women's 5 ways

Phired Up Free Resource

Five Ways, Ideas & Examples to Generate Names

Helping Fraternities and Sororities Grow.

Referrals

Results Producing Activity: Mind Joggers

Description: Use the Mind Joggers activity found in the “I Heart Recruitment” workbook or on the Phired Up website to generate an initial list of hundreds of women who represent the non-Greek women that you know. Do this activity at least once every semester. How to:

1. Write down every unaffiliated woman that you know. 2. DO NOT PREJUDGE ANYONE. 3. You may have about 10-20 women right now, which is a great start! We

want to jog your mind a little bit, dig deeper and see who else we can add to the names list! The examples below should ignite the spark and help you drive some more names on your list.

Think of women who...

• Lived in your freshman residence hall • Spend their time in the library • Work with you • You’ve seen at the gym • Are an officer for another group on campus • Have good manners • Are leaders on campus • Value family and friends • Exemplify pride in your school • Sit with you or by you at lunch / dinner • Have traveled abroad • Released from formal recruitment • Have traveled abroad • Are in the same clubs / organizations as you • Make you laugh

Check the following resources:

• Your cell phone • Campus directory • Facebook friends • Rosters for clubs / organizations • Sports teams rosters




Referrals

Results Producing Activity: Ask the Rest to Find the Best!

Description: Every person you interact with on campus is connected to literally hundreds of other people. If you want to find the best women on campus to have a chance to recruit, start with asking everyone you see: “I’m trying to meet the best women on campus, who should I know?” Ask this question to:

• Professors • Residence Assistants • Tutors • Student life staff members • Student organization leaders • Student Government Leaders • Service Organization Leaders • Honor College Students • Desk workers • Groups of students in the dining hall • The person sitting next to you in class • Orientation leaders • Administrators • The girl making your coffee at Starbucks • Students in your study groups • Students together in the student union • The guy/girl swiping student id’s at the gym • Student tour guides




Referrals

Results Producing Activity: Talking with Faculty and Administration

Description: In a 1-on-1 conversation, ask professors or administrators for recommendations of women they consider to be leaders, scholars, and well-respected students. You’ll be surprised at the number of amazing women you’ll get information for that may have never considered joining a sorority! The magic is in how you present your request. Here is a sample script:

“Dr. Jones, I am working with a group of student leaders to improve the quality of sororities on our campus. We think we can change the behaviors and image of Greek life by improving the level of women we target for membership. We want a higher quality student. We’re missing out on some of the best leaders on campus and good women are missing out on the resources that sororities offer. Would you share with us the names of several of your top students, especially those who show signs of leadership? Also, may we make a 60 second announcement at the beginning of tomorrow’s seminar to share this opportunity with others in our class?”

Sometimes, bringing a small piece of candy or other incentive will help the class open up!




Referrals

Results Producing Activity: Fraternity Referrals

Description: Contact every fraternity on your campus via IFC or the Fraternity and Sorority Life Office. Request a few minutes at the beginning or end of their chapter meeting to make a brief presentation and request for help in finding names of high quality non-Greek women. Take 1-2 sisters with you and dress for success. Consider bringing a gift or token of appreciation, as well as note cards and pens for every man in the room to write their referrals down on. Make sure to collect your cards while you are present instead of at a later date to ensure the highest probability of success. Sample Script:

“Thank you for allowing us to come speak for a few minutes of your chapter meeting! My name is Jessica and this is Colleen, and we are proud members of ABC sorority. We’re here because we believe that campus fraternities like XYZ deserve to have sorority women that better represent what it means to be in a sorority – the values that we stand for and pledge ourselves to. Colleen & I are proud to be Greek, and our sorority is taking the lead to involve more high quality women in the Greek community. This is where we need your help. Colleen has given everyone in the room a note card and pen. We knew the best place to start looking for women who are leaders, academically driven, and genuine friends was right here with you. If you would please take a minute or two to write down the names of women you know that are not in a sorority that could help us improve the quality of our sororities on campus, we would really appreciate it. If you would then pull out your cell phone and give us contact information, for each woman, then pass the card forward. Thank you again for your time and help this evening! Colleen and I will leave our contact information with your president. If you think of other women that we should know about, please call or e-mail us. We’re looking forward to seeing you all on campus.”




