By National Recruitment Advisor Barry Mask, Auburn ’79
There seems to be a common thread among our chapters who do very well with recruitment and those who barely get by or struggle. The more successful chapters have a Summer recruitment ( not “rush’ ). Our chapters who depend upon their University/IFC formal recruitment don’t too well for the most part, yes there are a few exceptions. My first rule has always been - do NOT depend upon formal recruitment.
Meeting and finding PNMs (potential new members) over the summer who are coming to your school is the best way to start filling up that funnel well BEFORE school starts. It is just “making friends”. Making that Summer recruitment plan before the Spring semester ends is critical. For those of you who didn’t do that, there’s still time. June and July offer plenty of time to get going. And for those chapters who have deferred recruitment this still applies.
It also applies to those chapters at smaller colleges. I always hear, “Well we only have 6500 students so for us a Fall associate class of 15 is great.” Fine. But what if you could get 10 more guys? By deploying Summer efforts you can.
The PNMs you meet and make friends with over the summer will be looking for you when they move to campus. Plus, those guys also have a higher retention rate once they become associate members. Mostly because they have made ‘’genuine friendships’’ as Zack Woodruff, Auburn ’16, says who was the Recruitment Chairman at Auburn in 2019, setting the National and Auburn University recruitment record of 66 associates in the Fall of 2019 (initiating 59).
Even more reasons to get busy this Summer. Here are some ways to do it. These are not “theories” or “ideas”. Rather they are tried and true tactics of numerous fraternities all over this country. They work, if you do.
1. Assign “Market Chairmen’’
Look at your current membership and see what hometown or area they are from. I bet you can identify 4-6 main markets your guys are from. For us at Auburn , it’s South Alabama and the Gulf Coast, Birmingham, Atlanta, Huntsville, Nashville, and Central Florida. Lately we’ve even had an influx of guys that started a few years back from Chicago and California . Go figure. And they have kept those “pipelines” from those areas running for us. (As a side note I would say when you have PNMs from a state far away and you find them , they are good prospects because they rarely know anyone else at your college and are seeking “friendships”.)
The mission of the Market Chairmen is to call the guys and invite them for lunch, dinner, etc. and plug them in to any events you may have over the summer. Calls – NOT texts, work best.
2. Reach Out to Alumni and Alumni Clubs
Most colleges have alumni clubs in an area. And many hold “Welcome Freshmen” events over the Summer. Go to their event and meet these PNMs. Phi Tau alumni are also good referral sources. Benny Grosser , Kentucky ’19 , is the recruitment chairman there at UK now. He recently emailed his alumni and received over a dozen names and contacts to add to his list.
3. Small Gatherings or Events are better
Our growth has consisted of Summer gatherings like a river float, lake events, sporting clay shoots, Atlanta Braves games, beach trips, Top Golf, etc. These mostly consist of 8-12 brothers and 8-10 PNMS. Do whatever it is that your members like to do. Think about it – five small events where you have met 5-8 new PNMs means you have met and placed in that funnel, 25-40 PNMs you would not have met otherwise. This is how you Win!
There is much more I can share with you. I am always available to talk with you or do a virtual session with you or you recruitment committee. I also do an important session on what I call the “Red Zone” of recruitment which is that period one week before class starts through the first two weeks of class up to your campus’ formal recruitment period. (Again, for gosh sakes get off the formal recruitment trap.)
You can reach me on Instagram @barrymaskotaub1.
