Category Archives: FBLA

Monday is Fight to the Finish Day [FBLA-PBL Week]

Posted on by • Posted in Advisers, Chapter News, Contests, Divisions, FBLA, FBLA-Middle Level, PBL, Professional •

MONDAY

Kick off FBLA-PBL Week with the National President’s Forum! All three division national presidents (FBLA PBL, and Professional Division) will host a live Google Hangout on Monday, February 11, 8:00 pm EST.

Another great way to start the week is with Business Achievement Awards (BAA). BAA is an aggressive, self-directed, results-based business and leadership program designed to compliment academics, while accelerating a student’s leadership skills. Promoting and participating in the Business Achievement Awards is an excellent way to begin FBLA-PBL Week and begin your Fight to the Finish.

The BAA is a great way for you to:

  • hone your business and leadership skills, from basic (Future level) to expert (America level)
  • showcase your talents and skills through integrated academic work and project-based activities
  • receive recognition at the local, state and national level
 

You can also compete in the  ”Fight to the Finish” contest recognizes the top 10 states with the most Business Achievement Awards completed. Using a weighted scale of awards completed (1 for Future and 4 for America level), the top 10 states will receive recognition at the National Leadership Conference Regional meetings. Points are based on state-level membership, so every state earns points based on awards completed, regardless of state membership size.

Do you have questions about the Business Achievement Awards? Speak to your adviser and start earning points for your state today, and don’t forget check out this BAA Tutorial.

Saturday is Community Service Day [FBLA-PBL Week]

Posted on by • Posted in FBLA, FBLA-Middle Level, FBLA-PBL Week, PBL, Professional •

SATURDAY

The final day of FBLA-PBL Week to dedicate solely to community service!

There are tons of service activities in which your chapter can participate. Some activities include: working with the March of Dimes, volunteering at a homeless shelter, conducting a blood drive, developing community improvement projects, or developing a project with any other service organization.

Serving the community is part of FBLA-PBL’s creed. Serving others,

  • helps members learn about real-world issues, concerns, and needs;
  • matches members’ strengths with community needs;
  • provides practical experience in planning and organizing;
  • develops leadership skill;
  • promotes networking within the community;
  • builds recognition and goodwill for the chapter;
  • and teaches satisfaction of a job well done.

Introducing FBLA February Frenzy

Posted on by • Posted in Advisers, Chapter News, Contests, FBLA, National Officers •

There is a membership frenzy building across over 5,600 FBLA chapters… a February Frenzy, that is.  This NEW national program, sponsored by your FBLA National Officer team, is designed to help chapters recruit new members and engage existing members in new and creative ways.

What Do I Need to Do?

Ask your adviser to sign up your chapter today so that you can ignite chapter membership numbers with activities that include:

  • having members create displays and posters promoting FBLA
  • recruiting five NEW freshman
  • celebrating FBLA-PBL Week
  • sponsoring a fun social event for paid chapter members
  • setting up a meet-and-greet recruitment booth in a high traffic area
  • watching the second semester recruitment webinar and adapting one of the ideas for your local chapter
  • planning and sponsoring a chapter community service project
  • and many more activities

How Will February Frenzy Help My Chapter Recruit More Members?

February Frenzy will help you focus your chapter members – and your entire state – on recruitment by teaching your members how to market FBLA using the tools provided by the National Center as well as their own creativity.  You’ll see an influx of new members, and your existing members will be more engaged.

What Recognition Will My Chapter Receive?

When your chapter successfully completes the February Frenzy program and has members attend the 2013 National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, California, all conference delegates will receive special ribbons that designate their chapter as a February Frenzy award recipient.  Plus, your chapter’s designated chapter project manager will receive a special recruitment pin.

 Your chapter can also help your state earn national honors by finishing in the top 10 on the February Frenzy Leaderboard. The Leaderboard will be promoted on the National Web site and will highlight the top 10 February Frenzy chapters.  As an added state incentive, the top 10 states creating and implementing a state marketing plan that encourage chapters to participate in this program will receive recognition at the National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, California.

