High Delta Manuala Lambda Chi Alpha resource

ΛΧΑ The Miracle on Ice: A Story

In the summer of 1978, an elite group of American college hockey players gathered at the Broadmoor World Ice Arena in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with the hope of being selected for the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team. Under the watchful eyes of head coach Herb Brooks and assistant coach Craig Patrick, the aspiring Olympians skated through a series of demanding drills designed to showcase their individual skills. Mid way through one of the early practice sessions, Brooks turned to Craig Patrick and handed him a piece of paper with a list of names on it. It was a roster of players for the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team.

Unbeknownst to Patrick, other assistants, and the U.S. Olympic Committee, Brooks had spent the previous year and a half scouting players, talking to coaches, and watching game film. He knew that for the United States to be competitive against the powerful Soviet, East Bloc, and Scandinavian teams, it would need to play a new type of game, one that incorporated the best aspects of the European and NHL games. Brooks was looking for players who would fit his new system of play and be, above all else, team players willing to sacrifice individual glory for team success. In Herb Brooks’ view, the character of a player was just as important as his hockey skills. The United States had last won an Olympic medal in ice hockey in 1960 at the Winter Games in Squaw Valley, California. Defeating the Soviet Union, that team of U.S. collegians won the gold medal, but the intervening years were fraught with disappointment for America’s Olympic hockey dreams. Herb Brooks knew something about disappointment, too; he was the last player cut from that gold-medal squad in 1960.

Back in the coaching booth overlooking the ice at Broadmoor World Arena, Craig Patrick looked incredulously at Brooks:

“This is your final roster?” Patrick asked. Brooks nodded affirmatively.

“But, Herb, you’re missing some of the best players,” Patrick pleaded. Brooks smiled knowingly and said, “I’m not looking for the best players, Craig. I’m

looking for the right players.” Those “right” players, much to the dismay of the USOC and the rest of the world, made

Olympic hockey history in Lake Placid, New York. They stunned the mighty Soviet National Team 4-3 and went on to defeat Finland and win the gold medal. They became, in the span of a magical two weeks, youthful proxies for a dispirited nation, reminding all who watched that vision, character, and commitment still mattered and could, on occasion, produce what appeared to be a miracle.

Lambda Chi Alpha High Delta Manual

Table of Contents PURPOSE..................................................................................................................................................... 1 LAMBDA CHI ALPHA: RECRUITMENT TODAY................................................................................. 2

Rush versus Recruitment .......................................................................................................................... 2 Understanding Today’s Student and How to Recruit Him....................................................................... 2

LAMBDA CHI ALPHA: A UNIQUE FRATERNITY............................................................................... 3 Marketing Lambda Chi Alpha as a “Unique Fraternity Experience”....................................................... 3

LAMBDA CHI ALPHA: RECRUITING FUNDAMENTALS .................................................................. 4 Marketing Principles 101 ......................................................................................................................... 4

Product. ................................................................................................................................................ 4 Place. .................................................................................................................................................... 4 Price...................................................................................................................................................... 4 Promotion. ............................................................................................................................................ 4

Brand Building: Creating a Compelling Image ....................................................................................... 4 Publicity – Communicating to our “Publics” ........................................................................................... 5

Alumni Communications. .................................................................................................................... 5 Community Relations........................................................................................................................... 6 Media Relations.................................................................................................................................... 6

LAMBDA CHI ALPHA: “FINDING THE FIT” RECRUITING WITH TRUE BROTHER..................... 8 Utilizing Membership Criteria.................................................................................................................. 8 The High Delta and the “Delta Team” ..................................................................................................... 9

Why Use a TEAM Model?................................................................................................................... 9 Delta Team Model and Potential Team Expectations ............................................................................ 11 What Is “Contact Sport Recruiting”? ..................................................................................................... 12

Law of Sales: Ten “No’s” for every one “Yes”. ................................................................................ 12 Contact-Sport: The More Contacts Made = The More Deals Closed. .............................................. 12 Law of Recruitment: Four “No’s” for every one “Yes”.................................................................... 12 Contact-Sport Recruiting: The More Prospects Recruited = The More New Members. .................. 12

Recruitment Tracking............................................................................................................................. 14 Contact With The Prospective Member ................................................................................................. 15

First Contact. ...................................................................................................................................... 15

Phone Contact. ................................................................................................................................... 15 Event Contact. .................................................................................................................................... 16

LAMBDA CHI ALPHA: RECRUITING ESSENTIALS .......................................................................... 17 Personal Contact: Be Yourself With More Skill .................................................................................... 17

Strategy 1: Make Friends First …Talk About Fraternity Later......................................................... 17 Strategy 2: Showing Interest in the Prospective Member. ................................................................ 17 Strategy 3: Figuring Out the Prospective Member’s Interests. ......................................................... 18 Strategy 4: Explaining the Features and Benefits of Lambda Chi Alpha.......................................... 19 Strategy 5: Handling Objections. ...................................................................................................... 20 Strategy 6: Closing the Deal.............................................................................................................. 21

Marketing Tools ..................................................................................................................................... 23 Newspaper Ad. ................................................................................................................................... 23 Recruitment Letter.............................................................................................................................. 23 Business Cards. .................................................................................................................................. 24 Brochure. ............................................................................................................................................ 24 Banners............................................................................................................................................... 25 Multi-purpose Card. ........................................................................................................................... 25 Poster/Flyer. ....................................................................................................................................... 26

The Ten Commandments of Recruitment .............................................................................................. 27

APPENDICES

Media Alert Example.............................................................................................................................A-1 Press Release Example 1 .......................................................................................................................A-2 Press Release Example 2 .......................................................................................................................A-3 Tracking Spreadsheet Example 1 ..........................................................................................................A-4 Tracking Spreadsheet Example 2 ..........................................................................................................A-5 Tracking Cards Example .......................................................................................................................A-6 Recruitment Poster Example .................................................................................................................A-7 Sorority Referral Sheet Example ...........................................................................................................A-8 Example Recruitment Letter..................................................................................................................A-9

Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity

8741 Founders Road Indianapolis, Indiana 46268-1389

www.lambdachi.org

317.872.8000 Fax: 317.875.3828

Purpose Like Coach Herb Brooks, are you looking for the “right” people for your Chapter and for Lambda Chi Alpha when you recruit? Do you know who the right people are? Do you know how to recruit them? The purpose of this manual is to provide every Chapter’s High Delta with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to implement a well-organized, comprehensive recruitment program that finds the right people, the people your Chapter needs to be successful. The High Delta Manual offers detailed information on developing recruitment skills, recruitment events, communication, image projection, and, most importantly, how to leverage the human capital in your Chapter to recruit more effectively. This is the why, what, and how of successful recruiting. All of the concepts explored in this manual are based on, and consistent with, Lambda Chi Alpha’s values-based True Brother initiative, while the marketing, promotion, branding, and image-building sections of the manual are all derived from time-tested business marketing practices.

To say that recruitment is essential to Lambda Chi Alpha’s organizational well-being is an understatement. Lambda Chi Alpha is in the brotherhood development business; that is our core competency, our reason for being, and recruitment, first and foremost, is about finding people for Lambda Chi Alpha to develop into True Brothers. No people; no fraternity; no brotherhood. It is that simple. Without a constant source of new members all of the things that we cherish about Lambda Chi Alpha would disappear.

When we talk about effective recruitment, however, we are not talking about a strictly numbers game where more people = more money = better organization. While this sort of quantitative, head-counting effort may produce attractive short-term results that make a balance sheet look better, more often than not it leads to a “bid happy” culture that sacrifices quality for quantity in Prospective Members. Effective recruitment is not just about finding more people; it is about finding more of the right people for Lambda Chi Alpha. The right people do more than fill up roster space and bring a checkbook. The right people bring energy, new ideas, and commitment; they have an affinity for our belief system and are looking for opportunities to contribute to something important. Finding the right people involves preparation, planning, organization, leveraging resources, salesmanship, and communication skills; but most of all, it requires high levels of clarity about your Chapter’s culture----who you are; what you stand for----and what you are looking for in Prospective Members. This manual tells you how to do these things.

Finally, while we may use basic business terminology like branding, sales, promotion, sellers, and customers in the High Delta Manual, we do so in order to reference more easily basic skills and practices with which most people are familiar. Remember, though, recruitment is not a commercial transaction; we are not selling toothpaste or mouthwash. For those willing to commit to becoming a True Brother of Lambda Chi Alpha, we offer a way of being. This is the fraternal world’s most powerful experience. It starts with recruitment, but it lasts a lifetime.

