Try this.
I have been doing it for summer recruitment for weeks now, and it has been working great.
Contact some of the Orientation Leaders you know, and ask them for recommendations. Find one of the recommendations they gave you on Facebook and send a message that sounds something like this:
Quote:
Hey. My name is John Smith. I'm a brother of the Alpha Beta Gamma Fraternity. We've been looking for excellent students for our Fall 2010 New Member Class. Sarah, Michael, and David from the Orientation Team gave you a really good recommendation, and told me that you would be a great fit for our chapter.
I would really like the opportunity to talk with you. Are you free for lunch any time in the next few weeks? (my treat)
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I've done it with ten different people and have not gotten turned down a single time.
I think it is successful for four reasons.
1.
Respect - It is a very powerful tool. Telling someone that you have singled them out for something because you think they're special is a very fast way into their heart. On top of that, by telling them that you think they're an amazing person, and that's why you think they'd be good for your Fraternity helps them understand how important your organization is to you.
2.
Free Food - They're college-aged men. Some have done far worse than sit in on an awkward conversation for a free meal.
3.
Openness and Directness - One of my biggest pet-peeves in the Greek Community is how some people seem to think you can get someone to join by "tricking" them into hanging out at a Fraternity event. I've seen some chapters go so far as to leave their Fraternity name off of an event flyer hoping it will get more people to come.
No. Stop. Never do that. People enjoy it when you're honest with them. If you REALLY want to avoid being treated like a "Frat Guy" stop acting like one. Don't invite them to get trashed, don't try to trick them into coming to your harmless info session, and don't play songs with subliminal messages during Freshman Move-in. Those parlor tricks don't work. Be open about what you want and assertive about why you want it.
4.
They are Freshmen - These guys have just had their entire world uplifted. Gay or straight, popular or unpopular, jock or geek. They're lonely. They're worried about making friends. They want to try new things. Capitalize on the fact that they are college Freshmen.
That's my two-cents.