formal recruitment frustration/PR questions

[pinklion10]

Our campus formal recruitment was this past weekend, and of the ten-plus bids we extended, only two accepted.

Thus, we are trying to COB the living daylights out of campus. We're nowhere near total, and other houses are.

So, a few questions: What are some good PR strategies you all suggest? Facebook and flyers look desperate, and unfortunately, and not a lot of us interact with freshmen regularly.
Also, (this might be difficult) - how do we get away from being the "undesireable" house? A lot of girls like us because we're a genuine group of people, but nobody really wants to join a house where the sisters are "genuine."

:\

What do we do?

[skylark]

Okay, with all of your info in your signature (and elsewhere on GC) I would definitely not put all this up on a public forum. Don't assume a PNM isn't going to google before joining in this day and age... this WILL show up (5 years from now, even) and could seriously hurt your chapter.

I purposely didn't quote your post because I strongly suggest an edit (delete everything in paragraphs 1 and 3 for starters).

[nittanyalum]

Co-sign!!! I wondered what the heck she thought she'd accomplish with all that info. out there too. Not exactly the best marketing/p.r. campaign.


ETA: Aren't there alums or advisers or something they could turn to first, too? Why would the first step be putting your chapter's business on blast on a big public forum? Or how about PM'ing someone in the Phi Mu forum?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by pinklion10

So, a few questions: What are some good PR strategies you all suggest? Facebook and flyers look desperate, and unfortunately, and not a lot of us interact with freshmen regularly.
Also, (this might be difficult) - how do we get away from being the "undesireable" house? A lot of girls like us because we're a genuine group of people, but nobody really wants to join a house where the sisters are "genuine."

:\

What do we do?

You are correct about Facebook & flyers. Do not, do not, DO NOT do this.

You get away from being the undesireable house by not accepting crappy people!! It's one thing to pledge a girl who's awesome personality wise but not the most attractive, but the things you mentioned (bad rep and bad grades) should NOT be overlooked. They will only drag you down.

Some people feel guilty when they vote no on someone. DON'T!! You wouldn't eat a meal that's not what you ordered - you wouldn't buy a sweater that doesn't fit you - when it comes to something infinitely more important - who deserves to carry the name of your beloved sorority - WHY would you feel guilty? If that's part of the problem, stop it.

Every sister should be participating in another activity other than the sorority - preferably one that attracts all age groups. This will help you meet freshmen.

Eat in the cafeteria wearing letters on a regular basis. Again, this will help you be seen by and meet freshmen.

ETA: I understand what y'all are saying above, but at a small college (which this is) I'm guessing pretty much all of this is public info anyway. And sometimes alums and advisors are less than helpful.

ETFA: Take the mission statement off of your webpage. Women don't join sororities because of mission statements. (Sorry if I sound bitchy, but these things are just a peeve of mine)

[fantASTic]

I know people from your chapter...and they are GREAT girls! So be happy with that. I would love to have Phi Mu on my campus, because YOUR chapter impressed me so much [or at least the individuals I've met]. So...take that as a good sign. Check your PMs.

[skylark]

Here is my advice:

1. Edit your post before someone quotes you and it is here to stay.

2. Start doing things that will put you in a position to interact with freshman and sophomores. Don't just assume that because you're not in classes with them that there aren't other ways. Go to campus events as a group, encourage members to join (and make friends in) other clubs. Basically, you have to make the act of making friends outside your close-nit sorority priority #1. Make friends with women without talking to them about (or expecting them to join) your sorority. Introduce them to your sisters and do some group things. You'll be surprised how many will bring the subject up TO YOU.

3. Play up genuine. Don't assume it isn't desirable... who wants fake sisters? I've seen it work fabulously as a strategy in COB, especially, as long as its actually true.

[skylark]

Originally Posted by 33girl

ETFA: Take the mission statement off of your webpage. Women don't join sororities because of mission statements. (Sorry if I sound bitchy, but these things are just a peeve of mine)

Hey, I don't know if this is Phi Mu's policy, but I know that my HQs require our webpages to have the mission statement on the home page. Yeah, it is dumb, but sometimes its up there because someone else made the decision to be dumb.

