If there’s one thing that can be agreed on regarding Greek life, it’s this…
New members are its lifeblood.
Though Greek fraternities can serve as an ever-growing network of like-minded thinkers, scholars, and athletes, they’re also beasts of organizations—beasts that need to be fed or face death.
No fraternity wants to die out because it couldn’t inspire new members to join.
Nor should it. Our Greek organizations have lasted more than a hundred years and can last for hundreds more. It just takes a little effort to keep the wheel turning.
And that’s where recruiting comes in.
Within IFC fraternities we have Rush Week; a period of heavy recruiting for new members. But in truth, Rush Week is too small a window to inspire the kinds of brothers who aren’t just picking you because you invited them to a party or have the biggest house.
You want talent.
You want good brothers.
You want the exceptional.
And if you take the time to put in “just that little extra,” you may get them by simply being your best self and putting up a few flyers.
Here are 5 IFC Recruitment Tips Every Chapter Needs to Follow.
5. People Follow Leaders
Do you follow other followers? Do you follow people you don’t trust? Or people who have less of a clue than you do?
Of course not.
So, why should an independent individual choose to follow you? What makes you special?
Are you or your brothers leading organizations on campus? Are you leading your council with the highest GPA while also being social with other registered student organizations? Are you going out to volunteer in your community?
Those questions matter because they show initiative to outsiders. They show you aren’t just going to class and back to the frat house to party on the weekend. They show you’re making a real effort to be pillars of your community and campus.
And that’s the kind of image that someone looking to separate one frat from another can stand on. That’s what makes you different and something worth aspiring towards; a recruit that believes he can be a better version of himself through your brotherhood.
4. Effective Marketing Is Essential
Let’s be frank. We live in the Internet age. No freshman is going to come bang your door down unless their Dad is an alumnus and won over his son for you.
But don’t count on it.
Instead, you need to work under the assumption that no one knows who you are.
Post flyers. Be active on social media. Be facey at campus events—and wear your Greek paraphernalia when you do—the point is to put yourself (and your brand) out there.
And bonus—it’s a great way to meet people outside of your habitual circle. So, get out there and mingle. You might make a few new friends.
3. Know Your Tribe
There’s an old saying that goes something like this:
Everything ain’t for everyone.
That means that some people are going to like your fraternity members and what you stand for and some people are going to think you guys are worse than chopped liver.
That’s just the way it goes sometimes, but more importantly, that’s okay.
Because the trap that many fraternities fall into is the idea that casting the largest net is the best plan.
It’s not.
Although casting a wide net on potential brothers may get you more aspirants, it’ll also get you more aspirants you don’t want.
Instead, follow the “quality over quantity” rule and focus on prospects who hold the same values as your chapter. You want to choose the brothers that will join your fraternity as much as they choose you. It should be reciprocal because if you don’t get along, you’re stuck with each other for life.
So, find your tribe. If your chapter is sports focused, look at potential members at the gym or intramural fields. If you’re more studious as a chapter, spend more time at the library.
Just remember: like attracts like.
2. Put Your Best Foot Forward
First impressions only come once, and you never know when, so be prepared. This means keep a clean shirt. Make sure it’s ironed. Brush your teeth in the morning. Take a shower. Keep your hair cut. Trim your beard or mustache. Get to class on time. Take your school work seriously. Stay off your phone. Get your homework done. Raise your hand and engage.
These may sound like no-brainers but let’s be serious:
We’ve all neglected at least one thing on that list one time or another.
And failing in even one of those regards can create a negative impression of you, your chapter, and your fraternity at large.
The goal here is to raise the bar for yourself. Manage yourself—both in appearance and time. And hold yourself to your own highest standard. That’s the kind of self-discipline that’ll take you far, and inspire those around you along the way.
1. Aim to Inspire, Not Convince
This is a big one because the problem with modern recruiting is that it tends to feel like a guy in search of a date for the night. As a fraternity with a remarkable history, a unique culture, and a community of impressive and stalwart brothers, your job isn’t to convince someone to join you.
Your job is to be a community worth joining.
In practice, this means that when you’re doing everything right as a brother and as a chapter on campus, your appeal as a fraternity will be undeniable. And when that happens you won’t have to go out and heavily recruit, you’ll have interested gentlemen coming and finding you.
So, take your chapter GPA seriously. Get involved in your community. Be social with other organizations and wear your letters proudly as you do it. Then have fun. Real fun. Not “me and the brothers are going to just talk to each other” fun, but fun that involves inviting people that you like to things that you care about. Showing them a good time and reveling in the experience.
And that’s the type of leader who sells a doe-eyed freshman on the idea that joining a brotherhood could change his life for the better.
So take charge, and create the type of chapter that can.
If you’d like to learn more about OmegaFi and what we can do for your chapter recruiting
Call 1.800.276.6342 or Contact us directly here.
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