How Do I Get Started?

It’s easy, just visit our Web site and sign up today.

Remember, as you use February Frenzy to ignite your recruitment for 2012-2013, remind prospective members of the countless opportunities FBLA-PBL has to offer:

  • challenging competitive events
  • scholarships, awards and other recognition opportunities
  • exciting conferences at destinations all over the country
  • and networking opportunities with 250,000 other young leaders

Plus, FBLA-PBL members participate in community service, fundraising, social events, and other career-boosting leadership activities.

May Recruitment Success Be Ever In Your Future!

Ignite the Spark in Your Members

Posted on by • Posted in FBLA •

Hello again members and advisers.

This is Nikitas Kanellakopoulos, your FBLA National President, checking in. This year has started out absolutely wonderfully.

The NEW September Sweeps national program is a huge success, and there are still a few weeks left in September for your chapter to participate and get a jump start on the new membership year. Check out the preview activities and sign up now!

Here are five tips to help you increase activity and membership in your chapter:

1. Publicize the benefits of being an FBLA member. Did you know that all FBLA members get a discount at Men’s Wearhouse? That is just one of the many membership discounts available.

2. If you haven’t done so already, review the most recent webinar which is full of recruitment ideas and tips. This is a great resource to show to your officers and members of your recruitment committee. Click here for the webinar.

3. Promote personal stories: the number one way to draw in a new member is by making a personal connection. Sharing your current members’ personal stories about conferences and FBLA in general will promote recruitment.

4. Have member-bonding events: start a Facebook event for a barbeque, FBLA Open house, or a scavenger hunt. Don’t forget to include an FBLA display on the day of your activity. Even if the event is small, it will go a long way for your returning members and for any prospective members.

Beech Sr. High in TN

5. The National Fall Leadership Conferences are just around the corner. Review the NFLC Guide, choose your location now, and promote the personal development and chapter management workshops to your FBLA members! Your National Officers want to see your chapter at the NFLC and your members proudly displaying your September Sweeps ribbons on your conference name badges!

Keep up the great work and stay focused on all that FBLA can offer you and your chapter.

Happy recruiting!

Will Your Chapter Sweep the Nation?

Posted on by • Posted in FBLA •

The membership year has started and you are working on planning activities for the year. Why not start off this month by participating in September Sweeps?

September Sweeps is the perfect opportunity to grow your local FBLA
chapter by becoming actively involved in recruiting members through the various activities that chapters may choose to participate in throughout the month. If you have not signed up for September Sweeps, it is not too late.

For those chapters that have signed up, hopefully you now have your Membership Recruitment Committee in place to focus on not only new ways to bring in members, but also ways to keep current members active and involved so that they keep coming back.

As your committee begins developing your chapter marketing plan which should include ideas on recruitment, retention, and meetings, remember to develop a brief benefits speech or elevator script for members and officers to use as a reference tool when talking to classes and prospective members. An example of an elevator speech would be:

“FBLA offers its members many opportunities such as challenging competitive events, exciting conferences in awesome destinations all over the country, and networking opportunities with over a quarter million other young leaders. FBLA-PBL offers many other valuable benefits such as participating in community service, fundraising, social activities with your local chapter and receiving national recognition for leadership and business skills.”

Here are five recruitment ideas that can help your chapter earn recognition for September Sweeps:

1. Have members of your newly-formed Membership Recruitment Committee create posters to hang in the hallway or displays to place around campus.

Take it a step further and hand out candy bars such as Payday or 100 Grand with invitations to the next meeting to prospective members saying, “Come join FBLA and see how to increase your pay day!”

After the prospective member has attended the meeting, send them a thank you note with a piece of candy thanking them for attending and encouraging them to follow-up by joining. In addition, have your committee members place signs on the lockers of all members and prospective members with stickers or candy on them. Use a catchy phrase such as “Be a STAR in FBLA” and put stickers or starburst candy on the flyer.

2. Have your current members and prospective members watch our FBLA National President’s, Address to the Nation at a chapter meeting. Click here for a recording of the broadcast.

