Starting another Dojo

[mal103]

What's the best method of marketing a new Dojo in a new area? Based on your experiences do leaflets work the best, do you get much interest from newspaper adverts or advert boards/posters put up in the area?

I already run 2 club nights in Westbury, Wiltshire and near Frome in Somerset, the new one is in Warminster in Wiltshire (UK) practicing Shotokan Karate. There are 2 other clubs nearby but not of a very good standard and far enough away, the new Dojo is in recently renovated halls near a supermarket in the middle of town so a good location. There are plenty of other MA around but the town is big enough I think.

I can subsidise the new club from funds for a while but would prefer that it's well attended from day one, I have about 2 weeks before opening night. I was planning on having leaflets delivered locally but curious to find out if any other marketing works. A lot of schools already run MA clubs but I'd prefer to not have a Dojo full of kids, I have lots of families so have a good mix of students, too many kids can get disruptive...

[sensei8]

What's the best method of marketing a new Dojo in a new area? Based on your experiences do leaflets work the best, do you get much interest from newspaper adverts or advert boards/posters put up in the area?

Market in ways that are not expected by your competitors: other MA schools. Don't do what every other school in that area is doing, jump out of the box. To do that, you're going to have to investigate stealth-like tactics or just ask your competitors straight out what methods of marketing are they using. Once your investigation is complete, do what they don't expect.

Leaflets do work, however, it's a hit and miss. Btw, ALL, imho, marketing methods are a hit and miss. But when you find what works the best for you, capitalize on it with a fever that will drive your bottom line like its never been driven before. Some area's frown deeply on you papering their communities with ream after ream of paper, and they will not hesitate in telling you. I've been there...bought the t-shirt!

Depending on where you place them, you might see one or another thing happen. They will come to your school or they won't. If the numbers are so dismal that you want to bury your head in sand, then the bet is that the faster you but a leaflet somewhere, it came off even faster.

To all new students that darken your door, ask them how they learned about your school. Start a chart to track your marketing method. Then after you've collected the info you're satisfied with, run with the top two to three. But don't stop there, take the top two or three and expand them in a way that's not expected.

But always being a consummate professional. Leaflets can turn-off consumers because they either don't want the darn thing to begin with or they don't want you to litter their car/building/etc with your junk, and it's junk to those who don't want it to begin with, or they don't want to associate with someone who'd result to marketing their school through a leaflet.

Same thing with newspaper adverts or advert boards/posters...hit and miss. They're more expensive than leaflets, imho, yet, they can cover a much wider customer base faster than leaflets.

My preference is leaflets due to costs, and in that, I've been quite successful with them; I can blanket an targeted area heavily because the more I have out, the higher my return ratio will increase. My goal after a blanket campaign is 2%. Seems low? Not when I'm handing out thousands at one time. Expecting 10% seems to me, at times, unreasonable because 10% of 2000 leaflets is 200 possible leads. That effort might turn a dream into a nightmare.

In all marketing things, a reasonable investment must provide a reasonable return. Thinking outside the box doesn't mean to make of yourself and your school unreasonable demands and expectations.

If you first don't succeed, try, try, AND try again until you find what works the best for you and your school as well as your student body...new included. Get them to shadow your door...that's the goal of all marketing methods/ideas. Look at the top Fortune 500 companies. Most, if not all, had to go back to the blackboard more than once, and their trash cans are full of ideas and their offices are littered with ideas...ideas that didn't work the first, second, or fifty times. Persistency pays out a dividend that can't be laugh at.

Try what your competitors haven't or won't because they're too scared too!!

Good luck, and market as though your life depended on it.

[wayneshin]

Agree with above. We typically do a letterbox drop of pamphlets of around 20,000. Bit you need more than that. I remember reading somewhere that it typically takes someone an average of 7 times hearing about something before they act. We also do school newsletters and cinemas ads and find both wrk well.

[sensei8]

Agree with above. We typically do a letterbox drop of pamphlets of around 20,000. Bit you need more than that. I remember reading somewhere that it typically takes someone an average of 7 times hearing about something before they act. We also do school newsletters and cinemas ads and find both wrk well.

Excellent marketing ideas here, especially the cinema ads!!

Define, if you don't mind, "letterbox drop", please, thanks!!

[wayneshin]

Agree with above. We typically do a letterbox drop of pamphlets of around 20,000. Bit you need more than that. I remember reading somewhere that it typically takes someone an average of 7 times hearing about something before they act. We also do school newsletters and cinemas ads and find both wrk well.

Excellent marketing ideas here, especially the cinema ads!!

Define, if you don't mind, "letterbox drop", please, thanks!!

Simply delivering fliers to peoples letterboxes. Our printer sets it all up for us. He prints the flier then organises delivery for us.

The cinema ad has been a real surprise packet. We have probably just had our biggest year of growth and this has been one of the main factors.

[mal103]

Thanks for the thoughts and ideas, I am looking into a newspaper advert and have ordered 2500 leaflets to kick start things. I am hoping to find a local company to deliver them or may have to press some students to help deliver them, or maybe hand them out.

I am also looking at putting some well placed boards around town but have to be careful as we will be training at the local Council hall so don't want to upset them before we start.

Am always looking for some oddball marketing thing to do though...

Eventually it is hoped that word of mouth will get around but still need to pay the rent from day 1.

[sensei8]

By delivering leaflets to peoples letterbox, are you saying that you'll put them INSIDE of a individuals mailbox at their home or apartment or business or whatever? If so, in the USA, it's against the law!! In the USA, you can't even attach anything to a mailbox; its flag or its support or anywhere on a mailbox.

But, I'd stay away from the mailbox. Mail them? Sure, if that's something that you can afford.

[wayneshin]

Interesting - Nope not against the law here. We get that sort of thing most days. .

Some love them - some hate them but most will still pay attention when they get them.

The other very successful thing we do is advertise through schools - either ask them to hand out fliers or put something in their newsletter.

[ps1]

I'm a huge fan of a good website with excellent copy on it. Be sure that ALL your advertising is tuned into how you serve the customer. Don't sit there and talk about yourself the whole time. Talk about the things the customer cares about. If you can afford it, hire a copywriter to help with this.

But the grass roots stuff will work wonders. Door hangers, direct mailing.

As Sensei 8 mentioned, everything will be hit and miss. It's about using the methods that work best for you. TRACK EVERYTHING! If a lead comes in...make sure you find out how they heard of you! Key in on the marketing methods that they say the most and double your efforts there. If it's flyers, put out more flyers more frequently. If it's customer referrals, hold a referral contest ect...

[sensei8]

Interesting - Nope not against the law here. We get that sort of thing most days. .

Some love them - some hate them but most will still pay attention when they get them.

The other very successful thing we do is advertise through schools - either ask them to hand out fliers or put something in their newsletter.

Well, if it's not against the law where you live, then I say, plaster the area's of your choice without reservation with your leaflets...GO FOR IT!!