As you kick off your spring semester, it’s time to begin planning for the Balanced Man Scholarship (BMS) this summer and fall. It’s the time of year when graduating high school seniors are looking forward to attending college. They are receiving acceptance letters and searching for scholarships throughout March and April. You should get ahead of the game by having your application link updated and live NOW!

Marketing your scholarship is one of the most important stages of a successful BMS. If you don’t get many applicants, you are missing out on the opportunity to be selective and award the top talent on your campus, and ultimately convince them to join SigEp.

Based on best practices from chapters operating the scholarship around the country, here are the top 10 Balanced Man Scholarship marketing tactics:

1. Ask the university admissions office for a list of incoming freshmen above a minimum grade-point average.
2. Distribute information to feeder high school guidance counselors throughout March or April. Follow-up before the high school seniors graduate to make sure the information was disseminated.
3. Mail a postcard or letter to incoming freshmen and parents at the parents’ home address.
4. Email incoming freshmen advertising the scholarship and SigEp experience.
5. Sponsor an advertisement on popular social media networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc.).
6. Set up a table at freshmen orientation and welcome week events with business cards or small flyers in high-traffic areas on campus.
7. Contact other student organization presidents/leaders and ask if they can promote the scholarship on your behalf.
8. Reach out to university professors, specifically those who work with freshman classes, to ask if they can distribute scholarship information to their classes.
9. Ask sorority women if they know of any good candidates for the scholarship (make it a competition!).
10. Spread the word! Word of mouth is one of the best tactics.

If you’re not already utilizing all of these tactics, there is still room to grow. If you need additional support in marketing your scholarship, SigEp Headquarters can offer marketing support to you.

Here are all the services we provide:

• Direct mail
• Professional and on-brand email campaigns
• Custom graphic design
• On-campus advertising materials
• Custom redirect link (example: www.sigep.org/YOURCHAPTER)

For more information on the marketing support we provide, email SigEp’s director of growth at zac.gillman@sigep.net.