1. See advice for English Schools as the concepts are similar.
2. Understand the "lifetime value" of your average client. How much money does your average client spend with you over the course of their
buying relationship? When you understand this, then you will know what you can afford to give away to get new students into your program.
(By all means, do not be short-sighted and think, "But that $50 entrance fee is additional income for me." No, it's not. It's simply a barrier to
higher profits.)
3. Make your gymnastics school and offer a "Giggling Guarantee". It could read something like this: "If your child does not have the most fun
they've ever had, while learning gymnastics in a safe, age-appropriate environment, you have every right to ask for your money back at the
end of the 8-week session. No questions asked!"
With a guarantee like that, your closing ratio will be close to 100%.
4. If the circus ever comes to your town, arrange to have a table at the circus. Give away cotton candy or some other attractive, low-cost gift to
children. Have a sign-up for a grand prize drawing of a free year of gymnastics lessons. Make sure you capture the parent's name and email
address. Give away your top prize as promised, but contact every other parent and say that they won second prize of 4 (or 8) free gymnastic
lessons. You'll build a mailing list of every parent in the city whose child might be interested in gymnastics. Many will come for their free lessons
and many will stay as your long-term students. You can't lose.
5. Joint venture with local ice cream shops. Buy a number of banana splits up front and agree to place brochures of their shop in your studio.
Start a "Splits" club when a student has learned to do the splits and you give them a coupon for a free banana split to the ice cream shop.
Explain to the store owner that the parent will likely buy other items for siblings when they come in. In return, they have to agree to allow you to
put up a well-designed "Splits Club" board of your students who can do the splits. On the board will be information that interested mothers can
take with them.
Gymnastics