how to get PNM's pick Phi Sig @ Formal Rush???

[CAREPHISIG]

Hello!! What is the best way to draw the PNM's into your sorority... to write Phi Sig as their FIRST choice?? As an advisor, I am asking help from actives & alumni - How do you PULL them in... the reason is, we are losing them after the last night of recruitment, PREF!! I have another thread on here about specific examples that can't be posted, cause they are ritual related. Is there other ways like decorations used that make a difference? etc... i think the parties are 45 mins each & we have 5 speeches. I just REALLY want to turn it around for them this semester. At our University it is hard for us, the smallest of 4 sororities and we haven't gotten quota in like 11 years. We only get like 2 people @ walk & it is so heartbreaking every year. We do better - A WHOLE lot better @ COB-ing, but since we are NPC, we have to formal recruit.

Thanks for listening!!! LITP to all!!

[Glitter650]

I really think national lets us down on formal recruitment since they came out with vision because I've heard that from SOOO many chapters "we do well at COB, but formal kicks our butt"
I think decorations are just the icing, as long as they are up to the standards of the other chapters on campus there's no thing much else that can be done in that department, if they aren't up to to other chapters, then the PNMs will notice that.
Hold some conversation workshops. I think that is the main thing. Also make sure the chapter is relaxed and excited going into each party, the PNMs can tell if there's tension in the air because people were just yelling at each other about where to hang that balloon, or where to put that flower vase, or how to string up the lights etc.

[Darlinglilred]

Zeta Eta actually rocks at formal, we recruit well and tend to be good at sealing the deal. However, Canadian recruitment is very different from U.S., at least at my school. For one, there are only two internationals on our campus, ourselves and Alpha Omicron Pi. For us it's all about image, we never have any type of party, pref or otherwise, where the girls all dress the same. We are not all the same and we would rather celebrate that then pretend we are. In the very beginning that makes the atmosphere so much less stressful, if you make girls wear all the same things there are gonna be girls who are a) uncomfortable or b) unhappy because hey think they're outfits are unflattering. We also have the advantage of being the sorority on campus that all the frats like, they talk us up alot throughout our recruitment when we cannot. We don't assign girls to recruiters, we have an open milling party where everyone can wander around and talk to everyone else but at no time are two sisters allowed to talk to each other without a PNM present, we are trying to foster the image of inclusiveness and welcoming and hanging out and chatting with only sisters does not do that. Decorations aren't a big deal, we take pride in the simplicity of our preference ceremony, simple but beautiful and always emotional. The Archon and Vice Archon especially try totalk to every PNM present, it makes the PNM feel important and special, especially when their names are remebered and they are more likely to join because if someone as busy as the Archon can remember thier name and take time to say hello then it is definately an open and welcoming sisterhood they would like to be apart of.

[thetagammachica]

Yeah, we have that problem as well. We get our butts kicked in formal recruitment. I didn't understand this because my new member class was mostly formal recruitment people. But after thinking about it. Most of our class was "recruited" beforehand. We all knew we wanted to be Phi Sigs before going through. We have defered freshman recruitment here, so I would say that it is important to meet these girls beforehand. You can't obviously plug Phi Sig and bid promise. But have a couple of get togethers before hand like going to get some food or having small study breaks or something. So you can show off the sorority before they go through formal recruitment. I think that helps the student to make a more informed decision as well as getting you more members.

[Novalee94]

I think the key to getting PNM's to pick Phi Sig is to just be real about it with them. I'm the MRC for our chapter right now and I try to recruit girls who don't see themselves as a "sorority girl" I approach them the week before recruitment and talk to them about school and what not and then ask them if they ever thought about going greek. Once they say that they can't see themself as a sorority girl I ask them if I seem like the stereotypical sorority type. Then I go into my whole speech about how we're not your typical sorority. And those are the women who usually choose Phi Sig and do a lot for a out chapter.

Also when addressing the concern of hazing I explain it like this:

You want to be a part of our family and we want you to be a part of our family so why would we abuse you in any way? I mean if you parents brought home a new baby you wouldn't punch it in the face and say welcome to the family kid, right?
This usually leaves a lasting impression on the PNM's and they remember the speech. Hope that helped

LITP
Kellie

[KRoPhiSig]

None of you are alone! I'm a sister at the Gamma Zeta chapter at URI and let me tell you...we SUCK at Formal Recruitment. We pull good informal NM classes but Formal..oh no. We have a fairly large greek system at URI and I don't know what it is but after Pref round we lose alot of girls. We are a smaller chapter and nationals has been on us for our poor formal recruitment skills. We haven't made quota in awhile.

[Nieng17]

Welcome to the phi sig board!

What is recruitment like at URI? How many other NPC's are there? Do you have houses or do you use school facilities to help recruit during formal?

A question for everyone, Do you think it's easier recruiting with or without a chapter house?

[whittleschmeg]

We actually talked about this at LTS and one of the things I had mentioned and still agree with. You just have to promote our chapter as different. Make everything as unique as possible and try to make conversations flow.

One of the best things our chapter does is that we try to make our room as stress free as possible and it works. The girls to our parties and relax they sit down we talk we do an icebreaker do our activity but the whole time we are laughing and relaxed it is a huge help. Goof around with your sisters this will show PNM's how truly close you are but include them in as well. Carry yourselves professional but relaxed. The PNM's will follow your lead and you will get to see the real them too

[MooseGirl]

BTW, just so you know, their is a recrutment task force working on creating resources to bring to chapters that do FSR - so no, they aren't leaving you high and dry!

If you need any assistance for formal recruitment (or any thing) just email your membership manager, RCD/RD or RPC. we're all there for you!

I agree pretty much with what's been said:
converstation tips - suggest topics to your actives; some women just aren't great conversationalists so they need ideas - also pair up ones who are really shy

I love the idea of the archon and VA speaking to each sister - that special touch is great.

remember to look for qualities that relate to our core values and to your chapter. If Suzie was on student council in highschool, then introduce her to Sister M who's on SGA (etc)

Preference - it seems women prefer the sappy emotional speeches they want to see and hear that the sisters really are as close as they say they are.

don't forget to stay relaxed - don't let the stress get to you. While quota is a great goal, your wellbeing is most important - not to mention that you can always do CR to increase your sisterhood.

(and if formal recruitment is really not your thing, maybe your Panhellenic should review on whether FSR or PSR is really fit for it - AFAIK schools with 3 or fewer NPC chapters should really consider PSR or MSR)

If you don't know all my acronyms just let me know