“I’m the kind of person who notices everything,” says Tania O’Neill McGowen, director of O’Neill Kinesiology Collage in Perth Australia. We are chatting on Skype, spanning a 14 hour time gap, in order to discus marketing, kinesiology and the future of our field.
Most of this interview can be found in the second issue of Specialized Kinesiology Magazine, which will be available January 2017, (how’s that for building anticipation of a product?), but today, I want to share Tania’s formula for successful Open or Demo days.
Many of us are taught that a kinesiology demonstration is the easiest way to attract new students and clients. After all, it’s hard to see what SK can do and not be impressed! Back to what Tania says about ‘noticing everything’; “I notice what works and what doesn’t work. We used to do Open Days at the school, as I think many do, but they were lacking the “Wow!” I wanted a better format. I sat with it for almost two years to come up with something better that really works.”
This format seems very simple, but has proven to be extremely effective for the Collage.
– Start with a 15 minute talk discussing ‘What is Kinesiology?’ using overheads, showing that this is real science and featuring the integration of Eastern medicine.
– 45 minute Demo in front of the group, working with someone in the audience experiencing physical pain. A demo working with pain provides the most noticeable change for the audience and is most impressive.
– 30-45 minute discussion of their training program and what is involved.
– Free 30 minute mini-session with one of the advanced students.
Why is this so effective? With this set up, the audience will listen to you explain what it is that you are doing, see how well it works on someone else, hear how they could learn this too and then experience it for themselves. Tania emphasizes that it is important the demo days be free. “Most people will not pay you for something they know nothing about. Having events where they can come along that don’t cost them anything is important. When they attend, most people will go ‘Oh wow!'”
For more of our conversation including the importance of advertising, how to work with a business coach, and why, “if you’re not using Facebook to promote your kinesiology, you’re crazy!” wait for the January issue of Specialized Kinesiology Magazine.
We’re all in this together!
Alexis
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