Online Service Resources

Hi everyone,

Service programs are going well across the section and plans are underway for national service week. I have been spending some time browsing the web for resources to assist with growing and diversifying our service program here in 67 and have come across a promising website.

The website that offers a lot of information and resources related to community service opportunities on a national level. It has a great search option where you enter your interest such as kids, elderly, animals, etc. and then your zipcode and it searches for all opportunities in your area. The organization is called the Corporation for National and Community Service and the website is: http://www.nationalservice.gov/.

Please spend some time exploring this website and share with your fellow brothers what you find.

Advice from...America's Next Top Model?

Some of you may know that I am addicted to "America's Next Top Model." I get a lot of makeup ideas and love cheering on the nicer models that will probably never win, but this season, I got marketing advice: To be successful, you need to be a brand that is recognizable by anyone. On the show, the models are encouraged to embrace their personality, their strengths, and their signature looks. Tweaked a bit, this can work for marketing organizations.

To "brand" Alpha Phi Omega, make every service project visible- before, during and after the fact. Make it so people don't ask,"What's APO?" but "What service project is APO going to do next?" Before every project, especially if extra volunteers are needed, make posters and Facebook events. On the day of, be sure to wear your letters. This way, even if there are people who don't know what APO is, the first association they will make is service. This can also be done with fellowship events but service should still be the first association, of course. It's as simple as that to garner more positive attention for Alpha Phi Omega. Just make everything that is happening even more visible so when people see APO letter shirts or hear the name, they instantly get a picture in their head rather than not thinking anything of what they saw or heard. Take a cue from models (or wannabe models) and help APO make a bigger mark on the campuses, communities, and the nation.

I started this blog post over a month ago and kept stopping because I wanted this to be more than just "Make APO known all over your campus!!" Then, I went to Region V's conference and was inspired by President Mark Stratton's goal of having 500 chapters by 2025. If APO brands itself and paints a clear picture of what being a brother is all about, chartering new chapters (and rechartering dormant chapters) will bring a strength to the movement and gain interest a lot quicker than just a title and the back story- as beautiful as it is. Branding APO will bring the brotherhood that much closer to the goal of 500 chapters.

YiLFS,

Martha

Using your historian to their fullest

Hey brothers! Time for another update from the section 67 chair of fundraising! I’m going to write a little blog post on historians and how to use them to the best of your abilities! They are often under-utilized in a chapter when they can really do so many things!

1. Take pictures! This is probably the biggest thing the historian is known for. They are always at events with their cameras! Make sure that the historian comes to a lot of events, or has people taking pictures at other events they can’t go to! Also make sure you are getting a variety of pictures, you don’t want to have pictures of the historians 3 best friends over and over again!

2. Make a scrapbook! It is always fun to document the semester or year with pictures! You can even make it a fellowship event and have people all get together and make their own page! An electronic scrapbook is fun too!

3. Keep historical documents. This includes new and old! Keep the pledge programs and things hat are used because eventually they will be historic! It is really neat to look back at how things used to be run and see how much the chapter has grown!

4. Write a chapter history. A lot of chapters studied the history of AZ as a whole but its important to know the history of your chapter as well. Who were the founding members and the first president, when was your chapter chartered, who made a big impact on the chapter?

5. Keep a family tree. You all have bigs and littles right? Well make sure to document those! It is fun to draw them as a family tree and keep track of who is related to whom! And don’t start with the president, try to dig up some of those older bigs who have graduated and go back as far as you can!

6. Be creative! There are many things that the historian can do. Think outside the box and use this person as more than paparazzi!

Leadership Call

Good Morning!

We will be having our first 'Leadership Conference Call' Wednesday, September 21 at 9:05 pm (ET).  If you are interested in joining, send me an email and I will provide you with the information.

Agenda:

1.  What chapter's need from me.
2.  What each chapter is doing now.
3.  Information on LZ getting certified to present LEADS.
4.  Other.