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Lambda Chi Alpha: Recruitment Today Rush versus Recruitment Many Chapters and Colonies still use the same recruitment plans used decades ago, when finding new members was called rush. Rush is basically passive from the Chapter’s perspective and involves simply waiting to receive rushees from the campus IFC office. Rushees circulate from chapter house to chapter house for specified amounts of time, and at the end of this “formal” rush period, fraternities offer bids to Prospective Members. Why do Chapters and Colonies persist in rushing? The simple reason is tradition. Though important for rituals, ceremonies, and events, tradition has no place in the rapidly changing environment of college campuses or in the expectations of today’s college students. The strategies used in the “old days” are outdated and are no longer effective today. For Chapters to truly maintain the healthy size they need to fill a house, operate, and be financially solvent, they must actively recruit. “Recruiting” means that a Chapter or Colony must employ all of the resources at its disposal in an organized plan to educate Prospective Members and then convince those Prospective Members to accept a bid. Understanding Today’s Student and How to Recruit Him Just as recruitment is changing across our college campuses, so are college students. We see a change in generation types. Incoming is the new “Generation Y” or “Millennium Generation.” This is important to recruitment, because as the mentality of the typical college student changes, so do his needs and wants when becoming involved in anything at college, including a fraternity. Chapters and Colonies must adjust their recruitment strategies and programs to meet the needs and wants of the student entering college today. “Millennium Generation” men care more about working in a team-oriented atmosphere and will work on a team as long as that team benefits them personally and no one is a free rider. This generation wants more out of fraternity than just a party and social experience. Millennium Generation men want to know what “fraternity” will do for them personally and professionally. “Millennium Generation” men, with their need to be challenged, care more about leadership opportunities, scholastics, service, and personal growth than the previous generation. At the same time, they also want to enjoy college, make friends, and have a great time. Millennium Generation men seek to balance work and play, hence the phrase that describes this generation; “work hard, play hard.” The unfortunate reality about Millennium Generation men, in terms of their feelings about joining a fraternity, is that they are skeptical and uninterested. Their skepticism will increase as long as the fraternal experience shown to them provides only a social centered experience. They will view Lambda Chi Alpha as a waste of time and money. To maintain a healthy size, or even grow, Chapters will first need to shift their fraternity operations to appeal to the Millennium Generation, and then also shift their recruitment efforts to a strategy that speaks to the Millennium student. Chapters will need to actively educate and sell the “Millennium Generation” on how and why the Lambda Chi Alpha experience is exactly what they are looking for: a team-oriented, multi-faceted environment that understands and lives by the phrase, “work hard, play hard.” Lambda Chi Alpha should be presented as the “best fraternal experience,” “life model,” and “everything the ‘Millennium Generation’ is looking for.”

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Lambda Chi Alpha: A Unique Fraternity Marketing Lambda Chi Alpha as a “Unique Fraternity Experience” The common perception of “fraternity” is that it involves hazing, alcohol abuse, date rape, and scholastic underachievement. Along with these negative stereotypes come fears of pledging and the pledging process. Pledges (in most fraternities) are essentially on the outside looking in. This means pledges cannot attend Chapter meetings and events, vote, hold office, or be an active participant in the every-day activities of the Chapter. Lambda Chi Alpha, on the other hand, is not a pledging fraternity, and this is one of the reasons Lambda Chi Alpha continues to be the most powerful experience in the fraternal world. The fundamental difference between Lambda Chi Alpha and the common perception of “fraternity” is Lambda Chi Alpha’s Associate Member program. A groundbreaking vision in 1972, the Associate Member program distinguished Lambda Chi Alpha from the “fraternity” typecast and demonstrated Lambda Chi Alpha’s willingness to embrace the idea that hazing and pledging have nothing to do with being a fraternity member. An Associate Member can participate in all meetings and events, have a say in Chapter decisions through voting, and can even hold many elected positions. Associate Members of Lambda Chi Alpha have the opportunity to experience all aspects of active membership. This is the Associate Members’ first positive experience of Lambda Chi Alpha. Along with Associate Membership comes a “Big Brother,” one of the greatest responsibilities within Lambda Chi Alpha. The Big Brother program is specifically designed so the Associate Member has a mentor to relate to, not only during Associate Membership, but also during his college career. True Brotherhood is predicated on the idea that a Lambda Chi Alpha Chapter has a structured Associate Member orientation program that eschews hazing, prepares Associate Members to be ethical decision makers, and provides them with the practical knowledge to be active, contributing members of Lambda Chi Alpha.

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Lambda Chi Alpha: Recruiting Fundamentals Marketing Principles 101 PRODUCT. The first rule of marketing Lambda Chi Alpha is to identify what makes it unique. Understanding the benefits and values of Lambda Chi Alpha, in relation to the target audience is essential. We must explain the mission statement and goals of Lambda Chi Alpha to all potential Associate Members. PLACE.

Lambda Chi Alpha is an international fraternity with more than 250,000 Initiated Brothers and Chapters at nearly 200 universities. The wide network of Lambda Chi Alpha members across North America shows Lambda Chi Alpha’s prominence and power. PRICE. Many Prospective Members will be concerned about the price of joining a fraternity. The best way to approach this concern is to show how the benefits of joining Lambda Chi Alpha outweigh the costs. Prospective Members will want to know the value of what they are buying into. Explain the lifelong rewards of joining Lambda Chi Alpha, such as a strong brotherhood, close friendships, academic excellence, a vast business network, alumni involvement, and scholarships through the Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation. Explaining the benefits of joining Lambda Chi Alpha should help neutralize any cost concerns and help Lambda Chi Alpha stand out above the rest. Prospective Members must understand this is an investment in their future, and the payoff is definitely worth the investment. PROMOTION.

Competing fraternities across campus are targeting the same people to join their Chapters. The best ways to gain an advantage in recruiting new members are through enthusiastic personal contact, advertising, and public relations. The goal of advertising is to inform, educate, persuade, and remind. Flyers, posters, banners, direct mail, t-shirts, brochures, campus newspapers and magazines, and recruitment booths are effective ways to advertise. Public relations will promote the image of Lambda Chi Alpha and keep Lambda Chi Alpha in the public eye. The more people seeing and hearing what Lambda Chi Alpha stands for, the more likely they are to consider joining. Positioning and branding create awareness and promote Lambda Chi Alpha as well. The most important marketing concept here is to understand that effective marketing requires consistency. Brand Building: Creating a Compelling Image “A product is something made in a factory; a brand is something embraced by a customer. A product can be copied by a competitor; a brand is unique. A product can become quickly outdated; a successful brand is timeless.” Stephen King, WPP Group, London

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Brand recognition is a key element for successful businesses. Successful branding results in the unique reputation that transcends personalities and individual transactions. It is a significant relationship mutually acknowledged by the seller, buyers, prospects, competitors, and others. Consider the following brands, the images they suggest, and your emotional reactions to those images: Nike, Starbucks, Patagonia, BMW, Coke, and Levis. These are brand images that transcend an individual product and have evolved to represent certain desirable aspects of lifestyle. Brand awareness does not come quickly, but building your brand surely and steadily is one of the few ways to help insure long-term success. A brand is an identity and becomes so well known, that it actually can become “who the organization is.” Through marketing efforts, awareness grows and people recognize your name and logo and you begin to create a distinct image. You succeed when you differentiate your brand from the competition. The impact of brand-building efforts is cumulative over time. The brand image grows stronger as the marketing campaign continues. While product differences and superiority are key elements for a brand’s success, you can never forget or underestimate the value of an emotional response to a compelling image. When dealing in a world of choices, creating an emotional bond between your audience and your product is an invaluable brand-building tool. Publicity – Communicating to our “Publics” If you were able to participate in an investment opportunity whose success was ensured, would you? Most of us would. We would be silly not to. Public relations are similar to an unfailing investment. The more you put into it, the more you receive in return. When it is all said and done, public relations is only as useful to a Lambda Chi Alpha member as he wants it to be. If public relations are considered important, it will occupy a prominent place, and its contribution will be significant. Even today, the word “success” plays an important part in defining public relations, which is, the identification, establishment and maintenance of mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and the various publics on whom its success or failure depends. But what about advertising and marketing? How are they different from public relations? Advertising is a paid communication by an organization that hopes to inform or persuade members of a particular audience. Marketing is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promoting, and distributing ideas, goods and services to create exchanges that satisfy organizational objectives. Although there are numerous possible public relations activities, a Lambda Chi Alpha member would probably engage in the following three communications on a continuing basis.

