So We're Trying To Market Our Preschool Better

So here I am, in charge of advertising and marketing at The Little Apprentice Preschool.  I co-own this with 4 other terrific teachers!  Our branch in Evia Lifestyle Center, Daang Hari, Almanza Dos, Las Pinas, came 10 years after we put the main one up at Aspen Tower, Parkway Ave., corner Corporate Ave., Filinvest Corporate City, Muntinlupa City.

I got the "job" or assignment because of all 5 of us, I seem to be handy with laying out stuff (I would've joked "STUFFS", but some of you might think I really talk/think/write this way), and designing and doing free hand crafts, lettering, etc.


I wish I could have more free reign over the design at Evia, managed by Vista Malls.  Anything we do must have their logo on it, as in, 1/5 the size of whatever we churn out.  Do you see the sign?! ---->
It's like you headed out to Evia, parked at their hooooot Evia (open) lot, entered their mall and DID NOT KNOW YOU WERE IN EVIA! 

Everything has their logo!  WHY?  WHY?! 

They even tried to sneak in a clause in the lease contract that goes something like, anything you print, display, etc. in your premises must be approved by us.  REALLY?!

If only you did things quickly and with benefit to our side too, this little marketing rule of yours would've been more palatable.  But you guys wait too long, long enough for us to make frustrated movements, before you react to the situation.  Is it that you have a skeletal workforce?  Is it that you just don't care?  I'm actually asking since I don't know why you operate the way you do....

As a preschool teacher and preschool principal, it is taboo to swear and be an ass, in front of the kids AND the parents.  I've had to resort to opening another Facebook account just so I can be FREE-ER to do what I can't (just because I'm friends with the parents on the other account).  I really feel like a hypocrite having these separate accounts but it pleases my one Christian-minded business partner and it keeps my stress levels down when I'm able to vent properly, like right now.  Haha!

So, let me share a letter I sent Evia's Events and Marketing Manager just yesterday.  

Hi, Lemuel!

Hi, Lemuel!

Just so you can understand my impatience, please bear with me as I mention a few key points:

Your side (EVIA - Amie, Vhernie, Cheska, Ryan) mentioned to me that your side will be fabricating an acrylic standee for our benefit.  Out of deep respect and knowledge that your side is here for us to succeed, DESPITE CBTL and Brasas already having placed their own signages, we did not make one in all this time BECAUSE your side promised a wrought iron standee was in the works.  Ive repeatedly shown my interest through text and personal meetings with Amie and Vhernie and they've always said that they've passed the ball to Marketing.  No word from your side aside from the fact that it will cost P15,000.  

WHERE IS THIS STANDEE?!

People have been using the emergency staircase ignorant of the fact that the elevator only has one destination upwards, which is us.  Who parent would want to enroll their child in a school with a long staircase as its entrance?!  We've asked Vhernie if we could put a sticker cover on your elevator doors but no commitment was given.  We were given a go signal to put a short bond acrylic sign holder within the elevator and this was ok for a while until it was maliciously torn off by someone we dont know and then kept by your maintenance crew, possibly after finding it broken on the elevator floor.  

We could be having more traffic if we did not follow your rules, it seems.  I hope this next statement will not overly offend you but I must remind you that Evia took a while to get things started and so we opened later than we wanted (August, last year) very late for school year standards.  It is our desire to get more students in, this summer and coming school year.  I know you know that when we make money, you do too, otherwise you wouldnt have gotten your position in this company.  Please help us make said money!

My text history, texting all 7 people: Amie, Joj, Boyet, Brian, Cheska, Ryan and Vhernie, will show that Ive been following up this standee since March 2014.  Ive been bumped off and redirected by your side.  Now you come forward, sir, a stranger and yet another entity from the EVIA side.  

CAN YOU FINALLY BE THE ONE TO UPDATE ME REGARDING THE DATE OF DELIVERY OF YOUR STANDEE?  WHEN CAN I PAY YOUR SIDE?  WHO DO WE PAY EXACTLY?  APPARENTLY, HAVING OUR OWN STANDEE GETS YOUR SIDE MOVING.  Regrettably, I will be bringing said standee this week. Your side, just like CBTL and BRASAS will have had no control over its design and dimensions.

