Promoting Your DECA Chapter

PROMOTING YOUR DECA CHAPTERCreated by Micah Melling, CRVP for 2011-2012

Presentation Outline

The following bullet points describe the topics discussed in this presentation. Reasons to promote your DECA chapter Target market analysis Promotional plans Media options Chapter statistics Promotional ideas Evaluations and recommendations Connection to DECA competition

Why Should You Promote Your Chapter?

Promoting your DECA chapter to a wide variety of people has a number of benefits. More students will want to join DECA. Teachers and administrators will be more

receptive to DECA activities. Parents will be more willing to help with chapter

activities. Businesses and community members will be

more likely to help with your fundraising endeavors.

Community members will be more congratulatory of your chapter’s achievements.

Who Should Your Target Audiences Be?

At the beginning of your campaign, you must select your target audiences.

Your target audiences might include: Students Parents Business leaders Teachers and administrators Legislators

Messages that Appeal to Businesses

By supporting DECA, your business will be recognized as a friend and supporter of today’s youth.

Your business will have the opportunity to interact with the community’s brightest students.

DECA prepares students to be qualified, ambitious, hard-working employees.

Messages that Appeal to Parents

DECA… is a great opportunity for your child to grow, both

personally and professionally. allows your student to become involved in his/her

high school. provides multiple scholarship opportunities. helps students to connect with future employers

and mentors. will aid your child in developing core-academic

and employability skills.

Messages that Appeal to Students

Marketing is one of the most exciting, cutting-edge fields.

DECA has an array of benefits… provides unparalleled professional development,

networking, and leadership opportunities. gives members the opportunity to travel the

country and experience top-notch conferences. allows members to give back to their

communities and raise money for charitable causes

There are many messages about DECA and marketing education that appeal to students.

Messages that Appeal to Teachers and Administrators

The DECA chapter’s achievements will bring prestige and recognition to the school.

DECA members help to instill a sense of community service in the student body.

DECA members are devoting themselves to an important academic cause.

When DECA members are gone for conferences and competitions, they are making a valuable investment in their future.

Messages that Appeal to Legislators

DECA prepares students to be ambitious, highly-qualified leaders in tomorrow’s economy.

DECA members improve their local communities.

Legislators that support DECA will be recognized as friends and supporters of education.

Voters value legislators who support today’s youth and their educational programs.

For more information on reaching out to legislators, view the “DECA and Politics” document and the “Political Outreach Kit” found on www.slideshare.net/decainc.

Developing a Promotional Plan: Assembling a Team

Carefully assembling a team is a vital component of a successful project. Include a variety of people.

DECA members Teachers Parents Business partners

Select a chairperson. The chairperson should be a committed DECA member

who is willing to work closely with the chapter advisor. Assign “roles” to members of the team.

Developing committees is often an effective way to delegate responsibilities.

Developing a Promotional Plan: Setting Goals

Setting goals gives your project a specific, attainable focus. Make sure to involve your entire team when

setting your project’s goals. Remember to set SMART Goals.

SpecificMeasurableAttainableRealistic Timebound

Developing a Promotional Plan: Setting Goals (Cont)

Here are some types of goals you may set for your promotional project: To increase membership by a certain percentage To personally contact a certain number of

legislators, community members, and business leaders

To increase corporate partnerships by a certain percentage

To increase parental involvement and engagement

To implement a certain number of activities targeted at administrators, teachers, and counselors.

Generally, having 3-5 goals is ideal.

Developing a Promotional Plan: Determining Activities

Selecting activities and establishing a timetable creates an in-depth view of your entire project. As a team, determine how many activities to

implement, what the activities should be, and when the activities should occur. Some situations may call for monthly activities; others

may call for activities once a semester. At the beginning of the project, decide how each

activity will be planned, structured, and delivered.

Understanding Your Media Options

Understanding your media possibilities is necessary. Recognize your media options (newspaper, radio,

TV, digital billboards, etc). Understand the difference between “small-town”

media and “big-town” media. Small-town media outlets will be more likely to assist

with your efforts. However, small-town media outlets sometimes don’t reach a significant number of people.

Big-town media outlets sometimes won’t be able to assist with your efforts due to competition and high demand. However, if you can convince them to help, big-town media outlets will often reach a significant number of people.

Chapter Information

Creating a polished document of chapter “pride points” can be extremely helpful as you promote your chapter. This document can be given to stakeholders and

to members of your target audience. Don’t overlook the design of this document; make

sure that it is appealing and eye-catching. Don’t confuse this with a flyer. This document

should include in-depth information.

Chapter Information (Cont)

The following are some pieces of information you might want to include in your “pride points” document. Quantitative Elements

Average GPA of members Percentage of members enrolled in upper-level

courses Percentage of members who plan to attend college Amount of money raised for charity (previous year) Number of awards won at competition (previous year)

Qualitative Elements Quotes from members Testimonials from parents, teachers, and business

leaders Chapter activities, goals, and projected outcomes.

Promotional Ideas

Radio Public Service Announcements (PSAs) Many (not all) radio stations will allow you to

record a 30-second PSA about the importance DECA. Since DECA is a non-profit organization, they will air the PSA for free.