Alumni Communications Community relations Media relations and publicity

ALUMNI COMMUNICATIONS. A Chapter’s alumni are one of the most important publics that must be considered as public relations planning is developed. Good public relations begin with alumni. There is a direct

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correlation between a well-informed alumnus and a happy alumnus, who then serves as goodwill ambassador as he relates with your external publics. Alumni communications respond to concerns, inform, and motivate a Chapter’s alumni and their families, as well as prospective recruits. When alumni do not get information from the Chapter, they get bad information from the grapevine, which can be damaging. COMMUNITY RELATIONS. Community relations are continuing planned and active participation with and within a community to maintain and enhance its environment to benefit both an organization and the community. The intent of this kind of public relations programming is to position Lambda Chi Alpha favorably in the community so that when community support is needed, it will be there. There are a variety of community relations publics for every public relations program. They include chambers of commerce, community and neighborhood organizations, and campus organizations. MEDIA RELATIONS. Sometimes people think of public relations and media relations as being the same thing. But that is not the case. But public relations grew from journalism, so the confusion is understandable. Media relations are relating with communications media in seeking publicity or responding to their interest in an organization. In addition to a news-editorials and /or feature placement, media relations activities might include a news release or press kit preparation. News conferences work best when communicating information that is important or controversial, complex, or involves introduction of a new product or service. Getting the Media’s Attention:

Any time your fraternity does community service, hosts a special event, raises money for a good cause, honors famous alumni, or speaks out on a campus problem, you have the opportunity to be covered by campus and community media outlets. The best time to obtain media coverage for your events and community activities is the weekend. News organizations use less staff on weekends because there are fewer people watching, listening or reading news vehicles. For this reason, corporations and government officials like to announce news during the week. This means editors and reporters are more likely to cover “soft” news on the weekend. In many cases, a news station might send a camera to capture a soft news event rather than a reporter if there is a strong visual opportunity. So how does the media learn about your event? You tell them. But before you can, you must prepare a list of media contacts. Examples of a media alert can be found on page A-1. The Press Release: A press release has three components: the lead, the body and the conclusion. It can be visualized in outline form as an inverted pyramid with the lead at the top having the most importance. Your ability to write a strong lead and generate the interest of a news editor could be the difference between getting your story covered and having your release sent to the trash. Make sure to keep

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things simple by using just a few sentences to summarize your story. But remember that when read, the lead should provide all of the announcement’s most important details. After writing the lead, focus the next two (or more) paragraphs on providing the media outlet with additional information and statistics. This could include a quote by your Chapter president, a university official, or a community member and reinforces the news of the lead. Examples of press releases can be found in the back of this program guide. Examples of press releases are on pages A-2 and A-3.

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Lambda Chi Alpha: “Finding the Fit” Recruiting With True Brother Leadership consultant Jim Collins, author of the business school classics, Good to Great, and Built to Last, writes that “core values are not something people ‘buy in’ to. People must be predisposed to holding them. Executives often ask me, ‘How do we get people to share our core values?’ You do not. Instead, the task is to find people who are already predisposed to sharing your core values. You must attract and then retain these people and let those who are not predisposed to sharing your core values go elsewhere.” True Brother’s Core Values of Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Service and Stewardship, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage (LDRSHIP) and its emphasis on developing Brothers who are leaders of character dedicated to serving others provides a useful template for determining if a Prospective Member is a fit for Lambda Chi Alpha. Prospective Members with background experiences in scouting, team sports, student government, service organizations, ROTC, and/or religiously based outreach programs are likely to be attracted to a values based and principle centered organization like Lambda Chi Alpha. Background information gleaned from Prospective Members, whether through one-on-one conversation or from a printed survey, that indicates a predisposition to “share our values” allows time, energy, and manpower to be more effectively focused. Should additional criteria be considered before extending a bid? Of course, and we will look at some of those criteria below. However, utilizing the elements of True Brother to make an early determination of “fit” during the recruitment process will not only increase recruitment success, but, just as important, increase retention success in your Chapter. Like Coach Herb Brooks, we always need to be looking for the “right players.” Utilizing Membership Criteria A Chapter can shorten the bidding process and increase overall retention rates by utilizing membership criteria. Relatively simple in design, membership criteria are another tool for evaluating potential new members. The bidding process is tedious, and often during Prospective Member voting sessions, rational discourse is replaced by emotional outbursts and personal agendas. It is also routine for only a few brothers to come into personal contact with a Prospective Member during the recruitment process, which results in an incomplete picture of the Prospective Member’s qualities and attributes. Criteria for membership can also enhance retention rates, which can influence Chapter size, operating funds, and overall brotherhood. A Chapter may incorporate membership criteria into recruitment at any time, as recruiting is a year-round activity. This basic concept emerges from the idea that Chapters must have a minimum standard for potential new members to be considered for Associate Membership. Possible membership criteria are flexible enough to cater to all Lambda Chi Alpha Chapters, as each is different. The suggested method of establishing membership criteria is to have the Chapter to develop a certain number of specific criteria. Upon completing this step, the Chapter should decide on the number of criteria a potential new member should fulfill in order to receive a bid.

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An example is a Chapter that has come up with a list of ten possible criteria for a Prospective Member to associate. Of these ten criteria, the Prospective Member must display at least three. Criteria examples would be:

• A minimum GPA of at least 2.50 (high school or college) • Campus involvement • Athletic involvement • Scholastic organizations • Community service experience • Leadership potential • Greek family members • No drug/alcohol abuse • Outgoing personality • Financial stability

In the event that the Prospective Member has a GPA of 3.25, is involved in two campus organizations, and participates in intramural sports, he would be qualified for a bid, since he meets 3 of the possible criteria. If the Prospective Members fail to meet fewer than 3 of the criteria, then a bid would not be granted to the Prospective Member. Now that the Chapter has an understanding of what kind of Prospective Member is needed and how Prospective Members will be selected, it is time to learn how to organize a recruitment strategy. The High Delta and the “Delta Team” The Delta Team consists of members interested in getting out and making an immediate impact on the Chapter, specifically in the Street Team. We are not looking for someone to sell a used car; we are looking for someone to convince Prospective Members to join the best organization in the Fraternity world. Highly motivated, outgoing, personable brothers work best, and these brothers must also be comfortable with failure. As in any type of marketing and explaining of new ideas, not every person you contact will be interested. However, “a man’s true character is demonstrated when he is faced with challenge ….” WHY USE A TEAM MODEL? Instead of the High Delta running a committee, the Delta Team will be a fully participating recruitment squad that will possess the discipline, skills, and tools needed to recruit more Prospective Members than previously thought possible. Throw committees out the window. When it comes to recruitment, we should implement a team system. To maximize recruitment we use a “team” model for a number of reasons:

• Less Work – Divide up recruitment tasks, processes, and duties amongst the team members, which lightens duties of the High Delta

• More Accountability – Each member of the Delta Team holds himself and each other to the goal at hand. In a social setting, if a Delta Team member is talking to a female or

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trying to get a date, it is the duty of the Delta Team to make sure he realizes he is losing track of the team’s goals. Each member must be held to the highest standard.

• Higher Goals –The Delta Team allows each member to own a stake in recruitment, placing more value and emphasis on his actions and results.

• Transitioning – This creates the possibility that a member of the Delta Team will become the next High Delta and ensures a solid recruitment program is maintained from year to year. A brother can spend four years or four weeks on the team. Experience will help him become a successful recruiter; however, educating the rest of the Chapter in a hands-on atmosphere will allow new Delta Team members to feel comfortable quickly. It also allows for the next Delta Team to track Prospective Members, who did not associate in previous semesters.

• Distribution – A multi-man Delta Team allows for more interaction with Prospective Members. More people will cover more terrain. The success rate will also be much higher because the Chapter is ensured that skilled recruiters interact with Prospective Members, rather than the traditional style of recruitment where brothers hand out flyers, have little interaction, and wait for the Prospective Members to come to them.

• Education – One of the duties of the Delta Team is to educate the Chapter on the recruitment strategy, improve interpersonal skills, and inform brothers of what is being planned and organized for recruitment and the Chapter’s role. It is a fact that those who are the most experienced in a subject or field should be educators of their specialty. The same goes for recruitment. The Delta Team members will be the most experienced and will have seen every aspect of recruitment, hence they should educate other brothers on improving their recruitment skills. It also provides a forum for the Delta Team to sharpen their recruitment skills and practice their techniques.

