Sales & Selling: Back to School Open House

By: Tommy Lee

Hosting an Open House is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to generate large amounts of “traffic” and potential new students into your school. So many school owners proclaim they’ve tried hosting an Open House only to have failed to sign up new members. With the right plan, an organized staff and a step-by-step enrollment process, you are guaranteed to enroll the guests that attend your special event.

Back-to-school preparations always represent a time for new beginnings in many households. Moms and Dads are preparing for the changes in their schedules and daily routines. Why not educate your community on the many classes and programs you offer by hosting a Back-to-School Open House? August and September are always exciting months for new student enrollments. Why not double your enrollment this year by inviting your community into your studio?

Many martial arts school owners strive to build a strong reputation both within their neighborhoods and their public-school systems. The easiest way to open your doors to the members of your community who might not otherwise pursue a martial arts program is to invite them in! One of the hidden keys to hosting a successful Open House is to offer short, free seminars that appeal to everyone’s “universal needs”.

If your local school system has been difficult to penetrate in the past, why not align yourself with organizations that support the students of your community? Anti-drug and advocacy groups are always eager to obtain new partners in the community that will help them in their pursuit to educate the youth population. Hosting a Back-to-School Open House could enable you to demonstrate how the martial arts, in conjunction with drug and crime prevention, help influence kids to “stay on track.”

Is there a parent you know who wouldn’t want his/her child to attend a Child Safety and Awareness course, given the opportunity? What about Jane, a 32-year-old mother of two who has been curious about women’s self defense? Would the likelihood of Jane witnessing a self-defense demonstration, and seeing a mom, just like her, successfully perform a self-defense technique entice her to participate in a free hands-on workshop? You better believe it!

Once you’ve chosen the mini-seminarsyou wish to host during your Open House, it’s time to prepare your staff. Many school owners and operators aren’t quite sure how to transform prospects into new members. The answer is simple. Train your staff to greet with a smile, and ask the right questions. Learning to listen for the want, need or pain someone is trying to communicate is the key to enrolling new students. Until your staff realizes the importance of understanding the answer they receive, you’re losing valuable information.
The goal and purpose of your Back-to-School Open House is no different than the first introductory lesson you teach to a prospective new student. Communicating the benefits your martial arts, fitness kickboxing or women’s self-defense program provides is what links you to that “universal need” we all share.

Every step you take in order to plan and organize your Open House needs to be congruent with the goal you wish to achieve. Establishing rapport, discovering the wants and needs of your guests, and demonstrating the safety and comfort of your school’s training environment are the key ingredients to converting a roomful of guests into new members.

By offering community-interest workshops free to the public, you will bring “traffic” into your school. Once the “highway” is full, it’s time to direct that traffic into the programs you offer that would best serve their needs! You have many income-generating options at this point! You can either lead guests from your Open House to enroll in an ongoing series of paid seminars that would create additional income each month into your school, or to your Introductory Program and then on to become a member!

A common mistake made by many eager school operators is the desire to sign-up every guest that walks through the door the day of their Open House. Whereas it is impossible to enroll every prospect in one afternoon, it is possible to schedule follow-up free lessons, full-length seminars, and appointments to attend class the days following your special event.