deep. Immediately you feel you can participate in the experience. Challenge event planners to find as many ways as possible to include more people and organizations. Whether it's inviting other organizations to do a part of the work or even to co-sponsor an activity, more involvement by more people means more opportunities for everyone to grow.

Show People the Value: What do you see all over the store? Falling prices. These prices are not simply on the merchandise or on a little sticker on the shelf. Falling prices with a giant smiley face are everywhere. The print is so huge you can't miss seeing the numbers. Immediately you see the available opportunities.

List the many opportunities available to others. What are the big and small ways people can contribute? Sometimes people want to get involved but don't know how or may not have the foresight to see some unique way they can contribute. You could even create a "menu" of opportunities available -- listing everything from the minuscule to the magnificent. This listing process will also help event organizers plan stronger programs by looking for all possible ways to offer more opportunities to more people.

Help People: Who do you see throughout the store? WAL-MART associates wearing those blue vests. The employees are in the store and available to help you. You don't have to travel very far to find help when you need it. Immediately you know someone is nearby to help. Your organization leaders can have a perk and serve a purpose by wearing matching shirts or buttons.

If everyone knows the elected or appointed leaders/officers they're more likely to be noticed. If you need others to help at an upcoming event ask people to talk to people wearing THE shirts or THE buttons. Whether you have a small or large organization, the more visibility you get the better for you.

Make the Process Simple: What do you see when you are leaving the store? Tons of check-out lanes. When you're finished shopping it's easy for you to complete the process. You don't have to wait in long lines to get the benefit that was promised. Immediately you know this is a place that values your time. People are busy and might not be able to commit a big chunk of time. When event leaders plan an activity challenge them to also find small ways for people to get involved. And when busy people do volunteer find ways to draw attention to their efforts. Maybe create fun buttons that say "I'm helping" or "Event Leader" for volunteers to wear at those events. Making it simple and special gets more people involved.

So if you want to increase the involvement in your programs, learn from the master. WAL-MART has perfected the shopping experience for quality, value and convenience. Aren't these the same things you want to offer?

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