• Tracking – Another duty of the High Delta that can be performed more efficiently with a Delta Team is tracking. Tracking is an active way to monitor all Prospective Members. It allows the Delta Team to oversee the progress of each individual Prospective Member and any information relative to the recruitment process. There will be more information on “tracking” in the sections to come.

• Planning – The Delta Team should emphasize that every event is a recruitment event. The Delta Team and the Events Committee have the responsibility to plan and organize every event the Chapter holds so that Prospective Members can better see all the benefits Lambda Chi Alpha has to offer.

The role of the High Delta in the recruitment process and strategy is to lead and manage the Delta Team and their duties. Utilizing the team system will alleviate stress and work from the High Delta. His job and position are arguably the most important of the Chapter/Colony considering the fact that a Chapter/Colony needs men before dues can be collected, ceremonies can be performed, or development of members can be done. Therefore, a Delta Team should be used to ensure this cornerstone of Lambda Chi Alpha's livelihood continues from year to year. Now that the Delta Team is ready and its members understand what is expected of them, it is time to explore the subject of Prospective Members and where to find them.

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Delta Team Model and Potential Team Expectations

High Delta

Publicity Team

Tracking Team

Events Team Street Team

(task oriented) (analysis oriented)

(planning oriented)

(talkers)

Recruitment Pamphlets Create Chapter Tracking System

Create Recruitment Calendar

Get Names at Move-In

Recruitment T-shirts (tracking cards / database) Event Planning Forms Dorm Storming (if allowed)

Banners Developer Directory for Chapter

Event Transportation Call Prospects for Events

Alumni Mailings Distribute Names to Members

Contact Facilities Brings Prospects to Events

Recruitment Table Backdrop

Brothers' Accountability Contract

Food / Entertainment (goes and gets them)

University Advertising Recruitment Awards Themes of Events Gives 411 to Tracking Team

Involvement in IFC Mailings

Brothers' Participation Report

School Sports / IMS Sorority Presentations

Book Recruitment Tables Sorority/School/Brother Referrals

2-Week Publicity Notices Student Org. Presentations

Student Group Status? Team/Member Follow Up to Delta

Non-alcoholic Events Always on Campus

University Awareness Recruitment Training for Brothers

Contracts with Establishments

Orientation Leaders

Orientation Mailings Orientation Involvement Formal Recruitment Resident Assistants New Member Scholarships? Summer Recruitment Recognizable on

Campus

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What Is “Contact Sport Recruiting”? Contact sport recruitment is a concept, if used as a recruitment strategy, that can help Chapters and Colonies achieve and exceed their recruitment goals LAW OF SALES: TEN “NO’S” FOR EVERY ONE “YES”. The “law of sales” states that when contacting prospective customers, salesmen will get ten “No’s” for every one “Yes.” With this in mind, a salesman with a goal or quota of opening 10 new accounts should essentially make contact with over a hundred prospective customers to ensure that he meets his quota. The basic thought in this example is the more contacts made, the more sales obtained, hence the phrase “contact-sport.” CONTACT-SPORT: THE MORE CONTACTS MADE = THE MORE DEALS CLOSED.

Contact sport recruiting is directly related to recruitment. If brothers in the Chapter made contact with more Prospective Members, they could almost guarantee to have higher recruitment numbers each year. With the obvious aside, it is important to understand why many Chapters never attain their recruitment goals. Essentially, this is due to Chapters looking at recruitment the wrong way. They will often create a recruitment goal, and then seek out that exact number of prospects (stated within their goal) and actively recruit just that amount of men, but no more. This defies the “law of sales” in the fact that they are depending on the fact that they will get a 100% acceptance rate on the Prospective Members they are recruiting. Now, statistics show that in terms of the recruiting in the fraternity world, most Chapters can expect four “No’s” for every “Yes.” LAW OF RECRUITMENT: FOUR “NO’S” FOR EVERY ONE “YES”. Therefore, instead of recruiting only the amount of men stated in their goal, the Chapter should take the recruitment goal number and multiply it by five to get a rough estimate of how many Prospective Members they should actively recruit in order to guarantee their chances at actually achieving their recruitment goal. CONTACT-SPORT RECRUITING: THE MORE PROSPECTS RECRUITED = THE MORE NEW MEMBERS.

Establishing the contact-sport mentality in the Chapter or Colony’s recruitment process can and will increase recruitment. One might ask, “Where in the world can we find 50-100 Prospective Members to recruit?” Before listing ideas, understand the simple fact and misconception behind recruitment and Prospective Members. Recruitment is “actively sell(ing) and educat(ing) uninformed students to become interested in Lambda Chi Alpha.” That means anyone who is a desirable student on campus and not already initiated into a men’s social fraternity. Compiling the list is easy. To implement contact sport recruiting, the Chapter needs to immediately create a list of names. The list should contain prospects that the Delta Team will to contact prior to every event. The names collected do not have to be interested in Lambda Chi Alpha. Furthermore, brothers should not try and push Lambda Chi Alpha quite yet. The Delta Team will contact the prospects

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at a later point (see “Contacting Prospective Members”). Once Prospective Members come to the Chapter’s events and show interest in Lambda Chi Alpha, it’s time to recruit. Here is a list of methods the Chapter and Delta Team can increase the Prospective Member list:

• Faculty & Administration –The first step to gathering names from faculty/staff is to inform them of the types of students we are looking for. These people will be willing to place good students and organizations in touch with other students whom they feel may benefit from the organization.

• Campus Organizations & Clubs – Student government, political clubs, ethnic clubs, and scholastic groups all have Prospective Members (the club members) and people who might be willing to refer names to Lambda Chi Alpha.

• Sororities – Speak with the president to see if brothers can attend a meeting and address the sorority, asking the girls for referrals of Prospective Members. It builds great relations with the sorority and also gives them buy-in into the Chapter.

• Freshman Orientation/Summer Orientation –Many universities require freshmen to attend programming during the summer to educate them with some of the issues facing college students today. This provides a great platform for brothers to meet and speak with Prospective Members either as a guest, or strategically as an “Orientation Leader.”

• Internet – University websites and organization homepages provide public information of leadership-oriented students (whom should all be considered as “Prospective Members”).

• Facebook, My Space, and other on-line communities – Almost all students have Facebook or My Space profiles, and you can target a list of prospective, their values and beliefs, as well as interests, possibly before classes begin.

• Athletics – Whether it is varsity soccer for the university or “pickup” basketball, all sporting activities provide places to meet new Prospective Members.

• Dorm Storming – Spend some time walking around the dorms, introducing yourselves and meeting Prospective Members.

• Cafeteria & Student Center – These are two high traffic areas where people are always congregating.

• Greek Life Office – Many students stop by the office during the first couple of weeks of school to ask about Greek Life.

• Freshman Move-In – This is a huge market to get names of Prospective Members. All that needs to be done is help freshman move into their dorms. At the end, make sure you get each of their names and write them down as you are walking away.

In any of these strategies, the key thing to remember is to GET NAMES!!! A Prospective Member is not someone who is necessarily interested in “fraternity” or your Chapter, but is anyone who is non Greek and potentially a fit for your Chapter. Do not always wear letters or loudly advertise being in a fraternity when meeting Prospective Members, because some of the Prospective Members you could put down on the Chapter’s “prospect list” may not be interested in “fraternity” until they have learned more about Lambda Chi Alpha. Now that the Chapter has plenty of means by which to fill the Prospective Member list, it is important to manage this list so no Prospective Member “slips through the cracks,” or never gets contacted. The important concept here is tracking!

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Recruitment Tracking What is tracking? Perhaps it's the use of a spreadsheet, a card system, or anything that allows the Delta Team to keep an active log of all Prospective Members. This section will cover what a tracking system is, why it is important for a Chapter to utilize it, and how a Chapter might organize it best to fit campus and recruitment needs. A tracking system, as stated above, is an active log of all Prospective Members. On many campuses that already use contact-sport recruitment strategies, Prospective Member lists reach into the hundreds. These Chapters keep track of Prospective Members by creating a tracking system.

• Card method- Tracking system might be as easy as keeping 3x5 cards on each member in a box.

• War Room- For more concentrated contact-sport recruiting, a Chapter may want to utilize the “war room” approach. This approach uses the same 3x5 cards but placed on the wall in the Delta’s room. These cards contain Prospective Members and contact info so the Delta Team can invite the prospects to events.

• Spreadsheet- another form of a tracking system is one that is organized on a computer spreadsheet. This list can be easily e-mailed weekly to the Delta Team to organize their efforts in inviting Prospective Members to events.

