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Post by malk103 on Jan 25, 2012 21:45:21 GMT
What do you use for promoting your clubs?
My club uses leaflets as the main source to attract new members, most of the time there is a steady flow due to word of mouth but we are launching a new night in a new location.
We have tried the newspapers before but had very little response, although I have contacted them to see if they will do a feature on me gaining my BB in a bid to promote the club at the same time.
I've gone online and registered with a few places that lists clubs and also got a website up that is high or top of the page if searched.
I've just delivered a few hundred leaflets today as I left it too late to have them put into papers and it was too much to pay for their delivery, it's not something I want to do again anytime soon....
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Post by kensei on Jan 26, 2012 13:16:17 GMT
That is pretty much all you can do. I would also get someone who is media savy to put together a public service announcement package and send it to the local media about the new night and how you got your BB, combine the two and I find that going to schools and shops in the area to ask if you can put up fliers (leaflets) is a great way to reach out as well.
No matter what you do...word of mouth is what will get you the most new students...weird how that works out.
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Post by malk103 on Jan 26, 2012 14:08:51 GMT
Had 2 people sign up for some trial lessons last night, I was hoping for a bit more interest but will wait and see. My Sensei already does an after school club in the new location and will hand out more leaflets there, I was hoping for a good adult/child mix as he says it can sometimes be a pain teaching only children. Got an article in the local web news page though - www.warminster-web.co.uk (and I know my back foot is at the wrong angle - we were just striking poses for the camera as it wasn't any good for action shots...) I got the local shop/cafe, pub and garage to put up leaflets and if nothing else the leaflets distributed yesterday will raise awareness. It looks like I may just have to start and get a few club members to come over for a free lesson or two. If people see it's busy they might be more interested in joining in. Some people may want to peer through the window first.
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Post by Allan Shepherd on Jan 26, 2012 15:15:20 GMT
Use the training venue in promoting an "open day" with demonstrations to link in with the other media that you have used to make the general population aware of the clubs existence in the area.
Best Regards Allan
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Post by dek1 on Jan 26, 2012 21:05:23 GMT
Our club is growing every other week just now, we have had a lot of good stuff written in the local papers about our junior contest and other stuff like guest instructors that along with good internet presence seems to be working. We do a after school club once a year and have had small gains from that as well.
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Post by superjock on Feb 24, 2012 9:01:46 GMT
I use free advertising to attract them..........then hard training and circuits to get rid of them.
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Post by malk103 on Mar 27, 2012 13:35:31 GMT
That's a good way of "filtering" certain students Andrew, some you can try and try with but still don't get it.
Does anyone think having an adult only club would work, a few people have mentioned how they don't like training with kids or get fed up if they mess about. Last night I had only adults so I went through some Heian Kata Bunkai and it was received really well. It also allowed us to point out some of the potentially gory applications.
I only have a handfull of students still at my new Monday club and need to advertise it again - in addition to web based and media contributions. If i'm going to hit the streets again pushing leaflets through doors then I may opt for "Adult beginners" theme.
Do you think this will attract more people? The idea with kids was to try and get families attending, I think if i'm honest then I would rather train just adults as a preference, but am happy to work with anyone.
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Post by Gaz Lee on Mar 27, 2012 23:01:02 GMT
if its children your after there will be school summer fairs coming up soon, there's always a demo at my kids school, (mainly taekwondo though) ive seen quite a few and, when done right, seem to attract a lot of attention, ive also seen a judo poster in my kids schools sports hall, and i know a while ago they did half hour lessons in there each day for 1 week for any child to attend free of charge. i would certainly be approaching schools for support as unsuprisingly lots of kids go to them ;-) As for adults, thats trickier, adults congregate in pubs and footballgrounds round my way, id try an advert in the local paper, posters in supermarkets, and sport centres & gyms, and finally, have a kia contest with the kids when people are close by your dojo, a room full of people screaming loudly usually attracts attention, although it could also scare people away! ;-)
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Post by kensei on Mar 28, 2012 12:29:01 GMT
As far as Adults only style classes, I think it depends on what kind of club you have and what your training area is.
If you are in a shared community club then I dont think it works out to well. I think you need to really focus on building the whole group and maybe adding a 1/2 hour adults only at the end of a class to give them some alone time and go for the "gorry details".
If you have a stand alone club then I like the split idea. Have a kids and adults only class(s) once a week and even a Juniors and seniors class(s) once a week. But offer a few all levels all ages clases.
Remember most of the time kids are doing self protection on the streets...wont be against smaller kids...probably big kids and adults.
And as for adults, they need to learn to deal with the unknown in class.
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Post by fujicolt on Mar 28, 2012 19:23:19 GMT
I know it causes difficulties in drawing members etc but the reality is Mixed age classes Over 16 and under 16 causes so many compromises that you Cannot (yes I said cannot) teach as you should! a Painful truth but ultimately THE Truth!
Now before anyone starts going - rubbish I have done this and that and have huge classes etc be honest and look at the overall quality without strictly seperated classes.
