[ScarletBlueGold]

We saw a Chapter of FIJI Charter at our school, and it was amazing the way they managed to recruit an entire Chapter's worth of people over the course of a semester with only four people.

We started this last Fall as the smallest Fraternity in the IFC, and we managed to grow to be the second largest after pulling in a huge pledge class (even bigger than a Fraternity more than twice our size!).

The way we did it?

- One-on-one lunches.

The FIJI expansion officers used this almost solely as their recruitment tactic. The entire semester they collected names and contact info. They asked anyone who was willing to listen for recommendations, and they even had a competition between the sororities offering a $200 donation to their Chapter and National Philanthropy based on who helped them the most. (There was some kind of point system. Giving them a name was worth 5 points, but if they actually joined it became like 20 points. Most points in the end won.)

We did the same thing, and we ended up getting tons of excellent recommendations. I would then call them (I know this seems super awkward, but it actually is more professional and actually yielded much better results than Facebook messaging or emailing), and ask to set up a lunch or a coffee with them.

Here is a message I sent to a guy who ended up joining:

"My name is *******, and I am a brother of the Chi Phi Fraternity.

****, ****, and a few of the other Orientation Leaders gave you an excellent recommendation as a potential brother for our Fraternity.

I was hoping to get the opportunity to meet you soon at some point to talk. Are you available any time in the near future to have lunch? (my treat)"