Phone-a-thons: Guaranteed to Enhance Membership Acceptance!

Do you know the Number-1 reason that eligible students do not accept their invitation to membership in Phi Theta Kappa? The answer may surprise you. It's not because students are unable or unwilling to pay membership fees, or because they are concerned about the perceived time commitment.

The primary reason that students decline their invitations to become members of Phi Theta Kappa is simply that they are unaware of the benefits of membership that the Society provides.

According to studies, the majority of students who are invited to become members but do not accept their invitations, do so because they are unfamiliar with Phi Theta Kappa. A significant number of students who did not accept indicated their decision would have been different if they had been better informed about all that Phi Theta Kappa has to offer.

As your chapter begins to plan spring member enhancement campaigns, be sure that communicating the benefits of membership is paramount in your plans. And the best way to communicate is through personal contact - a telephone call to prospective members.

Phone-a-thons: Quick, Easy and Guaranteed

If your chapter is looking for new ways to increase its membership acceptance (and also reach its 2006 Pinnacle Scholarship Award Program goal), look no further! A phone-a-thon is simple to carry out, yet has a time-tested track record proved to ensure success in communicating the benefits of membership and thereby securing new members.

A phone-a-thon is simple to plan and execute, said former International President Keri Szymanski, whose chapter at Tompkins Cortland Community College in New York has used this idea for many years. "We would take the list of everyone who had been invited to become members - about 400 people - and divide the list between six chapter officers."

Szymanski said the chapter prepared a short script to be used when it was necessary to leave a voice mail message. "Basically we congratulated students on their academic achievement and their invitation to become members, and told them the date, time and place of the orientation and induction."

The chapter also used a phone-a-thon to contact eligible students who did not accept their invitation, even after the induction had passed. Each year as a result of this approach, students who did not respond to the initial invitation often accepted when given a second chance.

"Even if you don't get new members right away you are increasing the exposure of Phi Theta Kappa on your campus through a phone-a-thon," said Szymanski. "Sooner or later it will pay off."

The Phi Theta Kappa chapter at Johnson County Community College in Kansas has also established a record of success by using phone-a-thons. During their first year of conducting a phone-a-thon the chapter nearly doubled its membership.

"Our phone-a-thons allow an interaction between peers and are more persuasive tools than a letter from an unknown administrator. Enthusiasm has a ripple effect, and our Phi Theta Kappa members never lack enthusiasm," Johnson County advisor and Kansas Regional Coordinator Ruth Fox said.

"I have witnessed all the benefits Phi Theta Kappa provides for students," said Fox, who has served as an advisor for nine years. "Since we have found a tried-and-true method of increasing membership, we will continue to phone!"

The chapter at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, is among the largest in the Society, but recruiting new members is not always easy. Far too often prospective members were unfamiliar with Phi Theta Kappa, and often the letter of invitation ended up in the trash.

Phi Theta Kappa members at College of DuPage were able to reach these students - and also reach their Pinnacle goals - when they began to give each prospective member a personal connection to the organization. Chapter officers call students who had previously received an invitation from the college president's office, and have seen their acceptance rate climb as a result.

At College of DuPage approximately 1,300 students are eligible, meaning that the chapter has put considerable planning into making their phone-a-thons successful. They have developed the following strategies, suitable for use by chapters of all sizes:

1. Plan ahead! Make sure that you schedule the phone-a-thons when most of your chapter members and officers can attend. Ensure that the members participating are familiar with your chapter and with Phi Theta Kappa so they will be able to successfully relay the benefits. Also, remember that calls should be made when prospective members are most likely to be home.

2. Make it a group effort. Find an office on campus with enough phones for every officer/member participating. Make sure that each participant has an equal number of prospective members to call.

3. Set a goal. Groups work better together when they have a common goal. Set a goal based on the number of new members your chapter needs to meet your Pinnacle Program goals.

4. Write scripts. By providing an outline of what to say to each caller your chapter will sound professional. A sample script is now online, giving chapters talking points to use when speaking to prospective members.

5. Have fun! The best part about phone-a-thons is that they can be really fun. Chapters can turn this occasion into a party complete with food and a festive atmosphere.

Find More Ideas to Enhance Member Acceptance

More strategies for membership enhancement success can be found on the Pinnacle Scholarship Award Program website!

Check out other recruitment strategies in the online Chapter Resource Manual. Don't let students at your college miss the great opportunities that Phi Theta Kappa has to offer. Start calling today and let prospective members at your college know that membership in Phi Theta Kappa truly is "Good as Gold"!