How do you advertise??

[sensei8]

It's illegal to place a flyer on and/or in a mailbox! Yet, if there's a type of box where newspapers and the like can be placed; that's legal. It also, depending on local ordinances, can be interpreted, by law, that it is illegal to place flyers on car windshields. Because cars are considered private property, the flyer can be considered littering. It's legal to pass out flyers at a Public School, but, only on the sidewalk. Most, if not all schools, wouldn't give you permission because your school is for profit, even at that, non-profits don't get much better access. Besides, schools should be left alone, imho.

Here are some of the places that I've placed flyers:

*Local Newspaper(s)

*Pizza Box-Tops. I arranged it with a local pizzeria to attach my flyers to the outside top of their pizza boxes on a Friday & Saturday.

*Residental (House/Apartment) door knob; secured by a rubber band.

*Health Clubs and the like that aren't in dirrect competition with you.

*Grocery stores & Laundromats that have a community bulletin board, but, don't cover up any other notices and the like.

*Police stations and the like

*Public libraries

*Cafes

*Book stores

*Local sporting events.

*Bus Stops, just don't block and/or create a hazard. Best place to place a flyer is on the back side of the stop.

*Train Stations (AmTrak)

*Colleges

*Sport Supply Stores

*Bowling Lane

*Local Sporting Events

*Wal-Mart with the permission of the general manager and/or the district manager. This is rare, but, it happens. I just stood outside of the doors and offered my flyers to those coming in and those going out. I never became a pest; when a customer didn't want the flyer, I thanked them anyway.

I always asked permission of the business/Corporation and/or checked with my local ordinances/laws before I started to pass my flyers out. Also, wherever I was asked to leave, I did just that, and I apologised for my intrusion.

Sometimes it's not what you say, but it's how you say it!

[JiuJitsuNation]

I just did the pizza box thing. 10,000 pizza boxes! I also keep up with how people heard about us and review it before ever doing anything twice or new. I have some very dedicated students and it seems all are sending out referrals. It's the best because it,s free of course. I have as many or am approaching as many students as schools that have been in the area for years. I just opening my new location 3 months ago.

Another question. In my ten years of experience, the summer months have always been the slowest. Does anyone else find this to be true?

[sensei8]

I just did the pizza box thing. 10,000 pizza boxes! I also keep up with how people heard about us and review it before ever doing anything twice or new. I have some very dedicated students and it seems all are sending out referrals. It's the best because it,s free of course. I have as many or am approaching as many students as schools that have been in the area for years. I just opening my new location 3 months ago.

Another question. In my ten years of experience, the summer months have always been the slowest. Does anyone else find this to be true?

That's the key, imho, to passing out flyers...tracking how people have heard about you. Invaluable tools...the flyers and the tracking.

Yes, I've always found that to be true about the summer months. What I've concluded is that VACATIONS happen and the martial arts doesn't. I can't say that I blame them; everyone needs a vacation. The good thing about vacations and the summer months is this...they both will end!

One of the things that I do in the summer months is that I adjust my P&L to allow me to maximize my revenue during the summer. For example, there are three main things that I do to make this happen, especially during the summer months. The first thing I do is to strengthen my P&L by reducing expenses, turning around or eliminating unprofitable segments and stopping losses. The second thing I do is that I stabilize the balance sheet by managing cash, preserving liquidity, reassuring creditors and lenders...in other words, buying staying power for recovery. And the third thing that I do is to optimize opportunities for the dojo to express its abilities in the marketplace and move ahead profitably. I employ a zero-based budget approach so that I can determine a break-even level of operating expenses. Justification of every expense item, no matter what they might be, is required.

After all, the P&L is a snap-shot picture of how viable my dojo is or isn't. I certainly don't want to have a blurred picture. No, I want a crystal clear picture. Those summer months seem to last forever, and they don't, but, by properly adjusting the P&L during the summer months will stop us from being burnt.

[isshinryu5toforever]

The summer months are definitely the slowest for the exact reasons sensei8 mentioned.

My instructor has done a few things to try to remedy this, he holds movie nights, weekend camp-like activities, and actually got a movie theater to let them rent it out. He tries to keep the students, especially the kids, connected to the school by creating a fun atmosphere where they can hang out together outside of class. I'll have to ask him how all that worked this year.

[Rateh]

Wow, these are all really great ideas guys!

[JiuJitsuNation]

Thanks! I really appreciate the information. I am always looking to grow myself and the Nation.

[sensei8]

The summer months are definitely the slowest for the exact reasons sensei8 mentioned.

My instructor has done a few things to try to remedy this, he holds movie nights, weekend camp-like activities, and actually got a movie theater to let them rent it out. He tries to keep the students, especially the kids, connected to the school by creating a fun atmosphere where they can hang out together outside of class. I'll have to ask him how all that worked this year.

BINGO!!!!! Summer days in the dojo are all about CREATION. Excellent ideas THAT WORK! Nothing ventured; nothing gained.

I'll also show a little drop during little league and any major high school sports seasons. The more major the sport to THAT school, the more the drop. Again, for me, this type of drop isn't so bad, but, it's nothing I ignore. When it came to baseball in little league/high school, I'd be found playing baseball, and not at the dojo as much.

[Patrick]

Good thread idea. Thanks for starting it, JiuJitsuNation, and everyone who has contributed to it.

Word of mouth is awesome and powerful. But, if you have the budget for some marketing, it is definitely worth experimenting with. It also depends on your goals, if your school is meant to grow as large as it can be, if you depend on it for your income, etc. etc. etc.

Thanks again,

Patrick

[JiuJitsuNation]

My school and my wife are my world. I don't have another job, it's all I do. I just opened up my new location a few months ago after having a fallout, which is for another thread maybe. But I have had a great response from the area(I believe I have touched on this already) and I have a lot of support and think I am positioned well. My school is on the corner of a major intersection which is rare and there is an elementary school opposite from me and a gas station on the other corner. Location alone has done wonders. I am about to make some referral cards so that students can get credit for sign ups. My referral program is as follows. 16 referrals (that become members) and achieving purple belt level will make them lifetime members. Purple is minimum of three years but on average takes longer. What do you think of this?

[sensei8]

Nothing ventured is nothing gained, as the saying goes. Cliff, it sounds like a viable venture to me. GO FOR IT!

Define the "Lifetime Membership" in a little more detail, please!