You can’t go out looking like that!

Hello, My name is Mark and I am one of the newest members of the NEST Management team, having joined just before Christmas 2014.

My role in the organisation is to increase the number of clients that use NEST.

I spend a lot of my time on the internet looking at potential clients websites and Facebook pages – (it’s a tough job, but someone has got to do it!).

Some of the websites I see are fantastic and some of the Facebook pages are fun, relevant and informative.

The information I am looking for is very similar to the information a potential new member or parent of a new member would be looking for. So I look on the website for the following:

• Contact phone number
• Contact email address
• Address and directions of the training location or locations – a google map makes this even better!
• Timetable of lessons

I am always delighted if I find at least the first three of these on the home page.

Without the above information a potential student or parent is unable to make an informed decision as to if the class is convenient for them. They will just scroll down to the next school on the list and choose the one that suits them best.

Next I must mention the pages that cause me the most concern.

They will be headed up “Blog” “News” or “Events”.

These pages are fantastic because they give Martial Arts schools a chance to show off all the best bits of their clubs. However it’s important to make sure they are current and up to date.

A blog entry dated 2013 makes me think that the school has closed down. A calendar of events for 2014 makes me think that the school may have closed at the end of last year.

Facebook is even more current – your last Facebook entry should be no more than a week old – just a short entry such as “great class last night everyone worked really hard” or “nice to see 2 new members at last night’s class” makes your page current and up to date. Adding a couple of photos or a short video is even better.

Google is predicting that most internet searches will be on hand held devices this year – so if you are updating or changing your website make sure it is mobile phone friendly. You can test your website for mobile friendliness by using Google’s free tool.

Let’s get out there…