Society Launches Campaign for Associate Members

By Carol C. Lapidus

The New York State Society of CPAs has launched a membership recruitment campaign that was developed by the NYSSCPA Membership Committee and approved by the executive board earlier this year. NYSSCPA members who refer a colleague eligible in associate membership classes will receive a coupon worth up to eight credit hours of continuing professional education (CPE) sponsored by our education partner, the Foundation for Accounting Education (FAE).

We have christened this campaign “Advance a Career” because we believe that NYSSCPA membership should be an important professional opportunity to receive unprecedented technical knowledge, networking opportunities and other member benefits. The organization gains by adding to the depth and breadth of its membership. We also believe that providing free CPE to those who seek out and sponsor a new associate member is an excellent method to ensure that our members experience the quality educational programs that FAE offers.

Members can refer as many colleagues as they wish, and the related number of coupons they can earn is limitless

Notice of the campaign was included in the annual dues billing, is now featured on the Society’s homepage at www.nysscpa.org and will be advertised in The Trusted Professional.

Associate member categories were added in 1999 to encourage persons with a proven interest in the CPA profession to become active in the Society, thereby enriching and advancing the profession in New York state. Student associates and candidate associates represent the future of the profession. Likewise, non-CPA professionals working for CPA firms and academic associates play an important role in enhancing the CPA profession. The international associate designation is recognition that many international accountants work and/or live in New York state.

Our membership includes approximately 1,000 associate members. This total includes an aggregate of approximately 650 student and candidate associate members. This represents only 3.1 percent of our total membership, and only 1 percent for CPA firm employees, international and academic associate members.

The board of directors reduced our student membership rate to $5 last year and we have seen the membership class more than double. We have retained a low $55 rate for our associate candidates and this membership class is the largest of the associate categories. But the Membership Committee believes we can do better, especially in the associate CPA firm employee, academic associate and international classes.

The Campaign

The goal of the recruitment campaign is to attract new associate CPA firm employee, academic associate and international members. The campaign will run during the period from April 2002 through August 2002. The measure of success of the campaign will be to increase the number of associate members, other than candidates and students, by at least 100 new members.

The Incentive

To provide an inducement to current NYSSCPA members to participate in the program, the campaign will offer an incentive of a free coupon to be used for up to an eight-hour FAE seminar or conference session for each new eligible associate member (associate CPA firm employee, academic associate or international associate) they recruit. Upon the NYSSCPA’s receipt of the new associate member’s dues payment, we will mail out FAE coupons to the members who referred them. Coupons will be good through Aug. 31, 2003. New associate members also will receive a gift, such as a business card holder, emblematic of our theme that membership helps develop the member’s professionalism. New members will receive their gift as part of their new member welcome kit.

In summary, we believe this campaign will accomplish two things: (1) increase the associate members in the NYSSCPA and (2) increase awareness of our existing members about the FAE. We wish to attract new members who will become long-term members, add to the knowledge base of existing members and help them gain knowledge individually. We hope that the referring members will use the coupons, experience the first-rate educational experience and become continuous users of FAE.

If you have any questions about this program, please call our Members Services Department at (800) 633-6310.