Comments on: Karate Kid Marketing Ideas for Martial Arts School Owners PLUS Movie Poster Contest

By: Luke

Luke — Fri, 28 May 2010 04:05:58 +0000

Word of mouth is an awesome way to market your school – friend bring friend or reward for a referral, with a movie ticket. I found making a hype about this at the end of class usually gives the student a kick.

By: ashe

ashe — Fri, 28 May 2010 01:15:31 +0000

w00t! some good ideas there.

By: Raymond Bennett

Raymond Bennett — Thu, 27 May 2010 22:11:54 +0000

Ryan,

My wife and I own a small Kung-fu school and are operating on a shoe string budget. However, we are going to try and purchase 10 tickets and advertise in the local paper, “The first 10 people to stop in and try our Free Introductory Class receives a free ticket to the movie.” Or something to that effect.
If there are no takers (not a pessimist, just a realist) then we’ll take our students to the movie wearing our school t-shirts.

And/or, have our students waving bright signs near the theater with “Ask me about FREE Kung-Fu lessons” Then hand out our fliers with “Bring in your Karate Kid ticket stub and receive 1 month of Kung-fu lessons FREE!

With respect,
Sifu Raymond Bennett

By: Brenda Guiden

Brenda Guiden — Thu, 27 May 2010 20:15:05 +0000

1. Plan to take your school as a group to the movie (pre-sell matinee tickets to students), preferably on June 12th (day after the opening but is on a Saturday when most kids will attend). Make sure all your students are wearing their school T-Shirts which will look very impressive as a group. Make sure instructors are there and have business cards. Anyone who remotely shows an interest in your school should get a card and offer to present the card for a week of free beginner lessons and a personal invitation to come witness your next belt testing.

2. Any community event attended by your school should always (if permitted) have a drawing box for a free pair of tickets to “The Karate Kid”. Info can be added to your data base.

By: Sensei George

Sensei George — Thu, 27 May 2010 11:57:27 +0000

There is a drive inn movie theater within a few miles of my school. We have worked out an arrangement that in addition to performing an demonstration on the opening weekend of the Karate Kid movie we will be printing all the concession stand menus which include an ad for my karate school on them. Every car that comes to the drive in is given one of these so after people get excited about the karate kid movie they have a take-away that leads them to our door! We plan on printing the menus for them for the whole run time of the movie so we will have at least 4- weeks of solid advertising targeted to people interested in karate!

By: Ryan Wheaton

Ryan Wheaton — Tue, 25 May 2010 22:21:41 +0000

Thanks for the new Karate Kid movie marketing idea! Anyone else want to win a free movie poster? Leave your marketing idea below!

By: Ryan Wheaton

Ryan Wheaton — Tue, 25 May 2010 15:24:49 +0000

John, those are really some great ideas to help martial arts schools maximize the next Karate Kid movie marketing opportunity! Thanks for sharing.

By: B Basche

B Basche — Mon, 24 May 2010 21:56:15 +0000

i think a large park on a Saturday and Sunday doing some demos. Offer one free class and for everyone that signs up, there will be a drawing for a free movie pass to Karate Kid

By: John Young

John Young — Mon, 24 May 2010 18:02:52 +0000

Ryan,

Here is a few ideas our karate school is looking into.

1. Bring in your ticket stub from the new Karate Kid movie and receive a free week of lessons!

2. Have a karate kid movie night where you watch all the original films and students can bring a friend to the event.

3. Have bully busting classes free to the public since that is what the movie is about..bullying!

Thanks,

-John