Referrals

Results Producing Activity: Alumnae Family and Friends

Description: An annual or semi-annual appeal to your alumnae for recommendations of incoming freshmen is often highly effective for established chapters. However, it may take several years to cultivate the alumnae list and/or train them to trust their referrals to the chapter. Once you’ve got a strong base of alumnae, recommendations typically pay off in the end. Be sure to invite them to other events within your chapter as well; don’t only contact them for recruitment needs! Many National Organizations have alumnae groups in large metropolitan areas, so if you’re near one you should contact them for referrals as well. The same thing should be done to family and friends of women in the chapter as well as family of recent graduates. Remember to plan for proper follow up. People love receiving updates to let them know the status of their referral in the recruitment process. We love to feel that we made a difference. Let them know you are using their referrals and they will continue to provide you with names. A simple thank you note or appreciation letter will go a long way. Example:

Dear ___________, Thank you so much for your recommendation to ABC sorority. We are so lucky to have dedicated alumnae such as you in our organization. Your opinion and insight for our chapter is extremely beneficial and we hope you continue to support ABC. We will let you know our recruitment success soon! Thanks again!




Referrals

Results Producing Activity: Old Recruitment Lists

Description: Contact your Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life or your Panhellenic executive board. They should have the recruitment lists from the past years available for you. Ask for a copy of the list. If they can sort out women that did not join groups, even better! Make an effort to contact these women and see if they are still interested in joining an organization and making a difference. When meeting with the women, do not push your organization on to them. Ask them why they didn’t feel comfortable joining an organization, and then proceed accordingly. Make sure that while you’re talking with them that your conversation stays within the boundaries set forth by your Panhellenic council, especially if you’re meeting with potentials during formal recruitment season and encouraging them to sign up. If the potential feels nervous about recruitment, find out what her previous experience was with the process. To help combat her fear, one strategy that we use at Phired Up is “Feel-Felt-Found”. Let potential women know that you understand how they feel, because at one time you felt the same way, but over time you found that joining a sorority was one of the best decisions you’ve ever made! Keep inviting these women to other small activities and meetings with you and your sisters so that they continue getting comfortable with the process and other women in your chapter!




Referrals

Results Producing Activity: First Year Student Services

Description: Consider these sources for referrals:

- Admissions Counselors - Resident Assistants & Residence Life Staff - Multicultural Affairs Office - Orientation Offices - Student Life Office

What you can say...

”My sisters and I are looking to change the concept of Greek Life on this campus. We’re tired of the stereotypes that are out there – they don’t represent what our values are at all. Are there any first-year students you've seen that are obviously going to be outstanding leaders on campus? I'd like to talk with them – no pressure – about changing the Fraternity and Sorority community. My organization really respects and appreciates your honesty and commitment."




Referrals

Results Producing Activity: “Haters”

Description: Do you have anti-Greek people on your campus? Yes, of course you do! Did you know that they can be one of the best groups to from which to get referrals? As long as you don’t bombard them with twenty of your closest sisters, things should go well. Here’s a sample of what to say:

"I know you aren't really a fan of the sororities here. I'm embarrassed sometimes by what has been done, but I also know what we could be if we had the right people to lead us there. I'm sure you can relate to values like academic success, truth, friendship, and service to the community, right? Well, that's what we're supposed to be about, and I'm working on creating that reality within at least one sorority here. Can you think of anyone who might be interested in talking with me about how to change the image of sorority life on this campus? I'd love to talk with them.”

In talking with these people, you may gain a new perspective on why people aren’t too fond of sorority life. You may even find a new member out of it. Talking through issues and truly listening to people can make a huge difference. Do you and your sisters have the courage to talk to the “haters”?




Referrals

Results Producing Activity: Online Referrals

Description: Make it easy for your members to refer potential new members! Google docs is a great way to utilize technology and keep things simple for your sisters. Check out the Free Resources section of our website for an example of this. Feel free to embed your names list into a form so that sisters, new members, and potentials can input information themselves. You can also make sure that your chapter’s website is up to date and has a spot for referrals as well. Many parents and perspective students check things out online before even stepping foot on campus. Before you do this, check with your Panhellenic to make sure that this fits within the guidelines on your campus. Many National Organizations have a spot for referrals on their website. Utilize this and check with your chapter consultants to see how to gain the referral information as it comes in to the National Office.




Referrals

Results Producing Activity: High School Teachers & Counselors

Description: You've probably got some great relationships with past teachers, guidance counselors, or administrators from your high school. They already know which women are coming to your school this/next year, and if you ask the right way they might let you in on that important information. Then you can call those new students from your high school to welcome them to campus and show them around. Consider asking your past high school connections something like this:

"Ms. Johnson, I really appreciated all the guidance and support you gave me as I was making the transition from high school to college. I don't know if you have heard, but things are going great and I've really found a way to stay focused on academics but also really enhance my leadership responsibilities – through my sorority. Are there any students from our school coming to my university next year? I'd love to show them around campus and just welcome them. In fact, one thing our sorority does is help parents and new students during move-in. I'd love to call any students you know of from our school and offer that help beforehand. I'll even buy them lunch!"

