Yellow Pages?

[arnisandyz]

Do you think advertising a Martial Arts school in the phonebook yellow pages is benificial? If you advertise a display ad, how much do you pay?

Thanks

Andy

 

[7starmantis]

I think it is, we do it and have done it for a couple years now. I think we pay around $120 a month or so. Thats alot to shell out each month for just listing in the pages, but I've seen good return from it, so I would recomend it.

7sm

 

[asangria]

Most of our school's business was derived from word of mouth or someone passing by.

A friend of mine tried advertising his business through various sources like the yellow pages, penny saver, flyers, etc. and the most hits he received was via his website & word of mouth.

 

[Ping898]

When I needed to find a new school, first place I looked was the yellow pages.

 

[theletch1]

I gotta agree with Ping on this one. When I decided to leave my first school I went to the yellow pages and started calling schools to interview the instructors. I called a dozen in the area, visited a half dozen eventually settled into one that was listed in the yellow pages. Granted, folks are moving away from the yellow pages a little with the web being so readily available to every one but the pages are still a good bet.

 

[ThatWasAKick]

I think you need both - a website and the yellow pages.

 

[Drac]

I think you need both - a website and the yellow pages.

I agree 100%..

 

[lvwhitebir]

I think you need both - a website and the yellow pages.

I advertise in the yellow pages. I had a large display ad that cost around $500 per month and didn't get enough to justify the expense. I've sinced moved to a smaller add with just the name and number in bold (for $70) and get several calls per month.

There are two problems with a website:
1) people looking can get hits way outside your area where the yellow pages is very local,
2) people looking at the web page are not bound to call asking for information and giving you the chance to make contact. People on the internet are by and large looking and will make a judgement about your school simply by what they see on the site. It's an art form to give out just enough information to entice a phone call.

WhiteBirch

 

[Gemini]

I would have always thought that the yellow pages would be a good idea, but the owner of my school told me he hasn't taken in a single student from it. Local paper has had a much greater effect, but word of mouth has been the main source of new students. But if it's a new school, there can't be any word of mouth so I think it would be beneficial at least to start with.

 

[Grenadier]

The two pronged fork of the Yellow Pages, and a decent website, go a long way.

Many people starting out in the martial arts will peruse the Yellow Pages first, to see if they can find something in their vicinity, and it doesn't hurt to have some exposure.

 

[Andrew Green]

Yellow page ad with a website address in it

I wouldn't bother with a large ad, just a small, but very well done one. I've had different sized ads and it didn't make much difference, as long as there was one.

But you also have to consider the people you are trying to get in, and the general tendencies of the area. I'm in Winnipeg, it has its own, unique set of advertising rules...

Unfortunately Trial and error is a expensive part of the game, different things work for different people in different places...

 

[TigerWoman]

Its not my school but the owner does yellow pages and recently put up a web page. I would say parents look first there when their son and daughter expresses a wish to go into martial arts. It must work for the owner as this is the only way he advertised for many years. Also a booth at the local fair during the summer is GREAT, and better with a demo. TW

 

[Rick Wade]

When I am visiting an area like let’s say Las Vegas for vacation and decide to work out I look in the Yellow pages. Make sure people can tell what kind of style it is in the Ad.

Example I was looking for American Kenpo and I found East West Karate which was American Kenpo but I would have rather visited one of Mr. Mills Studios. There is a AKKI studio there But I couldn’t tell that by looking at the listings.

V/R

Rick

 

[arnisador]

The yellow pages discussion reminds me of this:
http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=17716#post17716

 

[Kwanjang]

Durring our initial phone interview, I typically ask who did you hear about our school. If they say yellow pages I ask what page number. This helps me discern--AT&T or the other book.

At one time I dominated both our local phone books. However, after looking at the ROI I have came to the conclusion--more and more people do a google search for MA in their city or town close to them. I've cut my ad sizes dramaticly>

I aggree when an earlier post said to put your web address in all your ad materiel.

One or two adds in the yellow pages, paper or radio will not suffice. You have to consider the parthonon theory of mktg.

Its a lot of leg work, but door hangers, ad cards, flyers and MOST importantly....Student refferals are ALL a must.

 

[celtic_crippler]

You pay too much for what you get....which is a spot right next to all your competition.

For about the same money you could do a more effective 3 month ad campaign on radio or television and reach more people.

If you want more specific advice I'll have to charge you for it.

 

[TallAdam85]

the day i put my sign up the people from yellow book called me to get an add even thought i had 8 months to the book came out anyways long story short been in the new phone book with a good size add not one person came in from the add so next year not going to have a large add in the yellow book.
word of mouth and location

 

[foggymorning162]

My instructor keeps a log one of the first things we ask is where did you here about us. Sort campaigns seem to be the most effective we will usually do a one month add where if you mention it you get a considerable discount on your first month. This brings in a lot of students as your only paying X amount so if you don't like it your not out much, and if we get 20 new students maybe 4 or 5 will stay. Another thing my instructor does serves 2 purposes after gradings he submits pics of students with certificates to local papers (most community papers will do this for FREE) this makes the students and parents happy as they or their child are in the paper but also lets face it until they learn differently, and we all know some of them never do, people just want to know that their going to get that belt so when they see the pics they look you up in the Yellow Pages.

 

[HKphooey]

For less than $70/year develop a great website. Better way to spend your money.

 

[AJPerry]

If a small Ad in the Yellow pages is cheap then do it. Don't waste good money on a Large Ad unless you are part of a group of schools and you all split the cost.

Word of Mouth is the best advertising you can get. Your students should be your biggest fans and their entusiasm will convince new prospective students how great your school is.

When your school is highly recommended by others you can charge more than your other local schools because you are not competing on price to win the new student.

Also Word of Mouth is virtually free and it has a better conversion than adverts.

Set up a referral system with your current students to reward them for helping to promote your school. Nothing expensive or fancy, maybe a free months training or a special patch for their uniform or a couple of movie tickets.

Also have a website, keep it simple, dont litter it with graphics, explain who you are, what your about and your contact details.

Wishing you all the best