(Examples of these are on pages A-4 through A-5.) Too many times, brothers allow great Prospective Members to become lost in the crowd, or slip through the cracks. With perhaps hundreds of names, or even 50, this is sure to happen without a tracking system. A Chapter should not allow themselves to believe that any member will remember every Prospective Member who came to an event, what all their names were, where to reach them, and what they are interested in. It is not humanly possible to remember all of the Prospective Members, without a physical and active tracking log that is consistently updated as members commit, reject the opportunity, or expose interests in Lambda Chi Alpha. As previously stated, there are many different ways to organize a tracking system and a Chapter should discover for itself which way will suit them best. For a more intense tracking system controlled by a very active Delta Team, the “war room” approach may be the most productive method. Perhaps the Delta Team may want to create the spreadsheet so each Prospective Member has his own page. Any method of organized active tracking can mean the difference between a poor recruitment and a recruitment effort that delivers the kind of quality people you need in your Chapter.

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Contact With The Prospective Member FIRST CONTACT. This process begins by creating trust and ends with a commitment, even if it is to attend the next event or, most importantly, by obtaining contact information. If any of this has happened, a brother has completed the First Contact step. Take for instance, First Contact being made during Freshmen Orientation/Move-in by a member of the Chapter who is not on the Delta Team:

• Don’t say you’re in a fraternity (you are trying to make a friend, not a fraternity brother). • Build Trust!!! (Just make friends with the student) • Perform information gathering (Find out if this student fits the criteria of your Chapter) • ***NAME: make sure you get it (DO NOT FORGET THIS!!!) • Get Contact Information (Either in a telephone directory or on the school website) • Possibly invite the student to hang out or attend a non-Lambda Chi Alpha Event (keep in

mind, we are making a friend and then a brother)

PHONE CONTACT.

Once First Contact has been made and contact information has been obtained, a member of the Delta Team or the person that met the Prospective Member can move onto the Phone Contact step. In this step, the recruiter's goal is to get the Prospective Member to attend an event. Below is an example of a dialogue that might occur on the Phone Contact step: Bro: Hi (Prospect’s Name), How are you doing? Prosp: Good! Bro: Cool. (Member Who Made First Contact), a friend of mine, said he moved you in

the other day. Well, like I said, my name’s is (Person Calling) and I’m a friend of (Member Who Made The First Contact) and he told me that he was pretty impressed with you and asked if I would give you a call and invite you to a couple of things some of our buddies are putting together. How’s that sound?

***Understand that this is strategically how calls should be made. This is known as a “Referral Based Warm Call” because you are stating the name of who referred the Prospective Member up front when calling.

Prosp: Sure! Bro: Awesome! Well we’re getting together with some of our buddies on Tuesday and

playing some basketball, and on Wednesday we’re having a grill-out. Which one should I pick you up for?

***Here is another strategy. It is a “Double-Option Close.” It does not give the prospect a chance to say “No.” Always have two options for events to invite the prospect to.

Prosp: Um…the grill-out sounds good. Bro: All right, (Prospect’s Name) I’ll be by to pick you up at (Address of Prospect)

around 6 o’clock on Wednesday. How does that sound? Prosp: Yeah! Sounds great! Bro: All right, see you then!

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Every Prospective Member should be called prior to EVERY event your Chapter holds. It is not being annoying, but simply showing kindness and being inviting (and being persistent on our end). Also note the brother who met the prospective can use the above format by making slight changes to the dialogue. EVENT CONTACT. After the Delta Team initiated First Contact, and then called the Prospective Member over the phone, the final stage is the Event Contact. The purpose of the Event Contact step is to gather more information about the Prospective Member, introduce him to brothers with similar interest, get the Prospective Member to want to attend the next event, and recruit the Prospective Member to join the Chapter. This step builds more rapport and a stronger relationship between the Prospective Member and the Chapter. Initiated Brothers may still consider not mentioning that they are a member of a fraternity at this point. Here are the simple details of this step:

• Start to get to know the Prospective Member, and gather information to add to the tracking cards or spreadsheet (whichever is utilized). See “Tracking” section to understand this more.

• Do not push the subjects of “fraternity” or “Lambda Chi Alpha” onto the Prospective Member.

• The most important thing during this step is to truly just try to have “Genuine interest in the Prospective Member.”

• Make sure someone on the Delta Team invites the Prospective Member to another event and gets a firm commitment that the Prospective Member will attend a future event. Many Chapters mess up during this step of the recruitment process by leaving the situation wide open and not “closing the deal” to the next step (whether this is another event, or even the permission to call the Prospective Member to invite him to another event). Make sure EVERY Prospective Member on the tracking list is called prior to every event!!!

• Talk to the Prospective Member about fraternity and Lambda Chi Alpha (Initiate the “Sales Strategies” explained in sections ahead) ONLY when he asks about fraternity or shows a little interest or curiosity.

Then, once the Prospective Member is ready to be recruited into Lambda Chi Alpha, it is time to strategically educate and sell the Prospective Member on why to join Lambda Chi Alpha. The only way this should be done is by utilizing the ethical, psychological, effective strategies outlined and explained in the next section.

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Lambda Chi Alpha: Recruiting Essentials Personal Contact: Be Yourself With More Skill It is important to understand that the actual process of recruiting is, essentially, related to sales. When recruiting, Chapters are marketing an experience and membership into an organization to a “potential” member, in the basic business sense, a consumer. Considering money (in the forms of membership dues) and time are both required from anyone that is given the opportunity by the brothers to “purchase membership” (join the fraternity), selling and buying is in fact occurring. The Chapter or Colony and its brothers are the “seller” and the Prospective Member is the “consumer.” STRATEGY 1: MAKE FRIENDS FIRST …TALK ABOUT FRATERNITY LATER. How many Initiated Brothers talk to a Prospective Member about all of the advantages of joining Lambda Chi Alpha, but never take the time to truly know him? Most Initiated Brothers are guilty of this. Every commitment and every relationship is built upon some level of trust and rapport. To have credibility and the trust of a Prospective Member, we must first take the time to build the relationship. This is one of the most important steps in explaining Lambda Chi Alpha to any Prospective Member. Remember, you are asking someone that you have only known for a short period of time to invest time and money into something he knows very little about. Just because this step is very important, do not think it is difficult. This step is completely natural and is probably done everyday. But this step can take time. Spend as much time as needed to build trust between you and the prospect. Once rapport is built, trust is earned, and a friendship has developed, it is appropriate to bring up Lambda Chi Alpha. In the next session, Showing Interest in the Prospective Member, we will look at different examples of how one might gain trust and rapport. STRATEGY 2: SHOWING INTEREST IN THE PROSPECTIVE MEMBER.

To build trust with anyone, let him talk. How many Initiated Brothers would rather tell a story about themselves than rather hear a story that has nothing to do with them? That essentially is what most Initiated Brothers might be doing when explaining all of the benefits to a Prospective Member before even knowing what he wants in a fraternity. Becoming genuinely interested in the Prospective Member can build trust, and just as important, find features that attract the Prospective Member to joining Lambda Chi Alpha. Most people have, at some point in time sat down and listened to someone tell them stories for long periods of time and at the end, want to hear more. Maybe the story was humorous or perhaps it was simply intriguing. In any sense they were genuinely interested in what they were listening to. Too many times during recruitment, Initiated Brothers get so excited about Lambda Chi Alpha they want to tell the world about every great benefit we have to offer. Instead, we should first listen to the Prospective Member and become genuinely interested in him. By doing this Initiated Brothers can find out if the Prospective Member is an athlete, leader, scholar, an all around great guy, or many of the other attributes we look for when recruiting. After becoming

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genuinely interested, and gathering some information, we can then tailor the features and benefits of the Chapter and Lambda Chi Alpha to the Prospective Member’s needs. How should Initiated Brothers become genuinely interested in a Prospective Member? Most of what needs to occur in order to become genuinely interested is in a simple acronym: SOFTEN

S: Smile – it shows you are friendly O: Open Body – don’t cross your arms or legs, crossing your arms creates a mental barrier F: Forward Lean – literally lean towards or sit on the edge of your seat to show interest T: Touch – a firm handshake shows confidence and a sign of trust and friendship E: Eye Contact – comfortable eye contact will show that you are interested N: Nod – acknowledge either with a nod or occasional “yea” to reaffirm that you are listening

