Importance of Web Presence for MA Schools

[pressureguy]

I was thinking about the differences between ma schools today and

 

the ones 10, 20, and 30 years ago and one large difference is that

 

most schools have websites.

 

Obviously not all schools have them, but even if they don't, the

 

teacher still has his email address printed on his business card.

 

How important is it today to have a site for your school? How much

 

more business does it generate and is it worth having?

 

Also, does having a site in the cyber world break away from

 

tradition enough to be a factor in deciding if your school

 

is "traditional" or not.

 

Would the old masters of the arts look down on the internet or would

 

they be okay with it?

 

pressureguy

[Shorin Ryuu]

The old masters would consider the internet the tool of the evil one and shun its very existence.

 

But, in all seriousness, on Okinawa, at least, the old masters didn't care to teach one and all. They'd probably use a message board to communicate between each other, but I don't see them building elaborate websites to mass merchandize their schools.

 

I'm not placing a judgement on schools that have websites. I think it is actually a good idea to have at a bare minimum, if nothing else, just the name, contact info, and the style. You don't even need anything else (not that anything extra is bad), but this way someone searching the web can come across your info and if interested, can call you.

[ncole_91]

I totally agree with ^^^ they should just have some stuff, not this huge huge site with everyhting on it.

[White_Tiger]

I disagree ncole_91. I think it is fine to have as much information as possible on a web site. My students use my web site as a tool for form information, testing requirments, etc. I post everything on my web site, prices, class schedules, calendar of events. People are busy these days...if they want information about your school they should be able to get it quickly and easily. If a person wants more information they will call you or stop by your school.

[Ted T.]

Unless you have international sales, a web site costs without bringing anything in. In ten years I've had two or three calls because of the site and they didn't stay.

 

For local use, the phone book is primo.

[DLopez]

I think it's a smart business move to have a website, and if you have the expertise to do it, or can afford someone to do it for you, pack it with as much information as you can to attract students.

 

Folks, running a martial arts school is a BUSINESS, contrary to some opinions expressed here of what a school is expected to be like. I think too many people are too quick to equate placing emphasis on the business aspects of running a school with being a McDojo or McDojang.

 

Maybe the "old masters" could pick and choose their students WAAAAaaayyyyy back in the day, but I think the notion of a master teaching one or two hand-picked students just out of pure love of his/her MA is just a figment of Hollywood's imagination.

 

I would love to open my own school in another year or two, and if I do, I'm going to be trying to attract as many students as I can, every way I can, to ensure the success of my school. I think that the notion that the quality of the MA will sell itself is hogwash because most people starting out in MA's don't have the necessary knowledge required to distinguish a quality school from a McDojo. I think the majority of people starting out in MA's take it up as an "activity", not as a goal in life, and that the genuine appreciation for the quality of the MA comes later. If your school is a quality school, you will retain the majority of your students.

 

When it comes right down to it though, student tuition puts the food on the table for your instructors, so it's in both the instructor's and the students' best interests for the school to succeed. If I had my own school right now and had a flashy website, the way I'd look at it was that if you think a flashy website indicates a McDojo to stay away from, well you are entitled to your opinion, but if it brings in other students besides you, then YOU are the one missing out, not me.

Edited November 25, 2004 by DLopez

[ps1]

Because of the size of the WWW, a school webpage is more of a tool than an advertising scheme. I mean, I live in Ohio, what good is my school going to do for a person in China? Really none!!

 

I agree with White Tiger. It's a good and efficent way to communicate with your students. Of course you also communicate at the school. But as you get more students who become instructors on their own, they move away and open their own schools. They can keep tabs by checking the website. Parents can keep track of upcoming events their kids may have forgotten to mention.

 

In the end it's not a necessity, just a very nice convience.

[AngelaG]

Well I have designed and made 3 websites for MA schools and one for an MA organisation. I designed and maintained the one for my own dojo and therefore I have access to all the stats etc. and I think it does quite well in letting people know we are there. My instructor has also told me that he has had quite a few queries because of the website (he always asks people where they heard about him).

 

I guess it's possibly because of the generation I grew up in but I will automatically search for something on the Internet if I hear about it and have an interest. I guess this attitude will only grow as we progress and the Net gets bigger and bigger.

 

The only MA sites I don't like to see are one's where they are using it to sell overpriced cr*p, or even worse, web based learning at extortionate prices ("Get your black belt with our simple web based scheme"... YUCK!) But like anything else the Internet is just a tool, and it's how a person decides to use that tool that is important!

[ramymensa]

I've made Dojo.ro after 4 months of Karate training and serious reading Since then it's been on the net and people write to me and tell me it's so useful and it's easier for them to learn because they have it there. I've never payed for classes since I promote my school on it and it's good for me

 

I am in love with all this internet stuff and I think it's one of the best things that happened to our generation. I've went to the Letters Faculty and I could read my English books on the internet. Buying them was out of question (they are too expensive) and the libraries had 2-3 copies for 1000 students. That means I had no chance. Still I could read them online and be able to take my exams.

 

I think all this fear of the new is not good. Humans would still hang in the trees if they haven't the taste for new, for a challenge

 

Just the fact we stay here (people of all ages, from all possible countries and so on), learn from each other and try to change something in our ways to become better is very important. I've learnt many things from you and my sensei is always keen on hearing what new things I've learnt and could be applied in our dojo.

[italian_guy]

I agree about the utility of the internet site for a MA school, when I decided to take karate I did a web search on the web for the school in the area and I contacted the head instructor via e-mail... so at least in my case it worked as advertising tool. Then the sites of my schools have useful info about the program and the events. From the internet site I know that they re-opened my former school of JKD where I used to train... unfortunately it's too late I'm already doing 2 MAs no space for a third one.