Six months to a Successful start

By following the advice given  you are much more likely to increase your chances of building a solid foundation to a successful business.  The first six months is HARD!!!!!!!!!!  I can’t even begin to stress enough how important key marketing, passion and sheer persistence is essential to contributing to building your brand in your area.  Having said that it is incredibly rewarding and this part should be enjoyed.  There will be points in the six months where you think what the hell am I not doing, believe me we have ALL been there.  A pattern for our businesses is hitting term three and our numbers start to build which is around month 5.  My best piece of advice when you feel things becoming a challenge is to revisit the manuals and TALK to another franchisee, use the teachers group!

Month one Post operations training 1

You’re equipped now with the knowledge from your ops day. My first suggestion is to make a plan.  Set SMART goals for your six months, this should include:

• How many customers you want per week/month work your cost of living out
• How will you build a brand presence?  What methods of marketing will you choose, choose three

-social media share from franchise pages

-leaflets and poster drops

-fayres and collaboration

-visit clinics, toddler groups

• Organise tasters. Choose 5 areas these should be half price not free, be able to be booked online, gather information from these where did they find you?
• Blogs do an intro to you!
• Get listed on google business, netmums, whats on, club hub, anywhere and everywhere.

Get your name out and get the areas right!

Month two

• Follow your marketing plan from term one.
• Aiming for two classes a day one morning and one afternoon with a minimum of 5 in each class.
• Coursework completion within first term using the feedback.
• Focus on providing an excellent service in classes so parents share the marketing refer a friend introduction.
• Keep pushing sharing photos videos from classes.
• Free listings on any network sites?
• Blogs.

Month three

• Start an analysis. How did you find us from your bookings. You can use this to market new classes as it shows you what works.
• Gain feedback from parents and go through observation feedback – where is there improvement?
• Ask for reviews they are so important! Parents really use these on the site and on Facebook.
• Approach children centres.
• Blogs and newsletters.

Month four

• Before the second term find more venues aim for 4 classes min of 5 in each, new min of 8 in old ones.
• Blog.

Month 5

• Gather more feedback at end of term 2.
• Get more reviews.
• Repeat marketing strategies.
• Aim for 6 classes min 8-12.
• Analyse numbers and where they came from.
• Can you split current classes or is it more cost effective to run at two new venues?

Month 6

• Review and  assess the current 5 months.
• What worked and what didn’t?
• What SMART goals did you hit? Why?
• What needs to happen for next 6 months?