If you feel that SOFTEN may seem fake, consider that studies have proven that emotion affects action and action affects emotion. This simply means that when you are interested, you already use SOFTEN and when you use the SOFTEN techniques you will become interested. STRATEGY 3: FIGURING OUT THE PROSPECTIVE MEMBER’S INTERESTS. How many facts of Lambda Chi Alpha can you recite in 60 seconds? Too many of us utilize this style of recruitment. There is very little time involved with a Prospective Member, especially during formal recruitment. Many brothers feel that they must tell the Prospective Member everything that makes Lambda Chi Alpha great. Instead, we should listen to the Prospective Member and focus his needs on a feature of Lambda Chi Alpha. By focusing on things that interest him, you do not overwhelm him with features that he may not even care about. A great analogy to illustrate this technique is utilizing the “sniper approach” as opposed to the “shotgun approach.” Throwing out as many features of Lambda Chi Alpha as possible in a short period of time is a shotgun (picture shooting out a wide range of pellets at one target). There is no consideration as to which topic will interest the Prospective Member, but instead just hope that something on the long list will interest him. The result of this is often confusion on the Prospective Member’s side and a waste of time on our end. The Prospective Member, while surely hearing something that interests him, may be turned off by other features that did not interest him. At the end of such a long pitch, the Prospective Member may not even remember what feature of Lambda Chi Alpha initially excited him. The sniper approach (think of a sniper rifle shooting at one target with one bullet) focuses on the needs and desires of each Prospective Member. Instead of stating every aspect of Lambda Chi Alpha, simply ask the Prospective Member questions to find out what his interests are and what kinds of things he may be looking for in a fraternity. Examples of questions to ask to find out information about the Prospective Member:

• “What kinds of activities were you involved in during high school?” • “What kinds of activities are you currently involved in on campus?” • “What about fraternities interest you the most?” • “What kind of things do you do in your spare time?”

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• “I understand you were in Scouting. Did you realize that we’re a values-based organization, too?”

Then, it is easier to understand what a Prospective Member likes, as well as what about Lambda Chi Alpha can become an interest to him. If, for instance, the Prospective Member is looking for a place where he can find friendship without hazing, then focus on Lambda Chi Alpha’s Associate Member and Big Brother programs. By simply finding out what a Prospective Member wants, time is maximized for the Initiated Brothers and the Prospective Members. STRATEGY 4: EXPLAINING THE FEATURES AND BENEFITS OF LAMBDA CHI ALPHA. What can Lambda Chi Alpha do for me? This is what many Prospective Members ask themselves when approached by Initiated Brothers. In many cases, our Initiated Brothers ignore any attempt to satisfy or identify the Prospective Member’s desires. To get a Prospective Member interested in the fraternity, Initiated Brothers must address the benefits that the Prospective Member would derive from membership. To avoid losing Prospective Members during the recruitment process, Initiated Brothers should address what Prospective Members can gain from brotherhood in Lambda Chi Alpha. The Initiated Brothers must relate the features of Lambda Chi Alpha directly to the Prospective Member’s needs or interests.

Features: Proven facts, specific statistics, or true statements from either the Chapter or Lambda Chi Alpha. Initiated Brothers should use these features to get the attention of the Prospective Member. Examples for Lambda Chi Alpha are the Associate Member program, the True Brother initiative, and the mentoring program. Additional features result from specific Chapters. For example, successful community service or study programs are features that directly relate to a Chapter or Colony. Benefits: The process of describing how the features relate to a Prospective Member's needs. To retain a Prospective Member's interest, the Initiated Brother must identify how these features (positive attributes of Lambda Chi Alpha) benefit the Prospective Member. The Initiated Brothers must illustrate the features of Lambda Chi Alpha and then most importantly relate those to how they benefit the Prospective Member. It is important to relate the benefits to the Prospective Member after each feature. When we fail to connect features and benefits, the Prospective Member may lose interest because the “features” become nothing more than isolated, unrelated details. Example: The third piece of the process is to add a tangible example for the Prospective Member to better visualize how joining Lambda Chi Alpha will better him in his journey.

The importance of using features and benefits is simple: to keep Prospective Members interested. Using this technique, we will be able to discuss topics that Prospective Members are interested in. By describing the benefits, we tailor the features to meet the Prospective Member's needs. The combination of features and benefits retains the interest of Prospective Members.

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Examples of Features and Benefits of Joining Lambda Chi Alpha:

Prospective Member's Need The feature of Lambda Chi Alpha that meets the Prospective Member's need and a description of how the feature will benefit him.

Financial Support Provides undergraduate and graduate scholarships . . . which help members subsidize the cost of tuition or books.

Community Service North American Food Drive is the largest single day Greek philanthropic event . . . members can get meaningfully involved with their community.

Networking and Mentoring Opportunities Greatest number of living alumni among fraternities, therefore creating opportunities for brothers to network with other brothers across North America. Joe Charles Mentor program—gives undergraduates the opportunity to be mentored by alumni who work in field-related undergraduate's major and who also live in the same location an undergraduate wants to move to.

No Hazing Associate Member program . . . allows an equal membership, which means Associate Members can attend meetings, vote on issues, hold office, and receive all benefits of membership.

Leadership Opportunities and Training Initiated Brothers have the opportunity receive training in a corporate style leadership program that develops skills for future employment and personal development.

STRATEGY 5: HANDLING OBJECTIONS. What is an objection? An objection is an obstacle keeping a Prospective Member from joining Lambda Chi Alpha during the recruitment process. An obstacle is anything, no matter whether true or false, that is discouraging the Prospective Member from joining Lambda Chi Alpha. To recruit top-notch Associate Members, the Chapter must understand common objections and how to handle them. A Prospective Member with questions or objections is often weighing his options carefully and is likely to be the type of recruit who will be a great brother. Do not become discouraged, but work diligently to bring the Prospective Member through the correct objection process. Every brother must be prepared to handle common objections; however, the Delta Team (as the main recruiters of the Chapter) should definitely be the experts in the process of dealing with objections. The way in which we handle ourselves in a situation when objections arise may determine whether or not the deal is closed. Preparing the brothers to handle objections is imperative to appearing confident in the eyes of Prospective Members. Anticipating objections is something you can prepare for, and a skill you can take with you wherever you go. The key

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point is to understand that what is said to the Prospective Member is not as important as the specific process by which the objection is handled. The Process: Handling an Objection:

1. LISTEN: Listen to the Prospective Member’s preliminary objection.

2. UNDERSTAND: Make sure you understand in your head what the Prospective Member’s objection is.

3. CLARIFY: Ask a question of clarification to the Prospective Member to make sure that you understand the objection and to show the Prospective Member that you clearly understand his concerns.

4. RELATE: Then, relate a past personal experience or another Initiated Brother’s past experience to the Prospective Member’s situation. Explain how you had similar concerns, or point out someone else in else out in the Chapter who was in the same situation.

5. REVEAL: Ask a question to make sure “nothing else is holding him one is the most important. We can usually discover this objection by simply taking interest in the Prospective Member and simply asking him if there is “anything else keeping him from joining.”

6. REPEAT 1-4: If there is a second objection, make sure you understand, clarify, and relate to this objection as well.

7. RESPOND: Give a good response to the (or both) objections in a one-one-by-one manner

It is important to understand that objections can occur at anytime during the recruitment process. Once an Initiated Brother covers all areas discussed above, the Initiated Brother can then move to close the deal. The next stage is getting the Prospective Member to commit. The Initiated Brothers need to practice handling objections before actually doing so with prospects, and this practice/training should come during a training session or recruitment role-playing session. STRATEGY 6: CLOSING THE DEAL. After an Initiated Brother takes the Prospective Member through all the steps of recruiting, he must be able to close the deal. We must be able to tie up all loose ends that the Prospective Member might have about joining Lambda Chi Alpha. All objections should be handled and a Prospective Member's concerns and anxieties should be addressed. We must put equal attention forth on each step, so the relationship with the Prospective Member is not in jeopardy. In the recruiting process, the commitment is the final step. Getting a Prospective Member to say, “Yes” to joining Lambda Chi Alpha is the ultimate goal throughout the process. After building a relationship with a Prospective Member by finding out his interests, then tailoring features of Lambda Chi Alpha to benefit him, and addressing the Prospective Member's objections, an Initiated Brother needs to ask the Prospective Member if he would like to commit. If the previous steps are done correctly, this stage is simple, yet equally important. Most of the time, all an Initiated Brother needs to do is to simply ask for a commitment.

