One of the best things we’ve done to help our volunteers is a monthly podcast. Our philosophy is to spend less time in meetings talking about ministry and more time actually doing ministry. So instead of having training meetings every month we put together a podcast which covers the content that volunteers can watch on their own time. Here’s a few tips on how to do one of your own:
Keep it Short
Our podcasts usually don’t go over 5 minutes. Much longer and most will check out or won’t watch at all. Short is good. At times it’s frustrating to condense material into a 2 – 5 minute time slot, but it almost always comes out laser focused and super helpful on the other side.
Focus on One Idea
If I’ve got only 5 minutes to share 1 thing with your volunteers, what would it be? That’s the question I ask myself every month before recording. Focusing on just 1 thing a month increases the chances your volunteers will actual do that 1 thing. Much more and your risk giving them more things than they have time to do.
Use Tech that Most of Your Leaders Like
For us right now it’s YouTube (click here to see our page). I record it on my Mac at work using iMovie (I’m not a huge fan of iMovie, but it works), then upload it directly through it. For you it may be posting recordings on your church’s blog or website. Back in the day I used to burn CDs for all our volunteers. Go with whatever you think most of your volunteers will like the best.
Communicate When a New Podcast is Up
This is as simple as emailing your team or putting the link in your next newsletter. We also spotlight them it in our team briefings before each service. Don’t count on everyone subscribing (as nice as that would be). Over-communicate what’s up and how they can get it.
Get Feedback from Key Leaders
You can’t hear everyone’s opinion about every podcast, every month (and probably wouldn’t want to either). So select a few people you can trust to give you quality feedback and periodically ask them for it. Their in-the-trenches perspective will help you make your podcasts better for them?
What kinds of topics would be good for you to make podcasts about?
Jeff McClung 