Our Future Depends on You!As an ACTE member, you know the value of belonging to the only professional association that advocates on behalf of the entire career and technical education field. You know about the informative and useful publications. You know about CTE MonthTM. You know about the high-quality professional development.
Now it is time for you to share that knowledge with your colleagues by participating in ACTE’s Member-Get-a-Member Campaign.
By sharing with your colleagues the value you receive from your membership, you will be contributing to the growth and sustainability of ACTE. You will also be showcasing your leadership qualities by sharing the benefits of membership and explaining the importance of ACTE’s work and the need for all career and technical educators to be members. A growing ACTE means greater recognition for the field of CTE among the education community, more resources and support for our members, and a louder voice when meeting with state and national policymakers.
And there is no more critical a time than now. A new Congress means that ACTE needs to inform legislators about the value of CTE. Shrinking educational budgets mean that ACTE has to prove CTE’s effectiveness to at least maintain funding. An increased focus on academic achievement means that ACTE needs to collect, analyze and share academic data from CTE environments. And that can only be done with a healthy membership.
Why Member-Get-a-Member Campaigns Work
A strong word-of-mouth campaign is the surest way to promote the growth of ACTE. Seventy-eight percent of people trust their peer recommendations. And, as an active member, you are the best advocate for membership. You know first-hand of the value your membership provides in advancing your career and strengthening the CTE profession. Colleague referrals are the number one tool in educating others about the benefits of membership with ACTE. To help you in this endeavor, we have put together a number of resources you can share with your colleagues—handouts, presentations and even membership applications. And, if there are other things you need, just let us know and we will make all efforts to get you what you need.
How to Participate
Any ACTE member in good standing is eligible to participate. And participation is easy—just tell anyone and everyone you recruit to include your name and member number on their application. If they do it, you get credit! This campaign will conclude at ACTE's 2011 Annual Convention and Career Tech Expo. The deadline for participation is Nov. 11, 2011.
There are a couple easy ways to accomplish this:
- Print copies of the ACTE membership application to hand personally to your colleagues. Be sure to include your name and member number on the application in the Dues Summary section on the application before handing them out.
- Direct your colleagues to the ACTE Web site, where they can provide your name and membership number when applying online. This opportunity is located in the membership demographics screen.
For every colleague who joins on your referral, you will become closer to earning the following incentives:
Recruiter's Club Level | New Members You Recruit | Reward |
|---|
| Recruiter | 1 member | Recognition in Techniques and a special ribbon at the 2011 Annual Convention in St. Louis. |
| Ambassador | 2-5 members | Recognition in Techniques and a special ribbon at the 2011 Annual Convention in St. Louis. Pin recognizing your participation in the campaign. Invitation to a special President’s Thank You Reception at the 2011 Annual Convention in St. Louis. |
| Membership Maven | 6+ members | Recognition in Techniques and a special ribbon at the 2011 Annual Convention in St. Louis. Pin recognizing your participation in the campaign. Invitation for a guest to accompany you to the special President’s Thank You Reception at the 2011 Annual Convention in St. Louis. Name entered into a drawing for an Apple iPad.
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Recruitment Tips
Recruiting new members is simple when you keep the following tips in mind:
- Identify the best prospects. Review your network of colleagues, starting with those in your school and county, and identify those who could benefit from ACTE membership. When meeting new individuals, consider asking them if they are a member.
- Know the benefits of membership. ACTE provides a wealth of benefits to its members. The more familiar you are, the better equipped you will be to discuss them with your colleagues. Why did you join, and what have you found most beneficial? Hearing your personal opinion will add influence to their decision to join.
- Keep membership materials close. Always keep ACTE membership brochures and applications on hand in your office or when attending a professional event. If you need more, please contact ACTE at acte@acteonline.org.
- Focus on their needs. Each individual has different needs regarding their professional development. Ask questions about their professional goals and what kind of information they are seeking. Based on their answers, identify and highlight the benefits of greatest value. This is a perfect opportunity to give examples of how ACTE has benefited your career, especially when your goals are in alignment.
- Close with a plan of action. Once you have shared the information about membership with them, along with your experience, walk them through the membership application process. Either provide them with instructions for joining online or a hard-copy membership application. Don’t forget to provide them with your name and member number to ensure you receive credit once they join. If you opt to provide a hard-copy application, you may also want to provide the ACTE Web address so they can learn more about the Association and the benefits of joining.
- Follow up. Touch base in a few weeks to politely inquire to see if they joined or have any questions. If they haven’t already joined, this follow-up can serve as a reminder to do so. And if they have, it’s nice to welcome them to the Association.
Membership Tools
Program Details
- The program is open to any ACTE Member in good standing. Separate recognition and incentive programs are available to state associations; state association staff members are not eligible to participate. If ACTE cannot verify the identity of the referring member, no credit will be received for that application.
- Student membership referrals, while welcome and encouraged, are not eligible toward the incentive program.
- Renewals are not eligible toward the incentive program. Only new memberships qualify for credit.
- A monthly report will be sent via e-mail to the recruiter once a new member has joined. At that time, the recruiter will receive credit toward the incentive program.