Marketing your fraternity experience

What is Marketing? Marketing is an ongoing process of planning and executing of the marketing mix (Product, Price, Place, Promotion) of products, services or ideas to create exchange between individuals and organizations. Marketing tends to be seen as a creative industry, which includes advertising, distribution and selling. It is also concerned with anticipating the customers' future needs and wants, which are often discovered through market research. Essentially, marketing is the process of creating or directing an organization to be successful in selling a product or service that people not only desire, but are willing to buy. Therefore good marketing must be able to create a set of benefits for the end customer that delivers value through products or services.

Event Marketing Exercise 1. The event is a career fair for graduating seniors and recent graduates. 2. The event is a recruitment event for getting to know potential new members. 3. What about an event for getting to know potential alumnae initiates? 4. How about a philanthropic event for the community like a walk or run? 5. What about a gala fundraiser with $100 a plate suggested donation?

Porter’s Marketing Model 1. End user - buyer - customer 2. Suppliers - Offerings - Structure Marketing Plan 3.Competition - 4. New entrants - 5. Substitutes 6. Complimentary products

Resume Statement Exercise Example: Which description below gives you a greater understanding about the candidate’s abilities and experience? “I ran the rush parties for my sorority. We got 36 girls.” “I planned and implemented a 6 day interactive interview and recruitment program for150 members, 25 alumnae and staff and 400 recruits, including multiple daily information sessions, entertainment and refreshments. We exceeded the chapters’ recruitment goal by 4%.”

Resume Statements In charge of Recruitment. Member of the Social Committee. Helped with alumnae fund raising auction. In charge of the purchasing accounts. Property Coordinator for our house. Responsible for the Activities of the chapter. Trained the new members about the sorority. Developed sisterhood for the chapter. In charge of the chapter Public Relations. Served on Executive Council. Was the leader of the Campus Relations Officer Team. Act as an advisor for my sorority. Help with recruitment food for pref. In charge of Alpha Gam Always for my town. Serve as an area director for my sorority. Am philanthropy chair for the alumnae chapter.

Questions and Comments 1. What did you learn about presenting fraternity experiences in written form. 2. What would you do to present this experience positively during an interview? What simple changes can you make to a resume statement to clarify the information it is conveying? What can we do as groups to strengthen our marketing materials for events? For membership? Other ideas?