Bonus Tip: Ask your university’s admissions office for a list of the “top 10 feeder high schools” that send students to your university.




Referrals

Results Producing Activity: Panhellenic Sharing

Description: If you have access to this year’s Panhellenic list of women who didn’t affiliate after formal recruitment, that's fabulous. If you can get last years list that's golden, too. However, this idea is more creative than that. Try asking the leaders of other sororities, "Who are the women you'd most like to recruit, but they refused ... girls that you respect but would never join a sorority?" There’s nothing wrong with a little Panhellenic sharing. For the chapters who are recruiting outside of formal recruitment, this is a great way to spread the names of interested potential new members to all chapters so that the PNM has the best chance of joining the sorority that is the best fit for her. So go ahead, do a little Panhellenic sharing!




Member Positioning

Results Producing Activity: Rebuild a Student Group

Description: Most campuses have hundreds of student organizations. Many of these student groups are on the brink of extinction because they lack the membership and/or leadership to sustain themselves. This is an opportunity for your sorority to step in and revive the student organization by plugging in several of its own members. In addition to the service you are providing to this student group, you are creating a pipeline for membership into the sorority community. Every woman that joins the student group is added to your Names List. Often, women who would never consider being part of a sorority will join these student groups. They meet several of the members (your sisters) and build a friendship. That friendship often develops into interest in the sorority.




Member Positioning

Results Producing Activity: Resource Center

Description: A great way to serve the community and gather names of potential new members is to run a resource center on campus. Consider working with your Dean of Students or Student Life Office to create a resource center that meets the needs of students on campus. Maybe you could set up shop (table, booth, or office) with educational materials and networking resources for one of the following needs of students:

• Women's Health Needs • Campus Involvement Clearinghouse • Environmental Conservation Information and Opportunities • Campus Social Scene (What's Going On When?) • Textbook Exchange • Etc.




Member Positioning

Results Producing Activity: 100% Sisterhood Involvement

Description: A requirement of membership should include leadership in at least one other student organization outside of the sorority. Not only does this help to instill a valuable trait in your members, but it also helps you to meet other women who aren’t yet involved in a sorority! In order to continue developing the leadership skills in the women of your chapter, 100% of your membership should be involved in another student group. In addition to being known as the sorority that campus leaders join, you will have access to dozens of organizations’ meetings and rosters. Use this information to build your names list. Bonus Tip: To help keep this focused and “results producing,” identify up to 20 student groups that typically attract the highest caliber non-Greek women on campus. You might consider making membership in at least 1 of these groups mandatory for your members and new members.




Member Positioning

Results Producing Activity: Select Organizations

Description: Similar to a Mind Jogger activity, every school has a unique top tier of student organizations that cultivate leaders who are most likely candidates for your membership. Your members should be part of these groups and recruiting from these groups. This is a great way to meet more women and continue adding new names to your names list! Examples:

• Student Government • Residence Life • Admissions & Orientation Teams • Recreation Center Team Leaders • Student Councils • Community-based Groups • Religious Clubs • Activities Boards • Large project leadership teams • Honor Societies • Dance Marathon/Service Teams • Programming Boards • Political Organizations




Member Positioning

Results Producing Activity: On-Campus Employment

Description: Member positioning is really about putting your members in positions of access to and influence over prospective members. There are jobs on campus where you can do these things while also getting paid for it! Consider encouraging your members to look into these employment opportunities:

• Scanning ID Cards at the Gym • Scanning ID Cards at the Cafeteria • Student Newspaper Reporter • Freshman Seminar Teaching Assistant • Freshman Dorm Front Desk Worker • Resident Assistant • Orientation Leader

A great standard to have is that a minimum of 20% of the chapter members should intentionally be involved as a leader with orientation, residence life, alumni, or admissions. Not only does this add names to your sorority’s names list, but it also puts extra cash into your member’s wallets!




Member Positioning

Results Producing Activity: Targeted Campus Programs and Programming

Description: Does your sorority have a brand? The “academic” sorority? The “leadership” sorority? If you want to create your own brand like that, consider hosting campus-wide programs that are specific to your particular values. What program can you put on for the campus (and maybe don't attach your name to it) that will attract the type of women you want? Examples:

• The National Panhellenic Council provides different programming themes for each month such as National Eating Disorder Awareness month. Provide an informational table in your student union to promote facts or information about the theme!

• Partner up with your student programming board on campus to provide a study break during finals week or bring a fun speaker to campus

• Utilize your campus services director to provide a study skills seminar to first year students on campus

• Organize a campus pep rally with your athletic department.




