You are a small business rooted in your community, and your success depends on building trust with families in your area. Parents entrust you not only with teaching their children self-defense and the valuable benefits of martial arts but also often with caring for them during events like parties, Parents’ Night Out, and camp days.
So, how do you earn that trust? The best and simplest way is for families to know you. And the way to make that happen is by being out in your community.
This means getting involved in local events, collaborating with PTA groups, sponsoring youth sports teams, and building connections with other business owners in your town. In short, you need to have a physical presence in your community.
This isn’t about your online presence. While your social media and digital platforms can amplify your efforts, trust comes from real-world connections.
Here’s proof: I purchased a children’s art studio in Parkland, Florida, in early 2020—right before the pandemic hit. By following these principles and immersing ourselves in the community, we’ve built a successful business. At GetStudents.com, we don’t just talk about this strategy; we live it.
Here’s what we do consistently:
- Participate in every local event we can find.
- Distribute rack cards in local businesses and keep business cards and ad cards on hand for booths and events.
- Carry VIP Cards everywhere, so we’re ready to connect with families and community leaders in everyday life.
- Use window clings, popup banners, and feather flags to make our studio and events stand out.
- Send flyers home with students at every local school.
- Post banners and snipe signs in school car lines and other high-traffic areas.
- Run fundraisers with schools and local organizations, hosting events and giving back a portion of sales.
- Execute Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) campaigns with customized materials tailored to our locations.
We’ve even created specialty items like tent valance banners and branded materials for maximum visibility. Why? Because it works.
The more visible you are in your community, the more people trust you. And trust leads to sign-ups—it’s that simple.
Here’s what we’re not doing: wasting money on lazy Facebook ads. I’ve never run a single Facebook ad for my business (check our page transparency if you don’t believe me). Instead, we focus on building trust through direct, in-person connections.
Ask yourself:
- Are you doing everything you can to be physically visible in your town?
- Are you meeting parents, teachers, and other local business owners?
- Is the money you’re spending on marketing helping you build real connections?
Maybe you’re doing a couple of these things, but could you be doing more? Your success directly reflects the effort you put into your community presence.
It’s time to get serious about being a community-based business. The only way to do that is by becoming a real, active part of your community.
Need help figuring out where to start? Looking for custom ideas? I’m here to help. Let’s take your community visibility to the next level. Right now, many schools are focusing on new years marketing. Seasonal campaigns like these help you stand out and stay top of mind!