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Getting the commitment indicates that the deal is closed and a Prospective Member agreed join Lambda Chi Alpha. Without the commitment, the deal is not closed and the Prospective Member could be lost. It is important for a brother to close the deal so that the Chapter does not lose Prospective Members. During the earlier sales steps, there were several questions that needed to be asked to build a relationship with a Prospective Member and to understand his needs. In the commitment stage, all that needs to be done is to ask the prospect the question. Do not be afraid to ask a direct question concerning commitment. Many brothers fail to get new members because they never ask the question. The number one reason someone doesn’t join is because we don’t ask them to! There are several different ways to ask the Prospective Member to commit. Some ask for commitments through direct questions, choices or options, or by giving a specific time the deal is available. These methods allow the recruit different options and techniques to ask for a commitment. Methods to Close the Deal:

Direct Question. The easiest and most direct way to ask for a commitment is to simply ask the Prospective Member. Once the Initiated Brother has built a relationship, gathered information about the Prospective Member’s needs, and addresses any concerns or anxieties, the Initiated Brother needs to present the opportunity for the Prospective Member to commit.

“Does Lambda Chi Alpha sound like something you’re interested in?”

Give Choices or Options. Another way to ask for commitment is to approach it indirectly. The Initiated Brother should ask for the Prospective Member to commit by giving him choices or options. The Initiated Brother must give the Prospective Member choices or options, but asking a closed-ended question. Limit the Prospective Member’s ability to say no.

“Do you want to come meet the brothers Monday, or Tuesday?”

Particular Time or Availability: The final way to get the Prospective Member to commit is to give a designated time period to respond to the offer. Insist that the offer is sincere and that he will have time to think about committing. This could be used when a Prospective Member is possibly stalling or procrastinating with his decision.

“I hope that you can join by this Friday, because I want you to be involved in the first Associate Member Ceremony for this semester.”

It is important to remember that if a concern arises anytime during the commitment stage, the brother must not ask for a commitment. He must return back to the previous stage of “handling objections” to comfort his concerns. Once all concerns are satisfied, he then can continue to close the deal.

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Marketing Tools NEWSPAPER AD.

Strengths: • High degrees of immediate saturation with each ad insertion. • Readership is usually an established pattern. • Time needed to place an ad is short, therefore, excellent for fast announcements or

special offers. Weaknesses: • Inefficient in reaching selective audiences due to mass penetration. • Little pass-along readership and limited life span. • Heavily cluttered with retail ads. Your message may have a difficult time rising above

the clutter. Suggestions and Execution: • Size - Ad sizes are based on measurements of columns and inches. The standard

newspaper measures 6 columns across. Depth varies, but is measured in inches (usually 20 to 22 inches). Total ad size is determined by multiplying the number of columns by the number of inches. A 3” x 10” column will measure a total of 30 column inches.

• Cost - The cost of the ad is calculated by multiplying the total column inches by the column inch rate. For example: a 3” x 10” column at a rate of $25 per column inch would cost $750.

RECRUITMENT LETTER. The recruitment letter is an integral tool in making contact with Prospective Members during the summer prior to their attending college.

Strengths: • This recruitment letter is a key strategy to contact Prospective Members early in the

recruitment process. It provides the ability to send a message, targeted directly to the home of the Prospective Members. This step is showing that we are interested in that Prospective Member and we are attempting to go and “get him.”

Weaknesses: • This strategy is very effective in reaching a large number of Prospective Members.

Although, this runs the risk of being viewed as a mass mailing technique. This could have negative effective because of the impersonal nature. Be careful when using this technique because members might have the tendency to be insincere.

Suggestions and Execution: • In most cases, your target audience will be college freshman looking to be a part of

something unique. For securing a qualified list of potential members, the most commonly used methods rely on freshman lists from the university, college, or Greek organizations on campus. Often these lists can be compiled on a computer disk and then easily printed onto labels to give your mail a professional look.

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• When planning a recruitment event, direct mail notices must be sent out months in advance. Prospective Members are undoubtedly scattered throughout the country, so it is essential that they have ample time to plan for their attendance. Supplying an early letter allows plenty of time to solve problems, accommodate schedules, and notify people of any changes.

• For the fraternity, an early mailing list enables you to correct misprints, make changes, and find new names to add to the direct mailing list. Your recruitment letter mailing list for alumni should be updated as frequently as possible and stored on a database as well as a computer disk for backup. Potential member mailing lists should also be kept up-to-date to efficiently send out new materials about the fraternity.

BUSINESS CARDS. Business cards are your most important form of identification. Business cards say a lot about both you and your fraternity. Lambda Chi Alpha business cards have been designed to convey a clean, crisp image. They should be used as a “networking” tool and to identify yourself, so that your fraternity continues to be prominent in people’s minds.

Strengths: • The business card provides a key strategy to make contact or wrap up a discussion with

Prospective Members. It provides the ability for the prospect to contact you if any questions arise, through a quick reference of contact information.

Weaknesses: • The business card is limited to the information printed, and can not provide an abundance

of information. Suggestions and Execution: • In most cases, the business card is used as a transaction of information prior to opening

discussion. It also can be used to finalize a discussion to reaffirm the interest of the individual by providing information if further discussion is needed.

• Always point out important information on the card, such as; phone number or email address.

• For the Chapter, it will provide an “ice breaker’ to approach a Prospective Member and provide a good way to measure the number of contacts in the theory of “Law of Recruitment” that will be explained later in this guide.

BROCHURE. Brochures are a very important form of reference information for the Prospective Member. The brochure has been designed to entice the Prospective Member and to reinforce the brand image. The file can be taken to a local print shop (i.e. PIP, Kinko’s, etc.) to replenish the brochure quantities. An instruction sheet will be provided for the printer for the type of paper, printing process and folding of the brochure.

Strengths:

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• Provides general information about Lambda Chi Alpha in a quick reference layout. It allows the Prospective Member to find out more general information that may have not of been answered in his earlier discussion with the fraternity.

• It provides the ability for the prospect to share information with his parents or any other guardian that may have concerns.

Weaknesses: • The brochure may not answer all the questions of the Prospective Member. • Chapter information is not provided within the brochure. Suggestions and Execution: • The brochure can be used as a visual reference during discussion with a Prospective

Member. Point out certain components of the brochure that the prospective may find interesting.

• It is critical that each Prospective Member takes a brochure prior to departure. During uncertainties the brochure has the ability to provide information to prospective with out a Lambda Chi Alpha member present to answer questions.

• Always have the brochure accessible for taking or visible for the Prospective Member. BANNERS. A banner provides the ability to penetrate a large number of individuals. It will create an opportunity to introduce the image of Lambda Chi Alpha and usually is the first point of contact. The banner is made of nylon material, which gives it the ability to be folded, washed and durable. The banner, giving you opportunity to be drape in front of a display table, place on the outside of a house or flown from a flagpole.

Strengths: • Highly visible and has large communication impact. The banner provides a consistent

outlet of communication to large number of individual on campus. • It is the campus version of a billboard, by communicating Lambda Chi Alpha and

establishing the brand image. Weaknesses: • It cannot provide large amounts of information to the Prospective Member. Suggestions and Execution: • The banner should always be placed in a visible area. Place it where the prospective will

have immediate contact with the message. This will establish the brand and create the question of: “Ready for what?” Opening the gates of conversation.

• Utilize the banner as often as possible; community service events, fundraisers, campus functions or Chapter functions.

MULTI-PURPOSE CARD. This card is well explained by its name, “a multi-purpose card.” Notice that the inside of the card is blank, this way the card can be utilized for many different purposes (i.e. as a hand-written bid card, a Thank You Card, or an invitation card, etc.).

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Strengths: • Communicates the brand image to a targeted individual or group of individuals. • This card is very versatile and can be used for multiple purposes. Weaknesses: • Since the inside of the card is blank, and members have to write whatever needs to be

inside, the card lends itself to becoming downplayed, due to some individuals lacking the ability to have perfect manuscript.

Suggestions and Execution: • Can be used in conjunction with the business card to provide detailed information. • In order to communicate the brand “Lambda Chi Alpha” as often as possible, utilize this

card for all invitations, as a “Thank You Card,” for Bid Cards, or anything else which is gives the opportunity to display Lambda Chi Alpha.

POSTER/FLYER. The poster/flyer is considered as the extension to the banner. It is designed to provide the brand message through a quick reference form and communicate local Chapter information.

Strengths: • A rapid and inexpensive way to disseminate information to a large group of individuals. • Time needed to information is short, therefore, excellent for fast announcements. • It is the campus version of a billboard, by communicating Lambda Chi Alpha and

establishing the brand image. Weaknesses: • Obviously, on college campuses today, getting permission to post flyers and posters often

includes a lot of “red-tape.” • Likewise, on college campuses today, competing organizations are sometimes prone to

rip down posters and flyers from organizations that are not their own. Suggestions and Execution: • Utilize the poster as often as possible; community service events, fundraisers, campus

functions or Chapter functions.