Member Positioning

Results Producing Activity: 3-to-7

Description: Write “3-to-7′′ on the back of your hand. Post it on the inside of the front door of the chapter house. Put up a sign in the bathroom stalls of your house. Whatever you need to do, every woman in your chapter should make this commitment:

1. Show up 3-7 minutes early for every class. 2. Sit in rows 3-7. 3. Make 3-7 new friends in those classes during the first week.

Here's how and why it works: 1. Arriving more than 7 minutes early means you won't have your pick of potential new members to sit next to. Be strategic about who you sit near. Showing up later than 3 minutes early means the best seats will be taken, or you may be forced to sit near the back of the room because class has already started. 2. Research shows that top academic performers sit in the rows closest to the front of the class ... but not necessarily the first 1-2 rows. If you want to position yourself as a smart cookie and associate yourself with other top performers, take a seat in the section where top performers congregate: rows 3-7. 3. You just showed up early and you know that you are sitting next to a top performer. It's time to make a new friend! Do that with 3-7 people in each of the 3-7 classes that you're taking this semester. Multiply that effort times the number of women in your chapter.

Remember, 3-to-7!




Member Positioning

Results Producing Activity: Secret Agent Recruiting

Description: Recent studies prove that women make better spies then men do! Take advantage of this and position you with 3 to 5 other high performing, socially excellent sisters in a student union, lounge, library, dining area or coffee shop (anywhere that lots of students are spending time). Practice your espionage skills! Say this to your 3-5 other sisters in a hushed tone: “Pretend you're a secret agent. Take the next 10 minutes to hang around inside this busy student union. One way or another, strike up a conversation with someone — ANYONE. If you can, get their name and contact information, and then meet back here in 10 minutes.” Challenge your sisters to covert, spy vs. spy games. See who can get more phone numbers in one afternoon. See who can get the whole class engaged in conversation first. See who can get people to donate money to charity fastest — all through one-on-one casual conversations — hone and refine your skills. Bonus: Go to job fairs, military recruiting events, non-Greek student organization recruitment-type events, and enjoy — but watch and learn while you're there. See how the best recruiters on campus do it and then borrow their techniques.




Member Positioning

Results Producing Activity: Partnership With the School

Description: Your school hosts activities for incoming freshmen and prospective students throughout the summer. Create a partnership opportunity with one that already exists.

• Orientation Leaders • Campus Tour Guides • Hosting Overnight Guests • On Campus Activities • Admissions Meetings

Though it may not be possible to promote your sorority at many of these school-sponsored events due to school or Panhellenic regulations, it’s certainly encouraged to build friendships and network with the incoming women who attend. Let your face be the first one she associates with being a “friend” on campus.




Member Positioning

Results Producing Activity:

Fairs and Conferences

Description: Some sororities find success in working information tables at summer conferences and fairs that attract student leaders. Similarly, they will make sure they have a presence at university-hosted conferences where future students/members might attend. If you are unable to have a table or the event doesn’t call for one, be sure to volunteer at conferences and fairs. The organizers will appreciate your help and remember your organization as a reliable and hardworking group! Don’t forget that when you’re hosting a table, you’ll be much more effective if you stand in front and greet people rather than sitting behind the table waiting for them to come to you. If possible, you should be standing up and shaking as many hands as possible!




Member Positioning

Results Producing Activity: Shadowing

Description: Many colleges offer opportunities for pre-freshmen to spend a day or two on campus “shadowing” a current student. This gives the potential student a better idea of what a day in the life of a student at your school is actually like. You let them see where you live, meet your friends, go the class with you, eat together on campus, etc. Spring is the most popular time of the year for these visits. Get as many of your members as possible involved in these “shadowing” opportunities. Of course, this is not a time to hassle women or push your sorority onto them – use this opportunity to explain the benefits of being involved in Greek life and answer any questions they may have. Women in your sorority are already role models for other women on campus, so encourage your members to step up and be a friendly face and future role model to your future classmates.




Member Positioning

Results Producing Activity: Social Networking Media

Description: The Internet offers priceless networking opportunities with sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Use these to your advantage! Work with your Panhellenic to make sure that members in your organization are using these media outlets in a positive way and posting things that are a positive reflection of your sorority while still falling within the recruitment rules set for the community. A great idea for chapters and councils is to have a media policy contract that all members sign. In this contract, you should outline what is and isn’t appropriate for your members to be posting on such social networking sites. Remember that for people outside of your school and Greek community, this is the image you are sending about your organization. Make sure pictures, comments, status updates, interests, or anything else you post about yourself is respectable and reflective of your organization. It may seem like extra work to have officers checking these sites, but remind your women about the pride you all should have in your organization and about the positive ways you can display your strong sisterhood through your social media pages. Bonus Idea: Use your chapter’s Facebook and Twitter accounts to not only share information about your organization, but to be the information hub of campus. Post information about athletic games, campus events, service projects, and other goings-on around campus. Be a resource for other students – then they’ll want to follow you/like your page!




