Help with rush ideas???

[SigmaChiguy28]

Ok guys heres the deal, next week im running for rush chair because our rush chair took over pledge educator chair, well I need some ideas to throw out to the brothers. Heres our situation, We are known on campus as the most diverse fraternity on campus as well as having the best brotherhood. Heres the tough part, most of these freshman look at certain other GLO's and see a cookie cutter mold for members, its hard to draw these guys away from that to show true brotherhood instead of clubs that these other GLO's portray. HOw would u guys go about getting out on campus for good PR to show these Rushees that your organization is the one to rush? on a side note, we are known pretty well on campus as the partiers, this isnt the best image to portray, how would you go about this situation, any help would be great

[tunatartare]

You could try to do a philanthropy event on campus during rush. This will get our faces and letters out more to the guys that are rushing and show that you do more than just party. You should also for rush do something other than the typical fraternity party. Go bowling with the guys or play basketball with both rushees and actives on each team. Good luck.

[SigmaChiguy28]

I guess i should have givin our current rush activities,

Monday- IFC hotdogger, all GLO's in one room for all rushees to look at

Tues-BBQ at the house

Wed- What is night

Thursday-Big air games like sumo suits, inflatable obstacle course, and joust

Friday-alumni night

We currently have 2 philanthropys a year, We do a haunted house in the fall for Relay for life and Derby Days in the spring for CMN, a philanthropy durin rush would be too much, chapters at our school vary for 30 guys to 90, we currently sit on about 60 or so. So not enough bodies to spread between rush and a philanthropy in the same week

[Derek]

Originally posted by KLPDaisy
You should also for rush do something other than the typical fraternity party.

Parties are not really used as a recruitment tool at Murray. And I will also agree that Sigma Chi at Murray does not have that cookie cutter mold that a new freshman can quickly identify with. Big air games sounds really cool though...how did that go? So often at Murray I felt like all the fraternities had the exact same events just mixed up over different days during the week. So I guess my advice would just be to be different, unless you find an event that is effective year after year in which case you should just find ways to enhance that event. This is a really though question. I went through rush 5 semesters in a row at Murray so I will give this some thought and if I come up with anything really good I'll make another post.

[SigmaChiguy28]

YEa we are very diverse but its great brotherhood, we get such a wide variety of pledges, but its cool though. I guess the reason could be that our founders stated that "Friendship among members with different temperments, talents, and convictions is superior to friendship among members with the same Temperments, talents and convictions. We are a fraternity who never strays from our founders ideals.

[TSteven]

Originally posted by SigmaChiguy28
How would u guys go about getting out on campus for good PR to show these Rushees that your organization is the one to rush?

At a college like Murray State, positive word of mouth can really help with PR and in turn, rush. So show the campus and community that Sigma Chi is more than just good times.

1. Keep up the chapter's GPA.

2. Promote your philanthropy work. Try to get not only the campus involved, but the Murray community as well.

3. Support and work with all the sororities on campus. When they like you, they usually let their friends know.

4. Have members involved in campus wide activities. Get a group together, wear your letters, and show your pride not only as a Sig, but with the Murray State community.

5. Have members involved with SGA and other areas of campus leadership. IFC as well.

6. Try to have members who live in the residential colleges participate in the college's activities. And when possible, have members serve on the Residential College Councils. These can be excellent areas to recruit from.

7. Get - and keep - the local Sig alumni, (especially the many prominent members of the Murray community), involved with the chapter. Show the campus that the brotherhood lasts beyond college. Once involved, they will naturally help promote the brotherhood.

8. Keep out of trouble and volunteer in the Murray community. When locals talk about fraternities - and they do - they should be saying *good things* about your chapter.

[PhiPsiRuss]

Stop thinking in terms of rush.

Remember this; rush is to recruitment as cramming for a test is to studying for a test. If you want to be successful, burn the rush manuals. Actually, have a retreat where you use the rush manuals as fuel for your bonfire.

Successful recruitment is sales. If you want to be a successful rush chairman, you must be a successful sales manager. That means that the entire chapter has to do the work, and you are the one who manages them. Read a few basic books like "1 Minute Manager" by Ken Blanchard, and any decent random sales book. If the chapter is willing to follow you, and do their share of the work, you'll become the top recruiting chapter at your school.

Also, how long is your pledgeship? If you have a week pledge class, have 2 pledge classes/semester, even if you don't have to. This way you'll structure the concept of year-round recruitment, and incorporate it into your chapter operations and recruitment.

If you do this, you'll soon face another problem. You'll have to figure out how to choose from your surplus of prospects.

ETA most men don't join a fraternity based on reputation, or achievements. They join because they knew someone in that fraternity, and felt comfortable there. Sigma Chi at Murray State needs to make sure that it goes out and acquires the prospects, and then makes friends with them.

[emleepc]

Great advice, PhiPsiRuss!
Rush is continuous, all year lon, wherever you are. There are always potential members around. Wear your letters, be proud of them. Classes are a great way to get to know new guys that might want to join. Be genuine, not just looking to up the numbers, though. It's easy to see through that. Capitalizing on your diversity is great, but sometimes it's good to go with the flow, too. What are the other fraternities at Murray doing that works for them? Try it.
Good luck!

[TSteven]

Some excellent advice here.

I co-sign that recruitment should be year round. I'd also add that good public relations goes hand in hand with good recruitment and should be year round as well.

However, I reread the original post and I am slightly confused as to the reason behind the question.

How would u guys go about getting out on campus for good PR to show these Rushees that your organization is the one to rush?

I am somewhat familiar with not only this chapter but the Murray State Greek system. From what I recall, the Epsilon Tau Chapter does not have issues with either the quality or quantity of their members. So unless things have changed, keep the course and don't worry about what others think. You'll continue to get the quality and the quantity.