[Ole Miss Phi Mu]

Ditto to what everyone else has said. Wear your letters EVERYWHERE! Class, the cafeteria, around campus. Another thing is try to have everyone get involved in one club on campus. I took a look at your chapter website, and I am impressed. I loved how y'all had everyones favorite memory on the member page. It seems like y'all are a really close group of girls and I would make sure that pnms know that. Good luck!

[1Hand1Heart]

Here's a thought:

1.) First, if you are going to "shame" (yes, I said SHAME) your chapter by airing their dirty laundry on a public forum-the least you could do is take your school and chapter information out of the mix....

2.) Hmmmm....let's see....you could only be one of about seven people in your chapter because after looking at the website and seeing the people who are members of both an NPC and music sorority-it's pretty easy to figure it out.....but, wait-there's more!!!

3.) If someone goes to look at your past few posts-they can see that during a "roll-call" you gave up ALL of your information to include your first name (one of the seven people I deduced earlier).....Gee-you wouldn't happen to be a Biology and Music (General) major who is also involved in College Democrats-would you? Yeah-I didn't even go to your university and I know who you are-so, maybe you could learn how to READ and take the advice of everyone on here by getting that info out of your signature.....

4.) As an Alum, I'm pretty embarassed that you would come on here (asking for help) with all your info in your signature....Don't you think PNMs look at that stuff? Don't you assume that somebody, somewhere is going to see you with your "We suck-nobody wants us" attitude and run with it during recruitment?!?!?

I'm pretty perplexed as to how you have no qualms about pretty much telling the whole world that your chapter ----- is doing horrible at ------ University.....For someone smart enough to study biology and want to be a research biologist sepcializing in epidemics and diseases-you think you'd be a tad bit smarter than that....right???

Do the rest of your sisters (at your campus-and others) and don't ask for anymore "help" on Greek Chat unless it's in your own GLO specific thread...I'm embarrassed and disgusted you felt the need to even come on here in the first place.....Maybe someone should have a talk with your president about the members making the chapter look bad on a public chat forum.....

[shadowyi]

Eh. ^ I think you were way too harsh. I'm pretty sure she got the point that she was too indiscriminate in the previous seven posts. So she made a mistake, frustration is enough to make anyone spew out too much info. Cut her some slack. Besides, by the time you'd replied, she'd already edited out the chapter/person specific info.

[edit] Oh, my bad about the personal info. That's one bit of silliness OP has yet to change.

[1Hand1Heart]

Still-it really made our org. look bad...She also started another post (same info in her sig and all) saying the same exact thing-just wording it different.....For someone in college-she should be smart enough not to do stupid stuff like that...it's kinda hard to cut someone slack when they are making a mockery of your national org. I'm pretty appalled she would do something like that on a greek forum.

[Stef the Pef]

All good organizations have some chapters who struggle to make quota. Maybe the OP didn't know not to post all of that out here.

I didn't see the original post, but saying she's making a "mockery" of your org is silly. There's no nice or easy way to discuss low numbers and I appreciate her honesty in trying to reach out for help.

In the future, I do hope she uses more discretion in doing so (private messages were made for things like that), but oh well. Since she's edited out some of her personal info, editing out the part where you found who exactly she was might be a good idea, too.

[nittanyalum]

Stef, I finally deciphered your signature line and I LOVE it.

I agree that 1Hand1Heart should edit some of her stalker-ish/intimidation post, that too should probably have only been aired in the PM-world.

And OP, your Roll Call post contains ALL of your personal info. You might consider either serious edits to that, or some revisions to your other posts to be more discreet on one side or the other.

[Stef the Pef]

<off-topic> Aw, thanks. I love me some Monty Python. </off-topic>

[33girl]

Originally Posted by 1Hand1Heart

Do the rest of your sisters (at your campus-and others) and don't ask for anymore "help" on Greek Chat unless it's in your own GLO specific thread.

Hey Mensa,

Even if she puts in in the org-specific forum on GC, everyone can still read it and comment on it.

And like I said, the school she's at is small enough that I doubt any of what she posted is a state secret. Maybe she HAS gone to the advisors, nationals, and everyone else and gotten no concrete help. It does happen.

Your raking a sister over the coals in public looks a LOT worse than her requests for help. After all, she's trying to keep her chapter open, you're...what? Upset about your sorority looking bad?