A six year old training alonmgside a 27 yr old means they are both loosing out IMHO!
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Post by Bob Davis on Mar 28, 2012 20:39:36 GMT
Partly why I started a second Dojo. My Saturday morning club is basically 6-12 year olds (plus one mother who joins in) My Tuesday night club is adults only and there is no way I could cross over the teaching style or content between the two.
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Post by fujicolt on Mar 28, 2012 21:04:45 GMT
and as a result both classes gain immensely because you (Bob) can give them age appropriate training - it may indeed mean smaller classes at first but if, like yourself, it is a vocation and not your living, then you can know you are doing it in the best way for their benefit! Eventually your juniors will become 'seniors' that can cope and your Seniors will be a good group for them to move UP into - everyone gains!
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Post by malk103 on Mar 29, 2012 10:47:18 GMT
Something to think about - thank you for your thoughts.
We already have one chap on a Thursday that is very clear he would prefer an adults only lesson and a couple of others who think similar.
I was also in conversation with one of the parents who said she wanted to have a go but would be too embarressed in front of the kids, walking past the Salsa dance club they are full of adults, I doubt if they would consider a mixed group - they are obviously the fashoin in keep fit at the moment though.
Although i'm not an experienced instructor I find it a lot easier to work with adults so may edge the class in this direction.
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Post by kensei on Mar 29, 2012 12:30:13 GMT
I know it causes difficulties in drawing members etc but the reality is Mixed age classes Over 16 and under 16 causes so many compromises that you Cannot (yes I said cannot) teach as you should! a Painful truth but ultimately THE Truth! Its not the drawing of members its the reality here of time and space. For instance, our club has one hour three times a week to fit into the programs in the community club. We have about 45 members training and probably 2/3 are kids. The way we work it is I teach adults and my instructor, who is 70 and loves kids, selected to teach kids class. He does this for 45 minutes then comes over to teach us for 1/2 hour. I put the adults through a work out and we then all get the 1/2 hour with Dingman Sensei. If we were to pattition for an extra class the facility would say no, they dont have the space and time. Most of the other clubs in Community clubs are in the same boat. Now before anyone starts going - rubbish I have done this and that and have huge classes etc be honest and look at the overall quality without strictly seperated classes. I agree that kids and adults in class is difficult but as long as you separate out the kids and adults during Kumite ext and have good assistants to help you will be fine. I do however agree that in a perfect world separation of juniors and seniors, kids and adults is a perfect class set up! Some of us dont have the ability to do this however. Making due and being flexible in teaching is important however in even trying to make this work! A six year old training alonmgside a 27 yr old means they are both loosing out IMHO! I agree 200%, I teach twice a month for my junior who has a club near my house, he mixes the groups and has a half hour after for adult training alone. During the "mixed" class I have a hell of a time not going way over the kids heads and tend to say "do your best" more often than not. but it is shocking how often the kids seem to "get it" and keep up. In a perfect world, one we are trying to foster with a stand alone club on its way, separation of ranking and age is perfect, and hell throw in a lady's only class once and a while and you got something. The perfect world set up is not always an option, for those of us dealing with the reality of rental spaces and limited time....we have to make due and teach the best we can. Splitting once a week up for senior and junior training is great, if you can manage it.
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Post by malk103 on Apr 2, 2012 20:22:26 GMT
Well tonight was a great lesson, also had a good chat with the parents/students, more people are saying they are going to have a go after Easter, some also offered to pay more money to keep the lesson going as they can see that i'm just breaking even with the hire charges. We also spoke about the timings and if more people come then we can extend it to start a half hour earlier which will attract more kids/parents. For the moment I will need to keep it mixed but it has opened up the possibility of the last half hour to be adults only. Possibly a good compromise if it all works out.
Word of mouth is gradually getting through....
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Post by fujicolt on Apr 3, 2012 0:35:12 GMT
If you have to dilute the teaching just to keep going - stop! because you are not giving them what is required - sorry but true. price it so those that really want the real thing Pay enough to allow you to deliver it. otherwise you and they are faking it! Sorry but think it through
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Post by jimlukelkc on Apr 3, 2012 12:41:14 GMT
The perfect world set up is not always an option, for those of us dealing with the reality of rental spaces and limited time....we have to make due and teach the best we can. Splitting once a week up for senior and junior training is great, if you can manage it.
I have to agree here, the truth is it is so expensive to rent these days that you have to do your best with what you can get. I am conscious of the core truth of what Steve says here and I do have a seperate class for very young kids and try to limit my senior class to teenagers and above. not always prctical however.
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Post by deckerdude304 on Apr 3, 2012 16:52:55 GMT
At our little Club in East Sussex, we are down to the one nights training now. Our ''sub'' Club having to close because, yet again as in so many instances we hear of lately, the rent for the hall hire has gone up. This, coupled with the fact that there was a low turn-out of members, means that we are down now to the one club. Such a shame.
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