Names Drives

Results Producing Activity: Move-In and Out Days

Description: During a designated day/weekend, most freshmen move in to the dorms. They need help with directions and heavy boxes. While you may not always be able to lift all of the extremely heavy things, you can still help! Before you leave the dorms for the day, give the ladies you helped your contact information and ask them for theirs so you can let each woman know inside information on what’s going on this week on campus. Make sure that you aren’t pushing your sorority. This is a stressful time for freshmen and their parents, so be helpful, curious, authentic, and cheerful to show them what a great group sorority women really are! But don’t think that you can only do this once a year! At the end of the semester, everyone leaves during the same 3-4 day period. However, the swarm of helpers is nowhere to be found. This is a great opportunity for your sorority to offer free boxes collected over the past week from area businesses. A sticker on the box can announce the summer and fall recruitment schedule, or promote something for your philanthropic cause. Note: Some Panhellenic regulations may not allow you to contact potential new members before recruitment time. If you can’t text / call / friend her on Facebook during this time, be sure to remember her name and make an effort to talk with her if you see her on campus!




Names Drives

Results Producing Activity: Information Tables

Description: Information tables are a common way for organizations to share general information about themselves with the public, and to solicit new people for membership. Sororities will show up for mandatory Panhellenic tables or Fraternity and Sorority days, but rarely take advantage of the times when student leaders are out in full force, such as Activities Fairs, Student Involvement Days, Orientation, the cafeteria during the first week of class, and all of the other great opportunities that happen on campus every day. Try a survey, passing out information about how to get involved with your organization’s philanthropy, or offer something free like coffee, donuts, or hot chocolate. Don’t have an “info table,” have a table that offers something of value to everyone that walks by. For a “cheat sheet” of best practices for tabling visit the “free resources” page of the Phired Up website here.




Names Drives

Results Producing Activity: Reverse Tabling

Description: Information tables are a common way for organizations to share general information about themselves with the public, and to solicit new people for membership. Most groups that show up to table will focus solely on who is coming to talk to them. What they don’t realize is that you are at an event on campus where the top student leaders for almost every student organization are in attendance. Instead of focusing on who is coming to your table, be a participant and walk around to the other organizations’ tables. Meet the people sitting behind their tables, learn about their organizations, discuss potential partnerships, and meet all the leaders. They are a captive audience; They are waiting for someone to come talk to them! For a “cheat sheet” of best practices for tabling visit the “free resources” page of the Phired Up website here.




Names Drives

Results Producing Activity: 5 For 5

Description: 5 for 5 is a challenge, and it’s simple: meet 5 new women a day for 5 days. That’s it. For those of you who aren’t good at math, that’s 25 new women that you can add to your names list per participant. If 4 other sisters in your sorority do this, that’s 125 more women that you’ve met in just one week! How many of your formal recruitment events have ended in conversations with over 100 women? Not many. But the 5 for 5 challenge will work if you do.




Names Drives

Results Producing Activity: Chunking

Description: During small activities and 1-on-1 meetings (coffee is awesome for this with potential new members), it’s ideal to close by asking them to share names and numbers of the people in their social network that they consider top notch. We always want to be growing our social network and building our names list. Ideally, you want to get 3-5+ additional names of women at a meeting or up to 10+ from someone that’s showing a high level of interest. Every new relationship is a gatekeeper to dozens of potential new sisters! It can be a little awkward to ask someone having coffee with you to write down 10 names and numbers of their friends. So, we use a technique called “chunking” along with a series of intentional questions to make sure they feel great about recommending their friends. Chunking is the process of getting to a lot of referrals by asking several times in the same sitting for smaller ‘chunks’ of leads. Start by asking the potential if she’d be comfortable sharing the names of two or three other individuals who she considers the best of the best. After she shares these names, continue asking her to think of two more people who are similar to the women she just named. Finally before you end the conversation, see if she can name 3-5 more high caliber women. Ask permission from the potential to get their contact information and set up new small activities. Repeat the process with each new woman you meet and continue chunking and adding new leads to your names list!




Names Drives

Results Producing Activity: Free Hugs!

