Tau Beta Pi

The Engineering Honor Society

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What Should Be Included in an Invitation?

Your invitation in many cases will shape someone's first impression of Tau Beta Pi, so it's important that it reflects what your chapter is all about and stands out from invitations to other organizations.

Some details you don't want to forget:

  • What is Tau Beta Pi?
  • What is the value of being in Tau Beta Pi?
    • Consider adding events your chapter holds, famous members of Tau Beta Pi, what your members say about being in TBP, perks such as scholarships , etc.
    • You can be a little creative here! The value of TBP differs for each person, so think about what candidates at your school might find value in.
  • Clear next steps for joining
    • e.g. attending an information session on X day and time in Y room or at Z zoom link
  • Cost
    • Try to break this down, so candidates know what they're paying for
  • How to get more information
    • "Reach out to President ___ at [email]."
    • "Visit our chapter website at [address] and tbp.org."
  • Important dates (optional - be careful of information overload)
    • Date of initiation and banquet and/or other events throughout the semester/quarter (if known). Setting these down right away makes you look organized and helps candidates plan ahead early. It may also make candidates more interested in joining if there are interesting events coming up.

Eligibility Letter Templates

Physical Resources

When to Send Letters

The timeline on sending out letters can vary by chapter, but many chapters send out invitations in the first few weeks of the term. This maximizes the time that candidates have for fulfilling requirements and makes candidates aware of TBP before they become preoccupied with the heat of the semester/quarter. Whenever, you send your invitations, make sure you are prepared and have scheduled with your officers/members any follow-up activities (intro meeting, initiate social, paperwork deadlines, etc.).

If you know your chapter sends its invitations at a different time or are unsure of when you send your invitations, talk to previous officers and/or your advisors. Consider report deadlines if you choose to send out invitations at an alternative time.

Methods to Send Invitations

Email

Email is by far the most common method chapters use to send out letters, but it's also the most likely to be ignored. Put effort into emails to prevent them from being ignored!

Here are some important tips when using email to send inviations:

  • Send it from an email address that won't go to spam. Although sending from "ChapterX@gmail.com" avoids using an officer's email, it may (or may not) be considered junk for your school's email service.
  • Consider having the dean's office send the email to add credibility.
  • Title the email clearly e.g., "Invitation to join Tau Beta Pi, the Engineering Honor Society."
  • Balance length of the email with the content you think is more important. Students rarely want or have time to read several pages-worth of email. For more detail, consider using attaching a brochure that goes over more detailed information or linking them to a website page.
  • Consider Microsoft Word mail merge, Mailchimp, etc. to send mass emails and personalize name, major, etc. Personalization helps the emails stand out and look less like spam.

Mailed Paper Invitations

The second most common method is to mail the invitations, usually done in addition to emails. If your chapter has the ability to get the physical addresses for candidates, it can be a huge boon to send physical letters. The address on file for many students is that of their parents, and sometimes they are excited to have their child join and may prompt the student to reconsider if they were tempted to blow it off.

Not all chapters receive student addresses. If your chapter is in this category, try speaking with whoever gets you the eligibility list to see if that can be negotiated.

If you do mail letters, here are some tips to consider:

  • Mail invitations with enough time before an information session so that the invitation will arrive before the info session.
  • Mailing will cost money for the stamps and supplies. If your chapter has the capital to front the cost, you may consider it an investment in your future membership. Your engineering office may be willing to help cover mailing costs.
  • Gather some officers together for an envelope stuffing session. If letters are personalized, ensure that the correct letter goes with the correct address label.
  • Use nice paper and professional letterhead.
  • Consider Microsoft Word mail merge for address labels and personalizing name, major, etc.

Phone Call

Phone calls are very similar to mailed invitations: Not all chapters are able to obtain them, but if you can get them, you'll stand out, as few other groups on campus will bother to phone candidates. In addition, the phone number may be that of a parent who can help persuade the student. However, calling each candidate may be especially time intensive. Consider holding a phone call party with multiple officers to get it done at one time. Draft a basic script for the calls, and make sure you speak clearly and with enthusiasm!

Hand Delivered Invitations

Another method to stand out is to delivery invitations by hand. This is an excellent way to make a great impression, and it can be a less-expensive, more reliable method than mailing letters. However, it can be especially time intensive. Most chapters who do hand deliveries do so during classes that they know the individual candidates attend. Alternatively, if you have the list of physical addresses, you can deliver them to their residence, but make sure you do so during times you expect someone will be home. Either way, make sure they look special!