| The Business Center: Retention |
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The summer months are one that most martial arts school owners dread. During these three months, most schools experience a decrease in business. It is a time when kids are done with school, they are on summer vacation and playing baseball and wanting to be with their friends. You also no longer have the benefit of doing things at the local elementery school or some pre-schools. Due to the need of a constant consistent flow of cash, schools need these students to remain consistent in attendance and to seek new students as well. The first step is to recognize in advance the problem. In the months of March, April and May send out a bulletin that explains your "Vacation Policy" during the summer months. Your policy is the students MUST make up their classes in advance of going on vacation. This way when they come back they will be on target for their next belt exam and their fellow students will not pass them up. (If the students make up their classes in advance they will not loose out on tuition paid.) As for the other summer sports, it is tough to compete, but some attendance should be insisted upon by pointing out all the benefits that they have noticed in having their child take the martial arts-- would they like to see a continuance of this or a regression? If you use a billing company to collect your tuition, it is harder for your students to not pay. Topped with a contract and they may think twice about sneaking away from your school for a while. Also make sure that everyone knows you can not put tuition payments on hold, however they can make up all missed classes. If they are gone for less than one month, they must make up their classes before they leave, or when they come back, or both! If they are gone for more than a month, they still have to make their monthly tuition payment, but they have the choice of making their classes up, or extending their contract. For example, let's say they signed up for a year and they missed two months during their first year. They will still make timely payments, however they will have two months at the end of the twelve they can still use. But you have to keep the existing students interested. By forcing them to pay or make up classes is not a positive reinforcement for them; it may make them resent you a bit. So you have to keep the students interested. Again, make sure you start early by talking about the things you will do during the summer months. Talk about trips to the park, the zoo, a water park, daytime tournaments, fun drills during regular classes. Talk to them about "passing up their friends" who choose not to come to class (as often) during the summer months. Maybe offer them an idea that during the summer you can wear martial arts t-shirts during classes instead of uniform tops if they want to. Of course, if they want to, the shirts must be school branded shirts. Another idea would be for a summer contest where the person who had
attended the most classes over the summer months received a gift certificate
for your pro shop (say $50.00 or something like that). Obviously the
winners best prize was the fact that they worked hard all summer and
made major progress towards self improvement. Everyone wins, even the
students who do not win a prize gain from the extra efforts to have
good attendance (make sure you stress this to the students). And to keep growing with new students, place a big sign in front of your school that reads "SUMMER MARTIAL ARTS ONLY $99! INCLUDES 8 WEEKS and A UNIFORM!" Make sure this sign is easy to read, bold letters and is at a place cars that drive by can easily see. Kids are always out wandering, especially if you have a great location. Parents are also out wandering, often with their kids. If they see that, they may ask them. And we remember how we drove our parents crazy during the summer; the parents may see an opportunity for their child to do something during the summer. Of course prices and plans can differ, but its an idea and it can't hurt, can it? Works Consulted
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