ASCLS Member Recruitment:
What to say when you don’t know what to say.
In November of 2009, membership chairs of each state were asked to collect data during their renewal campaign of lapsed members. The objective was to identify the main reasons members were not renewing. From this list and the list provided in the Membership Development manual, the Membership RecruitmentCommittee (MRC) developed statements to counter these comments heard all too frequently.
It is true that we have to sell ourselves and by adding our personal stories to these statements, we hope to capture prospective members. We need to display passion and enthusiasm for ASCLS in our conversations. The following was adapted from the sales and marketing section of an online business website. The wording has been changed to remove the word ‘sell’ and to reflect gaining membership in ASCLS. ‘Every time I get rejected by a potential ASCLS member, it puts me one step closer to that new member in ASCLS. Increasing membership is a percentage game — and those who risk more failures by talking with more prospects will get more members. Success demands a certain amount of rejection and failure. To increase membership, it’s not the number of times you fail that counts but the number of times you keep trying’. We will have to play the percentage game and run the risk of being rejected to get us closer to that potential member. In the end, we will welcome the new member as they share in all the benefits ASCLS has to offer.
Listed below are some of the most frequently used reasons for not joining ASCLS, along with possible responses, as an ASCLS member, we can provide. Use personal reasons and descriptions of your involvement when possible. As we prepare for upcoming spring meetings, use these statements as a recruiting tool.
Reason #1: I don't have time to join organizations.
Response: Involvement in ASCLS does not necessarily mean a time commitment for members.
ASCLS is structured to provide members with many avenues to attain the level of involvement desired. As a member you can take advantage of ASCLS's benefits without ever attending a society activity. Members can earn valuable CEUs at home through, our journal, Clinical Laboratory Science, or online through the Clinical Laboratory Investigations Case Studies. The Society encourages all members to be as active as possible for their own personal benefit. Remember, by joining ASCLS, you are making a statement of support for the profession.
Reason #2: I really don’t see the value of membership or feel like I have anything to gain by joining ASCLS.
Response: YES you have plenty to gain! (This is the statement you should be waiting for!). There are many tangible and intangible benefits available. ASCLS offers educational opportunities for continued professional growth. ASCLS provides opportunities for networking with laboratory professionals that will help you grow personally and professionally. To accomplish any of our profession's goals, the clinical laboratory scientist must be perceived as a professional first by ourselves and secondly by the public. Joining a professional society is a great step towards that recognition. ASCLS has a committee which exists solely to promote professional and public recognition.
Reason #3: The economy is bad, I lost my job, my husband lost his job, I didn’t get a raise, and money is tight.
Response: The financial burden on families when income has been eliminated is understandable. Did you know that there are several levels of membership in ASCLS such as PF1, PF2, and Collaborative categories? If you break down the total cost of membership per day a PF1 category is 28 cents / day, PF2 category is 22 cents / day and Collaborative category is 13 cents / day (This doesn’t include your state fee).
In times of job searching, ASCLS membership can help. You have an instant network of professionals from all over the country that know about job openings often before they are posted. Access to National and Regional leadership in ASCLS is easily found on the website and they can put you in touch with ASCLS members in any state.
Reason #4: I belong to other professional organizations so why should I join ASCLS too?
Response: ASCLS represents clinical laboratory professionals as a whole, regardless of your specialty or discipline. As an independent organization it allows full voting rights not afforded to you, for example, by ASCP. ASCLS is run by clinical laboratory professionals with similar goals and objectives for the profession. As a member of ASCLS, you have a voice at the “grassroots” level. Your views and opinions can be expressed and heard. Remember: You may belong to any number of organizations; membership in any organization is not mutually exclusive of others.
Reason #5: I am getting ready to retire or I just retired.
Response: Congratulations on a great career in laboratory science! Have you thought about continuing membership or joining to support your profession as a PF2 category (or if eligible for Emeritus status)? You have spent a great deal of time in your professional career and membership in ASCLS gives you a voice to stay involved with the profession.
Reason #6: There isn't any reason for me to join; I'll get all the benefits anyway.
