1) Keep your website current. Potential recruits and your alumni go there. If there are old pictures and rush calendars from 2004 up, then you can be assured that person is never going to come back.
2) Send out a newsletter to alumni every semester. Take the time to write a couple pages on what is new with the fraternity. Let them know about the health of the chapter, and ask for a donation (which isn’t tax deductible but is greatly appreciated).
3) Keep communication positive. The surest way to get people to close off from your message is by being negative.
4) Never try to settle a disagreement by email. That never works.
5) If problems arise in the fraternity, be sure the chapter is the one that tells the university and nationals first.
6) Swearing is never advised in a public setting.
7) If you want something – ask for it.
8 ) Short emails are better than long emails. People read short emails – they don’t read long ones (except my newsletter).
9) Don’t repeat the same point that someone has already said. This is the #1 cause of painful chapter meetings.
10) Don’t be stupid on Facebook and Twitter – see UNC Football if you want to know why…