Importance of Web Presence for MA Schools

[RaidenTB]

Almost everyone who calls or comes to sign up for classes at our school has already taken a look at our web page. Not just the younger ones, but also kid's parents etc...

 

It's just useful. It helps people to get the info they want right away. I don't think it has much to do with advertising. In most cases anyway. It's more like - being able to provide the information in the media that most people use nowadays. It takes less time to do a web search than to flip trough the phone book (I don't even know where I have mine...)

 

And it's also nice to have a place where you can check for the upcoming events - just in case you forgot the date and time

 

What's important is - what you put on the web... If it's useful info - ok. But if you're like "get your black belt in just ** days" and then maybe even sell DVD black belt courses on the side ... Hmm... Well, that's another story.

[karatekid1975]

When I moved from NJ to NY (well a couple months before), I searched the web for schools up here via the internet. I think it is good for schools to have a website for people like me that move and want to find a school. I thought it was useful (for those that did have sites). For those that didn't, I thought it was kinda frustrating that I couldn't find out info on the school without calling them (which I couldn't do on my parents phone at the time).

 

And, like some mentioned, it's good to be able to check up on events, ect and maybe have a place for students to get together outside of class.

[Samurai Shotokan]

I think websites are good for reference like katas i dont have anyone in my family that knows it aside from me so it helps me remember it better

 

From a business view I really not to sure of how to put it

[Musse]

Imagine how diffucult it would be to find a school without google

 

You would have to look from the yellow pages and the only information you would get would be "karate school, call 9201494109". I can't believe how people can be oppose to MA websites, that's just plain stupid.

 

- Musse

[aefibird]

Personally, I think that websites for MA schools are a good thing. I enjoy visiting the links that people put in their signatures on here - I like looking at where you folks train. Even if I may never visit your school I like seeing your school or learning about your organisation. Learning about other martial arts is important to me and one of the ways I do that is through the websites of MA schools.

 

Having a website can be a useful tool, especially if the MA club is a large one. My karate club is quite small, so everyone is usually kept in the 'information loop'. However, my Wing Chun school is large, so the internet site serves as an important place to check out new announcements and details etc etc.

[scottnshelly]

I have worked at a couple different MA schools. None of them had websites, and we were able to pull in quite a crowd. We live in a very small rural area though. I can see how a simple website would attract some attention, but if i was looking at a potential school and they had a very intricate website, i would assume the school was run by a kid who plays on the computer too much. If the website wasn't userfiendly at all, i would assume the Instructor would be the same. If the website was very simple and only had one page, i would assume the lesson plan for the class would be the same.

 

Catch my point. I know that you can't base the quality of a school soley on their website, but subconsciously, i would have a predetermined opinion before i ever bowed into the door.

[Dojo Dan]

If your school is not using a Web site, then you are missing out.

 

If you website is properly designed and optimized for search engines, then you can target your geographic area. These days, the majority of consumers would rather look up information on the web, then have to make a phone call. If you don't have a web site, are not cross promoting your website, you are simply losing business.

 

Pro of a website:

 

Exposure

 

Publicity

 

Customer service

 

Sales ( if you run a store)

 

Information

 

"sales Pitch"

 

Advertisment, promotion, Marketing

 

Learning tool- practice sheets etc.

 

Income producer ( if you know what you are doing)

 

environmentally sound ( save trees by not printing out handouts)

 

Show testimonals

 

Way to congradulate students

 

etc.

 

Con's of a Website:

 

Cost

 

Time

 

Learning curve

 

etc.

 

You have to face the reality of the world we are in, the Internet is here and is only getting larger. Someone said why do I need someone from China to see my page. If someone from china is viewing your page, it means you haven't set up your keywords and meta tags correctly to market your geographical area. Next to the Yellow page, even better than the yellow pages I would say, a website is a neccessity.

[P.A.L]

I've been looking for this sensei in Okinawa from last year, his name is Matsuda but he has nothing on net, things would be much easier if people like him has a web site or a e-mail address.I guess old masters are not care about this kind of publicity.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

I've been teaching classes sine WAY before Al Gore invented the internet, and I've yet to have a website ... or a business card even!

 

I don't seek out students...they find me. Word of mouth and my existing students are your best advertisement.

 

But then again, I'm not trying to make a living from teaching either. I just put along with 3-10 students that seem to come and go...but a few have been with me well over 10 years.

 

I'm not a fan of commercialized dojo's that are in it for the money. They tend to sacrifice quality for quanity. Since I don't care about money from my teaching (that's why I'm so broke all the time I guess), I think I turn out a quality student because I demand a certain from them.

 

Do I charge for classes? Yes, because I've found if you don't, people won't come.

[P.A.L]

shorinryu sensei, what you do is great, I went to a Korean MA class for one month, yesterday they sent me a letter ,they offered 3 options 1- blue belt for around $1000 2-brown belt $2000 3- black belt for around $3500, each belt test around $50 ,shodan test $200 or $300. of cource they have bills to pay i underestand but i just don't feel comfortable.