| Friend,
Community service -- it's not just something a judge gives movie stars and politicians in lieu of jail time.
No, for us it's a way to get out from behind our computer monitors and off the mats, to do some good in the local community at large.
But why bother? Well, I'm not going to look down my nose at you and accuse you of being selfish because you don't want to volunteer what little spare time you have.
I get it -- you're already incredibly busy, and the last thing you need is one more item on an already very full plate.
So instead, I'm going to give you several very good reasons why you should consider community service and volunteering a worthy use of your time.
Besides Just Wanting To Do Some Good, Here's Why...
Obviously, one of the chief reasons you should get your school involved in community service projects is simply to do some good. Personally, I was so thankful for how well my local community had treated my school, I just wanted to give back.
So, I started volunteering my time around town, doing charity events and so on.
But, there are other, more pragmatic reasons to do community service (ones that don't involve a judge). From a pure marketing perspective, community service falls under the heading of "public relations," an area where most martial art school owners are sorely lacking.
Why You Need Good PR: It's A Social Media Insurance Policy
Believe me, your business needs good PR. In this day and age when public opinion can be turned against you in an instant, it pays to store up heaps of positive sentiment among the people of your local community.
Just look at any of the businesses who have been targeted in the media and in social media campaigns for unintentional faux pas that were caught on camera. Many a small business reputation has been ruined by just such an event.
Regardless of your political or religious leanings, I can assure you that no one is immune to the utterly illogical and completely unpredictable wrath of groups of stupid people wielding smart phones and social media accounts.
For this reason alone, you should consider getting your school involved in community service projects on a regular basis.
More Reasons to Get Involved in Community Service
But there are other reasons to get your dojo involved in community service. All of them will help your school grow.
Granted, the ROI for each is difficult to measure. However, I can assure you that the benefits are worth it. - Networking opportunities - Getting involved in local community service projects provides you with networking opportunities that you wouldn't normally get. You never know who you'll meet when you volunteer your time to do some good. You might end up rubbing elbows with the mayor or a city council member, the principal at a local school you've been trying to get into, or the chief of police. Networking with local influencers can often yield opportunities that you might never have had. That alone makes it worth your time and effort.
- Referrals - Once people get to know your school and your name, and they see that you're a giver and a doer, they'll be that much more inclined to mention your name and refer people to you. If you've never received a referral from someone who has never stepped foot in your dojo, it's likely because you've rarely stepped foot outside your dojo to help other people in your community.
- Press coverage - Doing community service projects is one of the best ways to get lots and lots of local press coverage. News organizations have plenty of air time and print space to fill each day, even more so now that they have to publish in digital media on the 24-hour news cycle. One of the easiest ways for them to fill that space is with human interest stories. And, getting your dojo involved in community service projects is a great way to get featured in a human interest story in the local press.
Hopefully by now I've convinced you that doing community service is a "must-do" item for your dojo.
Over the next several emails, I'm going to provide you with some tips on how to get involved and how to ensure your involvement is of benefit to your dojo. Stay tuned...
Until next time,
Mike Massie MartialArtsBusinessDaily.com
Quick-start Guide to My Books and Resources: - Looking for a list of books and resources I've written? Click here! - Looking for one-on-one coaching to grow your dojo? Click here...
P.S. - I've said it before and I'll say it again... don't do community service just because you think it'll get you more students. Your returns will be minimal if you're just in it for your own benefit and expecting something in return. Instead, get involved and do it with a giving spirit -- you'll get better results, and if your efforts don't initially result in positive returns for your dojo (which is often the case), you won't be disappointed.
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