What are your best ideas on promotions and advertising for a new karate school opening in a small town (pop 30,000 or so). I've already got discounted family memberships, deals where they can get a free uniform if they pay up for six months, and some minor deals where they get free tuition for so many referrals.
2006-11-27 06:04:24 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Martial Arts
jpin the "martial arts business" Yahoo group. Hundreds of people exchanging ideas and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism to the benefit of all...
2006-11-27 08:03:12 · answer #1 · answered by Shihfu Mike Evans 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First of all- CONGRATS! I'm sure opening your own school is a huge step for you, probably the culmination of years of work and dreams. So, nerves are high and you are probably very worried about everything flopping. Don't concentrate on that, concentrate on the fact that you are making money doing something you love.
Now, you've already hit some of the best points when starting a new school. The big thing- especially in a smaller town- is getting interest from families. You offer discounted family rates and a couple other things and that's a great start. However, I think you are more worried about getting your name out there to begin with.
Demonstrations and seminars are a GREAT way to get involved with the public. A demo at a school not only gets kids interested in Martial Arts, but might help a few in the process. Offering a FREE women's self defense seminar at the dojo is also a good way to help a few people and drum up some business at the same time. Make sure to advertise these things in the local newspaper and somewhere around your store front. If your city/town or county has any non-profit organization dealing with victims of violent crime or battered women, you can also offer your services and expertise by running a free self-awareness/self defense seminar for them. Again, you may get a student or two, but you are also helping at the same time.
Your local newspaper should be your best friend. Make sure to report any tournament results to the paper. Kids especially LOVE seeing their names in the paper, and their parents will want to cut out the articles for scrapbooks etc. It also shows your students and other potential students that you are proud of their achievements.
Finally, as a word of advice...running a business as an instructor is walking a fine line. You have to try very hard at times to not become so much of a businessman that you lose your love for the art. Simply put, when a class starts, the businessman should disappear and the person who loves Martial Arts and teaching should take over again. Be sure to get involved with them more than just on a client/businessman level. Listen to them, talk to them....joke around occaisionally...give some kind of small award for getting good grades in school and make an announcement when a student achieves something outside class (like winning a local baseball league). It's often little things like this that will make your name spread by word of mouth- and that's the best advertising around.
Hope this helps...good luck
Yours in the art, Sensei Cox
2006-11-27 11:23:17 · answer #2 · answered by hitman142002 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Yahoo group previously mentioned is probably not a bad idea. In addition, I'd look into what kind of advertising options you have. My experience with newspapers has not been stellar; expensive ads with no response. That being said, some of them will accept press releases and these get printed for free. Take advantage.
Be aware of who you want to attract as well. Are you looking for families and kids? Or do you want serious adults? Are you looking for a "school" environment or more a "club" environment?
Attend community events. Do demonstrations when you can. Join the local chamber of commerce and make friends with the people there.
Keep firmly in mind that a lot of people who are interested will never actually sign up. Not all of them do so because they don't like you or your school. A lot of them will have their own issues that they must overcome in order to train.
Quite a number of them will sign up, train for a while and then leave. Try not to take it personally.
Also check out some of the other professional organizations for martial arts instructors such as EFC. I have issues with some of them, but as long as you stick to your personal principles they have a great deal of value to offer.
2006-11-27 09:25:12 · answer #3 · answered by mriehle 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Put together some demonstrations of what they will be learning. You may want to offer a free once a week womens self defense class. This will help you create a positive image for your school as well as attract mothers to the school to sign up their children and generate referrals.
2006-11-27 11:05:08 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have no expertise in the business, but talking as someone who joined a school, along with my whole family, and stayed in the school for several years... We were hooked by a demonstration at our kids' elementary school. Our daughters, and several kids of friends, all thought it looked like fun and joined. The attrition rate after the first year (when the first contract ended) was high, but some stayed. For example, my wife and I joined to spend time with our kids and because the family discount made it affordable.
2006-11-27 09:40:10 · answer #5 · answered by Wundt 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
VIP's for students who bring in friends, give away target pads, gloves, shin pads or some other equipment for whoever brings in the most friends. We done a Dell Laptop last year. We enrolled 14 new students do to that. Holiday party where students can bring friends if their are any kids, have drinks, games, movies, light self defense techniques. Local Schools, self defense to female staff and PE groups are a great recruitment arena. Local Libraries are another one if you are looking to recruit kids.
2006-11-29 07:38:46 · answer #6 · answered by kenpo_mushin 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A simple and FREE way to attract & keep customers is through a "giveaway". Go to freetravelcoupons.biz and use coupon code 'gogogo' for a great promotional tool.
2006-11-30 04:08:13 · answer #7 · answered by Dazedandconfused 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
maybe you should also try to have differant age groups at differant times, the #1 problem for kids or adults quitting a ma class is because of the lack of age appropriate peers.
2006-11-27 09:46:33 · answer #8 · answered by hisROYALbadnes 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
offering a free trial for maybe 3 classes is a good way to get people interested and to see if they like it.
2006-11-27 06:52:09 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
do demos at local shopping malls and send flyers to schools. My school also has if you get someone else to join then you get a cool new badge for your jacket. good luck.
2006-11-27 08:45:22 · answer #10 · answered by gamerx66x 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