3. Have your Recruitment Committee plan an induction ceremony for all new members. This is an excellent time to not only induct new members (many chapters order membership pins from MarketPlace to present to members), but your officers can also conduct the FBLA Emblem Ceremony as part of the evening’s special events.

4. Have members bring a friend who is a non-member to a chapter activity or event. Current members must bring a friend to attend this meeting or activity. Ask all the friends to sign a special guest book with their e-mail address. When the meeting starts, introduce the guests to the group. As part of the meeting, have a “Build Your Own Banana Split” party. At the end of the meeting, have three or four brown bag give-a-ways containing items such as candy, gum, FBLA pencils, etc.

5. Sponsor a Meet-and-Greet Recruitment Table or Booth. Find a place at your school that has a great amount of foot traffic and set up your information. This is an opportunity for you to meet and greet potential members that you can attract with giveaways (candy, brochures) and highlight activities through a chapter video or scrapbook.

Happy recruiting, and we hope to see your chapter members at the NFLC proudly wearing their September Sweeps ribbons!

A New Program Sweeps the Nation

Posted on by • Posted in FBLA •

SEPTEMBER SWEEPS IS HERE!

Take advantage of this new recruitment program, which is sponsored by your FBLA National Officer Team.

 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).

Has your chapter gotten started yet?

Oklahoma FBLA Officers plan how to implement September Sweeps.

Here ten simple steps to follow:

  1. Sign up for September Sweeps.
  2. Next advisers should meet with officers to preview the different requirements and September Sweeps activities and decide which activities your chapter will participate in.
  3. Plan how your officers will inform your returning members about this new program so they can get not only help spread the word about FBLA, but also get  prospective members active in the different activities throughout the month.  By involving these students, they will become interested in FBLA, and  the many different opportunities that our organization offers its members.  This will not only help with your recruitment efforts, but with member retention as well.
  4. Schedule a chapter meeting for returning members. Play the September Sweeps Video.
  5. Advisers should log into the Advisers Area, click on September Sweeps and follow the instructions to activate the project.  An e-mail will be sent to the adviser with the log in information for the student manager. (Advisers may appoint someone to manage this – in most instances it would be the chapter president or another officer).  Either the student manager or the adviser may select and complete the activities.
  6. Have chapter members begin working on some of the activities for September Sweeps. Make sure they involve new and prospective members in fun activities that are part of this program such as the “Bring-a -Friend” meeting featuring icebreakers and refreshments; an informational meeting just for prospective member, or a special FBLA activity or outing.
  7. Check out the recruitment section of the Web site for examples of brochures and presentations that will help you as you complete many of these activities.
  8. As projects are completed, the student manager will complete the interactive form and upload the required documentation. Once your chapter completes a total of ten activities, the student manager will inform his or her adviser so that he or she can submit the form.  Then either the adviser or the student will print the September Sweeps online form and documentation. This form, which looks like a Plan of Action, will be a guideline for your chapter when you prepare other projects and activities throughout the year.
  9. Your adviser or the student manager may print the chapter certificate of recognition once the entry has been submitted.
  10. Attend one of the three NFLCs to receive the president (or student manager) pin and delegate ribbons.Finally, have fun learning more about FBLA–the premier student business organization!

 Finally, have fun learning more about FBLA–the premier student business organization!

 

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.

Take your FBLA involvement to the next level – the Middle Level!

Posted on by • Posted in FBLA, FBLA National Parliamentarian, Nadine Goldberg, FBLA-Middle Level, Uncategorized • Leave a comment

Nadine Goldberg, 2012 FBLA National Parliamentarian

You may only know them as the shortest members at our conferences, but with over 20,000 members, the Middle Level is FBLA’s fastest growing division, and a force to be reckoned with.

I interviewed Steven Tessler, Florida-FBLA Region 5 Vice President from Olympic Heights Community High School, about the many benefits that his local chapter reaps from a partnership with their local Middle Level chapter.

 

 

Steven Tessler at the Florida State Capitol

Why did your FBLA chapter decide to get involved with your local ML chapter?

