Ideas to Boost Numbers

erniegurl00 · #1 06-30-2001, 07:05 PM

Hey everyone. Here is my problem. I come from an university that has a big greek population. The only problem is my sorority has the loweset numbers. We have around 45 girls whereas the other sororities have around 120. Last year was definitely a rebuilding year for us, but rush has always been hard. Have any of you experienced a rebuilding year or know what it's like to be small? I love my house to pieces because since we are so small we're really close. I'm always open to suggestions or ideas of how to help rebuild the numbers of my chapter.

Pi Phi love and mine,
Erin

carnation · #2 06-30-2001, 08:08 PM

Erin,

Call nationals! Get help! They have all kinds of materials to help and can send sisters to rush from other chapters nearby! How about Indiana Beta--can they help?

Indiana Gamma is too good to lose--I've read so many good things about them over the years.Good luck! Ring ching!

ZTAMich · #3 06-30-2001, 08:10 PM

Hey Erin! I posted this idea somewhere else but I can't remember where...anyways..my chapter is a small one @ a small school so all 4 sororities are always looking to increase membership. Some things my chapter has done are, having a table at the org. fair in the fall so freshladies and upperclassladies know who are are and all, we wear our letters a lot, and we're always doing something, like a fundraiser where we have our banner or whatever out, or a informal rush type event. After formal rush this past spring we had an event where girls who didn't rush or ones who didn't get bids came and hung out, played games etc, just so they know who we all are and hopefully they'll come back in the fall to informal rush. I'm sure if you advertised and got the word out that your org is a great one with really awesome nice girls it would eventually end up in a bigger chapter. I'm glad you see the positive benefits of a smaller chapter, I could not imagine being at a bigger chapter know that I know my smallish one

Best of Luck!
Sunshines,
Michelle

------------------
~*~to be true to ourselves, to those within and without our circle ~*~

Sigmagirl43 · #4 06-30-2001, 08:41 PM

The same thing happened to my sorority last semester. . .We thought it was going to be really difficult on all of us not having a pledgeclass to put through, but insteaad of focusing on this negative outcome we spent the semester becoming closer as sisters and working on projects that we had put off for so long. We were able to have lots more party's and socials that helped up raise money, and we also bonded more as sisters. Maybe this is something that your sorority could do as well and in turn make you stronger for next semester!

erniegurl00 · #5 06-30-2001, 09:24 PM

Thanks everyone for their ideas so far! These are some things my pledge class and I are thinking about. Before we left school we all sat down and discussed ideas for fall COB rush. We've been planning lots of fun events for on campus as well, so hopefully that will get our name out on campus. I know that I'm almost always in letter or pin attire (It became a habit during pledgeship), and I know a lot of my sisters have become the same way.

However, I also know that no matter what my sisters and I will always be close. And to me, that's the most important thing!

Pi Beta Phi to Thee!
Erin

aephi alum · #6 07-08-2001, 07:10 PM

I know that well - I was in a chapter that was never larger than 25, at a school where all the other chapters were well over total, which was 80!

We participated in formal rush, then ran informal rush in both the fall and spring - though I must admit it wasn't very successful

Our new members from formal rush were asked to bring their unaffiliated friends/roommates along to rush events - plus we advertised heavily.

It is VERY HARD to compete with big chapters when yours is the only small one... people wonder "what's wrong, why doesn't anyone want to join XYZ?" But keep at it and you'll get the right people, and they'll attract more of the right people, and before you know it you'll be growing.

-- Oh yes, forgot to add: If your Panhellenic keeps a no-bid list, get it, and get it ASAP after rush. Some of these women may still be interested in joining a sorority and they just got cross-cut. Invite these women to informal rush and see if you like 'em and they like you!

[This message has been edited by aephi alum (edited July 10, 2001).]

