Today I volunteered to represent the theatre at the Atlanta Arts Festival in Piedmont Park. Like all booths, I was stacked with flyers, fans, and email sign ups. Where I stood out from the crowd was my ability to approach even the most rushed person and making a connection.
At our booth, we had these fans with our season on one side, and a cute graphic on the other side. Originally, we thought this would be our hook but Atlanta experienced the most beautiful pre-Fall type day. It was sunny, only slightly warm but breezy. Fans were obsolete in this weather. Crap. My festival partner and I were left to figure out how to promote (slash get rid of) our printed collateral. Then, my inner sorority girl clicked.
With a smile and a cause, a soror can rule the world. I engaged almost every person who glanced our way. I followed their gaze to what caught their eye and connected through that interest. I told personal stories to connect to them. I made jokes, some were funny. In struggling conversations, I just rattled off information until I saw that little light in their eye click on. Anything to find that window, doorway, or mouse hole into that sweet spot of friendly connection. It's starting to sound a lot like recruitment conversations 101.
We take for granted the communication training we get as an active member of a sorority. Some women find it slightly interesting, others a chore. We rarely step back from recruitment workshops and ask how this will help us after graduation.
I challenge you to take note of how many conversations you have in a day. How many new people do you meet? Where are you employing recruitment tactics? You'll thank your sorority for turning you into a competent communicator, and peddler of fans.
Needless to say, we ran out of fans before it got hot enough to need them.
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