You are the key to successful recruiting.

You know the value of membership firsthand, so learning about your personal experiences and how AGD has impacted you will be most meaningful to those whom you believe will benefit from joining the organization.

To start finding these prospective members, review your personal and professional networks. Coworkers, colleagues in your community, new dentists and students are all great people who will appreciate that you’ve gone out of your way to help them enhance their careers. (If you’re unsure if one of your prospects is already an AGD member, search the AGD Membership Directory to find out.) 

When communicating with these potential AGD members, use these tips to start the conversation and further peak their interest.

You could also send a personal email inviting them to join. We've created a simple recruiter email template to get you started.

Be prepared. Become an expert about AGD and its many member benefits prior to meeting with a prospective member. When you’re at professional events, make sure you have AGD membership materials handy, such as fliers, applications, etc. You can download various recruiter resources in preparation of these events.

Initiate the conversation. Find opportunities to strike up a conversation, discuss shared interests and establish a relationship with your prospects. You might meet potential members by volunteering to help staff your AGD constituent’s membership table at local events. Or perhaps you present an informational session about AGD during a lunch and learn at your workplace. You could also invite nonmembers to attend a continuing education session or networking event with you. Encourage your prospect to visit the AGD website to gather more information about the organization.

Here’s a snapshot of additional perks you can tell them about:

  • AGD offers members the opportunity to select their membership level based on what they value most by offering a Premium Plus or Premium membership level. Details about what is offered at each level can be found at agd.org/membership.
  • During the first four years post-graduation, new dentists pay lower membership rates. AGD has established a 20/40/60/80 scale for these members, understanding the unique financial burdens they face as they begin their careers. See the AGD Membership Application for more details.
  • If your nonmember colleagues join during the summer, they can access the benefits of AGD membership at half the price. They receive the same benefits as any other member, such as free CE webinars valued at $900+ through the AGD Online Learning Center.
  • Encourage your prospects to join AGD between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31 for one year at full price, and they will enjoy membership all the way through Dec. 31 of the following year—that’s up to three free months of member benefits.

Tell your success story. Be open and honest with your prospective members when discussing the value you’ve received as a member of AGD. Tell them about why you joined, the benefits or services that have been most beneficial to you and the friends you’ve made along the way. Be enthusiastic and offer firsthand accounts of how your membership has been an invaluable investment in your career. A positive testimonial from a trusted source can be one of the strongest tools for recruiting new members.

Focus on their needs. Each potential member you identify will have different needs, challenges and interests. Ask about what they’d like to achieve — personally and professionally — what keeps them up at night and what their plans are for the future. Inquiring about these topics can help you determine what kind of help or information they need most.

Offer AGD membership as a solution. Based on how they respond, pinpoint the AGD member benefits that will be most valuable to them. Then, share examples of how AGD membership has benefited you as a dentist. This helps make the conversation feel more like two colleagues sharing solutions and less like a sales pitch. Be sure to address any objections or concerns your prospect may have about AGD; then, invite him or her to join! 

Follow up. One of the most important steps in the recruitment process is remembering to follow up. Check back with your prospects in the few weeks after your conversation to see if they have joined AGD. If they haven’t, ask if they have any new questions that you can answer, and be sure to reiterate the value of AGD membership. Then, send an email or a handwritten note to thank them for considering membership. If they are not interested in joining AGD, ask if you can contact them in the future with updates about new or improved member benefits. If your prospect has joined, express your appreciation for his or her support.

Don’t forget to include your name and AGD member ID number in the “Referral Information” box at the top of the paper application; or you can ask your prospect to include your information in Step 2 of his or her online application.

Lastly, encourage those who become new members to “pay it forward.” Tell him or her to get involved in the Refer-a-Colleague Program with you!