Member-get-a-member campaign sparks interest in ISA

ISA’s new Member-Get-A-Member campaign has sparked interest from distributors, manufacturers and manufacturers’ reps thinking about joining the association. The program was kicked off in early January when the membership development committee mailed Member-Get-A-Member packets announcing a program for ISA members to earn free convention registration by sponsoring a new member who joins the association by May 1. To date, ISA members have requested more than 300 new member brochures to give to prospects in the industrial supply channel.

Shari Gilbert

“You’ve made the program so easy, there’s no reason not to participate,” she says.

Several members requested multiple copies of the membership brochures to give to prospects they do business with. For every new member who joins the association by May 1, sponsoring companies earn one free registration to attend ISA’s 2006 Industrial Supply Conference & Trade Fair (a $500 value). Anyone who sponsors 10 new members or more earns free convention registration for every new member, plus an all-expenses-paid convention package. During the convention’s opening reception, the membership development committee will announce the names of one distributor, one manufacturer and one manufacturers’ rep who sponsor the most new members.

Enlist salespeople to spread the word

Bernie Bowersock

Bernie Bowersock, senior vice president of North American Tool Corp. in South Beloit, Ill., plans to enlist his salespeople to talk about membership in ISA with distributors.

“A lot of times the salesman goes in and talks to a sales manager, the inside salespeople and the outside salespeople. Only rarely do they get to talk with the principal of the distributorship on a regular basis. This gives them an opportunity to talk with those executives,” Bowersock says.

He searched the Internet for industrial distributors in the greater Rockford area and was surprised to find about 25 companies that are good prospects. He plans to contact those companies to give them membership materials developed by the ISA membership development committee explaining the benefits of belonging to the association. After they have time to look it over, he will follow up with a phone call or personal visit.

He hopes to enlist other local ISA members to participate in calls with him.

“We’re going to try very hard to make something happen. I would like to see if we could increase the membership,” Bowersock says.

Membership development committee chairman Dave Thompson of Kennedy Manufacturing Company in Van Wert, Ohio, says he’s pleased with the way ISA members are supporting the Member-Get-A-Member campaign, but hopes for even greater participation as the Industrial Supply Conference & Trade Fair approaches in May.

“We’re happy about the level of support that members have demonstrated so far, but we’d like to see even greater participation in the weeks ahead,” Thompson says. “A chance to earn free convention registration is a great way to motivate people to participate in the program. But more importantly, if the effort helps us boost membership in ISA, then all of us will be winners. A bigger, better and stronger association benefits the entire industry.”

Click here for more details on the Member-Get-A-Member campaign and to request membership brochures to give to prospects.