Marketing to potential adult students

[Kenpo_85]

For years my Kenpo group has successfully marketed to kids of various ages, mostly through the distribution of fliers through the local school district. Although the fliers state that we accept students "5 years and older", the school district will not allow us to include any information which appears to be marketing to parents or other adults. So we have a VERY strong method of recruiting children into class.

The only way we have ever had adults join the ranks is by sitting there and watching, and gaining the desire to learn. This literally took years to get good adult students who would stay, but over time it has happened, part of that being due to my increased involvement and taking over my own class, and focusing the needed effort on adult students. Not everybody seems to realize that adult students are the future of the organization, since the odds are so low of keeping a kid for 10+ years until they are mature enough to contribute.

We still don't, however, have a good method of marketing to adults and bringing them in through the doors. One idea that I've recently come up with is to start printing off fliers and loosely referring to our organization as "self defense", rather than "Karate", as we are a street oriented art. I feel that too many adults will think of "Karate" as a boot camp for kids, where they come to learn respect, conditioning, and cartwheels. Although we definitely teach all of the aforementioned items, except for cartwheels, we all know that that will not usually be what brings adults through the door.

I think re-wording it will help, but now we're still stuck with how to get the word out. Obviously the best words in the world are useless if they are not heard. Anybody have any tried and proven methods of bringing in adult students, or even high school kids? Anybody have 2 cents to offer on the subject?

 

[terryl965]

I am with you if you find a great way share please

 

[theletch1]

First off, welcome to Martial Talk. When you get a little time you should jump over to our meet and greet section and post an intro for everyone on the board.

Your post is near and dear to my heart. I'm a student and instructor at an aikido school. It's tough, very tough, to get kids interested in aikido as there is very little punching and kicking involved and lots of blending and redirection of energy which they don't understand. The ability to attract adults is what will ultimately keep our school going. I'm somewhat with Terry on this in that I'm always open to good ideas. We've done demos. We're beginning a sexual assault prevention course and are kicking around a couple of other ideas but it IS hard to get adults in the door from a cold start.

 

[JadeDragon3]

One good way that I found to get young adults and older adults is to post flyers on college campuses. I live in Lexington, Kentucky home of the Kentucky Wildcats. Posting flyers on campus has brought in many college students. Some of the locations that I've left flyers at are college laundry mats, college restaurants on campus, arcade/amusement places, bars that are on campus, bookstores, classroom buildings, and dormatories. I have gotten both students and professors to take lessons.

Other places to leave flyers and/or business cards are at regular book stores, Chinese restaurants, and schools.

We always do Lion dances at the local Chinese restaurants during Chinese New Year. This always interested the patrons and would get them to at least come to out school to check us out.

Doing some self defense demos/seminar geared towards females on college campus works well too. It gets the women wanting to learn how to defend themselves for when they're walking back from class at night or from a frat party.

 

[Hawke]

Welcome to Martial Talk.

Have you tried posting flyers for a free class...something like the first Saturday of the month?

Can you or one of your senior instructor teach at the local YMCA or community college?

Have you started a club at the local colleges?

Are you willing to post clips on Youtube? Start a blog?

Do a Bi-monthly seminar?

 

[Hand Sword]

Walk around your community and just talk to the teen agers as they just hang around. Go to your old high school football, softball, etc..., games and talk. Parents are there as well. Get a few, then word of mouth will happen. Plus, if you get the "troublemakers" off the streets, you'll be doing a great community service. You're young enough to still know some, or some friend's younger brothers aor sisters. Just talk with them out in the community.

 

[Jade Tigress]

High Schoolers...maybe do a demonstration at the school, or offer to do a 4 week (or however long you want) PE class. Or talk with the school about counting training as PE credit for students. For the adults, hit the community center with an offer to teach some classes.

In addition to self-defense, I think one thing that appeals to adults is the fitness aspect of an activity. Instead of the gym, why not learn self-defense while you stay/get in shape?

How to get the word out? Obviously fliers, stick 'em on the windshields at the health club, and a radio ad could be good too.

Best wishes! Let us know what you find that works. :asian:

 

[kidswarrior]

This is a very timely thread/topic for me, as I just lost the core of my teen class--the meat of my program. It was for good reasons. Returned to their old high school, went out for other sports, etc.--I mean who wants to sweat and bleed in obscurity when there are girls and guys to show off any blood to, and glory to be had?

Anywho, have been thinking maybe I'm looking at the wrong age group as the long-haulers. Maybe adults, even Empty-Nesters (that's when I started ) are the way to go. College kids, yeah, OK, but they're too much like high schoolers for me. Just where I'm at in life.

Good thread, and great answers. Gotta run to work, but look forward to repping everyone with solid contributions and checking back later.

 

[Kenpo_85]

Thanks for the ideas guys, but please, keep 'em coming. Can't have too many. Haven't yet decided which one(s) I want to wrap my head around and run with yet, anyway.

I posted a brief intro in the Meet and Greet forum, as requested. Thanks again for the brain storming guys.:supcool:

 

[terryl965]

Here is one we have been working on for 6 weeks, the office building ablock away we have set up two days a week for there professional to come and train. The company is paying us to do it and we are getting roughly 15 people at 70 a month and they want a year contract to lock in those prices, we never ever done contracts but I will have one done just for them. That is an extra $1000.00 a month for 8 or 10 of workout time during a dead period of time for us.