There may be a global financial crisis going on, but at my school, Smith’s School of English Tsukaguchi School, business is good! In January I had one of my highest turnovers ever. I am very happy.
This morning I got out and did some flyers, which I hadn’t done for a while. It is a great time to be out there promoting my school. I believe that people need to or want to study English regardless of the economic situation. Smith’s School of English did very well throughout the last recession in Japan and I believe will do very well throughout this economic downturn too. I sure am glad to be self-employed, part of the Smith’s franchise system and doing so well when so many people are losing their jobs.
Derek
Smith’s School of English Tsukaguchi School
＜学校経営が順調なスミス英会話塚口校から一言＞２００９年２月１日（日）
世界的な金融危機が続きそうですが、スミス英会話塚口校の経営はとても順調です。 この１月は、かつてないほどの水準に達し私は本当に嬉しく思っています。
今朝、私はしばらく休んでいたビラ配りをしました。 ビラ配りは配っている間中、学校のコマーシャルが出来、みなさんに私の学校のことを知ってもらう良いチャンスになります。 私は今の経済悪化の情勢に関係なく、皆さんが英語を勉強したいと思っていると信じています。 スミス英会話は、これまでも不景気に影響されずにやってきましたし、これからも景気の低迷に左右されることなく成長し続けると思っています。 仕事を失う人が大勢いる中で塚口校がスミス英会話フランチャイズ校の一校であり、私がそのオーナーであることを、本当に幸せだと思います。
デレック
Derek,
Great to hear you had a good month. At Ohtsu we also had a high number of trials. The fall was slow for trials for us, but it seemed January was busy all around. Peter at Yamashina told me he also had a lot of trials in January, and most were generated from flyers handed out at Ohtsu. We have even received trials received from Peter’s flyering at Yamashina. Those girls in the head office sales team really know how to crank those enquirers over to trials. It is great to know the work we do flyering is turned into new trial lessons by the staff at Smith’s. Multiple schools flyering all over Japan, the website, regional and national advertising, and finally head office staff bringing it all together and signing them up. Couldn’t ask for a more satisfying [or easier] job. All the components work together to make it happen: TEAMwork in action.
Let’s hope February is even better!
Edward
Derek,
I’m also glad to hear you had a great month. One of our plans for 2009 and to put our efforts into promoting our school. As a result, we also had a good January, and we’re looking forward to a great year!
People have been accepting flyers really easily this January and Yuichi has put out nearly 2,000 in the last two weeks going door to door! (I would have helped, but I am currently limping…little ankle injury..but i’m not letting it get me too far down…i’m back in action at the station tomorrow morning!!!!)
Just wanted to say..Great job, Derek!! From your entries, it looks like you did well all through last fall. Thanks for showing us smaller schools what can be done with a little effort!
Carol – SSE Kamishinjo
Derek,
Nice post.
I think we need this kind of post to serve as a reminder now and then of how fortunate we are in our current situations here self-employed within the Smiths School of English franchise system. January business was good and I think its a sign of better things to come throughout the year. I personally believe that 2009 will be challenging, but students will be seeking out our services more than ever.
Our offering is the most student friendly out there, lessons taught by teachers who have a vested interest in the progress of the student coupled with the most reasonably priced and structured payment system in the industry. This economic downturn will continue to be challenging but it will also serve to sort the wheat from the chaff, and this I firmly believe is in our favor.
Good luck to all in 2009; we are off to a great start!
Alex
Edward, Carol and Alex,
Thank you all very much! I am very happy to see that you all had good business in January.
Edward: Great! It is great to see how your school and Peter’s school support each other through flyering. That’s a great example of TEAM! We have a great system. It works so well, from the flyer to the trial lesson. The head office staff does a superb job and we sure are lucky to have them.
Carol: Thank you very much and you’re most welcome! Yuichi is doing a great job there with the flyers! I hope your ankle gets better soon!
Alex: Thank you very much. I totally agree. Well said. Good luck to you in 2009 too!
Keep up the great work everybody!
Derek
SSE Tsukaguchi