Promotions and advertising have evolved significantly over the last decade and will continue to do so in the future. You can advertise a dojo in various ways to attract new students. Whether you use guerrilla advertising or a more conventional form of marketing, you must ensure that your martial arts advertising is done in a way that appeals to today’s generation.
The number of people enrolled in a martial arts school determines its success. Yes, having a beautiful facility with innovative equipment and high-level teaching disciplines such as taekwondo and karate helps, but none of this matters if individuals aren’t involved in signing up for classes. Numerous schools face difficulties in increasing enrollment.
However, there are best practices that can help get more martial arts students. Below are some ideas for increasing student enrollment.
7 Effective Strategies for Increasing Martial Arts Enrollment
Getting more leads at your Martial Arts school can be difficult, and keeping them can be even more difficult. Perhaps you’ve tried to incorporate flyers, publishing on social media, or offering exorbitant discounts, none of which have proven particularly effective. So, here are some effective strategies how to get more martial arts students
Consider referral program
Because of free marketing and target market reach, word-of-mouth marketing is the finest marketing tactic available. Students who are satisfied with the level of instruction they obtain are more likely to spread the information to others who are eager to learn martial arts.
Constructing a “refer a friend” program in which your students obtain a free private lesson or perhaps some form of merchandise for each referral will provide an additional incentive to spread the word about your fitness center and the programs you provide.
You can also incorporate a social media post referral program in which they earn free products or extra minutes on the mats during a coaching session every time they post your free trial to their social media channels.
Collaborate with schools in your place
Free workshops in local schools will raise students’ knowledge of martial arts and the specialized classes you provide. This is your opportunity to shine. Demonstrate to them why your club is the one they should join if they want to learn martial arts. A quick 15-30 minute presentation of some methods you instruct and why martial arts is advantageous to them is a good place to begin.
It would be even better if you could distribute gym brochures. Students can demonstrate to their parents what they understood in your lecture in a dignified way, increasing the possibility of growing enrollment rates.
Use social media to your advantage
Getting prospective students into your martial arts school to see what you have to provide can be difficult. Social media is an excellent tool for marketing your school by raising awareness among prospective students. Nowadays, everybody you know has a social platform, whether it’s Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. Constructing an account for your dojo will enable more individuals to see what amazing things your martial arts school is doing.
Incorporating your students into your systems can help raise awareness among their peers. You can even go a step further and offer an incentive for each time one of your students keeps posting about your club on social media. For instance, if a student posts a photo of your school or a clip of a class they attended and what they learned in that class ten times on their platforms. This is a free promotional tool for your school that is reaching out to all of your target markets.
Establish a community
Humans are social creatures who enjoy becoming a part of something bigger than themselves. Offering program-based memberships rather than traditional memberships increase your students’ inspiration and support.
Joining a fitness facility where everybody is on the same playing field because everybody has traditional memberships can be intimidating; no one understands who appreciates training when, what level other people are at, or what objectives others are working towards.
Students with program memberships are more likely to recognize who is in their initiative and, as a result, which they may turn to for guidance, assistance, or companionship. A strong community is one of the most valuable assets a studio can provide, and it is what keeps students coming back.
Make a monthly bring-a-friend-to-class
You can organize a monthly bring-a-friend day in the same way that you can begin a refer-a-friend plan for your martial arts studio. Start by making it a weekend day when you learn most students and their friends will be available.
Make sure the class is geared toward making “friends” appreciate the experience, and want to join your martial arts. You don’t want to threaten them away by attempting to make the class, routine, and moves too complicated. Give the “friends” a voucher card for their first few months of affiliation at the end of the bring-a-friend class.
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Establish adult class times
Numerous people believe that karate and martial arts are only popular with children. Adult martial arts have been rising for years and show no signs of slowing down. We all know that karate and martial arts are far more popular among children than they are among adults. This does not preclude you from catering to the adults who are still interested.
Make some adult classes so that adults don’t feel silly learning movements next to 10-year-olds. The 10-year-old child may be far more sophisticated than the adult, but what adult desires to be treated equally to a child? Promote your adult-only classes, and you’ll be surprised at how many adults will show up.
Host parties
This is an excellent way to promote your dojo and bring new customers in. It’s an excellent way not only for children to get a sense of what your club is like but also for the family to see inside. When you host parties, you are attracting ideal candidates for your programs.
They are your target audience because they are your student’s best buddies. Parties can be as imaginative as you want, but the activities should ultimately revolve around gaining knowledge of martial arts in a fun way. The more innovative and out-of-the-box ideas you can generate, the better.
If the party goes well, word will spread, and more students will wish to have their parties at your martial arts school in the future.
Here are a few fun activities to try during the party:
- Breaking boards contest
- Obstacle course
- Kickboxing
- Pinata breaking
- Learn martial arts session
How martial arts improves your appeal
What makes a person appealing? Is it a charismatic personality, sparkling eyes, or smooth, flawless skin? We’d have no way of knowing for sure. But one thing we can say with certainty is that all attractive people exude confidence and are generally content.
You may not realize it yet, but martial arts can assist you in gaining confidence and, finally, becoming a joyful person. Here are the things that martial arts can do for you.
You’ll learn to appreciate and respect your body
When you begin training in martial arts, you will gain knowledge to take better care of yourself, from eating the right foods to getting enough rest. These new habits will not only give you the energy to strengthen through an intensive exercise session, but they will also improve your complexion and give you a nice, toned body.
When you see results, you’ll be even more driven to make healthy changes, such as cutting back on junk food and alcohol. You’ll enjoy your body more as you get healthier and stronger. When compared to what your body is capable of, all the weaknesses that used to worry you would be unimportant.
You’ll exhibit positivity
Have you ever noticed that optimistic people are more endearing than pessimistic people? This is due to their ability to see the bright side of things, even when they are in the direst of circumstances. They are appealing because their positive energy is contagious. When you have the ability to make those around you smile, you will notice that more individuals are drawn to you.
Martial arts will instruct you to be more hopeful because you may become discouraged at times, such as if you take longer to grasp certain methods. But don’t worry, because this will teach you to stay optimistic and eventually see these challenges as opportunities to become a better fighter. This optimism you gain will help you adapt to life’s challenges and see the world in a new, happier light.
You’ll become stronger on the inside and out
We believe that practicing martial arts will help you develop one of the most attractive characteristics. You’ll notice that as you go through rigorous training sessions each week, you’ll be capable of pushing yourself harder and executing much more effectively when training or sparring.
Apart from physically challenging you, martial arts will structure you into a more resilient person who can face any challenge and become a martial artist in all facets of life.
The primary objective of any martial arts school, regardless of its size or the kind of martial art it teaches, is for it to prosper and expand. There are numerous methods you can incorporate into an effective marketing strategy, ranging from utilizing your existing members to assist you in drawing new ones to improving your brand image and ramping up your social media reach.
Finally, marketing concepts are just that, concepts. They become strategies and techniques once they are implemented and tested to see which ones produce the best outcomes for your school. Hopefully, this article can help you learn how to get more martial arts students.
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