Ideas for bringing in new beginners?

[Killer Miller]

The best and cheapest advertisement is public demos... Malls, local events, etc., and pass out flyers in the process. Do flyers on 4 to a page so people can put in their pocket and not throw them away - simple and easy to read, no fancy scroll type.

Potential customers want to see what they are going to learn without the pressure of actually being in the dojo. Make it entertaining as well as technically correct.

I've tried all types of advertising in the past, and public involvement is definately the most profitable... I went from 15 students to 60 in two months by doing this, and it just grew from there.

- Killer Miller -

[Tiger1962]

In the current global economic downturn thats closed 3,500 Martial Arts schools this year; I'd say that nothing ventured is nothing gained, just as something ventured is everything gained.

1) Put up flyers on supermarket bulletin boards, community newspapers, laundromats, etc.

Providing that the owner/landlord/property manager allow and/or don't come right behind you taking them down.

2) Put flyers on windshields of cars in a commuter parking area.

This won't work in most Wal-Marts because if Wal-Mart Management find out, they'll just take them down and if you're still on property passing them out/placing on windshields then Managment will ask you to leave private property.

I once passed out flyers at a 5 story parking lot to only have security take them down and toss them in the trash right behind me.

Great ideas but I just caution so that you're not wasting money and time and getting in trouble with whomever.

I should have added my disclaimer: "all providing you have permission from the management"

[Fu Man]

The dojo I attend is facing the same dilemma, and is presently looking at various options, such as free uniforms, referral discounts on tuition for present members, etc.

My personal method to help the situation is to post flyers on the advertisement boards at work. I am planning to pick-up the flyers this week in class.

My employer has a large employee base (approximately 275k world-wide), and the office building where I work has approximately 500 workers (mostly engineers). I am hoping to attract 2 or 3 employees, and hopefully they can attract others, as well.

If the situation has not been discussed openly with all members, please do so. Some of the best advertisers and attracters of new students are the present students.

[bushido_man96]

The dojo I attend is facing the same dilemma, and is presently looking at various options, such as free uniforms, referral discounts on tuition for present members, etc.

My personal method to help the situation is to post flyers on the advertisement boards at work. I am planning to pick-up the flyers this week in class.

My employer has a large employee base (approximately 275k world-wide), and the office building where I work has approximately 500 workers (mostly engineers). I am hoping to attract 2 or 3 employees, and hopefully they can attract others, as well.

If the situation has not been discussed openly with all members, please do so. Some of the best advertisers and attracters of new students are the present students.

Perhaps you could look into trying to have a pre- or post-work Karate time, where those interested could show up an spend some time on kihon or the like. It might spark some interest.

[mizu]

We really suffer from not having a good stream of new beginners too - and when we do get new folk, it's hard to keep hold of them!

Our sensei is quite phlegmatic about it though - he says we train for ourselves, not other people, so we shouldn't be too worried about it. He does practically no advertising at all, and as a result our club is built around a core of just four people.

It's good training though, and whilst it would be good to have more people, I'll leave it to sensei to run his dojo as he sees fit.

[bushido_man96]

We really suffer from not having a good stream of new beginners too - and when we do get new folk, it's hard to keep hold of them!

Our school has this problem, too. I wish we could get more, but with the way the economy is right now, I don't see the attendance jumping any time soon.