Reward Your Students
Bring a Friend Vouchers
Have you thought about rewarding students by giving them a special voucher, which allows them to bring a friend to the club for a full session, free of charge? This is a brilliant way to boost membership and reward students at the same time. Personalised branding on the vouchers also helps to promote your club and increase brand awareness. You can even add your website details onto the voucher, so that potential new members can discover more about your club online. This is a cheap and easy way to attract new members and boost your student’s morale.
Goodwill And Charity
Charity Events
Raise money by taking part in a martial arts charity event and create goodwill in your local community. It’s the perfect way to gain plenty of free publicity and help a good cause at the same time. Make sure you tell local newspapers or radio stations about your event and create a video to upload on social media or your club’s website. Or why not advertise the event locally by hanging posters in local shops, sports centres or anywhere with a free noticeboard! Here are just a few ideas to get you started:
- Sponsored Kickathon
- Charity-walk with donation buckets
- Sell tickets to a Live Demonstration
- Raffle/Bake sale
- Sponsored Breakathon
A range of publicity materials can be ordered online to help you launch and promote your event.
Hold a Tournament
Hold a Tournament
Pull out all the stops and organise a local or regional tournament. This will really raise awareness for your club and keeps your students excited and engaged. Advertise on social media and with flyers or leaflets locally. Create real excitement by decking out your dojo with club banners, logo boards and flags and invite local press to the event. Be sure to have any club merchandise on display, ready to be bought by proud parents! Let other clubs know that you are leading the way for a new generation of martial artists.
A range of publicity materials can be ordered online to help you promote your tournament and brand your dojo on the day
Branded Clothing
Branded Clothing
Create a club “uniform” or dress code when attending events or competitions hosted by other martial arts clubs. Having your students all dressed the same in club colours and wearing branded clothing makes a big impact. Your students represent your club, so showing fellow martial artists that you care about your club’s image and have high standards, makes you stand out from less organised clubs. Investing in tracksuits, polo-shirts or kit bags shows how committed you are to your club and students. The other benefit in wearing branded clothing, is that your students will feel part of a professional team and will want to perform better in exhibitions or competitions.
Club Merchandise
Club Merchandise
There are a huge range of items that can be branded with your club’s name and logo. Wearing a t-shirt or hoodie bearing your club’s name and artwork is an easy way to advertise. These can be sold to students who will be advertising your club for free, every time they wear it! Branded mugs, coasters, bags and car stickers are all simple but effective ways of creating interest and get people talking.
Offer Special Courses
Offer Special Courses
Try appealing to a different type of person. Offering a 6 to 8 weeks beginner’s programme may be more appealing to the less confident or more nervous student, who could feel intimidated training with your more advanced members. A women’s only general self-defence class could also help to boost membership. Some women just don’t like training or exercising with men and may be interested in a more practical programme, which teaches them how to be more confident and defend themselves in a street situation. You never know, some of these students could love it so much, that they convert to being members of your regular club! Create posters advertising each different programme and place them in areas most likely to reach your target audience.
Hold an Open Day
Hold an Open Day
Why not open your club to non-members? Give them a tour of the club and put on a demonstration of the style of martial arts your club practises. Advertise using flyers or posters in schools, hand out leaflets locally and get your event out on social media. You could also provide an extra incentive by offering an additional free taster session for anyone thinking of joining. Look professional by having branded signage and banners to increase visibility, so potential members can find the club easily. It’s no use spending time and effort advertising if no-one can find you!
A range of publicity materials can be ordered online to help you promote your tournament and brand your event
Leaflets
Leaflets
Leaflets are a simple and effective way of advertising your club in your local area. Why not go one step further and approach local schools or youth centres and ask for permission to distribute your leaflets to each student? This is an easy way to make sure your leaflets are being read by the people most likely to be interested in joining your club and it’s a great way to find new members.
Banners & Boards
A-Boards/Roller Banner Stands
Investing in an A-board or a roller banner stand can be an easy way to create local interest. Place one outside your club so that passers-by know who you are and how to contact you if they want to find out more about your club and what you do. Not everyone is brave enough to go inside a building filled with new people, so the A-board can show how friendly your club is and encourage potential members to maybe, “Come inside for a free taster session!” The more impressive roller banner stand will definitely make you stand out from other clubs and creates a more professional first impression.
Use a Giant Sticker
Use Giant Stickers!
Walls, windows and even your own car or van, can be the perfect place for advertising your club. Eye-catching designs and large format print can create a real impression. Younger students love colourful graphics and older students will appreciate being part of a professional looking club. Also, why not use your own vehicle for free advertising and carry a sticker with your club’s logo?