1. By Members, For Members 2017 ACCE Conference July 17th, 2017

2. Speaker Snapshot Jennifer Chittenden, IOM
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Speaker Snapshot Jennifer Chittenden, IOM
CAREER
Large Business – Newspaper
Small Business – Training
NonProfit – Chamber of Commerce (5 yrs)
FAMILY & INTERESTS
Married (15 years) & 2 Children (10 & 13)
Community
Rotary Club
Botanical Garden
Hobbies
Taekwondo Black Belt
Community Band

3. Overview Why Volunteers Matter Building Your Volunteer Base
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Overview
Why Volunteers Matter
Building Your Volunteer Base
Growing Your Chamber Through Volunteers
Retaining Volunteers

4. Our Mission Knowledge Sharing Foster Civility
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Our Mission
Knowledge Sharing
Foster Civility
Understand Economic Issues
The Des Moines Downtown Chamber of Commerce is a provider of information and resources for the downtown community through knowledge sharing, the fostering of civility, and understanding of economic issues in the service of the betterment and sustained growth and success of Downtown Des Moines.

5. Downtown Chamber Snapshot
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Downtown Chamber Snapshot
LEADERSHIP
3 Staff
16-member Board of Directors
5 Committees
125+ Volunteers and growing

6. MEMBERSHIP Over 300 Primarily Downtown
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
MEMBERSHIP
Over 300
Primarily Downtown
Small and medium-sized businesses

7. Top Member Industries Growing Industries Hospitality/Entertainment
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Top Member Industries
Hospitality/Entertainment
Non-Profit
Business Services
Finance/Insurance
Growing Industries
Retail
Architecture/Engineering
Real Estate/Housing

8. @DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Know Your Members

9. The Bottom-Line Results
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
The Bottom-Line Results
After 1 year of involving our members:
24% Gain in Attendance
18% Membership Growth
3% Higher Retention
70% Increase Non-Dues Revenue

10. Why Volunteers Matter Limited Resources Member Retention
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Why Volunteers Matter
Limited Resources
Member Retention
Community Impact

11. Limited Resources “The work of the Chamber is never done.
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Limited Resources
“The work of the Chamber is never done.
There is no beginning or end as such.”
-John D. Adams, General Secretary, Des Moines Chamber of Commerce
Do a Weekly Work Plan
Delegate & Plan for Follow-Up
Be a task matchmaker

12. @DowntownChamber #DTchamber

13. Member Retention Volunteering is a member benefit
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Member Retention
Volunteering is a member benefit
Involved members don’t drop
Know your biggest fans

14. Community Impact Organizational Branding Be a “Community Builder”
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Community Impact
Organizational Branding
Be a “Community Builder”

15. How to Build a Volunteer Base
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
How to Build a Volunteer Base
Job Descriptions
Process & Procedures
Just keep asking! Asking, asking, asking!
Give room to grow

16. Job Descriptions – Make it fun!
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Job Descriptions – Make it fun!
Take the Quiz!
goo.gl/rocR98

17. @DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Job Descriptions

18. @DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Job Descriptions
Set expectations

19. Process and Procedures
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Process and Procedures

20. Process and Procedures – Show & Tell
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Process and Procedures – Show & Tell

21. Process and Procedures
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Process and Procedures
Ensure consistency
Keep Accountable

22. @DowntownChamber #DTchamber

23. Brain: “Recalculating.”
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Just Keep Asking
Redirect
Ask Again
Repeat
Chamber: “Would you….?”
Member: “No, thank you.”
Brain: “Recalculating.”

24. Growing the Chamber Through Volunteers
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Growing the Chamber Through Volunteers
Do something
Keep it simple
Make them genius

25. DO Something! Projects with impact Survey for needs & interest
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
DO Something!
Projects with impact
Survey for needs & interest

26. Keep It Simple & Drive Forward
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Keep It Simple & Drive Forward
Build for the future
Not a lot of real work, just more communicating
Provide resources & training

27. Make Them Genius Give them a problem to solve Be vulnerable
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Make Them Genius
Give them a problem to solve
Be vulnerable
Allow them to do it their way

28. Retaining Volunteers Troubleshooting Reward with Style
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Retaining Volunteers
Troubleshooting
Reward with Style
Brag on their Behalf

29. Troubleshooting Rogue volunteers Staff and volunteer conflict
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Troubleshooting
Rogue volunteers
Staff and volunteer conflict
Undependable volunteers

30. Reward with Style Have a Rewards/Gift budget Take time to be human
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Reward with Style
Have a Rewards/Gift budget
Take time to be human

31. Brag on Their Behalf Tell their boss and peers Public acknowledgement
@DowntownChamber #DTchamber
Brag on Their Behalf
Tell their boss and peers
Public acknowledgement
Make them Heroes
Include them in the Chamber Team

32. Keeping It Social @DowntownChamber #DTchamber

33. Thank You “The work of the Chamber is never done.
There is no beginning or end as such.”
-John D. Adams, General Secretary, Des Moines Chamber of Commerce
(equivalent to Jay Byers today)