Looking for a surefire way to increase enrollment at your martial arts school? Well, this is the blog for you because a referral program can be a game-changer.
But how do you create a referral program that actually works?
In this ultimate guide, we’ll cover the steps you need to take to create a referral program that will attract new students and grow your school.
From crafting an irresistible offer to targeting the right audience, we’ll give you all the tools you need to succeed.
Let’s dive in!
Turn Your Happy Students into Brand Ambassadors!
You’ve built an incredible community of engaged and satisfied students.
Now it’s time to let them help grow your brand.
A well-designed referral program turns your students into powerful brand ambassadors.
Think of your own purchasing habits.
Are you more likely to buy a product or service because of an ad or your best friend?
It’ll be the friend, no question.
So set up a referral program that incentives your students to bring friends and family through your door.
At our founder and CEO’s school, Gracie PAC MMA, they call it a Brand Ambassador Program.
Members have to complete (4) different actions.
If they do all 4, they get Gracie PAC’s special Brand Ambassador T-Shirt (which cannot be purchased).
Want to expand your brand and increase your revenue on a budget?
Referral marketing is the way to go.
Pinpointing your target Audience
Defining your target audience is crucial to the success of your referral program.
You want to make sure that you’re getting the right people to refer others to your martial arts school.
Start by looking at your existing customer base.
Which of your students are the most loyal and satisfied?
Which students represent your ideal avatar?
Tailor your referral program according to your answers.
For example, say you have a solid martial arts kid program but want to improve your adult class’s head count.
Consider offering incentives that appeal to parents.
Any easy offer would be to discount family memberships or a free trial lesson for both the parent and child.
By defining your target audience, you can create a referral program for the right people.
This can result in a more successful program and increased enrollment for your martial arts school.
1) Bring a Buddy Week: This type of referral program encourages current students to bring a friend to class for a full week. The friend gets to try out the classes for free and if they sign up for a membership, the referring student gets a reward.
2) Prize Tickets: Similar to a raffle, students can earn tickets for referring new members to the school. The tickets can then be entered into a drawing for prizes such as uniforms, gear, or other martial arts equipment.
3) Belt Promotions: For every new member referred, the referring student earns credit towards their next belt promotion or testing fee.
4) Social Media Sharing: Encourage students to share their experience at your martial arts school on social media and tag the school. Each post earns them an entry into a drawing for a prize.
5) VIP Treatment: Give referred members VIP treatment by allowing them to bring a friend to a special class or event. This could be a seminar with a well-known instructor, a private lesson with the head instructor, or a special training session with the school’s competitive team.
6) Referral Leaderboard: Create a leaderboard to display the top referrers each month. The top referrers can earn rewards such as private lessons, gear, or even a trophy.
By implementing a fun and engaging referral program, you can not only increase enrollment in your martial arts school but also foster a sense of community and loyalty among your students.
Marketing your referral program is just as important as creating it.
After all, if no one knows about it, how will they be able to take part?
The best referral program in the world won’t get results if nobody knows about it.
So, how do you get the word out?
One effective way is to use social media platforms.
Facebook and Instagram are our top choices to catch your students’ attention.
You can also create eye-catching flyers to hand out in your school.
Use your team to promote your referral program on and off the mat! By talking to parents about it is also a great way to get word-of-mouth marketing working.
Additionally, you can send email blasts to your student base.
Make sure to add share buttons to all your marketing materials. It will make it easy for your students to spread the word.
Finally, feature your referral program on your school’s homepage to ensure maximum visibility.
NOW TRACK IT
First up, use referral codes!
Referral codes are unique identifiers that allow you to track who used the code, how many times it was used, and for what purchases.
Think of it like a trackable discount code.
This tactic provides a good overview of how active each of your referrers is and the power of word-of-mouth marketing.
Next, consider using Spreadsheets.
Creating a referral tracking spreadsheet can be a simple solution to monitor referrals.
Customize and integrate with third-party apps for even more functionality.
Use Google Analytics to get data on organic traffic sources, SEO, PPC, audience behavior, and more.
Referral forms on your website are also a great way to track where your customers are coming from.
It gives you the opportunity to ask questions like “Where did you hear about us?”
By using these tactics to track your referrals, you can get a clear overview of how effective your referral programs are.
Use data-driven decisions to optimize your campaigns.
Conclusion
As we discussed, a referral program can be a game-changer for your martial arts school.
With the right incentives, target audience, fun elements, promotion, and tracking methods, you can turn your satisfied students into powerful brand ambassadors who help grow your school.
Expand your brand, foster loyalty, and build a bigger community on a budget.
Referral marketing will help your school grow and increase your revenue.
So don’t wait any longer!
Take action today and create a referral program for your martial arts school.
