Why Do Students Come To YOU??

[sensei8]

I believe that the answer is both wide reaching, but surprising as well, for one reason or another. Your school of the MA isn't a school if the floor is empty, and when the floor is empty, nothing can be provided. Prospective students are have to be drawn to you; the meet and greet has to happen, and for that to happen, something has to attract them.

So...

>Is it because of your reputation?

>Is it because your curriculum challenges them?

>Is it because your school is close to where they work/live?

>Is it because your schools prices are more affordable than your competitors?

>Is it because your school caters to a particular consumer? (Kids/Women Only)

>Is it because the CI is famous?

>Is it because your school is teaching a specialty?

>Is it because your school is a Black Belt School?

>Is it because your school is deeply involved in the tournament scene?

>ETC...

I mean, really, why do you think that your students come to your school? I suppose that can be either an easy question or a difficult question. It could be that there are many reasons, and not just one, why students come to your school because different people have different needs. Even then, I believe that there might be one dominate reason as to why the core of your student body attends.

I was just wondering out loud!!

What do you think??

[Spartacus Maximus]

My aspirations to one day teach what I am now learning have not yet been reached, but I can answer the question from a student's perspective.

In the very beginning I chose my dojo and instructor because they had a very convenient location between my school and home. Much later as my interests for martial arts took me to East Asia I chose my instructor because he taught the karate I had been learning and had an almost ledgendary reputation.

I chose my present instructor after buying and watching several times the DVDs he made. After years of trying to make sense of kata I had finally found a sensei who knew and taught all the details I had been missing. I knew nothing else about this sensei except that he taught what I wanted to learn. It was well worth the hour and half commute.

[Luther unleashed]

How I get my students is mostly demographics. I offer cheap classes in a lower income area. There is only one place other then myself, offering martial arts in the city I teach in. They are about a 15 min drive away and teach Tae Kwon Do. I advertise karate. I'm a smidgen less then half the price too and certainly don't see myself as half the quality. I'm self defense focused and discipline, they appear to be more sport focused which is common in some styles of TKD.

Basically that's my edge, not much direct competition. That's why they COME to me. The reasons I keep them and have a low rate of students leaving is a different story, the sisters that try a free class after their brothers are students for a month, and join themselves is a different story as well. I don't know the reason and I could spend hours speculating but I say to my wife sometimes... "I must be doing something right"!!! I just keep doing that "something" which is teach like I know how, and after every class I get upset at something I could have done better to organize or speak about. I think that keeps me moving I. The right direction too. Seven students in month one, thirty one students in month six... It's "something" haha. I'm just happy to be able to have the students happy, makes me smile.

[bushido_man96]

Well, I'm not the CI of our school, but I'm honestly not sure what draws the students in. I think a big draw is our kids program, and we get a few kids out of each group to stay involved as they get older. Some adults like the aspect of pushing themselves, and not having to compete or fight all the time with others.

[Lupin1]

I think it's because we're free. I honestly don't think too many kids would come to us if it weren't for that. We don't advertise, we don't have a nicely decorated dojo or top of the line equipment, we rarely compete, we don't do flashy jumps or spins or teach kids weapons, we have them do kata over and over and over again, we don't have club cookouts or holiday parties, we don't have fancy uniforms and patches-- we're just not all that great except for the fact that we're priced right.

Granted, our instructors are awesome and the kids learn real, traditional karate, but that's not usually what attracts kids to a karate school. Some adults, maybe, and some adults do come to us for that reason, but not the majority.

[Wastelander]

Everyone has different criteria when they go looking for a martial arts school, so it's almost impossible to say that there is just one thing that brings people in. I would say that our three biggest draws are location (our students generally live somewhat nearby), youth programs (after-school and day camps), and curriculum (we offer a fairly wide variety of material).