New Here (need some advice)

[Sifu88]

Hi everyone!

I'm new here, I've been reading the forums for a little bit and decided to join especially for this section here.

I guess I should introduce myself. I've been doing martial arts for about 15 years. I'll spare you my life story as to how I got started but I now am certified to teach Tae Kwon Do and Jeet Kune Do and am trying to start a program in my area.

My ultimate goal is to open up a school one day but as for now I am teaching in the gym of the clubhouse of the association I live in and can only teach to residents, luckily it's a very big community. Unfortunately they drastically limit the amount of advertising I can do. I cannot pass out flyers all I can do is put an ad in their monthly newsletter and one ad on the bulletin board at the clubhouse. I currently have 3 students (all kids) and am hoping to grow. I was wondering if anyone here may have any suggestions as to other forms of advertising I could do. I had a great turnout for a free women's self-defense seminar I put on but unfortunately that didn't bring me any students.Someone told me about using the postal service I'm not sure how that works. I eventually would like to teach at a local YMCA I had talked to them a bit and they seemed interested but they blew me off and I hope that if I show them I'm running a fairly decent program already that they'll pay more attention to me.

Any and all advice would be appreciated thanks.

[sensei8]

With the YMCA, they want to see your teaching syllabus and/or curriculum break down. If you've done that, and they're still not responsive to you, then it could be a number of reasons why. Go down and speak with the director that's over that department so that you can know exactly what's needed and what you lack. One, it could be that they've already got an instructor of your style, and they don't need another instructor, UNLESS, you can offer something that the other instructor can't/won't, and that the YMCA will think that their members can benefit from.

Members come before anything/anyone else!!

[Sifu88]

Thanks for the advice sensei8.

[andym]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Word of mouth and personal recommendation are still very important ways to get the message out. Old fashioned but effective. more modern - FaceBook. Set a page for your class. Good luck.

[DWx]

Welcome to the forums Sifu88

I second the social media suggestion: FaceBook, Twitter etc. make your own personal brand get noticed.

Aside from that, can you do something like taster sessions in schools or run mini sessions in conjunction with other kids groups?

And of course: demos. As much as you can at local events.

[Aodhan]

Hi everyone!

I'm new here, I've been reading the forums for a little bit and decided to join especially for this section here.

I guess I should introduce myself. I've been doing martial arts for about 15 years. I'll spare you my life story as to how I got started but I now am certified to teach Tae Kwon Do and Jeet Kune Do and am trying to start a program in my area.

My ultimate goal is to open up a school one day but as for now I am teaching in the gym of the clubhouse of the association I live in and can only teach to residents, luckily it's a very big community. Unfortunately they drastically limit the amount of advertising I can do. I cannot pass out flyers all I can do is put an ad in their monthly newsletter and one ad on the bulletin board at the clubhouse. I currently have 3 students (all kids) and am hoping to grow. I was wondering if anyone here may have any suggestions as to other forms of advertising I could do. I had a great turnout for a free women's self-defense seminar I put on but unfortunately that didn't bring me any students.Someone told me about using the postal service I'm not sure how that works. I eventually would like to teach at a local YMCA I had talked to them a bit and they seemed interested but they blew me off and I hope that if I show them I'm running a fairly decent program already that they'll pay more attention to me.

Any and all advice would be appreciated thanks.

Well, even if it's a large community, you will never really get it going because it's a closed group. If you can't teach anyone but community members where you are, then to grow at all you will need to find a different place to teach.

As far as ideas about attracting students:

- Demonstrations at grade schools

- Home depot has events geared towards kids every couple months where other groups can show up and demonstrate/have an interest table

- Boy/Girl scout groups, self defense seminars

- Kiosk at a mall

- Demonstrations at movie theaters when a MA themed movie comes out

Always have a schedule or card with contact information readily available as well.

Welcome to the forums!

John

[Nidan Melbourne]

Hi everyone!

I'm new here, I've been reading the forums for a little bit and decided to join especially for this section here.

I guess I should introduce myself. I've been doing martial arts for about 15 years. I'll spare you my life story as to how I got started but I now am certified to teach Tae Kwon Do and Jeet Kune Do and am trying to start a program in my area.

