Improving Chapter Communications
 

Oh jeez, it is hell getting out a message at our 80 man fraternity chapter. We have tried email (no one ever checks it) we tried a phone tree (yea, that never worked) and we tried facebook (worked decently but not everyone got the messages in time) I'm stuck... besides me personally calling each chapter member it seems like no one ever gets my messages in time. Anyone have any thing that works or any advice?

Yea tell me about it!!!

We are a little bigger fraternity with (110) and we just started using text messaging to keep all our members up to date on brotherhoods, events, chapter meetings etc. We are using one of those website that allow you to manage your chapter online and then text from your phone to the whole group at once. Worth giving it a shot, it's working pretty well for us!

Another Idea...
 

Here is another idea if you have a listserv and you wanna text message your chapter, we did this before, but we couldn't manage it that well, maybe with a smaller chapter it would be easy.

- Collect everyones phone number and carrier (cingular, at&t etc.)
- Put each members email as their phone number@ there carrier handle. You can find all these by searching Google with "Email to SMS" that will pretty much allow you to send an email that converts into a text message to each phone.

I have no idea how we managed before emails, websites, Cell Phones, and Text Messages. Gee...I guess we had to show up in person to know what was going on.:eek:

Hey, is any sorority using a website to text message their members? Wanted to get some feedback?

Thanks,

Jessica

The old-fashioned PHONE TREE did wonders for us!

What website are you guys using? Is it FREE?

How many members do you have in your chapter? We tried a phone tree and someone would always mess it up! Maybe it's just our chapter, lol.

You realize those three new users are spammers, right?

I thought that last night, especially since the two first posters registered and replied within minutes of each other.

'Jessica215' pretty much confirmed it all. Who the hell picks this thread for a first post? A spammer does.

Thanks for helping the spammers...how much did they pay you?

We did the phone tree with 105 members. It worked.

Out of raw curiosity, I just checked out the site. I am not a "texter" and frankly thought this whole thread was spam too. But I have to say, knowing how prevalent texting (and living on/with their phones) is with college students these days, this actually seems pretty useful. Phone trees definitely do work (we did that too), but shoot, if I had to get something out to my whole chapter and could just send one message and not worry that someone might drop the ball along the way? I'd have done it. Would have avoided that "but I only got a busy signal!" (remember THAT, old timers? ;)) or "she never answers her phone!" (for the young 'uns, pre-voicemail or even answering machines, which now seem ancient, if someone didn't answer their phone, they just didn't hear from you -- we actually used to be able to have privacy if we chose! :))

ETA: I tried the "sample message" option -- darn thing works! Tell your brother nice job -- nice entrepreneurial effort he has going!

Yeah, I'm pretty nosy like that... :p

Derek,

My name is Kyle Solberg, I am a DU from Iowa State. I recently signed up our chapter, but have yet to implement the system.

Thank you for your clarification. I did not mean to look like a spammer.

Dikaia,

Kyle Solberg
Iowa State, '10