The Strawberry Patch
 

Enrichment and Inspiration for Beta Sigma Phi Sisters from Marilyn Ross
 

Tips About Your Activity
1. EACH MEMBER is expected to act as a hostess, is responsible for getting acquainted with all guests, and for seeing to it that guests get acquainted with each other.
2. To record the names of prospective rushees, members should take GROUP ACTION, WITH PEN and PAPER AT HAND. It is not effective just to ask members to bring names of rushees to the next meeting. Thinking of rushees needs to be done as a group activity. (Use PenPoint Prospective Members Bulletin.)
3. Review TYPE OF PARTY planned. If you thought of a certain kind of party before you made the guest list, you may have decided on a tea or some general type of party to which anyone could be invited. Knowing now exactly who will be invited, you may decide you can design a party which will have more appeal to those being invited. Review plans to make sure they have the greatest possible appeal to the people invited. The greater the appeal from the sound of the party on the invitation, the greater attendance will be.
4. Check the DATE, TIME and PLACE. Any conflicting interests or events scheduled on that particular date?
5. INVITATION TIPS: Invitations should be signed by a member's name, not just the Chapter name. DO NOT ASK FOR AN RSVP. Instead, put a line in the invitation to say that a member will call to arrange transportation.
6. TELEPHONE TIPS: A telephone call should follow the invitation. It should be made a few days after the invitation is mailed. Choose the telephone committee with care. A good telephone person needs:
  • a lively voice
  • assurance and positive thinking
  • ability to direct conversations, brief and to the point

 Telephone calls to prospective guests cover these points:

  • Make sure the invitation was received
  • Arrange transportation (an easy way to get acceptance and arrange transportation at the same time, is simply to ask, "Will it be convenient for you if I pick you up at ____ o'clock on _______________?")
7. NAME TAGS. Be imaginative in their design and write names in BOLD LETTERS! The pattern and ideas for the nametags will be suggested by the activity planned.
8. DECORATIONS and MIXERS. Plan things your own members will enjoy and can do with ENTHUSIASM! Many a woman has joined Beta Sigma Phi not so much for what she heard about the organization but because the members themselves were so enthusiastic! She saw them having so much fun she knew she wanted to be part of the group!
9. DISPLAY TABLE. When you are telling the story of BETA SIGMA PHI at an activity, the display table should show issues of The Torch, your yearbook, scrapbook, any crested sorority items members have. If you have taken pictures of rushees at previous activities, be sure they are prominently displayed in the scrapbook - that helps a rushee to see herself as part of your chapter. Naturally, all members wear their pins and achievement bands. And, don't forget those YELLOW ROSES!
10. FOLLOW-UP. . .after the party. Part of the fun of a party is talking about it the next day. It's like s-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g a good time. It increases the good time your guests (and you) had when you call them the day after the party to say how much you enjoyed having them! Put yourselves in their shoes. How would that follow-up make you feel?
11.

POPPING THE QUESTION. The invitation to membership needs to be extended very pointedly. It should be extended to each rushee individually by the Vice President or 1 or 2 members who visit with the rushee.

 Here's a suggestion:

 "__________________, the members have enjoyed having you with us an we all especially want you to join us. The candlelight Pledge Ritual (Installation to Membership) is planned _____________________. This is our pledge agreement (show it and say), "I'm proud to sponsor you for our chapter and I'll look after you until you get settled-in! As your sponsor I sign here (sign it right then) and you sign here (point to where she signs and give her the pen.) Now, your name and address goes here and indicate which payment plan is most convenient for you."

 . . .Sometimes, members leave it to the rushee to call back and let the Chapter know if she is interested in joining. That is not effective! YOU NEED TO CALL THE RUSHEE! It's the old 'who is rushing whom' question. THE RUSHEE IS NOT RUSHING YOU, YOU ARE RUSHING HER; THEREFORE, YOU NEED TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE ALL THE WAY.

12. ABOVE ALL ELSE, BE ENTHUSIASTIC AND HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE!



       
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