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The Ten Commandments of Recruitment (Adopted from Lehigh University’s Greek Life Office)

1. Think Like the New Recruit

You’ll act like a good recruiter. Remember, he has probably just graduated high school and is most likely leaving home for the first time. He knows little about college and especially about fraternities. Your assumption is that he knows nothing. Make him feel at home.

2. Assume a New Recruit Knows Nothing He does not know any more than what he has read in papers, seen at the movies, or been told by “someone who knows.” They do not know the terms you use or the Greek alphabet. Explain everything.

3. Sell the Greek Community First He has to be sold on the concept of a fraternity before you can sell him on your Chapter.

4. Spectacle is Cheap Not cheap to pay for, but it’s cheap in effect. Personal contact is paramount; spectacle can supplement it, but cannot replace it. Instead, work to make personal connections.

5. Keep in Mind What You are Selling You are selling a group of friends. Your group is diverse and varied in interest, yes… but you share the same values that he wants to live up to.

6. Make Friends Most recruits pledge where they have the most friends and believe the brothers to be the best group they can find. Be yourself and put your best foot forward. Try to present yourself as a good example of the Chapter. Be honest, straightforward, and friendly.

7. You Get What You Recruit The trouble with many recruitment techniques is that they attract the more casual, insincere types and, worse, they frighten away or disgust the highly motivated men who will do something for the Chapter and in return improve themselves. Seek out the individuals who will advance your Chapter after you leave.

8. What’s the Competition? Is it the competition the other fraternities or the new residence hall on campus? In either case, do not knock the competition. You show and explain why your Chapter is better than the competition. Exemplify excellence.

9. Keep Good Records If you talk to a great person, it is to your advantage to be sure that he doesn’t get lost in the “Rush.” If you find a positive prospect, always give it to the recruitment chairman. Don’t trust your memory. Write things down. Use the WISH LIST. After a big event, follow up with your best prospects. A quick phone call or handwritten note goes a long way toward making people feel special and wanted in your Chapter.

10. Plan Ahead: Think, Act Only the individual can do the job of recruitment. Be positive in your approach and do not pass the buck. Everybody has a job to do and they must all do it for recruitment to be successful. Seek to have each brother find their replacement.

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Media Alert Example Contact: Name Phone Email Fax Lambda Chi Alpha and Habitat For Humanity To Complete Home When: Saturday, January ___, 20__ 8am-5pm Where: 1234 Winding Way, Indianapolis, Indiana 46220

More than 100 members of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity from Indiana University, Ball State University and Purdue University will volunteer this Saturday to complete a Habitat For Humanity Home on the north side of Indianapolis. The home is being built for John and Jane Doe and their six children who became homeless when the apartment they were living in was destroyed by fire last month. The Doe family will be on hand as the home is completed.

Interviews and photo opportunities available upon request

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Press Release Example 1 Date: Contact: Name Organization Phone Email For Immediate Release Headline (Bold, Capital Letters) Secondary headline (bold italics) [City, State]--- Paragraph one: Lead paragraph of two to three sentences Paragraph two: Additional information Separate a spokesperson quote with a new paragraph Paragraph three: “The quote is here,” with name of spokesperson. “The remainder of the quote follows.” Conclusion: Insert boilerplate: Lambda Chi Alpha was founded in 1909 with the purpose of providing leadership training and opportunities for young men. It was the first fraternity to replace pledgeship and hazing with Associate Membership and fraternal education. Lambda Chi Alpha has 10,000 undergraduate members on ## campuses across the nation. End the press release with the editing symbol “-30-” which indicates the release is completed. If your release requires two pages, end page one with the symbol “-more-” and begin page two with “Page two—Lambda Chi.”

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Press Release Example 2 January ___, 20___ Contact: Joe Brother Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity Anywhere University 812-555-1212 jbrother@anywhere.edu Anywhere University’s Lambda Chi Alpha Wins Top Honor Chapter named as “2005 Chapter of The Year” By National Office [Anywhere, Indiana]—Lambda Chi Alpha at Anywhere University was named as “2005 Chapter of the Year” today by the fraternity’s national governing board for its commitment to community service and academic excellence. The 50-member A.U. fraternity volunteered more than 12,000 hours during 20___ for the Anywhere’s Habitat For Humanity, a charitable organization that builds homes for homeless families. It was first Lambda Chi fraternity in Anywhere to win the top award. “The young men of our A.U. Chapter have exemplified the founding ideals of Lambda Chi Alpha by serving as role models for students on campus while changing the lives of families in Anywhere,” said Lambda Chi Alpha National President, Bill Farkas. “Citizens often only hear the negative side of fraternity life. Lambda Chi members at A.U. show the nation that fraternities have a positive impact both on campus and off.” The 20 Judges for the “Chapter of the Year” award included businessmen, physicians, journalists, community leaders and government officials who are alumni of Lambda Chi. Criteria for award included: Community service hours performed Grade point average Graduation rate College leadership The members of Lambda Chi Chapter at A.U. had an average GPA of 3.5/4.0 and a graduation rate of 98% in 20___. Lambda Chi Alpha was founded in 1909 with the purpose of providing leadership training and opportunities for young men. It was the first fraternity to replace pledgeship and hazing with Associate Membership and fraternal education. Lambda Chi Alpha has 10,000 undergraduate members on ## campuses across the nation.

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Tracking Spreadsheet Example 1

Name Joe Chopper Referred By Brian Michaels, Dean of Students Delta Team Member Responsible John Roberts Home ph. # 555-555-5555 Cell ph. # 555-555-1909 Address 1234 Washington Hall Interest Athletics, Leadership, Mentor Program Activities Involved In Student Senate, Student Newspaper Possible Objections Time, Hazing Events Attended Grill-out Oct-11 Canoe Trip Oct 18 Bowling Oct-22 Halloween Social Oct-30 Other Roommate with Joe Chopper

Name Paul Peters Referred By Brian Michaels, Dean of Students Delta Team Member Responsible John Roberts Home ph. # 555-555-5555 Cell ph. # 555-555-1918 Address 1234 Washington Hall Interest Athletics, Leadership, Community Service Activities Involved In Student Senate, Student Advocacy Group Possible Objections Parents, Money Events Attended Grill-out Oct-11 Canoe Trip Oct 18 Bowling Oct-22 Halloween Social Oct-30 Other Roommate with Joe Chopper

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Recruitment Poster Example

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Sorority Referral Sheet Example

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Example Recruitment Letter

Dear Fellow Student:

Actually type the person’s name. Run a mail merge through Microsoft Excel and Word.

On behalf of the brothers of Lambda Chi Alpha, congratulations on your acceptance to Mason College YOUR COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY. Though your acceptance to the college is complete, opportunities to fulfill your potential are just beginning. Our brotherhood is proud to be one of the most internationally recognized Chapters of Lambda Chi Alpha. We attribute this to our core spiritual values that press us to excel in academics, campus involvement, and philanthropic endeavors. Though we are decorated in all areas of campus life, our proudest achievements are in campus leadership and community service. Therefore, it is with great excitement we invite you to apply for one of our highest honors: the William Anthony Beams Scholarship for Leadership and Service (EXAMPLE SCHOLARSHIP NAME). We hope that you will review the attached instructions and apply for this great honor. We believe that competitive leadership skills are crucial. Of the many students enrolling at Mason College this fall, many will follow, and few will lead. Lambda Chi Alpha has stepped up to the challenge of becoming the leaders of Mason College. Our Chapter boasts the former president of the Association of Mason Students, the current president of the Baptist Student Union, three of the six voting members on the AGS Executive Council, and much more. And although we esteem the skills of leadership, we realize that leadership without service is wasted. Lambda Chi Alpha is proud to have recently obtained the Outstanding Community Service Award for the fourth year in a row. We have been repeatedly honored by the city of Mason and Scott County for our vast food and financial donations to the community. We raise money for numerous charities and proudly support the Faith Baptist Children’s Clinic, which provides free medical care for those who would otherwise go without. Everyone has values---ours are unmistakable. Our mission is to promote the idea that leadership and service go hand in hand. Talent and ability are nothing if they are used for selfish ambition and achievement alone. It is our spiritual duty to give back what we have so richly been given. It is our responsibility . . . it is our legacy. Know that your arrival is eagerly anticipated, and may I personally invite you to be a part of our numerous philanthropic projects this coming semester. Sincerely,

Sign all letters that are sent out.

Joe D. Brother Recruitment Chairman joedbrother@university.edu317-872-8000