AAPG currently is enjoying a nice increase in our membership numbers, both domestically and internationally, but the increase could be even nicer if members would realize a simple truth:
Inviting others to join AAPG is easy -- and effective.
Nothing works quite as well as personal contact when it comes to attracting new members to AAPG.
But don’t just take our word for it. Listen to one of our members who is among the top AAPG recruiters in the world.
“Recruiters just need to learn to ask people (to join),” said John Dolson, last year’s AAPG vice president who is a geologist for TNK-BP in Moscow, Russia -- and consistently one of the top recruiters in AAPG’s Recruitment Reward and Recognition (RRR) program.
“Just get them the (application) form or (Web site) link and tell them honestly why you personally joined, stayed a member and why the person you are recruiting would benefit from membership,” he suggested.
AAPG’s membership program was created to emphasize the importance of one-on-one recruiting and to recognize and reward the members who work toward this achievement.
Participation in the program is easy: Just sign your name in the recruiter’s block on an Active application form and give it to a colleague who is not an Active AAPG member.
Each new member that you recruit is worth points for you in the RRR program.
The more members you recruit, the more points you get; the more points you get, the better AAPG becomes. It’s a win-win situation for all.
And while the program is not a “contest” --is an on-going program allowing recruiters to accumulate points for as long as they wish -- there are tangible rewards, too based on your number of points, such as beautiful one-of-a-kind mineral and fossil specimens, like fossil fish, polished ammonites, petrified wood book ends, onyx bowls, amethyst geodes and megalodon shark teeth.
Or, you can simply take an AAPG Bookstore voucher of equal value.
Just Ask ‘Em
Getting started may not be as difficult -- or intimidating -- as you fear. After all, you’re simply asking people to join you in the world’s greatest geoscience organization, right?
How hard can it be?
“I recruit for AAPG because I truly believe this is the best geological society in the world,” Dolson said, “and the network of lifetime friends and colleagues you develop keeps you technically up-to-date and enriches your life.”
Dolson’s approach?
“I e-mail them directly, or sit down over some coffee or lunch or other social events and simply ask them to join, often after one of our local talks or a professional meeting.
“In TNK-BP, we have, as a corporation, written articles in our technical magazine (Innovator) about the importance of belonging to professional societies and participating as leaders,” he continued. “We do this to develop our staff as truly international members of a global community, as well as encouraging advancing language and technical skills. But in the end, it is the personal discussion of what it has done for me and my career and network of friends that makes the biggest difference.”
Dolson has a more personal reason for favoring the approach, too.
“It is how I was brought into AAPG,” he said, “and I believe that’s how most people are drawn to it -- someone asks them. After they join I also try to find ways to get them active in local talks, meetings and conventions, so they begin to develop that broader network of knowledge and contacts.”
Details and more information on the RRR program can be found online at.
You can have wonderful rewards, and you can help AAPG become even better.
What are you waiting for?