Suggestions for a new school

[FiveSwords]

Hi all!

My instructor and his class have been based out of the local university for 4 years, but due to budget cutbacks and political issues we have moved the class into a commercial school. A few of the students from the school came with us, but we need to start attracting outside business.

What are some good ideas, other than your standard advertising, to get visibility in the community and attract new students?

-- Nate

 

[stickarts]

try to get into the community as much as possible by attending and doing demos at fairs, open houses, etc...
meeting people and getting people talking about your place will help a lot.

 

[don bohrer]

Make sure the outside of your building clearly advertises what you do. The signs should be easily seen from a great distance. You want people to know that building over there is a school.

 

[progressivetactics]

Send congratulatory letters via newspapers, to any higher profile person in the community for their own achievements.

School board member gets accolades for job well done...Send a congratulations in the "free portion" of the local paper. GM Dealer gets OUTSTANDING GM SALES AWARD"--- send them a congratualations note in the newspaper (also send a card personally so they know they are being recognized).

People perceive recognition givers as leaders in the community. You rarely ever see a public figure or larger company getting a public Thank you, or good job from the standard Joe Shmo. It is always by other 'leaders'. This will help to create the faith from the community, even without them knowing you. Name recognition and good chartible acts go along way!!!

good luck.

 

[IsshinryuKarateGirl]

progressivetactics...that's a great point! You were perfectly right. Also, you should do those demos at the fairs and things like that. Or maybe call up your local elementary school and put on a Martial Arts skit. We're doing that for a school in October. We're doing a Star Wars skit. It's a little comedy thrown into a whole lot of good fighting. It's coming out great. Maybe look into an idea like that. This is just a suggestion and anything else I'd say would be repeating others that have posted.

 

[FiveSwords]

Thanks for the insights. You all have some great ideas. I'll definitely have to bring those up in class next time.

We're also thinking about talking to one of the safe houses in town to see if they can get a grant to send some of the women there to self-defense classes at our school.

We don't have the greatest location, so it's hard to make the building stand out, but we're trying to do some newspaper advertising to help spread the word.

 

[Shodan]

Another good venue for demos is if you have a local indoor shopping mall- this attracts a lot of people and you can have some students hand out fliers to the onlookers.

Kids are where it is at too- if you have a good base of kids in your school, that is a good thing- back to school specials are always good.

:asian: :karate: