Don’t Bore Members w/Bad Recruitment Training

by Matt Mattson

theaterboredTraining your members to recruit should not bore them.  Recruitment is best taught through experience, fun, challenges, emotional engagement, and excitement.  Recruitment is fun (when it is done right), so learning to do it should be fun too.

Combine SOCIAL EVENTS with RECRUITMENT TRAINING.

To become better recruiters, many of your fraternity/sorority members need  a) better social skills, b) more confidence,  c) to understand the idea of Social Excellence, and d) helpful critiques and constructive criticism on their ability to relate to people.

Here’s an idea (I got it from talking to Chi Psi men at the University of Colorado today).  Do a “mixer” with another fraternity or sorority (mixing genders creates an exciting dynamic) that is about Social Excellence (and I strongly recommend using our Social Excellence Dare Cards).  I’ve done a few things like this before that have been very successful.

For example, last spring I asked sorority women at Missouri S&T to come over to a fraternity house and let the guys give them tours of their beautiful facility.  Afterward the women were encouraged to provide feedback to the guys on their ability to “host” (a key demonstration of Social Excellence) guests, including potential members.  The feedback session was to be conducted over snacks and refreshments, and was meant to teach the women how to engage in more authentic conversations.  Cool.  Learning + fun.

Another time (several times, actually) I sent out male/female pairs of Greek leaders into town each with a Dare Card.  In one hour they knew each other better, had learned important social skills, and understood important lessons surrounding recruitment.  This is always a huge win, and it is something that you can easily repeat with our Dare Cards.

Learning how to recruit should be fun.  If you’re in charge of teaching your members this vital skill, make sure you think of creative ways to make it a blast for everyone.

Add in an etiquette dinner, conversation skills training, handshake training, tables full of interesting questions, mock speed dating (for friends… or whatever), etc.

Social Event + Recruitment Training = win/win for everyone.