From your school’s Club Day to Open House and Back to School Night, your recruitment booth is often students' first experience learning about DECA. It's not simply about distributing fliers; far more importantly, it's a minute or two when you get to communicate your chapter's culture and experience. A great booth can make or break an average year and put your chapter on track for a record-breaking year increase.
Here's what I've learned that actually works in building a recruitment table that grabs and maintains attention.
Start fresh with a new, innovative design. First impressions count. Your booth's look should represent what DECA stands for: professionalism, creativity and business standards. It doesn't have to cost a fortune.
Tri-board displays with big, bold letters can be displayed effectively. Promote your chapter's past achievements, student competition photographs and a QR code for your chapter's Instagram or website. Have clear, readable signage a few feet away. Don't cover the table with too much extra paper since people need to be attracted and not overwhelmed.
Select the best team to staff the booth. A nicely decorated table will depend on the friendly members working it. Choosing a pair or group of three who enjoy DECA and can talk openly about their experience is always recommended. They won't have to memorize lines. They just have to be themselves.
If students ask what DECA is, don't rattle off the four bullet points on the guiding principles. Tell them the recent competition you attended, the friends you made or the activity you competed in. It has to be personal.
You should absolutely consider takeaways, but with a purpose. Yes, it's nice to hand out the candy, but if you are going to do that and nothing else, they'll walk away and won't think twice about DECA.
If you're giving out the candy, put it on a flyer or business card with the information for your chapter. Or, even better, include a QR code that directs them to a sign-up sheet, a Google Slides presentation, or a brief video intro. You have to leave something in their hands that will get them thinking DECA when they walk away.
Prioritize interaction rather than information alone. An empty table with quiet people behind it will not take you very far. Get people to ask questions. If you are at a school with many freshmen or sophomores, none of them will know what DECA is. Have a ready explanation and then share your own story. Share examples of the different kinds of events, or show a competition medal/trophy if you have one.
In addition, make it easy to follow up after your booth. Your passion won't count if you can't stay in touch. Ensure you have a phone or computer to jot down names and email addresses. Create a sign-up sheet where a welcome note or social follow-up can be sent when someone signs up. Send a reminder for the initial meeting after the event. Your follow-up is what will convert sign-ups to members.
Lastly, your recruiting table must reflect the energy and possibility of your chapter. You’re not recruiting individuals to join a club; you’re recruiting them to join a community, compete, learn and find out what they can do. If your booth indicates that to them, they’ll notice it and return.
