American Massage Therapy Association^®

How to Start a New Student Membership Promotional Discount Program

In an effort to provide Chapter leaders with tools to assist with the recruitment of student members, the National Office has created this document outlining steps that should be taken to start a New Student Member Promotional Discount Program.

Where to begin:

1. A proposal to initiate a New Student member Promotional Discount Program must be drafted and presented to the Chapter Board of Directors for approval.

2. The proposal should include the amount of the discount (generally equal to the Chapter   fee, but not more then $50), the duration of the program (including a specific ending date), how the promotion will be publicized (during school visits, email, Chapter events, etc.), if a physical coupon will be issued and who will be responsible for execution of the program (contacting the schools, notifying the National Office, creating promotional material, etc.)

3. The chapter board must agree on the amount of the discount, how it will be distributed, who will participate in contacting schools, and length of the promotion*. 

4. After the chapter board has voted and agreed on these matters, the chapter president will contact Michael Mitchell at the National Office via email mmitchell@amtamassage.org or phone (847-905-1431); he/she should be prepared to provide the following:

• The amount of discount
• How it will be distributed
• The key contact for administration
• Length of promotion

Email Promotion/ Distribution to All Students

1. Michael will send the chapter president a letter for approval that will be sent to all schools in the state.  Once the letter is approved by the chapter president, it will be emailed to schools on the 1^st or the 15^th of the following month to announce the promotion.  The distribution date will be based on which date falls first after letter approval.

2. Once the letter is emailed to all schools within the state, the chapter will begin to contact schools to further promote the special promotion.  A call list and sample script will be emailed to the chapter president for distribution to all who have volunteered within the chapter to contact schools.

3. Calls to schools should be made once every two months (at a minimum) to further promote the special promotion for its duration.

Physical Coupon/ Promotion to Select Students

1. Michael will provide the chapter with a template for the coupon to be distributed to students. This template will include a promo code for online application and customer service processing purposes. 

2. Chapter volunteers will begin contacting schools to arrange school visits using a call list provided by the National Office, as well as, follow guidelines found in the Student Recruitment Manual.

3. Chapter volunteers will need to complete the school visit survey that is found in the Student Recruitment Center and email the National Office any required post visit follow-up

4. Chapter volunteers should call schools every two months (at a minimum) to further promote the coupon until the promotion has ended.

* Length promotion will not exceed the end of the fiscal year (2/28/09).  The promotion can always be reinitiated the following fiscal year.