Information from the National Office on Leadership Development:  http://theldpoint.wikispaces.com/
Region V Facebook Page:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alpha-Phi-Omega-Region-V/167797766572382?sk=wall

Getting Personal

Marketing has a reputation for shameless plugging for organizations and businesses, but for Alpha Phi Omega, nothing could be further from the truth. (For the most part- there's always some shameless plugging.) The trick to not getting categorized as shallow and insincere, especially when promoting APO to potential new members, is to make it as personal as possible. People tend to have better responses when they are treated as individuals and not as a mass. People in businesses, even though they can come off as cold and unfeeling at times, appreciate personal approaches to marketing as well.

When promoting Alpha Phi Omega to potential new members that are not acquainted with anyone in the chapter, it is important to be certain they are comfortable with the active brothers. A great way to go is during recruitment events, make sure a social brother is with them and another potential/active pair to relieve any stress of being the only non-active in that situation. It's kind of like a double date without specific elements of a date. Outside of events, say hello to people that you saw and be as available as possible to answer any questions or just be there for the person. You'd be surprised how many people want to just sit with you at dinner in silence! Just knowing that you are open and willing to talk to potential new members make them feel that much more at ease with joining the fraternity. When it comes time for the formal night/pledge ceremony, a handwritten invitation is the best thing a potential new member can get. In Theta Theta, that really gave the extra push for many to join. Taking the time to really reach out says a lot, and with the number of pledges Section 67 has had thus far, it is probably really hard for the VP of Membership and their committee to do it all. If you are not on the Membership committee, and especially if you are on PR committee, help them out with invitations. It is an important step for the fraternity to bring in the amazing pledges and it shows how much the fraternity cares about them before they even decide to go to the ceremony!

For businesses, it is a bit different because we are not recruiting them to be our brother, but to be a sponsor or contributor to the fraternity in its events. In order to really stand out to the businesses, you have to make your meeting(s) personal as well. Have the fundraising representative (whether they are the treasurer or someone on the committee) and PR representative go in person to businesses to talk about Alpha Phi Omega and what events the chapter is trying to gain funding. If the person in the business expresses interest, give them a letter that summarizes the discussion and contains the contact information of the treasurer and president. This is a great tool for businesses because if they contribute money or goods, they have something to show the higher-ups in the location and the corporate office so they can get the green light for their donation whether on that day or a week or two down the road. If it's the latter scenario, they have the contact information they need to get the contribution to the chapter. It is also a good idea to do a follow-up meeting with the people in the businesses who gave money or goods with thank-you notes. This will help with any future fundraising- decorum goes a long way in APO being remembered as an organization that was professional and an organization they would like to do business with in the future.

Marketing may turn a lot of people off, but when it is applied in a more personal way, it can prove to be very beneficial to the chapter and its relationships with people and businesses.

Region V Conference is Just Around the Corner

I'm sure you're excited to hear that the Region V Conference is only two months away! Here are a few detail and links to get you started as registration has already started!

About the conference

THEME Band of Brothers

DATE 11/11/11

LOCATION University of Kentucky; Lexington, KY

WEBSITE https://sites.google.com/site/regionvconference2011/

Service programs in section 67 are off to a great start this year and planning for National Service Week is underway. We are having service conference calls every couple of weeks leading up to NSW and things are going pretty well. Please be aware of the upcoming events and please join in the fun :) And don't forget to start getting together your non-perishable foods and winter blankets/clothes for donations at the regional conference!

October 8, 2011 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Louisville, KY
October 14, 2011 Halloween at the Zoo with Delta Theta in Louisville, KY
October 15, 2011 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Lexington, KY

A tip for managing a healthy service program: Diversity
It is important to provide multiple opportunities in location, time and avenue to allow members of your chapters to find their niche in the service program. Offering various different types of projects with various audiences as well as multiple time and date opportunities will allow increased participation and will help to fight off the "burnt out" feeling that sometimes arises when one takes part in the same type of project over and over again. Provide opportunities that allow brothers to spread their service wings and find their heart in service. I, for instance, love kids and the elderly...that's where my heart is when it comes to not only service, but my career as well. Some love animals, others the environment/outdoor activities. Helping brothers find that special project or organization that they will form a bond with and be dedicated to for life is part of what being a great Service VP is all about!

