.If your goal is to recruit more members, it’s useful to consider your strategy. Traditionally, Greek recruitment has focused on the fraternity or sorority itself rather than on the prospective new member (PNM). As recruitment gets more competitive, there are compelling reasons to change your Greek recruitment strategy. Let’s look at why Greek recruitment should be PNM-focused instead of fraternity-focused.
The Problem With Typical Recruitment
A traditional recruitment strategy has a Greek organization convince as many students to apply as possible. Each fraternity has its style. Yet, a common approach is to make membership seem desirable and exclusive. According to this view, fraternity or sorority membership should be an honor only bestowed to the elite. This psychological tactic is often useful for persuading young Freshman to apply. However, it’s not necessarily the right way for a potential new member to find the best match for them.
Greek chapters appreciate this way of recruitment because it preserves their mystique and authority. The idea is to make the PNM feel like he or she is attempting to enter an exclusive society. This approach, however, is outdated. It doesn’t consider the unique needs of each applicant or recognize any objective criteria. Organizations need to identify what makes them different from one another. Fraternities and sororities are better off focusing on quality over quantity.
Applying a New Recruitment Strategy
The world is now data-driven in many ways. Companies seeking customers know that targeted marketing is the best. They aim their messages at potential customers who are most likely to benefit from their products. Political campaigns also target potential voters based on their needs. Greek organizations can follow this trend by taking a similar approach to recruitment.
Many colleges have a variety of fraternities. This complicates the recruitment process. How do you differentiate yourself from other organizations? What makes potential recruits apply to one fraternity over another? In the past, the reasons were often vague. Today, it’s possible for Greek organizations to use more objective criteria to find the best members. This does require a shift in focus, though.
Due to large amounts of diversity on university campuses, students differ in interests, personality, and preferences. Some students fit better into specific Greek organizations than others. Some students aren’t interested in Greek life at all. The point is that it’s now possible to create a PNM-focused strategy for recruitment that helps everyone. By carefully analyzing the student body, you can better choose the best fit for your particular organization.
The Benefits of Focusing on Potential Recruits
It’s natural for Greek organizations to want to create a certain mystique. That’s part of the whole tradition and adds to the allure of these groups. At the same time, it doesn’t do anyone much good if they attract recruits who aren’t a good match. Instead, organizations will find the most appropriate members by focusing on the needs and qualities of the student population. Just as a corporate recruiter encourages the most qualified candidates to apply for a position, Greek organizations should seek the PNMs who will make the most significant group contributions.
Recruitment is a two-way process. It’s always helpful for fraternities to know more about recruits. Greek organizations should also be more transparent about who they are and what they stand for. This lets PNMs do their research and apply for the most suitable organizations.
To learn how to optimize recruitment for your campus and grow your Greek community the right way, contact us today.
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