AlphaChiGirl · #7 07-08-2001, 08:27 PM

We're a small chapter, but our entire Greek system is small, so it's all relative. I know that we have been below what we needed to remain solvent or to keep housing. We have gotten a lot of help from Nationals, who doesn't want to see our chapter go. Our Nationals has done an AMAZING amount of work in order to save the chapter, from sending consultants to reorganizing chapter structure. In the meantime, we focused on improving sisterhood, and doing projects in the community (and not just with fraternities). So far, it's paid off---we've had our best AND biggest (a lot of real, quality girls!) pledge class in 2 years. We still have a lot of work to do, but definitely contact Pi Phi HQ...they should be able to help you. Also, be open to change. I know that a few of our members were reluctant to make changes our National Advisors suggested, and let's just say they're no longer active.

SLOTheta · #8 07-10-2001, 02:00 AM

Erin,
I know what you are going through. We went under quota two 3 years ago, and it took another three years to get at quota...we held rush three times a year, and made sure that the girls we took were quality girls, and that once we got more quality girls, our numbers would rise. Sure enough, small, fabulous classes has now yealded larger, quality classes. We did workshops for 2 weeks before each Formal rush, and had ELC and other Execs from Nationals lead the workshops and help us with better rush tactics. We also go on a big retreat before rush to help bond us. On campus, we almost always wear letters and go to a lot of parties to get the Theta name out there. Now, we are a strong house, and I'm stoked for rush! I'm helping with rush and I'm sooo excited. If you need any specific help, please feel free to e-mail me!

shadokat · #9 07-10-2001, 10:30 PM

On another note, besides only focusing on your chapter, focus on the fact that you're a national sorority with umpteen thousand initiates. Inviting other chapters to help out is always a good idea as well. I would also sit down and write a detailed PR plan, including EVERYTHING you do for PR. You'd be surprised how much advertising you can do when you actually write down everything you do.

If you need specific help, I'd call your national. No national wants a chapter to have to close due to numbers, and I'm sure they'll work hard with you to help.

erniegurl00 · #10 07-11-2001, 01:30 AM

Thanks again guys for your help! I think right now we're in that rebuilding period. My pledge class was double the size of what it usually is. I guess my fear is that it was a flook. We have such a bad rep on campus just because people think of it as a last resort sorority. Sigh. I really would like to change that! I have never met such a great group of girls. I know what you mean about sitting down and discussing a PR plan. We did that before school ended, and we have some great ideas to get our name out on campus. If any of you have any other PR suggestions I'm open to them.

Here's another question though. Do any of you have any suggestions on how to be a better rusher? Are there any interesting questions that you ask the girls besides the basic name/home location/major ones? I heard that sooo many times during rush! LOL

I'm a new active in my sorority so I want to be able to do all I can for it!

Erin

SLOTheta · #11 07-11-2001, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by erniegurl00:

Here's another question though. Do any of you have any suggestions on how to be a better rusher? Are there any interesting questions that you ask the girls besides the basic name/home location/major ones? I heard that sooo many times during rush! LOL I'm a new active in my sorority so I want to be able to do all I can for it!

Erin

Hi there Erin,
At my chapter we go through almost two weeks of workshops where we learn rushing techniques and learn our songs...does you house do this? We get reps from Nationals to come out and help us be good rushers, I would suggest contacting nationals to help you. They are awesome!

erniegurl00 · #12 07-11-2001, 05:51 PM

I think my house does workshops, but I think part of the problem is that a lot of the older girls are really shy and not outgoing. When I rushed my house for the first party I noticed that some of the actives had difficulty keeping the conversations going. I know I can't talk because I'm a bit shy too, but rush didn't bother me. I think what we need to do is somehow show the rushees how great we work as a team. After I joined I noticed that the house is NOTHING like what it seemed during rush. I think that is the main problem with my house. Some of the girls don't get into it and aren't excited about rush. I think (hope) my pledge class will turn that around because when we came into the house we started to change things around. We started doing more campus activities and started getting the house enthusiastic again. Hopefully this enthusiasm will pay off! Thanks again for all of your help!

P.S. Getting help from Nationals is a good idea! I know in the past we have had our graduate consultants come and helps us. The girl we had last year was so helpful! She gave us a lot of ideas for skits and for rush songs.