Without bridges, the best built roads lead nowhere, the most important visions remain invisible, and the best-laid plans fail.

In life, in school, and in  FBLA-PBL, connection is everything. Active members can build the bridges and make the connection to ensure that underclassmen who may not be members not only want to join, but want to become even more active earlier next year. Continuing to recruit and retain good members is as critical to your chapter’s long-term success and health.

Because FBLA-PBL members who are committed to and involved in your chapter are more likely to maintain their membership, involving prospective members and all current members in activities is a successful recruitment and retention tool. A successful recruitment and retention plan can be summed up in three words: Motivate, Educate, and Involve.

North Salem High School, Nebraska

Motivate

Prospective members who see that your chapter has plenty of activities for members to participate in are much more likely to join, and current members who are motivated are much more productive.  Prepare posters or sponsor a Meet and Greet March Madness Recruitment Booth.  Find a place on campus that has a great amount of foot traffic and set up an FBLA-PBL recruitment booth.  This is an opportunity for you to meet and greet potential members—focus on those underclassmen to begin building a strong membership base for years to come.  When preparing your booth, here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Being organized determines whether or not your booth will be successful.  It is important to prepare sign up sheets so that you can contact and follow-up on all of your visitors.  Also, have applications and a receipt book available for people who want to become members and pay their dues.  Finally, make a schedule, making officers and members responsible for being present at the booth and to greet with a smile!
• As potential members walk by your booth, make sure you have the “arrows” pointing in your direction.  You can attract them with giveaways such as candy, food, and/or a raffle ticket for signing up (be sure to check with your schools guidelines regarding the distributions of these items).
• Also, make your booth attractive by having a BIG sign, bright T-shirts, and themed decorations. Don’t forget to have brochures or informational sheets available so that they can “fill up” their minds with FBLA-PBL information.  Show them the sights and sounds of FBLA-PBL by incorprating conference videos, chapter scrapbooks, awards, and plaques.
• Be a step ahead.  After making a stop at your booth, where is their next destination?  Use this booth as an opportunity to promote an upcoming event where they can experience the benefits of FBLA-PBL such as an upcoming chapter meeting or event.
• Don’t forget about your current members.  Members who are motivated are much more productive. Promote the March Madness campaign by sharing the March Madness PSA.
• Many chapters sponsor an end-of-the-year banquet, install the new local officers, and present each active member with an FBLA lapel pin. Induct the most outstanding members from each grade into the local FBLA Chapter Wall of Fame. Each nominee could provide a resume and photo that could be laminated onto poster board to be displayed every year. Award each new recipient with a trophy. Make sure to invite school administrators, faculty, parents, and the local newspaper.
• As an extra motivator, offer half price dues to all current members who sign up for the next membership year before this year ends.

Educate

• Some members don’t rejoin FBLA because they feel uninformed or uninvolved. It’s important communicate frequently with your members. Many reporters produce a newsletter for all members either monthly or quarterly. Even better (and easier), create a Facebook page for your chapter and connect to a Twitter account!
• Bring in exciting guest speakers from area businesses to meetings so that your members can see the connection between FBLA and the business world. Now is the perfect time to have members approach local businesses about the possibility of providing discounts to your members for the next school year. This is an excellent project for members, looks great on a resume, and discounts at popular businesses are good membership benefits.
• Get your members involved in March for Babies and the FBLA Eco Chapter Project.

Icebreakers are a great way for members to interact and feel like they belong.

Involve

Involve all of your chapter members in committees, fund-raisers, and social activities. It is unfortunate to hear from former members that they didn’t join the chapter again because they didn’t feel a “part” of the group. Assign experienced members to mentor prospective members and introduce them to the many opportunities that FBLA provides. Some chapters have created a “commencement” program, where FBLA members who join in the same year work together on a project or meet for a special occasion. Work on leadership skills by sponsoring icebreakers at meeting where members can interact with one another.  Click here for sample icebreakers.

Start planning now to retain your members for the next school year so your members see the connection that FBLA-PBL provides to the future.