I am sorry for ranting.  Ive become more disappointed as the weeks and months have gone by, when they couldve been used to better market our school.  We teachers try hard to be patient with little ones but cannot find the same for adults when the subject is a simple one and the other side is not paying attention. We are just frustrated and hope you can be more transparent about this standee.  If its not ready for mass production, THEN JUST SAY SO.  Being left hanging, hopeful and feeling helpless is not some place anyone would like to be.

My numbers are 022167688 and 09178111655.  Please update me soonest.

Thank you for reading this far!

So, it didn't take too long.  In fact, this letter of complaint got a reaction in 2 hours and 2 minutes.  Apologies plus a design of their standee (I didn't ask for a design, if you'll notice).  Ugh...the ginormous EVIA logo, they're imposing on us.  And I have to pay P15,000 for this.... They should pay 1/5 of the amount!  It had better be a one time payment and that's that!

Come to think of it, why should I now have to pay for TWO standees?!

So I Love Zumba!

Yep, I'm big but I can move.  Yes, I have a big tummy but can you do a split?

Not all who exercise lose weight.  Some have other goals, such as better flexibility, increasing body mass, heightening endurance and lengthening cardio output.  I've gained weight because I have more muscles now.  If you've read my other blog entries, you know that I do well on the dance sport floor so endurance is at an all time high!

Let's just say, Zumba has given me bragging rights to so many things:  I'm as confident as ever with my dancing skills, I don't really care what you think about my dancing skills because only what I think matters to me--I make myself happy or sad--no one else.

I love teaching, speaking at seminars or planning events just as much as I do the Zumba programs.  I really cant decide which I should let go of...but if the criteria were stress levels, Id do Zumba all day every day.  It gets me (and sometimes forces me) to create new choreography, to study more about the body and the effects of exercise and to dance to express my feelings. 

I love Zumba so much that I sponsored my dance instructor, Gilbert Amio, to Basic 1 training so we could speak the same language!  He kept correcting me when I'd choreograph, using the Zumba Formula and we started seeing eye to eye after that.

I love the happy hormones (endorphin) that are released in my system, after dancing Zumba.  That's akin to the hormones released after a great bout of SEX.  At least Zumba is an hour long compared to this other endeavor (wink, wink!)

 

There was a time when I came late for my own class.  Things hadn't gone my way the whole day.  But after the warm up period, I was all smiles, hoots and whoops of joy and energy.  You should try teaching (if not just dancing Zumba)!

I met so many new friends because of Zumba.  Some as students, some as mentors and others as fans.  These are real humble people who work so hard, using the best tool they have: their bodies.  They carry as much as 8 sets of clothes, complete with underwear and socks because some of them have so many classes a day!  These folks give so much of their energy to their students that it's really a wonderment when they still have (because they do) more to give when it comes to fundraisers and causes.

I just realized that I have more Zumba clothes than normal clothes.  Yes, theyre expensive but owning them is a badge of accomplishment.  I make enough money to buy them and show them off.  It's a great way for ambulant marketing.

One tee says it all, "Give me neon or give me death!"

Even if you do not know who's in class, who's coming to class, who the first timers are, they ALL become your friends, followers, believers, eating buddies, informants, clothes models, shopping consultants, supporters, fans, stalkers and so much more!

They all become more chatty, friendly, approachable after class due to the newly released endorphin in their systems--this would be the best time to propose, to make business deals, to ask for a loan or gigantic favor.  Chances are they'd happily say YES!

Know your choreo, keep things fresh, let the students know WHY they're moving certain parts this way or that way, keep the class safe, make the steps simple and easy to follow.  If Zumba steps were too difficult, people wouldn't feel so successful on the first day.  They wouldn't come back.  Then I wouldn't have students!

I figure, I can redefine my figure at the same time Im teaching.  I know what to do.  You just have to get on the Zumba Toning ride with me!

I always get to wear my hot pink In2It lipstick when I dance.  It adds color to my day :)

Experience the fun, freeing electrifying joy movement and sweat and community that is Zumba, with me or any of The Roxy's licensed instructors today!