Description: This one is easy and fun! Find a place on campus where there are lots of people. Pick a time of day when you know you’ll have lots of people to meet. Bring some of your sisters with you. Now, all you’ve got to do is spread some positive energy. This energy should be genuine. It should be intentional. Brighten other people’s day by giving them a big smile. By inviting them to a fun activity on campus. By offering them a free hug. Seriously, who wouldn’t like their day enhanced by getting a free hug? And from a beautiful, confident, and intelligent sorority woman, nonetheless. After you’ve gotten the chance to make someone smile, try to have a conversation with him or her. Get to know them on a personal level. Make a new friend. Set up a time to meet up again. If you can help yourself and your members get better at talking to people and just being nice, we guarantee that you’ll see enhanced recruitment results.




Names Drives

Results Producing Activity: Recruitment Scholarship

Description: As a chapter or as a council, offer a scholarship ($300-$500 is fine) to all non-Greek women or incoming first-year students. Distribute scholarship applications far and wide – an online application would be perfect for students not on campus. Once you have collected the scholarship applications, which should include name/contact info of all applicants, consider interviews for top applicants. Give away one scholarship to a deserving young woman. Many chapters take on this great initiative, but fail to maximize it because they simply mail out the applications to all incoming freshmen. However, the scholarship application isn't the most important part – use the lure of free money as an icebreaker to start meaningful conversations with the strangers you're giving the applications to. One thing to be careful about is where the funding for the scholarship comes from. Some women in your chapter may be weary of funding this, so be sure to discuss this with them and explain to them the potential that this has to help both your sorority and a woman in need of funding for school. Something unique about offering a scholarship is that you get to pick who is deserving of it. This is a stellar opportunity to have a values-based discussion about what you are looking for in potential members. Check out a Free Resource to create your own scholarship application here.




Names Drives

Results Producing Activity: Scouting

Description: Top corporations and sports teams do not wait for their best players to call them. They actively scout talent in their sector and approach talented individuals to help lead their team. The same is true of top sororities and Panhellenic communities. Do you have a scouting report that lists the top leaders, scholars, and volunteers on your campus? Encourage your sorority leaders or Panhellenic to create a “scouting report” of these top unaffiliated women and do your best to maintain communication that allows them to get to know women in the sorority community by building new friendships. This is NOT an opportunity for dirty rushing by sororities, but is instead a way for the community to work together to recruit the best students to share in the sorority experience!




Names Drives

Results Producing Activity: Scavenger Hunting For Names

Description: This tool is a scavenger hunt for one thing and one thing only.... NAMES! Grow your names list with a multi-day or recruitment workshop challenge for your members. Attach a prize to the end, and ~voila~ you've got a fun way to grow your names list and teach your women how to have a casual, fun conversation at the same time! Gather names and contact information of non-Greek women on or around campus by fulfilling as many of these challenges as possible. Use the challenges to start deeper, friendly conversations, then record whom you had these conversations with...

• Talk to 1 person about how heavy their bag looks • Talk to 2 people about the smell in here • Talk to 3 people about the weather this week • Ask 1 person where they got their shoes • Ask 2 people how long they've been waiting here • Ask 3 people why the Turkey isn't the national bird • High Five 1 person because of your good grade • High Five 2 people because you both love Grey’s Anatomy • High Five 3 people because of their hard work

The content of your scavenger hunt doesn't really matter — as long as you're using it as an opportunity/excuse to go out and interact with new people. These ridiculous challenges offer an opportunity to start a conversation with someone you just met — which then gives you a chance to add their name to your names list — which then gives you a chance to recruit them. Important: Don't force/strongly encourage your members or new members to do this. If you make your member or new members do this, you’ll get in big trouble for hazing — don't be silly. This should be used as a practical, fun, light-hearted way to get to know more people and grow your names list. We repeat, don't be silly and don’t force your members to do something they don’t want to do.




Names Drives

Results Producing Activity: The Perfect Recruitment Shirt

Description: For most fraternity/sorority communities your primary target audience is incoming first-year students, especially during the first few weeks of the fall semester. If you believe in the Dynamic Recruitment principles taught by Phired Up Productions, you know that your first task should be to MEET as many of those people in your target audience as possible, because you can't recruit who you don't know. We all know how important t-shirts are to sorority women. Imagine a recruitment t-shirt that made it easier for your members to meet stranger. Now, imagine this simple design...

• Bright colored shirt (red, yellow, orange, pink, anything neon) • Your university logo at the bottom • Really big, in block letters, on the front and back, these words...

