Join the
Ranks
in FBLA
By Debbie Garber
2004-2005 FBLA MPVP
and Lisa Smothers,
Membership Director
Airplane Icebreaker Time!
Your Task is to determine
the best model for a
paper airplane. Each
person will get several
sheets of paper and 5
minutes to create the best
airplane!
Go!
Time to Test Those Planes
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Let’s test our planes.
Form a single file line
behind the line of
masking tape on the floor.
Your Goal: To hit the
bullseye poster on the
opposite wall.
We will take the next 3
minutes to do this.
Debrief Questions
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What happened out there?
Did you work individually or in teams?
Did you make one plane or several?
When someone succeeded in hitting the
bullseye, did that person help others with their
design?
Did anyone ask the successful person to share
their design?
The Point
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Nothing prevent participants from working in
teams; yet most did not.
Nothing prevented the skillful designers from
assisting others.
There was no limit on how many planes a
person could try out.
We all can be much more effective in recruiting
new members if we work together as a team and
help each other.
Recruitment Campaigns
It’s More than Just Luck!
 Planning
 Publicizing
 Teach
people about FBLA so they
actually know what it is and want to join-they can’t join if they have no clue what
it is
 Giving Incentives
 Give them a reason to go once they
know about the organization
 Being Creative!
How to leave footprints in the
minds of potential members...
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Word of mouth
Kids sell to kids!
Success stories
Bring back your graduates
Boys + Girls + Food
= Recruitment
Give your officers
ownership
Plan!
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Create a Recruitment Committee made up of
officers/members from last year
 Use or build on tactics from years past
 Set realistic and concrete membership goals (i.e. 10
new members by October)
 Outline target students for recruitment--they are the
focus of your efforts and you should plan to do things
around them
 Focus a brainstorming session around the benefits of
FBLA
 Create an overall theme and slogan to help students
identify that with FBLA
Use State/National recruiting tools from Web site
Ask other local chapters--they may have tackled some of the
same problems you are facing
Identify key outside sources for help--regional, state, and
national officers have lots of tools for you to potentially use-they are here for you!! Also try message boards
Publicize!
 Use
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the power of the written word
Place posters around campus
Create fun brochures
Set up publicity items around classrooms
Write letters to prospective members
Use back-to-school mailers
Publicize!
 Use
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State/National recruiting tools
Posters, brochures, videos, etc.
FBLA Marketplace
Display section, state, and national awards in a
prominent area
 Involve
school faculty
members
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Get recommendations
for members
Receive permission to
speak in classes
Best Ways to Recruit Members
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Start a mentorship program for older
kids to work with freshmen and
sophomores
Offer incentives for membership
Go to junior high schools and speak to
the kids coming into high school next
year… advance marketing
Present information for parents and
students at school’s open house
Emphasize FBLA’s scholarships and
the money they could earn for college
Have a booth at all career fairs
Contact all freshmen & sophomores in
a school through flyers or locker notes
Get school sports teams involved
Ask business sponsors for help
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Invite prospective members on a field
trip
Host a dance
Emphasize the benefits of getting a
step up on the average student
Try subliminal messages in
announcements and bulletin boards
Host a FBLA Open House
Create mock competitions for potential
members
Get a FBLA rep on the Student
Council
Use business partnerships to get
discounts for FBLA members
Speak at Freshman Orientation
Utilize Membership Madness
and Membership Mania
Membership Madness- Recruit 5 New
Members and Receive a Certificate from
the National Center.
 Membership Mania – Recruit 10 New
Members and Receive a Certificate from
the National Center.
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Ideas for Written Word…
Plunge into
FBLA!
Theme Development
Please get into groups and take five
minutes to develop a theme that you could
potentially use throughout the year for
recruitment.
 Go!
 Share Ideas.
