Growing the membership garden.

At the recent Annual Conference, new and renewed membership recruitment incentives were reviewed and approved for the coming year and presented at the Annual Membership Forum. It was exciting to experience the enthusiasm and participation of this event including state and local presidents and membership chairs and many other members interested in building ADAA's ranks. The meeting was chaired by immediate past Vice President Cathy J. Roberts, FADAA, Bloomington, IN, and comprehensive notebooks containing information on membership building ideas and samples were distributed to those present. State and local presidents unable to attend the meeting received these kits by mail following the Conference. Cathy Roberts was aided in the development of these materials by Lori Barnhart, CDA, RDA, Lennon, MI, former Sixth District Trustee.

We hope your state or local will take advantage of at least one of these marketing opportunities to grow your own membership garden bigger and better than ever. ADAA's strength has always been in its ability to organize and educate. When we educate from a basis of ever growing numbers, we do a service to our profession and to the dental practices we assist, but most importantly to the patient we serve and educate on the way to better dental health. If we can inspire you with the slogan "Each One Reach One," we can double our numbers and go for the growth.

Kickback on Creativity: Cash in on your component's creativity by developing a recruitment program and submitting it to Central Office by May 31, 2004. We'll select the winning program from the promising entries and the individual submitting it will receive one year's free dues.

Come Back to Where You Once Belonged: States can profit from this exercise in regaining former members. For each 15 past members who rejoin as new members your state will receive one free delegate registration. A few important details. The state must be listed as the sponsor on the sponsor line of the regular ADAA application and the former member's ID number must be listed on the application too. Lists of non-renewals can be reviewed or contact Nancy Rodriguez at [e-mail] to obtain a list of past members from your state over a specific period of time.

Focused on the Future: Back by popular demand, this incentive allows you to renew your own membership at a fraction of the cost when you recruit new members and have them list you as the sponsor (you personally, not your state or local component). When the new member joins and your name is listed on the sponsor line you will receive a certificate worth $10 toward your next dues bill. There's a limit of seven certificates for any one member to use when renewing, but those who have hit their limit enjoyed savings of $70.

Talking to the Tune of $100: There's funding available for local societies to run telephone renewal campaigns. Go through the list of recently expired members and call them and ask them to renew. Sometimes all it takes is a friendly reminder from a fellow member to let a member know that their continued participation is welcome and appreciated. We'll help you pay the phone bill for making these calls and if your group collars the highest number of returning members you'll get a $100 prize too. The catch again is to make sure that your local is listed as the sponsor and that you write "telephone campaign" on the application you--or the returning member--sends back to Central Office.

We continue Cooperative Marketing: Any state or local organization that wishes to receive financial support from the national headquarters can apply for assistance through the Cooperative Marketing Program. In this program, designed to reach out for new members only, funds can be made available--up to $300--to underwrite printing, mailing, telephone campaigning or other worthwhile activities aimed at recruiting new members to the ADAA. Contact Doug McDonough at [e-mail].

These programs are waiting for you. Ask your District Trustee, your state or local president or ADAA staff to help you implement them. They're as good as gold.