Monthly Archives: August 2012

Are You Ready to Sweep the Nation this New Membership Year?

Posted on by • Posted in FBLA, National Officers, Uncategorized •

 

Are you ready for September Sweeps? This NEW national program is designed to help chapters recruit new members and plan a variety of different activities for them to become involved with throughout the month.  All members from chapters that complete the September Sweeps program and attend one of the three National Fall Leadership Conferences (NFLCs) will receive special conference ribbons to wear on their name badge. Chapter presidents will receive a special membership award pin. You can also help your state earn national honors and top the September Sweeps Leaderboard on the National Web site (www.fbla-pbl.org). Both the interactive form and the State Leaderboard will debut on September 5.

Encourage your members to spread the word about FBLA to someone who is not a member of your chapter. In recruiting, potential members will repeatedly ask, “What do I get from joining FBLA?”  This is an easy question to answer. Our quarter of a million members learn essential skills and knowledge, through competition, holding leadership positions, participating in innovative programs.  Review the benefits so that you can explain them to potential members.

How can your chapter get started with September Sweeps?

  1. Show the September Sweeps video at a chapter meeting so that all of your members are informed about this exciting, new program, which offers members and chapters ideas to recruit new members, and keep them coming back to chapter meetings and activities.
  2. Next advisers and officers should preview the different requirements and September Sweeps activities.  While the end product must be submitted on the interactive form in order to receive national recognition, the preview document is a great reference tool.
  3. Have chapter members begin working on some of the activities for September Sweeps. As projects are completed, the president or officer assigned will upload the required documentation. Some easy ones to get started on right away include setting membership recruitment and retention goals, creating a membership committee, preparing a flyer of membership benefits, recruiting 5 paid Freshmen members, preparing a recruitment presentation, and producing fact sheet, bulletin board, or display.
  4. Check out the Blog weekly for motivational activities and  new recruitment tips.
  5. Once you complete a total of ten activities, print the September Sweeps online form and documentation—it is designed to look like a Plan of Action (P.O.A).
  6. Advisers should then submit the chapter’s entry and print the chapter certificate of recognition.
  7. Attend one of the three NFLCs to receive the president pin and delegate ribbons.

Good luck, FBLA members and advisers, and together, we will Ignite Innovation!

Let’s Ignite Innovation and Spread the FBLA Word!

Posted on by • Posted in FBLA, Promotions •

Let’s Ignite Innovation and Spread the FBLA Word!

As we begin our year Igniting Innovation, chapters initiate the process of retaining and increasing membership. Throughout the years, our chapters have developed effective programs to excite potential members about FBLA and recruit them into the largest and oldest business student organization in the world. To further this growth, we must develop innovative programs to continue exciting members about FBLA.

Behind all the work that is put into recruitment projects is an officer team and dedicated advisers. Together this group strategically plans to expose as many students as possible to FBLA. They work diligently creating and utilizing tools to increase their chapter’s membership. Unfortunately, many chapters continue to struggle as they develop these tools.

The FBLA National Center has also developed several tools that are designed to help chapters recruit and retain members.

  • Chapter Management Handbook updates were sent out to all local chapters.  Each adviser received a membership poster designed to be displayed to help recruit members.
  • The membership recruitment video, which was developed last year, was designed to be played prior to the beginning of an open house meeting or any class and offers a fast-paced introduction to FBLA and its many benefits.
  • FBLA’s September Sweeps is just around the corner. Benchmark activities include recruiting five paid freshman members, setting and achieving a membership percentage goal increase for paid members, and developing and implementing a recruitment and retention marketing plan.  A pin will be awarded to each local chapter president that meets the criteria and completes an online form.

All chapter delegates that complete the September Sweeps Program and attend the NFLC will receive a ribbon. The top ten states with the most chapters achieving September Sweeps based on weighted percentage of total chapters within the state will receive national recognition. Look for the September Sweeps State Leaderboard to debut on September 1, with more information to follow.

These tools bring awareness to FBLA and they excite potential members on the opportunities provided by our organization.  Have you “Liked” the FBLA-PBL Facebook page? Make sure to Like the page and also follow us on Twitter at @FBLA_National  for the latest news and updates. Plus, join the LinkedIn Group page to connect with like-minded FBLA-PBL members and alumni.

To enhance your recruitment efforts, chapters should host an upbeat and innovative meeting for both returning and non-members. These meetings should utilize the inspiring videos created by the national office, the informational presentations and brochures edited by chapters, and a special twist that motivates our potential business leaders, such as incentives, food, and giveaways.

Throughout the year as we Ignite Innovation, we will continue to increase our membership and succeed as the most influential student organization in the world. If you discover a new and innovative way to increase or retain membership, please share it with us by e-mailing membershipdir@fbla.org.