Response: If the benefits are worth taking advantage of, aren't they worth paying for? By tapping into
the results of your colleagues' work, you effectively diminish those results. ASCLS benefits could be more effective and bountiful if all clinical laboratory professionals who benefited from them supported the Society. Think of what we might achieve if we represented all of the clinical laboratory professionals in our country! As we visit the legislators on Capitol Hill, they want to know how many clinical laboratory professionals the Society represents. The history of our profession is that clinical laboratory professionals in the country have not been united enough to exert any real influence. Hopefully that trend is changing. We're showing others that we do care about our future and we're willing to be involved in mapping the direction and having a voice in healthcare reform.
Reason #7: The dues are too so expensive; I can't afford it! (I don't get enough benefits to justify the cost of membership).
Response: We all have to prioritize how we choose to spend money. Look at it this way... who is more
important to you than you? Where do YOU rate on your priority list? Do you value your own profession? Of course, you value it and you expect others to as well. Join your colleagues in protecting and advancing the practice of clinical laboratory professionals. Belonging to ASCLS is a small price to pay for professional representation. Membership is pretty inexpensive considering the returns in benefits.
Reason #8: I never go to the National meetings so why do I need to join ASCLS? I'd rather spend my money on the local level.
Response: The state and national societies offer all-inclusive services to their members. State constituent societies work with ASCLS at the National level to provide a unified federal legislative voice: a powerful presence on Capitol Hill. The ASCLS National office also supports the state societies in many areas, such as organizing Continuing Education credits that are obtained at the state society meetings.
Reason #9: I don't have a voice in what the Society does.
Response: The Society prides itself on being democratic and guarantees fair representation for all its
members. ASCLS is divided into ten geographical regions, each having its own representative to the Board of Directors. Within each region, each state maintains its own leadership, and depending on the size of the state, many break-down further into districts. Your voice can be as loud or soft as you wish. It depends on you.
You can choose to become involved in any one of the numerous committees on the national, regional, state or local level. There is always a way to be heard and the leaders in the society are available to any member to voice their concerns or comments.
Reason #10: I can go to the meetings without being a member.
Response: Yes, you can, and this is a great non-member benefit. By attending the meetings, you have a wonderful opportunity to interact with colleagues and benefit from the value of your contributions. As a non-member, you probably are paying higher registration fees than your colleagues who are members. Your membership is recognized as a sign of support for others who are able to take a more active role in the association.
Reason #11: I only joined to get a discounted rate for conference attendance and no longer need the membership.
Response: Taking advantage of the reduced rates at the meetings is only one benefit. ASCLS membership enriches you both professionally and personally by belonging to a network of laboratory professionals. Some of the benefits of ASCLS membership are access to educational programs, audio-conferences, workshops and online course offerings, insurance discounts, networking opportunities, educational journals, and representation in governmental affairs.
Reason #12: There are no local opportunities to network.
Response: Joining ASCLS provides you with the opportunity to access members nationally, regionally, and in your own state. Members in your Region can help with getting meetings organized or putting you in contact with other members so that a local network can be established. There are other ways to network including ASCLS Facebook, the ASCLS Scientific Assembly listservs. These listservs are discipline specific and you can join one or all of them.
Final reason:
All of what you say is good, but I just don't believe in joining anyway. Now what do you say?
Response: I would like to invite you to attend the next ASCLS sponsored meeting. See for yourself what ASCLS membership has to offer!
One last final talking point: As a professional, it is vital to maintain some sort of involvement in your career outside of your day-to-day activities. Throughout the years, the profession has derived benefits from the commitment of other clinical laboratory professionals who supported ASCLS. With the ASCLS mission of Voice, Vision, and Value, it is important to be passionate about our profession. We cannot accomplish needed reforms alone, but the likelihood is much better if we join together -- there is strength in numbers. For too long, clinical laboratory professionals have been waiting for someone else to do the job. The clinical laboratory profession challenges us to take charge and control our destiny.
Submitted by Mary Nagel
Membership Recruitment Committee Chair
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