Skype/Video Chat & Recruitment

by Matt Mattson

This is a completely random recruitment thought.  What if, however, your chapter used Skype, Google Video Chat, or some other web-based video chat software to connect with the larger inter/national organization while recruiting new members this fall.

I “see” my brother-in-law weekly, and he lives in Poland.  My 18-month-old “sees” her grandparents regularly despite their 1000 mile distance from each other.  If we can figure out the magic of “video-phones” out for my family’s use, there has to be some application for sophisticated college students and Greek organizations in particular.

Often potential members don’t really understand the significance of having brothers/sisters around the country, or a historical headquarters (which many organizations have) that is, if nothing else, pretty neat.  What if we used technology to show them?  Imagine video chatting with your inter/national president in the library/museum of your organization’s historical headquarters (or something else cool like that).  Just seems like an obvious opportunity to connect potential members to the larger idea of fraternity/sorority.

Headquarters could consider using Ustream to broadcast live promotional tours of the headquarters or founding site during heavy recruitment periods so that they could offer the opportunity to a lot of chapters at once.  Combine with streaming #hashtag chat on Twitter, and you’ve got a pretty technologically-savvy recruitment opportunity.  Truthfully, most first-year students won’t be ready for all that this fall, but start simple and consider how you can use these video/web-based services.

Can important successful alumni video chat with high priority potential members to help them understand the life-changing value of your organization?  Can you offer parents of potential members a live virtual tour of your house via Ustream?  Can you Skype with a class at your old high school live from the fraternity/sorority house to give thema sneak peak at the college experience?  Once new members have joined, can you use Skype or other services for new member education?  Could you invite chapter presidents from other schools around the country to “join” your meetings to add new perspective?   Can you broadcast your chapter meetings online so alumni around the country can join?