Recruitment Help!!!!

[thetygerlily]

Being active on campus is key. And this doesn't necessarily mean involved in every club you can find- but visible. If sisters are wearing letters frequently- to class, to the cafeteria, to sporting events, to the gym- others will take notice. At one point we were half the size of the other chapters (15 of us, 30 of the rest) but we had several PNMs tell us they thought we were the biggest because they always saw us around campus. It may seem like a small thing, but it really does make a difference. It also opens the door when you're making small talk before class- someone may say "oh, I didn't know you are an XYZ". And if they don't? Oh well, they still see you and the more of those letters that they see, the more present XYZ is on campus. If you don't already, institute a letters day for your chapter- once (or more) per week where sisters wear letter shirts, sweatshirts, anything XYZ. If you have a point system, reward sisters for wearing letters. Oh- if sisters live throughout the dorms, you can also help accomplish this by decorating sisters' doors. Be creative. Our chapter put newsletters in the women's bathroom stalls (dorms and academic buildings) with trivia, campus events, and comics. Sure it sounds kind of silly, but we got a lot of positive feedback from that and it carried over into the next year, and the next. You don't have to be saying "Go XYZ!", more that "XYZ is here".

Also, as someone who saw a chapter go from 5 to 15 to 30 over the course of 4 years, focus on quality- not quantity. If you get a large pledge class but they don't fit in or they bring potential standards/judicial board issues? They probably will do more damage than by having less members.

Especially for COB/spring recruitment, consider that one girl may bring her friends. One year we got a group of 4 close-knit friends- we knew they'd more than likely all go together, so we were thrilled when they chose us (and we chose them).

And ditto to what others have said about personal invitations. I would be very unlikely to go to an event I saw on a flier... but if someone asked me personally? I would be much more likely to go.