It is important to remember that everything you do has a recruiting effect. Students will make decisions to join your group based on what they see and hear about your group. Therefore, recruiting is a year-long continual process. Be prepared to always discuss how students can join your group.

Here are some helpful hints:

• Remember that a personal contact is more effective than 1,000 flyers and newspaper advertisements. Students join organizations because they like the students they find there.

• Make a brief introduction of your organization at Greek chapter meetings, student government, RA staff meetings or residence hall floor meetings.

• Co-sponsor campus events so that your The BACCHUS Network™ peer educator groups name will get out more. Be sure to always have membership information available at all events you sponsor.

• Don't expect a student to find the motivation to come to a meeting across campus in a room full of people they don't know. Offer to meet the person before hand and walk together to the meeting. Then, make sure you personally introduce them to others in the group.

• Have a membership drive. Do this through-out the year, and remember that you will have the most competition at the start of the year when every other organization on campus is recruiting.

• Two words-Free Food. Getting a few students together and inviting a prospective member out for pizza can be the best event you will ever have! Snacks at meetings offer an added incentive for people to return.

• Recruit fellow students by the issues that interest them. There are some who are very invested in the AIDS issue. You can get them by recruiting them to head up an AIDS awareness program you want to do. Same thing for sexual assault, alcohol abuse, impaired driving, or any number of other issues.

• When someone has expressed an interest in getting involved to any degree, immediately get them involved and give them a meaningful task to do. Create work "buddies" by pairing up experienced members with new members so tasks can be delegated with support.

• Conduct a public service announcement campaign with your campus radio or TV station. Make sure you include a quick invitation to listeners or viewers to get involved in your group. Always remember to include a phone number for more information.

• Get involved in new student orientation any way you can. If you have a Peer Theater group, offer to perform at orientation. There may also be a chance to sponsor a specific social or educational event during orientation week that will interest students in your organization. Schedule times to pass out flyers and pamphlets to students. Prepare a flyer announcing your informational meeting. Again, Remember: Personal contacts are the best method of advertisement.

• Be there for move-in day! Help carry baggage and boxes. Wear your peer education shirts for greater visibility.

• Dorm-Storm! Literally go door-to-door in a residence hall and talk to students about peer education and invite them to come to an event later that week in the hall.

• Always take photos at meetings and events, then put together a scrapbook for prospective members to see. Put it in the waiting room at the student health center, or outside the Greek advisor's office, or anywhere you would expect prospective members to be sitting around, looking for something to "look at."

• Create a display that you can set up all over the place! Include photos and descriptions of local efforts, but also include information about your national organization affiliation, like information on General Assembly or Spring conferences.

• Make a list of all the advantages of being a member. When working to recruit members, always try to think in terms of "What's in it for them."

• GAMMA groups be sure and go after those pledges and new initiates who are looking for a way to get involved at the system-wide level.

• Have an informational meeting. Take out an ad in your campus newspaper and put out lots of flyers. Some groups get huge turnout for these meetings. Put together a slide show!

• When you collect Safe Spring Break pledges, make photocopies of all the names and addresses before you send them in. Then send little notes to people reminding them of their pledge and asking them to return "the enclosed postcard" if they are interested in finding out more about becoming a peer educator.

• Have your members wear their peer educator buttons, t-shirts or hats as much as possible.

• Borrow a video camera and make your own recruitment video. It's OK if it's amateur, just make it funny! Show your group members at an event. Show a few minutes of a typical meeting. Show your members hanging out and having fun. Whatever! The more hilarious the better.

• Have a movie night. Go out opening night to a movie that's playing in town. Your members have to buy their own tickets, but give free tickets to friends of theirs who might be interested in joining. Of course, this will require a little money, so get creative.

• Send welcome letters to new students over the summer. The letter should sell your program and get the student excited about your group. In the letter, outline your effectiveness and presence on campus, while being sure to focus on how much fun your members have.

• When talking about your peer educators group to interested students be sure to include benefits that The BACCHUS Network™ students enjoy such as the great national and regional conferences, and the chance to be a nationally certified peer educator.