Growing Your Chapter Starts with Building Your Brand

Are you looking for ways to attract more potential members to your chapter and be unique on campus? If so, you might want to consider investing some time and effort into your chapter's branding efforts. Marketing and branding are not just buzzwords or fancy concepts, but essential skills for any organization. With so many options for involvement on campus (including those outside of Greek life), you need to convey what makes your organization worth their time in order to attract new members. Done right, it can help boost awareness, your reputation on campus, and your recruitment efforts.

In this article, I’ll cover a very brief overview of the basic concepts and principles of marketing and branding, go over some tips to develop your own plan to brand your chapter, and provide direction on next steps to take. By following the steps and tips outlined in this article, you will be able to start your chapter down the path for success in recruitment through branding!

What is marketing and branding?

Marketing and branding are closely related, but not exactly the same. Marketing is the process of promoting and your chapter to your community, while branding is the process of creating and maintaining a distinctive identity for your chapter in the minds of your campus and beyond.

In other words, marketing is what you do to get people interested in your chapter, while branding is what you do to make people remember and choose your chapter over others. Marketing and branding work together to create a positive impression and reputation for your chapter, which can influence people's decisions to join.

Your (inter)national organization may have resources related to the branding of your organization – use them! Do some research on terms like brand identity, brand awareness, brand equity, brand positioning, and brand voice. Knowing what these terms mean will give you direction as you create your marketing plan.

Creating Your Marketing Plan

Start with a SWOT analysis. Gather your chapter leaders to objectively assess your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. What traditions, achievements or initiatives make you stand out? What areas need improvement? What emerging trends or campus events could you capitalize on to build your brand awareness? This big picture perspective will illuminate areas to highlight in your brand as well as any blindspots to address.

Next, get clear on your target audiences and goals. For most chapters, you’ll want to appeal to anyone you consider a potential new member (PNM). But don’t forget about university administrators, alumni, other fraternities and sororities, student organizations, and more. Map out your student recruitment funnel from awareness to interest to desire and, ultimately, pledged members. Set measurable objectives around growth, event attendance, social media engagement, etc. These targets will drive your marketing strategy. A new trend with Generation Z that it somewhat breaking this funnel is the idea of ‘inspiration’ – so think about what you can do to inspire PNMs to want to join your chapter. Councils should definitely be thinking about this since they can have a large impact on students considering Greek life in the first place.

Now, to define your brand identity. Choose two or three words that summarize your chapter’s personality and values. Are you traditional, philanthropic, adventurous? Academic, social, athletic? Dig into what makes you distinct. From there, develop a consistent color palette, typography, and logo. Create branded templates for your website, social channels, flyers, swag, and more. Consistent visuals will reinforce awareness.

You’ll also need a clear ‘value proposition’ for messaging. Why should someone join your chapter? Highlight traditions, alumni networks, academic resources, leadership opportunities, community service initiatives, or other aspects that set you apart. Craft this into a positioning statement and elevator pitch that any member can share. Feature this information prominently on social media and in any printed materials you distribute.

With your foundation set, map out a marketing plan. Promote your chapter consistently across social media, especially Instagram and TikTok (check out @fraternitysocialmedia for some great tips on what to post); hold informational sessions for PNMs to learn more; run active tabling events at student activities fairs; sponsor events related to your philanthropy and invite campus-wide participation; execute creative giveaways and campaigns that spread brand awareness. And don’t forget good old-fashioned word-of-mouth through your existing members – a great reason to join student clubs and organizations on campus!

Next Steps for Branding Success

Remember that branding is an ongoing process, not a one-time event. Continually reinforce your chapter’s unique identity and value on campus. Lean on your alumni network to share stories that bring your brand to life. With consistent, creative marketing and an authentic brand that reflects who your chapter really is, you can successfully grow your fraternity and leave a lasting legacy on campus.

If you’re interested in learning more on marketing and branding, a great primer is This is Marketing: You Can’t Be Seen Until You Learn to See by Seth Godin. Just go to your campus library to find plenty of great reads available for free – and you just might meet a potential new member too!

Benjamin Turconi

Benjamin Turconi is the Director of Communications & Education for Acacia Fraternity, Inc. With nearly nine years working in fraternity and sorority life and previous experience working in marketing/branding in the insurance industry, he is an experienced professional with broad-based experience in communications & community engagement. He has a track record of successful communication, event plans, and leveraging social media content to achieve goals. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Art History with a Minor in Rhetoric from the University of California, Berkeley (Go Bears!) and lives in Indianapolis, Indiana. Benjamin volunteers for the Fraternity Communications Association, AFLV, and DeMolay International; he is a member of FCA and AFA; and most importantly, loves being of service to the fraternal industry.