YiLFS,
Amanda

Avoiding APOverused Lingo

Those of us who have been around for awhile have likely picked up a lot of APOverused lingo.  “LEADS”, “CoE”, “PPoE”, “CAPS”, and “AAMD” are all abbreviations which may be recognizable to longstanding Alpha Phi Omega brothers.  Sure, it’s easier to tell everyone that “CAPS is next Sunday at 5pm” than to tell them that “the Chapter Assessment and Planning Conference is next Sunday at 5pm”—a whole 11 syllables saved (10 if you pronounce “Conference” as “Confrence”)!  And if you’ve already announced the occasion a few times using its full name and giving a brief explanation of what it entails, it’s okay to get a little lazy.

But be especially careful when addressing non-brothers, pledges, and new brothers.  It may be obvious that they wouldn’t understand what’s meant when you talk about your chapter applying for the CoE (that’s “Chapter of Excellence”), but did you ever consider that even terms like “Section 67” or “National Service Week” could be confusing?

Think about it.  You know nothing about Alpha Phi Omega, except that it’s some group who does service.  You show up for some recruitment week events and hear brothers talking about how awesome Section 67 is.  Maybe you’re too shy or too polite to ask about it, so you just smile and nod and later wonder what the heck was going on.  Yes, you understand the English language and know that a section is part of a whole, but what does it mean in terms of the Fraternity?  You didn’t really connect with anyone because the crazy unfamiliar lingo kept throwing you off.  And then you decide you just don’t fit in and aren’t going to pledge.

Okay, so maybe that’s an extreme example, but the general point remains the same.  It is important to be mindful of your audience and take the time to explain any potentially foreign or confusing terms.  The goal is always to depict Alpha Phi Omega in the most positive light and to educate others about the Fraternity.  Effective communication is key, and avoiding unfamiliar jargon and acronyms is an important part of effective communication.

YiLFS,

Jessica Szweda

Section 67 Communication Chair

Leadership: Workshops and Conference Call

Brothers,

I spoke with Brandyn last night.  We are on track to get 3 or so of us trained in at least Launch for you all.

Also- I am willing to do mini 'leadership retreat' type workshops.  I would be more than willing to come and do some mini workshops on; networking, how to step up into leadership roles and how to just in general be a more effective leader.  Just let me know if your chapter is interested.  I am very flexible.

There appears to be some interest in a conference call.  I have tentatively scheduled for it to be on the third Tuesday of every month (upcoming: Sept. 20th) at 9:05.  I am just waiting to hear back from all the chapters.  Anyone and everyone is welcome to listen in.  Just email me if you are interested.

Did anyone rise to my challenge from 2 weeks ago?

Laura

Alumni: How to stay involved

Hey all Section 67 alumni!

So I know what you are probably thinking: So no that I've graduated, now what? Well you're in luck! There are many ways you can stay involved with APO even after graduation.

The first thing you should do is to subscribe to the APO Section 67 Alumni Connection Newsletter. You can do so by filling out the form here:

APO Section 67 Alumni Connection Newsletter Sign-Up Form

Here are some interesting topics that you might see in an issue of the Alumni Connection:

Volunteering with the Leadership Program

There are several ways you can volunteer within the APO Leadership Program:


Becoming an APO Impact Presenter

APO Impact is a series of online webinars in which key topics are offered to all brothers of the fraternity. The APO Impact team is currently looking for volunteers for many aspects of the program including: Conducting the online presentation, operating behind the scenes as the webinar host, writing the actual presentation script, etc. If you are interested in volunteering for any of these roles please complete the interest form here: https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?hl=en_US&pli=1&formkey=dHRmNTBNZnBlY3oxbXB3TzVyMHp4NlE6MQ#gid=0
Also feel free to follow the APO Impact team on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_22654378529
And on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/APOIMPACTLIVE
And their newsletter here: http://theldpoint.wikispaces.com/

Becoming an APO LEADS Presenter

The APO LEADS program consists of five individual modular components of leadership development. The APO LEADS team is always seeking new content presenters. In order to become an APO LEADS Presenter you must first acquire Presenter Certification by demonstrating proficiency in Presentation Skills (PS) & Facilitation Skills (FS). For more information about how to obtain Presenter Certification click here: http://apoimpactproject.wikispaces.com/Presenter+Certification+methods
Once you are a certified presenter you can register for any APO LEADS Content Training sessions to learn how to present each course. Click here to view register for APO LEADS Content Training Sessions: http://theldpoint.wikispaces.com/APO+LEADS+Training

