One of the most important and sensitive tasks your chapter must do before recruitment is to sum up yourselves in relation to your competition. This is a great brainstorming and planning session to get your entire chapter involved in during a summer retreat. Yes, you should spend your time focusing on your own chapter; however it is good practice to also compare yourselves to the other sororities on campus that will be recruiting the same group of women.
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First, celebrate the successes! These are advantages your sorority chapter has.
- What has your chapter accomplished this year?
- What awards has the chapter received? At your school? Regionally? Nationally?
- What honors have individual members received?
- What events have you hosted?
- How do you rank in academics?
- How much money have your raised for your philanthropy?
Then, assess the limitations that set you at a slight or even large disadvantage.
- What areas do you fall “last” in? For example, do you have the lowest GPA?
- Are you a smaller sorority?
- Are you not visible enough on campus?
Finally, begin to think about how you plan to improve these weaknesses and how you will make up for them in recruitment.
- Have you implemented a scholarship program for the women who excel in academics?
- Do you have a new recognition program to honor members who attend a substantial amount of events?
Every organization has areas in which they can improve. In order to progress, you must recognize these areas of improvement. During recruitment the focus does not have to be on what you are weaker in, but rather what you have implemented to improve.
To generate member buy-in and support, your whole chapter could make these goals together at the summer retreat. We became members of sororities to better ourselves and bettering our sorority is no exception.
Cheers!
Casey, Kate and Rachel
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