Suggestions!!

[kicker06]

Hello everyone!!

I was just promoted to manager/program director at a school in Maryland. It's summertime, weather is nice, kids want to play with their friends, families go on vacations for most of the summer and sometimes the classes are small. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas on how to get new students to sign up for martial arts?

 

[HKphooey]

• Offer a Summer Program and word it like "Karate Camp" or "Martial Arts Camp". 2 month special.
• Since many town fairs and parades are going on in the summer, get invloved in the community, by getting in the parade or get a booth at the fair. You many also get lucky and get in the paper.
• If possible and the staff is available, offer summertime morning classes.
• Scehdule an open house with demos, free karate lessons and general self-defense, maybe an actual rank test. Submit to the local newspapers and most of the time you will get coverage an maybe even some photos in the paper.
• Print up some simple fliers and schedule a flier handout day (check local laws for retail parking lots). Offer a free seminar or a pizza party to the kids who help handing out the fliers.
• See if your local Parks & Recreation departments are looking for additions to their summer programs. You may not get the student right away, but when the program ends you may be able to attract some new students. If anything, it once again gets your name out there.
• Offer a karate dollars referral program. Offer gift certicicates (karate dollars) to students who bring new students into the school. They can use the incentives on tuition, gear, privates lessons, etc.
• Organize birthday parties (some school see success, some do not). Charge for the party itself (nothing too crazy). Hand out free class coupons at the end of the party. It gets new kids and (more importantly) parents into your school.

Hope this helps.

 

[Grenadier]

Speak with the local businesses, and see if they'll allow you to do a demonstration there. You might be surprised, when you see that many businesses are going to be quite cooperative. Yes, even Wal-Mart.

Provide a demo, and have a bunch of flyers that you can hand out. If that business likes your demo, and sees your school for what it is (a good one, I hope!) then they may even ask you to come back again (without you having to say something).

You can also talk to various other groups in your area, such as the Boy Scouts / Girl Scouts, and see if you can pass out some flyers with them as well. If anything, offer to do demonstrations for one of their meetings, and promote your school and its values.

It's been such a long time since I was in the Boy Scouts, but we were all quite active in our activities, and a well-disciplined group. One of the local schools came over and did a demonstration at a camp. It was a good day for that school, since a lot of folks liked what they saw, and ended up signing up. The school certainly enjoyed having those kids as students, because they were already in somewhat decent shape, and showed a strong sense of self-discipline.

Remember, flyers, newspaper articles, etc., are all great, but when it comes down to it, often times, a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

[Brother John]

You can also talk to various other groups in your area, such as the Boy Scouts / Girl Scouts, and see if you can pass out some flyers with them as well. If anything, offer to do demonstrations for one of their meetings, and promote your school and its values.

It's been such a long time since I was in the Boy Scouts, but we were all quite active in our activities, and a well-disciplined group. One of the local schools came over and did a demonstration at a camp. It was a good day for that school, since a lot of folks liked what they saw, and ended up signing up. The school certainly enjoyed having those kids as students, because they were already in somewhat decent shape, and showed a strong sense of self-discipline.

EXCELLENT POINT!!!!!!!!
I'm a Cub-Master for my son's Cub-Scout Pack. They're (in general) a Fine bunch of boys with tons of potential. I like your idea.

Your Brother
John

 

[thescottishdude]

you could find out about a local event, i.e. a charity car boot sale, and have your club put on a brief martial arts show. the event would welcome the entertainment and you'd get new recruits.

 

[Franzfri]

I found my school by taking a course at a local Adult School. My Sifu offers 2 different classes, 8 lessons each, at a reduced rate. When the adult school classes end he sometimes offers an extension at the adult school rate. Over the years I believe it has worked well for him.
Fran

 

[ArmorOfGod]

The libraries in my area allow martial art schools to give demos during the summer. Around here, each library lets one school give one demo during the summer. Maybe your local library would do the same.
I participated with my first school many years ago and when the demo was over, we were bombarded with parents asking when/where our classes were held.

AoG

 

[stone_dragone]

Have you tried, instead of a demo, holding practice in a public outside location (i.e. a park) where people can see what you do without having to change much other than the surroundings. It could be a nice change for your students and something a little different for your prospectives.

My two cents

 

[ArmorOfGod]

Have you tried, instead of a demo, holding practice in a public outside location (i.e. a park) where people can see what you do without having to change much other than the surroundings. It could be a nice change for your students and something a little different for your prospectives.

My two cents

That is an excellent and original suggestion.

AoG

 

[7starmantis]

• Offer a Summer Program and word it like "Karate Camp" or "Martial Arts Camp". 2 month special.
• Since many town fairs and parades are going on in the summer, get invloved in the community, by getting in the parade or get a booth at the fair. You many also get lucky and get in the paper.
• If possible and the staff is available, offer summertime morning classes.
• Scehdule an open house with demos, free karate lessons and general self-defense, maybe an actual rank test. Submit to the local newspapers and most of the time you will get coverage an maybe even some photos in the paper.
• Print up some simple fliers and schedule a flier handout day (check local laws for retail parking lots). Offer a free seminar or a pizza party to the kids who help handing out the fliers.
• See if your local Parks & Recreation departments are looking for additions to their summer programs. You may not get the student right away, but when the program ends you may be able to attract some new students. If anything, it once again gets your name out there.
• Offer a karate dollars referral program. Offer gift certicicates (karate dollars) to students who bring new students into the school. They can use the incentives on tuition, gear, privates lessons, etc.
• Organize birthday parties (some school see success, some do not). Charge for the party itself (nothing too crazy). Hand out free class coupons at the end of the party. It gets new kids and (more importantly) parents into your school.

Hope this helps.

Great suggestions!! All things I have done and had success at. Also, someone mentioned practicing in public, we do that at a big park here in town every weekend, unofficially of course. The key is not to do one thing, but try them all. Flood the market and you'll see an increase in signups.

7sm

 

[Drac]

Speak with the local businesses, and see if they'll allow you to do a demonstration there

Demos are ALWAYS a great way to generate interest and business...

 

[kingkong89]

the best you can do is get word out to your community. wheather by paper or something else good luck

 

[matt.m]

Another thing is to come up with some kind of referral system for your current students.