I'll admit it - I'm a bit of a prepper.

Not the "stock up on canned beans and bullets because the government is coming to take our guns" sort, but more of the "natural disasters can happen at any time, so let's make sure we have that FEMA list knocked out" sort.

I guess the reason why prepping appeals to me so much is because it's always seemed to me like a natural extension of self-defense.

Sure, I can fight off an armed attacker... but what happens if I'm driving through a deserted stretch of road in the middle of winter and my car breaks down?

What if there's no cell service? What would I do? Would I be prepared?

A good prepper looks at rarely considered yet probable scenarios and thinks them through to develop a game plan and strategies to help them face that contingency.

Not unlike you might develop a game plan for street self-defense, or for defeating various types of opponents in competition.

And I like to take the same approach to the various aspects of my business as well. In other words, I really like to hedge my bets in case of emergency.

And when it comes to the back-to-school season, I've always believed that the stakes are too high to simply prepare for it in a half-cocked manner.

Going back to the prepper analogy, one of the first things you learn when you start prepping is that it's a good idea to have a "go bag", also known as a bug-out bag.

Basically, it's a bag you keep packed in case of emergency that will have the basic items you'll need in an evacuation. The idea is to never have to abandon house and home with just the clothes on your back.

So what goes into a good bug out bag? Although opinions vary on this, the answer is usually "everything."

Compact, high-energy food. Water, or a way to collect, filter, and purify it. 

Shelter, in the way of a tent, or a tarp suitable to create a decent expedient shelter. Materials and tools to start a fire (I prefer a Bic lighter over a magnesium stick, by the way). 

A good knife. A weather radio. Batteries. Something to sleep on or in that can conserve heat. A spare set of clothes, preferably layered.

Basically, you cover all your bases as far as the necessities go (shelter, water, food, fire), and then fill in the gaps based on your specific needs and preferences, and the terrain and conditions you might expect to face.

And that's also the way I approach my back-to-school marketing.

For one, I don't wait until the last minute. I plan ahead, and start marketing in earnest a few weeks before school even starts.

Not because I expect to get a lot of leads during that time. Oh no, parents are way too busy.

Nope. It's because I want to be the first martial art school that parents see, and I want them to see me multiple times before they decide to place their kid in classes.

This increases the odds that they'll call me first. See, marketing isn't a one and done thing - it's an ongoing battle for the attention of the consumer. That's why you market early and often. 

It's also why I like to cover all the bases as far as the basics go, such as...

A really strong marketing website. Landing pages. Google ads. Facebook ads. Door hangers or direct mail. Email marketing. Blogging. Social media marketing (which is different, but related to paid ads on social media). Video marketing. Rack cards. VIP guest passes. Signage. Good PR. And yes, even print ads.

In short, I want to take every opportunity to make certain that parents are seeing my name and business over and over and over again during that crucial early back-to-school period.

I stuff my marketing bug out bag with everything I can think of that will increase my chances of getting a new student... without wasting space and resources on things I don't need.

I'll talk more about that second part tomorrow, but for now just think about how you can hedge your bets during this back-to-school season. 

Is there something in your marketing mix that you've left out?

Think on it until tomorrow, and then size up your list after you've read tomorrow's email.