My ultimate goal is to open up a school one day but as for now I am teaching in the gym of the clubhouse of the association I live in and can only teach to residents, luckily it's a very big community. Unfortunately they drastically limit the amount of advertising I can do. I cannot pass out flyers all I can do is put an ad in their monthly newsletter and one ad on the bulletin board at the clubhouse. I currently have 3 students (all kids) and am hoping to grow. I was wondering if anyone here may have any suggestions as to other forms of advertising I could do. I had a great turnout for a free women's self-defense seminar I put on but unfortunately that didn't bring me any students.Someone told me about using the postal service I'm not sure how that works. I eventually would like to teach at a local YMCA I had talked to them a bit and they seemed interested but they blew me off and I hope that if I show them I'm running a fairly decent program already that they'll pay more attention to me.

Any and all advice would be appreciated thanks.

Well, even if it's a large community, you will never really get it going because it's a closed group. If you can't teach anyone but community members where you are, then to grow at all you will need to find a different place to teach.

As far as ideas about attracting students:

- Demonstrations at grade schools

- Home depot has events geared towards kids every couple months where other groups can show up and demonstrate/have an interest table

- Boy/Girl scout groups, self defense seminars

- Kiosk at a mall

- Demonstrations at movie theaters when a MA themed movie comes out

Always have a schedule or card with contact information readily available as well.

Welcome to the forums!

John

I agree completely with John here. TBH (to be honest) you can leave and have more students from the surrounding communities join you. The things he has suggested are great.

As my school (even though we are in excess of 300 students currently at our one dojo), we do school demonstrations to get the children aware that they could do martial arts. Recently I managed to convince my sensei to allow me to run anti-bullying classes at schools during the school day. and so far we have had 3-4 schools agree to this as they want to lower the amount of bullying that occurs in their schools.

1 of those schools is my old school (of which i am an alumni), have agreed to multiple sessions every term. They pay me for my time and knowledge. I make about $1500-3000 every time i attend the school but varies on the number of school students that are willing to attend. But with that money, i pocket 60% and my dojo receives the rest. The only reason why i am getting 60% is 1) my sensei has agreed with me on how to split the money 2) i take time out of my busy schedule to run it.

If you show them that you mean business and that your curriculum will get plenty of business. Even maybe having an offer for YMCA members that sign up? As that the business will be able to benefit from and you will also.

If you want more adults you can do a demonstration at a shopping centre (will cost $$$ but will make you $$$ in the long run) with your students if they are available, if not have some colleagues of yours from your old school to help out.

[Sifu88]

I agree completely with John here. TBH (to be honest) you can leave and have more students from the surrounding communities join you. The things he has suggested are great.

As my school (even though we are in excess of 300 students currently at our one dojo), we do school demonstrations to get the children aware that they could do martial arts. Recently I managed to convince my sensei to allow me to run anti-bullying classes at schools during the school day. and so far we have had 3-4 schools agree to this as they want to lower the amount of bullying that occurs in their schools.

1 of those schools is my old school (of which i am an alumni), have agreed to multiple sessions every term. They pay me for my time and knowledge. I make about $1500-3000 every time i attend the school but varies on the number of school students that are willing to attend. But with that money, i pocket 60% and my dojo receives the rest. The only reason why i am getting 60% is 1) my sensei has agreed with me on how to split the money 2) i take time out of my busy schedule to run it.

If you show them that you mean business and that your curriculum will get plenty of business. Even maybe having an offer for YMCA members that sign up? As that the business will be able to benefit from and you will also.

If you want more adults you can do a demonstration at a shopping centre (will cost $$$ but will make you $$$ in the long run) with your students if they are available, if not have some colleagues of yours from your old school to help out.

Thanks so much everyone, these ideas are great! I'm definitely interested in going to schools, I guess I could put together a bullying seminar, I even have a connection in an elementary school very near the YMCA I want to teach at but without being able to teach there if any students would like to continue training I wouldn't be able to receive them. I'm working on my YMCA proposal, hopefully I can get it ready soon, it's hard finding time you know, working full time and trying to do this is rough but what can I do it's my dream. I would absolutely love to get more adults, as to be perfectly honest I enjoy teaching them more, I hope that doesn't sound too bad. I actually never thought of a shopping center demo..hmmm...sounds interesting. The feedback is great, I feel welcome already

[Nidan Melbourne]

We got like 30 people to sign up over a few days. and a few of them are starting in the next couple of weeks

[bushido_man96]

All good advise so far. Have a "bring a friend" day, where each of the students gets a friend to come to class. That might help to get noticed, as well.

Welcome to the Forums, as well!