When planning anything for your Bid Day, it’s helpful to look into the point of view of the incoming members, and ask yourself: what would you want to see or have incorporated? As a former Vice President of Recruitment for three years, I have found the most effective ways and factors to prioritize for a truly unforgettable day are within the list I have created below!
To further expand ideas for sorority recruitment chairs, make sure to consider and incorporate the following aspects:
-
1. Timeline Sheet:
Organizing a specific timeline throughout your Bid Day is arguably one of the best things you can do for yourself and the timeliness of everything that is supposed to be happening. This also creates little to no room for something to go wrong or not when it should be. If something does go south, you have the entire timeline in front of you to alter and work with as needed. To simplify, you will thank yourself for this when it feels like your head may be in five different places at once!
-
2. Budgeting:
Creating and maintaining your given budget basically “demands’ ‘ that you prioritize what you’re willing and wanting to spend more of your money on, and what you’re not. This can also help be a guideline for planning specific vendors or elements you want for your member’s celebration. It is notable that a larger chunk of your budget may go towards the location you are renting out and the mode of transportation. Given this, it’s important to acknowledge these bigger purchases, and how you can effectively use and spread out the remainder of your budget.
-
3. Location:
The location of your Bid Day should indefinitely be one of the first vendors to book! When deciding on a location to book, it’s vital to consider the capacity limit, as you want to ensure all current and new members are able to freely roam around. It’s also important to consider and communicate with the establishment on their rules; such as would they let you bring in an outside vendor to their establishment, if they are willing to provide meal deals for your event, how long you are able to rent out the space for, and so on.
P.S., it’s never a bad idea to go in-person to spaces that you may want to rent out for your chapter. It gives you a better self-illustration as well as allows you to have more communication and understanding with the location’s regulations or rules they may have, and what they may be able to offer you!
If you have a chapter house, this is the perfect place to host your Bid Day, and can leave more wiggle room for your leftover budget!
-
4. Transportation:
It’s important for the potential new members, or PNM’s, to be provided with a mode of transportation to their specific Bid Day location. This not only is vital to include to the event, but it also should be provided as a way home for them. You can even have current members have the responsibility of taking new members to and from their destination, if your University and Greek Life Board allows this.
-
5. Activities/Entertainment:
Bid Day activities are central to keep all parties entertained and busy! Activities can range anywhere from bonding and ice breaker games to renting different forms of entertainment such as a DJ, a 360 degree photo stand booth, a traditional photo booth, and so much more!
It’s helpful to remember that with the entertainment aspect, you should prioritize if you are wanting to spend more of your budget on something of this nature. If so, allocate costs for everything else to prioritize beforehand, so you are ensuring that you wouldn’t go over your given budget.
-
6. Decor/Theme Layout:
For the decor and theme layout, here you can be as creative as you want to, which is why this is a personal favorite task on this checklist! First and foremost, you want to think about what specific theme you are wanting for your Bid Day. When deciding on your chapter’s theme it’s important to be mindful of how easy it is to find matching or relevant decor, as well as the apparel you want to design for your members. You can also maintain budget efficiency by looking into doing DIY projects, utilizing facebook marketplace, or even some belongings that a member may have and is willing to lend the chapter for the event!
-
7. Member Attire:
You want to ensure to provide all current members and new incoming members with attire for the event such as the shirt you will be designing and wearing. It’s notable to mention here that a helpful option when ordering your Bid Day apparel is whether-or-not you want the new members to have a different colored shirt than your current members. This option can help especially if you have a larger chapter with being able to spot out the new members more easily throughout your event!
There’s no better feeling than wearing your newest Bid Day class shirt with your best friends, and let’s not forget to mention being ready for as many sorority bid day photos as possible!
-
8. Food/Beverages:
Providing food and beverages for all members is important and should also be one of the top priorities, as they may not have been given food throughout the day. It’s always important to have something to provide for everyone! It’s also crucial to consider and take into account any allergens or certain restriction diets that members may have, and to have alternative options for them.
Believe it or not, having a set table filled with food and beverages can open so many opportunities for easy conversations with other members! As they always say-food brings people together!
-
9. Goodie/Welcome Bags:
Goodie and welcome bags are always a great way to acknowledge the hard work and recognition for your current members, and an inviting welcome for your new members! You can include things such as apparel, candy, stickers, anything related to your chapter and/or Greek Life! Besides, who doesn’t love free stuff!
-
10. Being Inclusive, Welcoming, & Informative:
In the beginning and the end of your Bid Day, it is always highly recommended to announce a rundown of what will be happening throughout the rest of the process, and any important information they need to know. This also allows your members to introduce themselves, provide in-depth explanations of what your chapter is about and what the next step is for them as new members. It also gets you excited and prepared for your newest incoming pledge class!
These ten aspects will help not only you and your chapter host the perfect Bid Day, but it’ll allow the planning and executing process to run as smoothly as possible. This is an ultimate celebration of your current members as well as the future of your chapter, so remember to have fun and to enjoy the day yourself, too!
What will your chapter’s next Bid Day look like?