Thread: Numbers down
View Single Post
  #2  
Old 03-04-2005, 02:42 PM
adpiucf adpiucf is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: I can't seem to keep track!
Posts: 5,807
Talk to the campus Greek Life adviser about your numbers challenge. Do the two fraternities have a campus IFC that works to promote Greek Life and enforce policies?

It also helps to brainstorm with members on ways to promote fraternity life.

Some ways to appear more visible on campus are:
1) Setting one day a week to wear letters on campus and meeting for lunch in the Student Union
2) Members should be involved in at least one activity outside of the fraternity. It's a great way to scout for potenial new members and it helps improve relations with other campus groups.
3) Hold a community service event with a sorority or a non-Greek group like an honor society or service club. Send out a press release in the school newspaper.
4) Put up banners and signs, take out newspaper ads and send news releases to local media whenever your chapter or a member earns an award or special recognition.
5) Discourage any kind of hazing culture that will discourage men from joining.
6) Put up a website up and update it regularly. Post contact information and set up a page about membership events and how to join-- maybe guys can email their phone numbers and contact info so you can get in touch with them. Send the web address to every person you know and ask them to pass it on.
7) Ask the alumni to help you plan a method to promote your chapter and recruit members.
8) Work with the other fraternity.
9) Create marketing materials on membership benefits and mail it out to students or stuff mailboxes on campus.
10) Set up a booth outside the student union.
11) Ask your nationals to help-- they have tons of resources and ideas.
12) Consolidate brotherhood and service events -- make them recruitment events. Have the guys bring potential members from their circle of friends, classes and activities to dinners or community events-- it is a casual way to get to know them. Offer a bid and stick to it.
13) Encourage a chapter culture that members are proud of-- don't alienate members by hazing them or keeping things secret from them-- you want to grow your membership, not resentful cliques.

Above all, whether there are 4 of you or 14, make your presence known on campus. It stands to reason that there are a lot of guys who would be interested in joining a fraternity, but don't know how to go about doing it-- help them find you!

Also, consider recruiting yearround, instead of just at formal times of year. Talk to your chapter adviser about continual recruitment.

Inspire your members-- recognize them for their hard work and make them feel proud to be a member. Their good feelings will spread when they brag about how great the organization is!

Engage the administration-- ask them about the problems with relations in the past and ask how you can turn them around. Open communication.
__________________
Click here for some helpful information about sorority recruitment and recommendations.

Last edited by adpiucf; 03-04-2005 at 03:38 PM.
Reply With Quote