Radio Talk Shows Request to go on a local radio show to discuss

your DECA chapter.

Promotional Ideas (Cont)

Facebook Page and Twitter Account Create and actively use a Facebook page and

Twitter account for your DECA chapter. Update both with upcoming events and important

reminders. Invite chapter members, community leaders, and

local businesspersons to “like” your Facebook page and “follow” your Twitter account.


Press Releases If your chapter does an exciting activity, submit a

press release to local newspapers and radio stations.

Editorials A small-town newspaper may be willing to run a

story that specifically discusses the benefits of DECA.

Letters to the Editor Write a short message about DECA and submit it

to your local newspaper as a “letter to the editor.”


Digital Billboards Some businesses and organizations have digital

billboards. Ask a business or organization to display a positive message about DECA on one of their billboards.


Presentations Identify civic organization or councils that would

benefit from learning about DECA. Leave your audience with an informational

handout about DECA. Here are some ideas for audiences:

City Council School Board Chamber of Commerce Board County Commission Community Organizations


Open House Invite community members to come to your high

school’s marketing classroom and visit with DECA members. Have DECA members present information about

chapter projects, competition, and conferences. Ask each attendee to join your DECA chapter as a

“professional member.”


Local Competition Host a practice competition for your chapter

members and ask local businesspersons to serve as judges.

This will allow prominent leaders in your community to see how DECA benefits students.

A local competition is also a great opportunity for DECA members to prepare for district and state competitions.

Don’t forget to ask each judge to join your chapter as a “professional member.”


Workshops Have DECA members host a workshop for local

business professionals. This workshop should cover a relevant business

topic on which teens are knowledgeable. Some possible ideas are using social media and

marketing to the younger generation.


Presentations to Middle School Students Visit middle school classes and discuss the

benefits of joining DECA. Activities Aimed at Freshman Students

Freshman are looking for ways to adjust to high school. DECA is an excellent option to accomplish that objective.

Ask for permission to speak at freshman orientation.

Arrange to speak to freshman classes. Personally invite freshmen to join DECA.

Invitation ideas: decorative cards, verbal messages, Facebook posts.


Appreciation Day for Teachers, Administrators, and Counselors The following are ideas for this promotional

concept. Give them a “thank you” card for supporting DECA. Present them with a chapter t-shirt or a small plaque. Make them an “honorary member” of your DECA

chapter. If you have a school store, give them a free soft drink

or snack. An “appreciation” day would be a great activity

for DECA Week.


Pre-DECA Program Involve students one year prior to their year of

DECA eligibility. Have Pre-DECA Program socials and meetings to

introduce participants to the many facets of the organization.

Ask participants to help with events and fundraisers.

Host practice competitions. Make participants feel the “DECA love” with

incentives and appreciations.


DECA Week is a great opportunity to spread the news about the organization. Have your mayor sign a proclamation declaring

“DECA Week.” Encourage members to wear DECA apparel

throughout the week. If you have a school store, run “special” deals. Submit press releases to local media outlets. Have a “community service” day.

More ideas for DECA Week can be found under the “chapter resources” tab on www.deca.org.


Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) provides another opportunity to promote your DECA chapter.

Entrepreneurship is a large part of DECA, and GEW (held in November) provides a platform to voice this concept. Have local entrepreneurs come and speak to your

marketing classes. Reach out to local entrepreneurs and tell them

about DECA. Coordinate activities within your school that

promote entrepreneurship. Remember to submit a press release with the

details of your activities.


Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month takes place in February and provides another opportunity to promote DECA. Arrange a proclamation signing with your mayor

to declare “Career and Technical Education Month.”

Host a celebration for CTE at your school. Go on a radio show to discuss CTE. Submit an article about CTE to your local

newspaper. More ideas for CTE Month can be found under

the “chapter resources” tab on www.deca.org.

Periodic Evaluations

After every major promotional event, come together as a team and evaluate your performance.

Periodic evaluations help reinforce the “positives” and improve the “negatives.”

Be sure that all team members are involved in the periodic evaluation process.

Final Evaluation

With your entire team, conduct a final evaluation of your project.

Determine if you met your objectives. Address the strengths and weaknesses of your

project. Don’t rush through this process; take time to

adequately reflect on your team’s level of success.

Recommendations

Develop a set of recommendations. Your chapter might want to undertake a similar

project in the future, and having a few recommendations would be helpful.

Answer these questions: What went well? Why did it go well? What didn’t go well? Why didn’t it go well? What are some activities or decisions that we

wouldn’t change? What are some activities or decisions that we

would change? What advice should be given to future

campaigns?

Connection to DECA Competition

You can potentially take your promotional project to DECA competition.

A project of this nature could be classified as a Public Relations Project (a Chapter Team Event).

For more information on this event, visit the following webpage: http://www.deca.org/docs/conferences-

competitions/DECA_PRP_Guidelines.pdf

For More Information…

Before May of 2012, please contact Micah Melling. Email: [email protected]

After May of 2012, please contact the current Central Region Vice President. His/her contact information will be found on

www.deca.org.