Finding Leads thru Local Schools
It is nearly back to school time!
There are lots of ways we can engage with the local high schools and all area schools to increase awareness about what we do and help people find us. Here are some ways we can leverage attention though school sports, plays, concerts and more to boost awareness out in the community for Stretch Zone.
Follow the school social media pages and engage with those who are there. It's free, and we can reach a wide variety of people there. Keep in mind that each segment of the school may have their own social media pages (football, drama, track, choir, etc)
There may be a way to participate in a school fundraiser. Are they going to publish a discount card or book that we could add our logo to and a coupon for a free ROM Assessment and half hour assisted stretch ??
We also can approach each school's PTA with an offer. Often, they are looking for contributions for raffles or parent/coach appreciation gifts (which we can always contribute a demo to, and often they will give us a loudspeaker shout-out for those...)
Find out the schedule for home games and get permission to put a stretch table at one or more games. We could do Friday nights for football, basketball and volleyball games, track meets, etc.
These are all fun ideas and we need to DO something to put them in place.
Where to start? The studio lead or an assigned SA on the team can;
1) Compile a list of all area schools within a 15-20 minute drive from the studio, including private and charter schools.
2) Begin reaching out to them add contact info for school Admin or PTA add contact info to our Shared Partnerships B2B Log.
3) Once they begin engaging with us, create a Prospect account for high level contacts who would be our main point of contact to track communications. Mark them as DNR in Club Ready so they are not followed up with as a normal prospect would be, and explain who they are in Key Notes.
4) Begin the the event process, identifying possible dates, filling out the Event Proposal for approval, arrange staffing, etc
There are many leads within the high schools for both 14+ athletes and their parents and fans/grandparents. We can also approach from the perspective of teacher, staff, school bus driver, volunteer appreciation.
The above ideas are ideal to begin during summer, but can be picked up any time during the year, after all- sports vary by season! We also can focus on Teacher Appreciation in the spring, teacher gifts near the holidays... possibilities are unlimited and allow us to give a special kind of relief to teachers and those who work so hard to serve and shape our communities.
TEACHER APPRECIATION TALKING POINTS:
Additional things to keep in mind on how stretching could benefit teachers...
Boost the immune system: teachers are exposed to so many germs, helping keep their body in tip top shape will keep them feeling good and not missing a beat. Assisted stretching helps with circulation and stress reduction (see SZ blogs).
Help improve posture: teachers spend hours hunched over their desks planning lessons and grading papers. Stretching can help lessen neck and upper back pain, and keep bad posture from setting in on a permanent basis.
Relieve back and leg pain: long hours of standing at a whiteboard, reaching up to write with a marker, and sitting in a chair can lead to muscle imbalances and an uncomfortable lack of flexibility which stretching can help combat
Stay flexible for their job: teaching is one profession where teachers may actually be able to perform their job better if they can easily get up and down off the floor and sit for lengths of time cross-legged ("Indian style"). Of course this depends on the subject and grade, but being able to move with ease serves everyone.
Work-life balance: So often those who teach give many more hours to their profession because they are mission based - they really want to make a difference. Often they purchase school supplies out of their own pocket, and give extra time above what is required out of their own lives. We can encourage teachers to take time for themselves by coming in for a stress-free half hour of deep breathing, caring for their body, and feeling good about taking time for self-care. Bonus - they could bring a friend! ... maybe even another teacher, and get some much needed social time during that half hour stretch session as well!
In addition to helping student athletes stay safe, and their fans and grandparents in the know that we are here to help, at Stretch Zone we have a real opportunity to help a whole segment of teachers that do so much, while also helping our business grow.
Thanks so much for keeping your eyes open for leads through schools!
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