Volunteering as a Chapter Advisor

Now that you have graduated from your local chapter you wish to pass on all that you have learned as a Chapter Advisor. This is a wonderful opportunity but it also is a risky endeavor, especially so soon after graduation. Chapter Advisors are there to help the chapter in times of need and offer advice and guidance, not to run the organization. Many newly graduated brothers have this problem differentiating between the two and it has a negative impact on their local chapters. It is recommended to hold back volunteering as a Chapter Advisor for a year or two and instead volunteer elsewhere in the fraternity, either section/region staff or begin training as a presenter. If you are confident that you hold the self-control to step back and let the chapter operate itself, only offering advice when sought, then please review the following information about becoming a Chapter Advsior.

• The APO Advisor’s Guide [PDF]: http://www.apo.org/site/site_files/advisorsguide.pdf
• Find the closest chapter near you: http://www.apo.org/show/About_Us/Organizational_Structure/Chapters

Join an Alumni Association

Connect with other alumni through APO’s Alumni Associations. Click here to find out if there is an alumni association in your area: http://www.apo.org/show/Alumni_Resources/Alumni_Associations/List_by_State
If there aren’t any then think about starting one! Click here for more information about starting an Alumni Association: [PDF] http://www.apo.org/site/site_files/alumni_association_startup.pdf

Let's Talk Marketing

I have two questions for every APO brother who comes across this post: 1) Is your chapter known of or recognized at your school? 2) When you mention recruitment to non-APO people, do you get a response such as, "What's APO?" or "I already have my calendar marked for

recruitment events!" If you answered 1) Yes and 2) the latter of the two responses, chances are, you are doing a great job in marketing your chapter at your school and you can continue to expand your advertising of APO. If you answered 1) No and 2) The former, you need to promote APO more. Marketing is the action of advertising/promoting a group, service, etc.- something that is essential to recruitment because it is hard to recruit anyone if no one knows who you are or what you do.

So how can marketing tools and strategies be improved? Very simple steps can be taken and make all the difference.

If your school has an Expo, sign up for a table.

If your school has an Expo or any opportunity for you to reach out to freshmen, take advantage of that opportunity. This is a great way to collect emails to send informative messages to potential new members. Have letter shirts, presentable symbols, and photos of you best

serviceand fellowship activities, and the amazing conferences. Anything that can draw an audience, use it. Brush up on your knowledge of APO for the questions you may receive and

if you have recruitment week planned out, give out schedules.

It also doesn't hurt to have some candy out on the table as well. You'd be surprised of the crowds a few Life Savers draw. When you collect the email addresses, create an email group so you can

send out reminders for your events.

If you use simple paper posters, upgrade to bed sheets.

This is something that has become a trend for Centre College's different programs, especially in

the Greek Community. They are more durable than paper and they are reusable, as long as you

put dates and specifics on separate pieces of cloth and pin them on.

Text-only posters? Add images!

Posters will grab more people's eyes if it has a few pictures and artsy writing. If you have artists in your chapter and they aren't on PR committee, ask them to join and put their talents to good use!

Use Youtube.

If you have the means and a good idea, make a Youtube video and share it. Make people laugh, cry, and ultimately, get them interested in APO.

Are you using every social network you can?

Facebook has the tools you need to create events, groups, everything you need to get the word out. Twitter, annoying as it is at times, is great to make announcements to a mass of people. Social networks are fast becoming the greatest tools for communication and advertising. Just be sure you do it in a non-annoying manner. Here are some Dos and Don'ts when it comes to social networking:

• On Facebook, DO make an event and invite everyone you can from your school and ask your brothers to do the same...
• ...but make sure you DON'T have to make 1001 changes to the event after inviting people because every change becomes a notification that annoys the invited.
• On Twitter and Facebook Statuses, DO write about how excited you are for the coming APO events like a week, then a couple of days, then the day before the event whether they are exclusive to APO or public. Just get the name out...
• ...but DON'T post on Twitter and your status about the APO events 10 times a day, every day, for a month or else you will get major eye-rolls and even a "Do not show messages from (brother)."
• DO announce your events on every social networking site members are a part of. Different people have different networks that they check regularly.

