Flyers on cars is annoying and most people trash them in disgust that you touched their vehicle. It is free but the lazy way out of advertising. Get sponsors in the area, don't sell out, talk to everyone.

Hello Mark:

Ancient thread, fair questions none the less.

In your place I'd double quick "lite a fire" under whoever is making your website. Its what people will search for when you are not open, whether they are interested in one way or another.

Do you have links to a larger organization or martial groups? That's pretty inexpensive, if not free. I've not needed to spend marketing dollars but I teach solely from community based facilities and programs. No real overhead there save gas and mileage. Facebook, Twitter, the internet social networks seem a very good idea to market yourself very easily. Take some thought how to do so precisely beforehand but <shrug> seems a decent method.

If you have an ULTRA local small town paper, that might be worth exploring too. A huge metro paper not likely I would not think. But your physical location, and your students will be the best marketing you can create. How well do phone books work... well ask some teens, or young people if they even know what one actually is? Worse if they've ever used one before....

Depends on what you're interested in spending, or not. Tend not to think print saturation is the best bang for the money. But I've never spent any (to date) for marketing aside from decent heavy bond, and raised engraving business cards.

There are the typical marketing games to play. Crass commercialism or actualy true benefit is a judgement call. A school donation to a particlar group. A seminar the proceeds of which go to funding for the local Kids Juvenile Diabetes Summer Camp? There are lots of groups who would love any help... some can help you get a PR article in the local paper.

Given when you originally posted was ~a while back~ relatively speaking, how are things going?

Jeff

Thank you guys so much for all the input.
http://www.imawarrior.net is now up and running, as well as face book and twitter sites. aside from spending alot on advertising that illicited just one phone call, all of my leads were word of mouth, or internet based. got zero from direct mailing. school is doing well, lots of new friends, just shy of being self sufficient. you guys were a great help, nice to hear from the voices of experience instead of marketing 'gurus' who know best what would work best for a school they never heard of. thank you again, ill keep updating here whenever possible.

Just wanted to drop in and give an update, the new school is doing well. I appreciate all the support and help i have recieved here. We have been open for just over a year, with no store front, no paid advertising, and lots of elbow grease. Of all the strategies tried, word of mouth, website, and directories were the biggest success. Only one person ever caught the flyer and came by. The website was responsible for about 80 percent of incoming students. Thanks to the support of my instructors and friends and my team we have built a strong running school ready to push forward. thank you guys.