Key Nonprofit Highlights
Social Media Examiner hosts the annual Social Media Marketing World conference in San Diego, CA, bringing together thousands of marketers and influencers for the latest tactics, expert insights, and an inspirational volunteer program. As a leading resource for social media strategies, SME helps businesses connect with customers, drive traffic, and boost sales. They faced challenges managing volunteers using spreadsheets, which limited their ability to scale and created communication inefficiencies during events. By implementing Bloomerang Volunteer, they improved efficiency, streamlined operations, and enhanced communication. This shift allowed them to triple their volunteer base from 50 to 150, enabling better event execution and attendee experiences.
Challenge
Inefficient volunteer management with Excel spreadsheets
Prior to Bloomerang Volunteer, Social Media Examiner was scheduling volunteers with an Excel spreadsheet and print outs. “Then we would email people their schedule and also print out a huge Gantt chart on our internal staff wall,” said Jaci Feinstein, Event Manager. With a team of 50 event staff, this process was maxed out and stunted their ability to grow their volunteer program.
On event day, Social Media Examiner would have to text each leader and volunteer to communicate important information. “Our room host volunteers would text the person leading, who then had to scramble around and find the speaker team to communicate,” explained Feinstein. An efficient means to communicate with specific volunteers and teams in such a large event with an expansive venue was important to SME. Without the proper dissemination of information to volunteers, there was a higher risk of a stressful attendee experience.
Solution
Boosting efficiency and communication with Bloomerang Volunteer
To address their unique event needs, the SME organizers selected Bloomerang Volunteer, a powerful yet user-friendly scheduling and communication platform. This versatile tool not only met their current requirements, but also provided the scalability to support the growth of their event in the future.
Using Bloomerang Volunteer, the organizers saw a significant boost in efficiency. One organizer shared, “It really allows us to focus on the goals of our volunteers and the goals of events so we don’t get bogged down with all the logistical details that go into scheduling, tracking, and communicating with 200 people,” said Feinstein. With its intuitive design and robust features, Bloomerang Volunteer enabled the team to streamline their operations, saving valuable time and resources that could be redirected toward creating a more impactful event experience.
Results
Streamlining data management and tripling volunteers
After implementing Bloomerang Volunteer, SME experienced a significant transformation. The platform has streamlined critical processes such as management, communication, and organization, making them more efficient and effective. The platform enabled the conference to triple their volunteer base from 50 to 150—and that number continues to rise. This growth not only enhanced SME’s operational capacity, but also allowed them to better serve their conference attendees.
By taking over the administrative burden, Bloomerang Volunteer allows staff to hone in on what matters most—delivering exceptional experiences to attendees. “It’s worth the investment in your volunteers,” said Feinstein. “Bloomerang Volunteer is worth every dollar to be able to streamline and better manage, communicate, organize your volunteers. It allows you and your volunteers to focus on what is really important.”