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Getting Them Hooked
 The
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Meeting
First meetings are the first
impression
 The Activities
 Intriguing
activities = more
member involvement
Give incentives!--now that
you’ve got their attention
 Persuade
teachers to give
extra credit for going to
meetings
 Set up a raffle and give
away free stuff
 Use publicity tools to
discuss the benefits of
FBLA—there are lots of
intangible incentives for
joining!
 Promise them…FREE
FOOD!
The Meeting
 The
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Basics
Introduce FBLA in an entertaining manner--start off
with a bang
Icebreakers
Show highlights of activities from previous years
and include visuals
Officers should be fun, not stiff
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Matching business casual clothing is recommended for
professionalism
Deliver on promises
The Meeting
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The Extras (Possible Activities) not vital
but will enhance your message
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Icebreakers and other games
Raffles (FBLA merchandise)
Guest speakers
A workshop on a “cool” topic
Wacky, yet informative video
Photo wall/scrapbook--seeing is believeing
FREE FOOD!
Ideas for meetings...
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Presentations from local businesses
(cater these to members’ interests)
FBLA-PBL Trivia Games; Quiz Bowl
Competitions
Public Speaking Practice Events
Ice Breakers (there are lots of books you
can buy on this topic)
Competitive Event Study Time
Team building or leadership activities
Speakers:
 State/National Officers
 Local Businesspeople
 Motivational Speakers
 Local Celebrities (news
anchors/reporters, local athletes,
local politicians)
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Make a Video Project:
 To recruit FBLA-PBL members
 To recruit Professional Division
members
 To activate/reactivate chapters
 To obtain corporate
sponsorship
Plan parties for special occasions
Business videos (etiquette,
business dress, public speaking,
etc)
Video tape conferences (State/Nat’l)
and play during meeting (great
incentive to get more members to
attend conferences)
Make a Chapter Scrapbook (be
sure to take lots of pictures!)
The Activities
 Social
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Events
Welcome Banquet and Induction Ceremony
Icebreaker-Ice cream social
Movie social
Some sort of tournament (board games, card
game, video game, etc.)
Picnic/Barbeque
Bowling/pool social
The Activities
 Non-social
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Community service
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events
Environmental cleanup
Volunteer in walks (AIDS walk,
March of Dimes WalkAmerica,
etc.)
Tutoring elementary school
students
Business tours, jobshadowing
Conferences
Fundraising events (Candy
sales, grams, etc.)
Ideas to
Focus on
While
Creating a
Recruitment
Campaign
Membership in
FBLA-PBL
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Gives members “hands-on” business experience and
a connection to the business world through
conferences, tours, and programs.
Helps students choose the path or direction which
they want to pursue
Leadership training through workshops and
conferences
Encompasses all aspects of business
We offer students . . .
Networking
opportunities!
A Resume Booster
A Reason to
Dress Up!
Scholarships
 Distinguished
Business Leader
 Johnson and Wales University
 Culver-Stockton University
 Northwood University
 Data Match
 University of Miami
Awards and Recognition!
A Professional
Atmosphere
The Opportunity to Make New
Friends
Innovative Leadership
Development Opportunities
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The Chance to
The Chance to
Gain Self alaa
Confidence
Fun!
Hands-on Experiences
Travel Destinations
to Exciting Cities!
Through FBLA, Members Learn
Success
and Gain Firsthand Experience
in Business and Leadership!
Quick Reminders:
Plan in Advance
Use a Variety of Written and Spoken Word Techniques
Give People Incentives to Go to Meetings
Have Exciting Meetings
Set Up Interesting Events that Involve Many Members
Never Underestimate the Power of FREE FOOD!
and
Don’t
Forget to
HAVE
FUN!
Time to Create a Campaign that
You Can Use!
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We will get into groups!
With the groups at your table, come forward and get
supplies
Use what you have learned and plan a recruitment
campaign
Carry out a part of your plan to publicize (whether this is
creating posters, making announcements, press
releases, etc.)
Don’t forget to plan ideas to publicize, meetings,
activities to keep members hooked, and anything
creative!
Questions