[JMNew83]

Hi BeeVee,

I have been reading your post, and I too am a member of a smaller Greek Letter Organization. I have started several chapters of my sorority, and I wanted to comment to help you out.

When I pledged my sorority, Gamma Phi Delta (A business & professional sorority), back in 2003, my pledge process started April when our semester ended in May. We had to take a break, because of school and our sorority takes a break during the summer as well. What my Big Sisters told me to do was work on the bigger group projects and to save up our money to pay our joining fee. I would suggest doing the same, and one of your new pledge class requirements could be to recruit additional new members into the class so that they understand the value of recruitment.

What we did when I was online was have Sisterhood days during the summer for the women who were still on-campus. I didn't get to participate as I went back home, but this is a great way to keep the sisterhood going among the current members and the prospective members. Once September came and school started, we were welcomed back with a big BBQ. This marked the beginning of our in-take process.

I don't want to discourage you, but be prepared in September that some girls may drop or not come back once school starts again. Also, you should really visit the Phired Up blog at http://www.phiredup.com/. It's run by the same people who do the "I Heart Recruitment" book. You never want to just stop recruiting.

One of the I Heart Recruitment guys ideas is to start a student Freshman group something simple like Class of 2014 at xyz or transfer students at your school, and encourage fellow freshman to join. You'd have to put a disclaimer that you any promotional postings will be deleted. (I'm not able to do this, because I'm in a graduate chapter now), however, the group will connect you with people you never met before and you can connect with on other levels and then get them to come to your events.

The main thing to keep in mind when your small and/or starting out is that you want to constantly recruit. Always have your colors or letters. Have a flyer with general information about your organization on it (history, how to join, etc). Have lunch dates or Meet and Greets with the women you met. Invite people to come sit with you (especially new freshman) and have other members pass out the flyers while you eat.

The key is not to do "defend" how small you are as someone else said. The key is to let your prospective new members know you are small, have them put their mark on your chapter / organization and then get them to bring a friend or two to every event. And before you know it, your recruitment efforts will take on a life of itself.

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Gamma Phi Delta Sorority, Inc.