What would get *your* interest?

[draconis]

As many of you know, I teach classes at a martial arts school here in Memphis. We're a small school, and quite frankly, we're getting smaller -- students lost to normal attrition aren't being replaced.

Part of the problem is that we don't advertise, and never have. We rely entirely on word-of-mouth -- from the street, you can't even read the only signage we're allowed, because of the way our section of the building faces.

So I'm looking for ideas. What sort of thing would pique your interest enough to get you to walk through our door?

Some data to work with:

• I know that at one time, we were the least expensive school in the city. As far as I know, that is still true.


• We teach two styles: Aikido and Kempo.


• The Aikido school is affiliated with the Honbu Dojo in Japan, and the Kempo dojo is affiliated with Dillman Karate Int'l.


• We hold Kempo classes 3 nights a week, and Aikido classes every weeknight, plus Saturday mornings.


• Here is a link to our website. It is massively outdated, because the student who set it up got in a snit and has refused to update it or turn over control of it. We're working on setting up a new URL with an updated site, but this will give you more info than I can here.

We don't have an advertising budget, so anything we do is going to have to be "shoestring" at best.

Assuming that you were living close enough to attend classes, and had any interest at all in studying some sort of martial art (or were even just curious), what would you recommend we do that would get you or people you know to want to find out more?

Comments

[alysswolf.livejournal.com]

I can't recall what parks are out in your dojo's area, but holding a few practice sessions out in a park on weekends might get spark some interest. Have a stack of flyers for people to pick up or one flyer on some sort of board -- something to put your name out where people can see it.

[devohoneybee.livejournal.com]

When I wanted to study Aikido a few years back, I felt a bit intimidated by walking into a dojo. What got me there was an introductory weekend, promising that one could be an absolute beginner there. They also had an arrangement where you could watch a class and then stay after to ask questions. There were also things like seasonal pot luck parties and open houses. I think flyers at local high schools and colleges might be good, if that's the age group you'd like to attract. Also time-limited classes on special topics such as a 6-week course in the basics of self-defense (for women, for students, for elders?). Would you or one of your students have time to go into schools, community centers, etc and give 1 hour presentations to get people a bit more familiar with what you have to offer? What about hosting a seminar on things unique to your studio (such as the Gillman material) and send flyers to other martial arts studios? Some of these things involve a lot more time/money investment than others, but off the top of my head, these are things that might bring me in.

[themouseketeer.livejournal.com]

Yes, those would appeal to me, too.

It depends on the type of person you are looking to attract - complete beginners or more experienced. As a complete beginner, I wouldn't know the difference between the two styles, or what anything else would be, either!

Open days/afternoons/evenings with demonstrations? And one-off taster sessions, so you can try different things? Definitely the self-defense sessions.

I like the idea of time-limited classes, like 6 classes on one style, 6 on another, 6 self-defense, 6 theory, or whatever.

An evening lecture on the history? On swords? With demo?

[miintikwa.livejournal.com]

I would set up a better website, one with more details about classes and an interactive area, and webwork. Create a yahoo group that discusses martial arts, and link to it from the website. Have someone-- maybe a rotating someone?-- write weekly articles for the site about different aspects of the arts. Promote the group at various local festivals or events-- find out if there is a farmer's market and post flyers if that's allowed, when it happens. Hold a demo at the market if you can. Offer a "first class free" sign up package, so people could come and see if the classes are something they'd like. Get feet in the doors and then worry about "closing the deal" later.

That's off the top of my head.

[shrewreader.livejournal.com]

Craigslist?

And / or announce a demo w. bakesale @ Craigslist? That way, you get prospective students -AND- an advertising budget....