“I CAN HELP!” Since you and your sisters are involved, knowledgeable, older students who would like to be as helpful as possible to first-year students during their first few weeks... BE HELPFUL! Be the chapter that chooses to truly provide service to your community by being the unofficial campus tour guides, information centers, bookstore assistants, inside-information-sources, move-in-day-lifters, social network builders. But whatever you do, actually be helpful. Wear these t-shirts and go up to everyone you see on campus all day long and say, “Can I help with anything? How about we go find your classes together? Can I give you a tour of the library? Would you like to know some secret shortcuts around campus? Can I introduce you to some campus leaders? I’d love to recommend some student organizations for you to be a part of, what would you like to get out of your college experience?” The “I Can Help” t-shirt opens the door to conversation and encourages your members to be the charitable, kind, helpful student leaders you've pledged to be... While this can be a stellar public relations move and a great way to make an impact on new students, make sure you are abiding by recruitment rules set by your Panhellenic council and National Organization.




Marketing For Names

Results Producing Activity: Service Projects

Description: Most chapters are doing service projects throughout the year, but your sorority can be the chapter to do one right as students get back to campus! Set up a marketing effort announcing the event as an open opportunity for community service. Involving non-members will help improve your image and serve as a strong recruitment tool for a different type of potential member. It’s not critical to have a blow out service project, but cleaning the highway isn’t typically an appealing proposition. If you’re having trouble being creative or organizing the event, you may want to consider partnering with another student group or service organization that needs more people to power their event. Examples of things you can do include:

• Campus clean up • Clothing drive for a local shelter • Food drive for a local food bank • Reading to children at a nearby school • Volunteering at a local animal shelter • Cleaning up a local park • Helping at a run/walk • Volunteering at a school fundraising opportunity • Helping at a university athletic event




Marketing For Names

Results Producing Activity: Raffle Tickets

Description: Head to your local office supply store to find raffle tickets. Don’t worry too much about the cost, we promise that they’re cheap! Go door-to-door and use them at an info table, or pass out 10 for sisters to distribute. Find a system that works for your sorority. They almost always work. Most people jump at the chance to enter a raffle, especially if it’s free. Raffle tickets give you an easy way to approach someone, have a conversation, and get their contact information. Just ask them to fill out the back of one ticket so you can call them if they win. Be creative with what they win! Dinner at the sorority house? Have each member donate a dollar and buy an iPod? A school spirit basket? Tickets to a local sporting event? The possibilities are endless!




Marketing For Names

Results Producing Activity: Event Tickets

Description: Several chapters successfully partner with their school’s events in order to raise money, promote the event, and meet new people. Many times bulk tickets are given away to organizations willing to help promote the event. Here are a few examples of such events:

• Athletic teams • Local sports teams • Community events (e.g. chili cook off or community days) • Concert venues • Gaming centers (e.g. GameStop) • Career fairs • Movie Premieres

Your sorority is the perfect group to create a buzz about the event and rally students to attend. The RSVP’s are added to the chapter’s names list. By doing so, you gain valuable exposure and positive public relations. The event itself becomes an opportunity to meet new people and highlight how your sorority supports the school and/or local community. Bonus: Be the chapter that organizes the carpool to “Away” college sports games




Marketing For Names

Results Producing Activity: The Listening Table

Description: Set up a table on campus. Instead of filling it with sorority paraphernalia, bring a simple sign that says: “I’m here to listen”. The sign could also say something like “What is wrong with fraternity and sorority life on campus?” or “What changes would you like to see happen to make our campus a better place?” or “Comment Box”. As curious people approach your table, let them know that you’re there to listen. Engage in deep, meaningful, authentic conversation with your peers and listen to what they have to say. Don’t provide your own opinions. Learn from others. Ask more questions. Imagine what would happen if setting up a booth or doing marketing work wasn’t meant to SHOUT OUT HOW AWESOME YOUR SORORITY IS... Imagine if it was all about just offering to listen. Listen to others’ opinions of you and your group. Listen to others’ ideas for your organization. Listen to others’ ideas about your campus and community. Listen to learn. Listen to engage. Listen to connect with others. Listen because it will make the other person’s day. Be genuine. This process will help you get to know people better on campus and can also create an opportunity for you to follow up with the individual at a later date. Trust us, there probably won’t be too many other tables like this one on campus.




Marketing For Names

Results Producing Activity: Women’s Weekend

Description: Your Panhellenic community has the chance to band together during a low-key weekend during the school year and create an opportunity for women from all aspects of campus to kick-back, relax, and take a break from classes. How can you do this? By hosting a Women’s Weekend! Try partnering with the Women’s Center on campus and create a weekend filled with fun leadership building exercises, networking opportunities, and relaxation. Advertise the retreat in whichever way works best for your campus: “leadership retreat”, “networking retreat”, “service retreat”, etc. By opening the weekend up to the entire student body, you’ll have the chance to meet and interact with all sorts of women and get to know them in a relaxing, off campus setting. We suggest hosting it at a campground to keep costs low. Set up a registration link and share the names you gather with the rest of your Panhellenic council. Get ready for a great weekend and a ton of new friends!




