An op-ed by By Taylor Johnson, Auburn ’15 - National Recruitment Advisor
Beta Omicron Chapter at University of Maryland welcoming in their new members.
All the numbers from our chapters fall recruitment efforts are coming in. We are mid-semester now and recruitment is largely over except for our chapters on deferred recruitment. If you’re going to grow, you must not depend on formal recruitment. Repeat it softly – “Do not depend on formal recruitment”.
Formal recruitment primarily consists of the final moments in which students make their ultimate decision, meaning the relationships and recruitment should have already occurred, this just finalizes it. Whether you had a good recruitment or want to improve, there is a way to get more potential new members (PNMs) before the semester ends. But it takes a change in mindset and planning. As others and myself have often stated, a great recruitment success lifts all areas of a chapter’s operations; it’s the lifeblood of the operation.
Start with your existing associates, whether you have 8, 10, or 25 – they are your best asset; the lead generator. Ask and empower them to “make friends” with other guys in their class or other student organizations or even in intramural games. Get them to invite PNMs over to their apartment or dorm or wherever it is you hang out. If you serve lunch or dinner at your house—invite them. Be sure to introduce them to everyone.
Brothers from Epsilon Sigma Chapter at Chapman attending a Pumpkin Carving Event. Existing social events are a great way to bring new people around.
Use your existing social events as recruitment events. Also, utilize already scheduled university events and go there. Wear your letters. Strike up a conversation with some guys. Again, just make friends with your fellow students. Doing a philanthropy fundraiser? Get PNMs contact information or Instagram accounts and invite them. Having a cookout or playing basketball in the backyard? Invite them. Going bowling or shooting clays? Invite them. Provide an incentive for your brothers on current associate class members to bring a PNM.
As you can see, these are things you are probably doing anyways. But you must get in that recruitment mindset and make an organized effort to do it. Get the names and contact info. Help direct your members into a plan of action; it all centers on a concrete plan. Start this week with your chapter meetings and your new member meetings. The concept here is to meet PNMs well before the “Formal Recruitment” week at the first of the spring semester.
Before your final exams, or holiday break, let the PNMs—whom you like, know that you are interested in them and pre-close them before the semester ends and send them home with some information to run by the parents over the holidays. That way they are primed to accept a bid when they get back! Imagine coming back to school in January with 6, 10, or 15 guys ready to accept their bid. That’s a lot better than coming back to campus and starting with nothing and waiting upon formal recruitment to start.
I have seen this work for many years at my own chapter. It works. You can do it too!
I’m always here for you! A lot of times recruitment information is best conveyed personally, taking into account the unique circumstances of your individual location. For these reasons, I am always available for personal phone calls so that may provide you everything that you need! Please contact me at: tayloraustinjohnson@gmail.com