Recruitment is not just for one week- it goes on all year long.

Just because it's not the week before recruitment, it doesn't mean APO has to become invisible. If you have a fundraiser, public service or fellowship event coming up, make a poster and Facebook event. Treat all public events like you would a recruitment event. Also, stay visible with your letter shirts. In my sorority, we designated Wednesdays to wear our letters as well as any day we did a philanthropy event. It wasn't required, but highly encouraged and most wanted to participate anyway to show pride in our organization. This would make APO more recognizable at the very least.

If you have a new idea, share it!

I have presented a lot of outlets to get out the word for APO, but there are countless ways to promote the brotherhood. If you have an idea, present it to your chapter and if it works, the section. We all need to help each other promote APO in any way possible.

I hope you all found this information useful to your recruitment endeavors. If you have any questions or suggestions regarding all things marketing, feel free to email me at section.67.marketing@gmail.com.

YiLFS,

Martha

Visibility

It is my opinion that one of the most important goals of every Section Chair or Staff should be to maintain visibility throughout the section.  Already, this year, the staff of Section 67 has been making huge strides in this area, first with the development of the brand new website, and secondly through our conference calls with members of our chapter and petitioning group executive boards across the section.  Through both of these resources, I hope that our visibility has been greatly expanded.  Please also note that when you sign onto the new website, there is a box in the bottom right hand corner that is labeled "Chat with the Chair."  If I'm on-line, it will open a chat window, and I would love to talk to you!

Nonetheless, visibility can only be somewhat tangible on-line and over the phone; in order to be truly visible, a Section Chair or Staff really needs to show up and visit with chapters.  While age old minimum requirements set forth in Section 67 only stipulate that I must visit each chapter, petitioning group, or interest group once a year, I think that's just a little too little.  As such, I'm hoping to visit everyone a lot, lot more than that.

Here are my current tentative visiting dates for September and early October, with the potential that more will be added soon.  I'm looking forward to seeing all of you very very soon!

• September 9 - Progressive Dinner, Alpha Zeta
• September 10 - Hope in the City, Alpha Zeta
• September 10 - Kids Fest, Alpha Zeta Kappa
• September 10 - Pledge Ceremony, Alpha Zeta Kappa
• September 20 - Pledge Ceremony, Alpha Gamma Phi
• October 1 - Pledge Retreat, Alpha Zeta
• October 1 - Formal Night, Theta Theta
• October 2 - Pledge Ceremony, Theta Theta

In addition to my chapter visits, other ways to increase visibility are currently in development, and I'm looking forward to releasing details about those shortly.  If you have any questions, please always feel free to e-mail me as well.  I'm always here to chat and also to take suggestions and opinions.

Brotherly love,

- Brandyn

Everywhere I look I see SERVICE!!!

Things have been going well on the service side of Section 67 and the semester is only just beginning. I have gathered information on several service opportunities in our area for this semester and it is very exciting!

Coming up in September are the:

Alzheimer's Memory Walk in Louisville on September 10th and in Lexington on September 18th. Please visit http://www.alz.org/.

Arthritis Walk in Louisville on September 17th (Saturday). For this walk in particular I already have a team set up for APO Section 67. I would love some company and support from the awesome brothers of section 67 for this one! Please let me know if you are interested in joining the team. You can visit http://www.arthritis.org/ for more information also.

I am working to get some opportunities scheduled with Habitat For Humanity for the fall and spring terms as well.

As National Service Week rapidly approaches I along with your Service VP's will be hard at work ensuring that each and every project in KY will be amazing as usual. Any input you would like to give is always appreciated and information on organizations and/or service opportunities are always welcome!

Keep your eyes open for opportunities in October including Race for the Cure in Lexington and Louisville and Halloween at the Zoo thanks to our Delta Theta Chapter!

I hope all is well at the chapters and I can't wait to get into some APO service, Section 67 style!!!

Amanda