Marketing For Names

Results Producing Activity: Free Text Books at the Bookstore

Description: Every semester, nearly every student (especially freshmen) will stand in line at the bookstore and spend too much money on text books. Partner with the bookstore by hosting a raffle. "Put your name, phone number, email on the back of your receipt. Drop it in the fish bowl at the counter. One lucky winner will have their receipt reimbursed by ABC sorority alumnae or the Panhellenic council as a “thank you and welcome' to campus." Now you have their digits and a reason to call them with a "welcome to campus" message. Make sure that you follow the laws in your state when it comes to gaming, and that you’re not violating any recruitment rules for your chapter by setting this up!




Marketing for Names

Results Producing Activity: Survey / Petition

Description: Asking for signatures or input on a survey or petition is a great way to not only gather names and contact information, but also to break the ice with a stranger to start a quick conversation. Consider surveys or petitions like the following:

• Survey: What would make your college experience even better? • Survey: How to improve Fraternity and Sorority Life on campus • Survey: Philanthropies you'd most likely contribute time/money to • Petition: To change the official school colors • Petition: To ban hazing by all student organizations • Petition: To revolutionize fraternities and sororities

An example is available on Phired Up’s Free Resources web page.




Marketing for Names

Results Producing Activity: Parent Solicitations

Description: Honors & Recognitions: Mom and dad love to brag about their daughter and nominate her for special awards. Your sorority or Panhellenic council can host a special recognition for top student leaders. A solicitation to freshman and sophomore parents can be created that requires an on-line nomination by a friend or family member. In addition to sharing some positive information about the sorority and sorority community, you’re capturing personal contact information and pre- qualifying data about their daughter like her GPA and leadership experience. Fund Raiser: You could also consider partnering with a local sandwich shop or bakery to offer care packages during mid-terms and finals. Mail a letter to parents a few weeks before the exam period with a special form that allows mom and dad to send both a care package and a note of encouragement. Your sorority can then deliver the packages while making new friends and a few extra bucks at the same time!




Formal Recruitment

Results Producing Activity: The Other 22 Hours

Description: On most campuses, formal recruitment consists of a week or two straight of 2-hour events that take place from 8-10 p.m. each night. If your campus has something similar, make the most of those events, but what are you doing for the other 22 hours of each of those days? If you're going to have a "rush" week, you might as well make it a real rush... Build a plan to maximize the hours of 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. (those daytime hours outside of the event time) to put names on your names list or to encourage women to participate in recruitment. Remember: We want to target the “Maybe Joiners”. Note: Many Panhellenic Councils set Formal Recruitment rules that chapters must abide by. Be sure to consult with the council to make sure that techniques you are using won’t put your chapter in hot water.




Formal Recruitment

Results Producing Activity: Recruitment Wristbands

Description: This would be a great idea to suggest to your university Panhellenic or IFC. Provide the little rubber “cause” wristbands to everyone who signs up for formal recruitment. Let them know that they should wear these wristbands during the formal recruitment period so that members of sororities can easily identify them on campus and strike up conversations. Bonus Tip: Provide each person who signs up for formal recruitment with 5 additional wristbands. Attach a small information sheet to each of the 5 additional wristbands that tells other people how to sign up for formal recruitment. Tell the potential members that it is their responsibility to hand these extra 5 wristbands out to 5 of their friends. Note: Many Panhellenic Councils set Formal Recruitment rules that chapters must abide by. Be sure to consult with the council to make sure that techniques you are using won’t put your chapter in hot water.




Formal Recruitment

Results Producing Activity: Missed Rush or Sneak Peek

Description: This is something that your Panhellenic can do for all of the women who missed Formal Recruitment this year, or who are thinking about signing up. Think about a 3-5 day period called “Recruitment Sneak Peek.” Offer a preview opportunity for students considering membership in sororities next semester or next year. Perhaps it includes highly visible marketing activities. Perhaps it includes a targeted push to get RA’s, Student Government Leaders, Orientation Leaders, Cultural Student Organization Leaders, and other students in positions of influence to have lunches with your members. It could even be available to both men and women through a partnership with the IFC. No matter the details, make sure to create opportunities like this to gather names, start forging relationships, and driving interest in the sorority community. Make sure that you’re also clearly showing interest in non- members as well! It doesn’t require a lot of planning. It just requires effort. Go.

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