Increasing School Size

[Jiffy]

I was sure this topic would be in here, but had a look and couldn't see anything.

Anyway, I'm looking for ideas to increase our school size. Currently we hover at about 50 students, but I want to increase it dramatically. My aim is to have enough students to warrant me teaching full time.

For those of you replying, please state clearly if it's just an idea you thought of/were told about or if it's one that is tried and tested and has definately worked for YOU in the past.

[MartialArthur]

Some things that have worked for me in the past year:

Market heavily to parents of children in the 6 - 10 range. Children in this age range have free time and their parents are willing to spend the money. Make sure you have separate classes for junior beginners so that they are not intimidated, but have the junior advanced class immediately following the beginner class so they see it as they are leaving. Gives them something to strive for.

Best source for adult students: parents of junior students.

Charge what you are worth. People are seldom looking for the cheapest training they can get.

Annual contracts and automatic payment!! The best decision I ever made was not accepting students without an annual membership and requiring auto-pay. Sure I lost a two or three potential students, but from a business standpoint you need some security. Right now I know exactly how much money will be deposited in my bank account on January 2nd. That makes the January 5th rent payment not as scary.

[Aodhan]

Demos and signups at the local mall.

Self defense seminars.

Put the "Two weeks free" signup boxes around at local merchants.

Set up some kind of a referral program with your current students, where if you bring a friend and they sign up, you get x amount to spend in your pro shop, or x amount off one months tuition, etc.

Aodhan

[MasterH]

Word of mouth. Have your students bring in students. Then award your students, in some way, if their friend signs up. If you were to compare the advertising dollar vrs. how many students actual advertising brings in you would find it at $25 to $50 (US) per student. If you take that money and say give it back to the students, not in cash but in paid testing fees, uniforms, sparring grear, you would be ahead in the long run. I'll be opening my new club in Febuary, I'll be doing verry little actuall advertising, everything will be thru students handing out VIP cards for free lessons.