“My chapter decided to help charter/get involved with our local ML chapter because, when I looked back, I realized that I could have been so much more active in FBLA at an earlier age if I had the opportunity to join FBLA at the Middle Level. Therefore, I decided to talk to my chapter about helping our local feeder school to start a ML chapter and offer some of their kids the opportunity I didn’t have in middle school.”

What kinds of things do your chapters do together?

“Our chapters do a few things together. In the beginning, we would head over to their school after our school let out and help them conduct their first few meetings and interview for officer positions. After that, we would visit them to discuss registering for competitive events and how to prepare for district and state competition. We even had a little holiday party together before we let out for Winter Break. At the State Leadership Conference, we will be helping their attendees get acclimated to the SLC environment and show them what it’s like to attend the best leadership conference in the state! In the future, we hope to be able to increase their membership and involvement to rival some of the powerhouse ML chapters of District XX in FLorida FBLA-PBL.”

How has the partnership benefited your chapter? How do you think it might affect your membership in the future?

“I think our partnership with our local ML chapter has benefited our chapter in numerous ways. For starters, it gave some of our officers a real life situation to practice their leadership skills when talking to these middle school students about the numerous benefits FBLA offers to them. Additionally, it provided us with the rewarding feeling that accompanies giving back to where we came from, and providing others with opportunities that you weren’t able to have at that age. Lastly, I think it will have a positive effect on our future membership, as many students from that middle school go on to attend our high school, where they will be more likely to join FBLA and make impacting contributions to our chapter in the future.”

If your chapter has ever teamed up with your local ML chapter, I’d love to hear about it! Send your stories and pictures to FBLAparl@FBLA.org, and you may just be featured in a future blog post! 

Help FBLA Show that CTE Works!

Posted on by • Posted in FBLA, FBLA National President, Taylor Sarman, Uncategorized • Leave a comment

National Policy Seminar 2012There is no doubt in my mind that when we come together, with each of our individual strengths, that our collective impact is stronger and there is nothing FBLA-PBL cannot accomplish! Just as each individual puzzle piece creates the finished product, each of our members has the power to impact our larger picture. We now more than ever need to come together to impact the larger conversation about education and the important role of CTE and how Career Technical Student Organizations like FBLA positively change lives.

After recently attending the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) National Policy Seminar in Washington D.C., it is clearer than ever that CTE is education that works for America.  CTE benefits millions of students like you and me each year and is the way that we’re able to access awesome opportunities like FBLA.

After hearing from speakers like Undersecretary of Education Martha Kanter, I was reminded of the impact of Career and Technical Education and how my CTSO experience in FBLA has changed my life. And, I realized that this opportunity would not been available had previous generations of students and leaders not advocated for this important federal and state funding. It is now our turn to do the same for future generations of students and teachers.

CTE has ultimately changed my life, given me the skills I need to be successful in college and my future career, and it gave me access to FBLA, which has provided the opportunity to practice education and grow my leadership skills.  These are skills that every student in America needs and that the competitive global economy will demand from the nations who want to be leaders.

While I know the impact CTE has had on my life, I know my story is not different from the countless other students who’s lives have been forever impacted by CTE. While I may have spent March 5-7 advocating for CTE on Capitol Hill, each of you can get mobilized and make an even more important impact in your own hometowns and states. With an ongoing national conversation on CTE, now is an important time for our voices to be collectively heard and to, truly, make a difference.

I am asking you to share your personal story, about how CTE has changed your life, with policy makers, educators, and CTE advocates. I even encourage you to send your stories about FBLA and CTE directly to ACTE to help them spread the message about the importance of CTE in student’s lives. For more information on the riveting work that ACTE is doing for us, visit www.acteonline.org.

If we all come together and share our own stories, there will be no disputing that CTE works for the students of today and the students of tomorrow. Just by being a member of FBLA, you have your own story—one that is worth telling. Members and advisers I ask you to join us in the national effort to promote CTE year round. Share your story with others, consider joining ACTE, and continue to be successful in your CTE courses. Together, we will continue to show that CTE Works!