Passion comes in many forms and even many unusual aspects. In today’s political climate guns are associated with men. However, quiet but very passionate groups of ladies are forming around their likes and needs relating to their use of firearms. So follow the passion, not the herd of public consciousness when it comes to your search for the prospects likes and dislikes.

Passion for a cause sells, it drives volunteers like no other thing can.

Sometimes it is not obvious, but if you look around and observe the expressions as they are showing their home to you, even if it is not formerly shown, you usually can get an idea. Keep in mind everyone wins the more you help people engage in volunteering for their passionate causes! Even if it is not your group, the candidate wins. Keep their best interest first and you can’t go wrong.

Why is this important about the home? In some groups a formal visit by an investigating committee is conducted unless the candidate is well known by a respected member. For the Freemasons, the investigating committee is a requirement in nearly all areas of the world, particularly in America. The idea is to ensure that the spouse is not against the idea since the guy would have to take time away from the home and sometimes this doesn’t set well with the spouse when they find out the time restrictions. It also allows the pair, if the man is wedded to be sure they understand the group’s purpose and requirements. Never help bring tension between a married couple due to your group. It is not in the best interest of the candidate to join and have issues because of the membership.

They start by using a step stool which is from their great grandmothers side of the family, dating to the late 1890′s you are told. Then they show you a book of poems from 1721 which another aunt had when she passed, leather bound and well worn.

This is their family history, and it is with respect you now take an interest in helping them.

A person’s home tells you a lot about things. What do they collect, if they do any collecting at all. I have seen everything from fancy movie posters framed and all over every part of the walls of the main room, to collections of watches, dolls, books, and all kinds of nick-knacks.

However, you as the empowered volunteer are looking a bit deeper for clues to passions that go beyond a collection of things. You are looking for passions related to joining groups which you may be able to guide them to, even if it is not yours. Even with volunteer opportunities, always think of the best interest of the person you are trying to help, even if you can’t help them yourself. They will remember you kindly if you put them in a position for success.

One of the strengths of being an empowered volunteer is that you can scout for other groups and they can scout for you.

If you run across someone who likes or has interests aligned with another group you know to be worthy, help both the group and the individual if you can’t help them with your offer. Keep in mind, volunteer opportunities always benefit the volunteer the most and the charity after that if they are passionate!

Let’s say you are in the home and the person has a large collection of old books! They tell you that the books are from several passed family members and they are a great treasure of memories! This is very good to know. Your scan of the books reveals diverse subjects with no real theme. Fiction, non-fiction from the early 1900’s with authors you don’t recognize. You don’t have time to do any investigating. What do you do?

One good thing to do to unearth the passion you suspect is lurking in the collection is to ask, “What in the collection of many books appeals to you”? Get the potential candidate to tell you what their passion is!

Usually folks love to talk about their passions, such as the foot stool and book of poetry mentioned earlier. They will smile broadly and start to talk excitedly. If the candidate presents anything positive, listen and listen intently. Let them run with the dialog until they slow down or run out of things to say. If you listen, you will get a real good idea of what they like and if you can help them, or not. Keep in mind, you can’t help those who don’t show the passion for your cause or don’t know what they want.

So pretend that the conversation turned up the following information, books ranging from bird watching to coin collecting, race car history, lawyer books with tons of Latin language titles, tons of fiction on historical biographies, and throw in a bunch of Christian teaching books from the 1800’s from a great grandfather. How does this help you help the candidate?

What subject did they talk the most about, and how passionately? Did they align with the subject or was it simply ticking off the list of what they had in the collection? What about the subject did they stress? How did they say it related to their life today? The more the empowered volunteer practices this kind of listening skill the better you will be at it.

Remember, you are not in any kind of stressful situation if this presentation doesn’t happen or goes nowhere. If you can’t help the person or the group, let the idea die and enjoy the visit. Make a friend and prospect later.

For this discussion, let’s pretend the candidate is a man and they stressed morals and religious convictions that align with several fraternal groups which often require a belief in God to join. But they don’t seem interested in any charities, let alone a specific one. What do you do now?

Sometimes being with like minded people is more important than the charities are to a volunteer.

Birds of a feather flock together so to speak. Keep in mind what you already know about social connections and how improving them helps your candidate health wise if nothing else.

Go ahead and give them your card and tell them that you are a member and watch their reaction. Present it in a very friendly way, with no drama or any restraint, but with the passion you feel when you are doing the charity work. Tell them when the group meets and how friendly they are. Give a short introduction and then let the matter drop unless they pursue it. Not all people make instant decisions. Some people ponder things and check the facts before they even give the matter due consideration. Others will ask a ton of questions and make a much faster decision.

For professional salesmen, when you make the presentation it is always a rule to close the sale then. Very few sales are made later in the real world. Sometimes it happens, but as a rule if the prospect walks away they stay away.

I am going to suggest that in this type of prospecting you don’t take that tact. If the prospect wants to walk, let them and don’t worry about it.

You are in the very enviable position of knowing for a fact that your offer would have helped them a bunch if they had accepted, something most salesmen wish they could say. If the prospect walks, they were not ready or well positioned right now to take you up on the offer. If possible get their contact information and follow up in a few months.

If you on the other hand have any positive responses from the prospect, do this. Here is where you let them tell you what they want, if anything. Tell them if they are open to listening that you are trying to rebuild the group membership and how the efforts you are looking for will help the charity your group supports.

Make sure you tell them how the volunteering you do makes you feel, emotionally detailing the feelings if they show any interest.

That is what most people are looking for, the feelings from being involved and helping.

That’s why most people join volunteer groups, for that good feeling that goes with helping others. For many, it is nearly as powerful as the famous, “runners high” that long distance runners get from their physical efforts.

Lastly, always no matter what ask them for referrals.

Two things all empowered volunteers should take away from this post.

Always be prospecting for good people and always keep the candidate’s best interests first. Pass out your cards, be passionate in your presentations to prospects, and be very upfront that you are helping them in this offer. Second, be ready to list the potential benefits for them, not just for you or your group. Always keep the focus on their interests and benefits and let the good people tell other good people about you if they decline your offer.

With enough people thinking kindly of you even if they decline you, at some point you will find the people you have presented to and who declined calling you to tell you about potential candidates. This takes time and it will take effort on your part, but it works in other businesses and it will work for you if you do your part well.

Enjoy the search and find some good members for your charity by following the candidates passions!

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