Smaller Groups-how can you make PNMs feel chosen?

AOII Angel · #1 08-25-2007, 10:20 AM

I want to harp on something mentioned earlier...campus reputation. I think this is one of the most important things to focus on to improve a chapter. KSUViolet06 touched on it a little. You have to make your chapter memorable. You don't have to be the chapter full of beauty queens to have a good rush. Find what your chapter is good at and ADVERTISE it. If your chapter is very involved in philanthropy activities, spread the word! If your campus gives chapter awards, fight for them! The problem with struggling chapters is that they often feel like they can't beat the "better groups" at their own game. Being pretty or popular doesn't make you good at organization, leadership, etc. Many of the top chapters have programs in place that members just have to follow to look good. Smaller chapters have to work harder. When the PNMs come through rush, they'll see the small chapter that wins all the awards or the small chapter that does so much for charity, or the small chapter with the great sisterhood rather than the small chapter full of nobodies who do nothing!

Fleur de Lis · #2 08-25-2007, 11:35 AM

AOII Angel, that is great advice.

When I went through, my pledge class was the beginning of a "turn around" for our chapter. I met a sister first semester who introduced me to a TON of other sisters and really got me excited about joining. They always invited me to charity events, etc. and had one of the best GPAs on campus. You could tell they genuinely cared about each other. I also loved when someone I knew 'rushed' me - that made me feel remembered and special. It honestly never occured to me that they were a smaller chapter and it didn't end up mattering anyways because now the chapter is doing amazing!

Any updates on carnation's "correspondent"??

carnation · #3 08-25-2007, 11:54 AM

They rush later in the fall, so we'll see how the advice worked then!

cluelessUGAmom · #4 08-26-2007, 12:13 AM

It was a disappointment to see very "outdated" websites of some of the sororities while pnm's were researching before and during rush. (even After rush!)

There were comments I heard from D and some friends that said they really didn't get a "good feel" about so and so because their photo albums were empty or most of their members didn't bother to post their bios or list the campus activities and awards that their members had received or were involved with etc.

My suggestion would be to make sure the chapter's website is the BEST it can be as this is the first face PNM's get to see -- even before they hear tent talk and campus reputation! They also get to see if the current girl's "look" like them -- and this is not meant to be shallow as in only looking for beauty queen's -- some may NOT want to be there.

You can also tell the "got it together" chapters by how quickly they changed their website AFTER rush welcoming their new members - even if it was with one picture!

If you've put together a rush and bid day presentation that you are proud of then put it out there for the world to see! Show pictures it along with house tour photos - socials - fun times - formals - member awards etc. etc. Tout your average GPA if you are in the running for the top spots - or even how it has improved etc.

i would think this should be a first step in reflecting the image you want to project!

AOII Angel · #5 08-26-2007, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cluelessUGAmom

It was a disappointment to see very "outdated" websites of some of the sororities while pnm's were researching before and during rush. (even After rush!)

There were comments I heard from D and some friends that said they really didn't get a "good feel" about so and so because their photo albums were empty or most of their members didn't bother to post their bios or list the campus activities and awards that their members had received or were involved with etc.

My suggestion would be to make sure the chapter's website is the BEST it can be as this is the first face PNM's get to see -- even before they hear tent talk and campus reputation! They also get to see if the current girl's "look" like them -- and this is not meant to be shallow as in only looking for beauty queen's -- some may NOT want to be there.

You can also tell the "got it together" chapters by how quickly they changed their website AFTER rush welcoming their new members - even if it was with one picture!

If you've put together a rush and bid day presentation that you are proud of then put it out there for the world to see! Show pictures it along with house tour photos - socials - fun times - formals - member awards etc. etc. Tout your average GPA if you are in the running for the top spots - or even how it has improved etc.

i would think this should be a first step in reflecting the image you want to project!

I think this is a great suggestion. Maybe the chapter should elect an officer to keep the website current. In this technologically advanced age with all young women using the internet frequently, this is a great recruitment tool!

cluelessUGAmom · #6 08-26-2007, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

I think this is a great suggestion. Maybe the chapter should elect an officer to keep the website current. In this technologically advanced age with all young women using the internet frequently, this is a great recruitment tool!

Thanks!

There seems to be a webpage officer at each sorority but apparently they are not making it a priority to keep the site updated and current

...plus all the girls need to turn in pix so the webmaster can post them I would think - so it really shouldn't be left up to just one person but rather a focus that the sorority as a whole participates in with adding ideas and getting the gpa standings and philanthropy happenings etc.!

UGAalum94 · #7 08-26-2007, 06:26 PM

I had a brief conversation with a member who had been one chapter's webpage person, and depending on whether the group is supposed to host the page from the university's website, it gets more complicated with passwords and access than it really ought to be (or at least that's what she told me.)

I think we also have to remember that if the chapter isn't using it internally, then it might be kind of a misplaced priority, despite how much I like well done ones, other than for recruitment PR.

When you look at the webpages for the chapters at UGA, most look like they only exist for the sake of recruitment. They seem to get updates very infrequently. Most of the bid day updates are from 2006.

Drolefille · #8 08-26-2007, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cluelessUGAmom

Thanks!

There seems to be a webpage officer at each sorority but apparently they are not making it a priority to keep the site updated and current

...plus all the girls need to turn in pix so the webmaster can post them I would think - so it really shouldn't be left up to just one person but rather a focus that the sorority as a whole participates in with adding ideas and getting the gpa standings and philanthropy happenings etc.!

Believe me, being the webmaster is not all fun. Particularly since, as you said, you spend most of your time bugging other people for pictures. As a webmaster, I could put any information up that people wanted, but I'm not the PR chair, and it shouldn't be my job to collect the information from each member. Oh well.

Realistically, a chapter probably doesn't need an internal, password protected website. That's what email lists are for.