Building a Strong Membership
Jan 15, 2016
Building a Strong Membership
Two Simple Questions
1) How can I recruit and/or develop members?
2) How can my chapter become an ‘Ideal’ chapter?
What is ASDA? The American Student Dental
Association is a national student-run organization that protects and advances the rights, interests, and welfare of students pursuing a career in dentistry. It introduces students to lifelong participation in organized dentistry and provides services, information, education, representation and advocacy.
Membership Strong membership is essential
to ASDA’s success• Largest national organization
solely dedicated to dental student concerns
• 86% membership amongst dental students (~17,000 total members including predentals, associates and international students)
Membership year: Jan 1-Dec 31 ADA student member
Five Types of Membership
Predental: Undergraduate or high school student interested in dentistry ($55 per year)
Predoctoral: Students enrolled in & attending an ADA-accredited US dental school ($72 per year)
Associate: Dentist or professional in a field related to dentistry ($55 per year)
International: Any person interested in dentistry who resides outside the United States ($80 per year)
International Student: Students enrolled in international dental schools outside the US ($85 per year –includes ADA membership)
ASDA Membership Benefits
Discounted NBDE online courses and preparation materials
Access to members-only area of ASDAnet.org
Health, Disability, Auto and Homeowners/Renters Insurance
$50,000 FREE life insurance New discounted wireless plan with T-
Mobile New discount on Lexi-Comp print and
electronic products ASDA MasterCard Discounted books, music and DVDs Leadership opportunities at local and
national levels Networking
The Voice of the
American Student Dental Association
ASDA News – Monthly Newsletter
Mouth – Quarterly Journal Getting Through Dental School
Handbook Guide to Postdoctoral Programs National Board Reprints Getting Into Dental School
Handbook (for predental members)
New monthly e-newsletter “Word of Mouth”
Publications
ADA Student Membership Benefits
Publications: – Journal of the American Dental
Association (JADA)– ADA News
Practice management and marketing tools Low-cost student disability insurance
coverage ADA library reference service ADA Infopaks on career alternatives,
associateships, etc. Financial resources, including publications
and scholarships Success programs for dental students at
your school Much more! Visit www.ada.org/goto/student
1. Register for FREE $50,000 Life Insurance coverage (coverage doesn’t roll over from year to year; you must re-enroll annually)
2. Get 80% of your school’s students registered for the FREE Life Insurance
3. ADA Insurance Plans will give your ASDA chapter a check for $300
4. Money that your chapter can use for activities!
FREE Insurance Benefit
Ways to Recruit Members
Automatic Billing ADA’s Student Block Grant Program
– State societies can be reimbursed $3,000-5,000 for activities with direct interaction with students
– Important for ASDA members to let dental societies know about this reimbursement opportunity
– Funding does not go directly to ASDA chapter or school, but offers students an important opportunity to interact with their state societies and offer ideas of how they can collaborate
Membership Recruitment
Recruitment takes place everyday, year round, you just may not know it!
– Students learn about ASDA at membership drives
– Students experience ASDA & formulate their opinions when events & activities are held
– Competing messages for their attention
– Brand ASDA events to remind them
Member Recruitment There are three basic target
groups to recruitTAILOR YOUR APPROACH!
Active members focus on maintaining their interest in order to keep them active
Enable them to lead!
Inactive members spark their interest and get them involved
Survey them!
Non-members show them why they should become members of the organization
Especially survey them!
Active Member Retention
Active members = involvement and efficiency
Active members generate ideas, get involved and make our activities successful.
They are the most important component in each of our chapters… like YOU and me... without them our chapters cannot thrive.
Inactive Member Recruitment
Convert interested inactive members to active members (20/80 rule)
Don’t pressure anyone into becoming more involved than they feel comfortable, some members do not want to get highly involved(and that’s OK!)
Advertise (survey) ways for people to become more involved, offering varying degrees of participation & topics!(survey says…)
Dental education
Recruitment of Non-members
Communicate the benefitsOne of the most common reasons
why a person won’t join is because they just don’t know (or they forgot!) what the membership benefits are
Add value to membership– Only members eligible for raffle prizes
at lunch & learns, vendor fairs, etc.– T-shirts for membership– Charge small fee for non-members to
events
Plan: Be organized!
– Work with your leadership team
Be educated!– Know the topics & what ASDA is doing
about them– Be able to direct members to the right
source (ASDA central office, ADA or somewhere else)
Be enthusiastic! It’s contagious!
Be willing to ask for help!– Communicate with the central office or
your District Trustee
Remember… Advertising ASDA benefits is key to
recruiting and retaining members– Be creative to come up with your own local
benefits
Actively recruit members from all three groups (active members, inactive & non-members)
MEMBERSHIP IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR ORGANIZATION
MEMBERSHIP GIVES OUR ORGANIZATION POWER
WITHOUT EXTENSIVE MEMBERSHIP, WE LOSE OUR COLLECTIVE VOICE(person yelling or stadium roar)
My chapter has several motivated members…
now what?
Becoming an Ideal ASDA Chapter
The Ideal ASDA Chapter Committee was formed to recognize the achievements and accomplishments of outstanding ASDA chapters
2010 Ideal ASDA Awards
Ideal ASDA Chapter Most Improved ASDA Chapter Specific Awards
Outstanding Membership & Communication Outstanding Involvement with Organized Dentistry Outstanding Activities Outstanding Advocacy Outstanding Fundraising Outstanding Involvement with Predental Members Increasing Ethical Awareness Largest Membership Market Share Increase Highest Membership Market Share for a Recruited
Chapter Implementation of Automatic Billing System
Questions ASDA Central Office
Danielle Bauer, Chapter Relations Manager(800) 621-8099, ext 2826 or [email protected] www.ASDAnet.org
Council on MembershipAndrea [email protected]
District Trustee www.asdanet.org/trustees.aspx