Good recruitment gives chapters a competitive advantage in both the quality of its members and the size of the chapter. This is the quickest way to transform your chapter. Great recruitment eliminates problems and creates new and exciting opportunities for all brothers.

Our chapter has had success with recruitment. Specifically, we focus a lot of our time and energy on following up with a large recruitment class and maintaining success.

The key to our success: We set standards and stick to it. Situational standards should never be a thing in recruitment. After newly elected officials have taken office, sit down and set the recruitment standards for the coming year. Stick to these standards and use them as a rubric for potential new members.

There are no off days. Recruitment is a 365 days a year, seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day process. One of the largest myths of recruitment is there is a set recruitment season. At anytime, you can advertise and potentially recruit new members through your actions and words.

Your chapter is your committee. It doesn’t matter if your chapter size is 25 or 250, every member is an important part of recruitment. Every member has connections outside of the chapter and with that, they are the easiest way to connect to new PNMs. Each new member has two duties: to recruit someone to replace them when they graduate and to better the chapter.

Parents are your best friends. Most college freshmen are just leaving the nest and living on their own for the first time. This being said, they are still very likely to listen to parental advice. Showing parents all the advantages of becoming men of Sigma Phi Epsilon will always benefit you in the recruitment process. So don’t be afraid to talk to parents.

Involvement is everything. Having members in all organizations across campus will ensure that you are able to recruit “the scholar, the athlete, the builder” and ultimately a diverse individual who will benefit the chapter with his experiences and knowledge.

Partner with your university. The university is your friend; they have records of every student to ever set foot on campus. Work with them, and you can meet the top-notch students from the Dean’s List to the most involved student.

Everyone has a home. Everyone has special talents; there are opportunities within the chapter for each member to use those talents to get involved. The key to retention is to have every member contribute in some way.

Bigs are chapter mentors and best friends. Older members have the ability to shape new members into balanced men. This is done by mentoring; a chapter mentor can help members with anything from grades to family problems. Mentors help to make a chapter a new home.

Invest in member development. Parties and events are fun, but it is imperative that the BMP is a top priority for everyone in the chapter. This means brotherhood events and chapter retreats are essential in reminding members why we are here.

Don’t burn ’em. There is nothing worse than losing a member after two years because SigEp burned them out with over programming. With this, programming is about quality over quantity. You do not need an event four times a week to keep members. Invest in a few worthwhile events, and members will see the quality of them.

They pay for an experience, so give them what they paid for. You recruit members who will get good grades, become balanced men and have fun. It’s as simple as this: Deliver what you promised to them on day one of recruitment.