Recruiting MBSR participants - what works for you?

Oasis Institute
#1

Dear CFM and MBSR teachers,
Last Wednesday I taught MBSR class #3 of my eighth cycle, and have just set the dates for my January course. Even after a couple years of doing this, recruiting participants is something I dread a bit; it always seems to take more effort than expected, and have humbling results.

I propose we collectively share what we have done to promote MBSR courses and recruit participants. Here are mine:

  1. Website with detailed course description, testimonials, about me, other offerings, etc. https://tokyostressreduction.org/
  2. Print and distribute flyers
  3. Inform various communities about my upcoming course (eg, place where I volunteer twice a month, a counseling center which has given me referrals, my previous MBSR and mindfulness workshop participants, etc.)
  4. Post on FB and other social media.
    Not doing yet but would probably make a huge difference:
  5. Making/posting original intro/promotion/teaching videos
  6. Writing/posting original articles, tips, book reviews, etc…

Would love to hear yours!
Metta and thanks,
Patrick

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#2

As part of our training path, we needed to do some community teaching. One of my offerings was an 8 week program at the local high school adult education program on stress and meditation, nominal fee only. They were kind enough to advertise in the local paper, do a press release and get some radio interviews. Only 3 people signed up, 1 I had forced to. So the week before the course started, I went to the three people I knew with the biggest Facebook addictions and contacts in my area and asked them to post the press release with a personal comment. An additional 12 signed up…so…I was blown away by the power of social media in action.

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#3

Hi Patrick and Irena,

What a great testimony, Irena, about the power of social media! I have a love/hate (mostly hate) relationship with social media, but yes, it is quite extraordinary how it can affect action! I do not use it as much as I could be.

Patrick,
I am in the middle of my seventh MBSR cycle. It’s been an interesting trial-and-error process as far as marketing MBSR. I offer it in the spring and fall, but I have the luxury of owning a yoga studio (where I hold the classes) and have tried many, many ways to market. The best is word of mouth, and referrals from past participants.

PRINT:
postcards, tri-fold brochures and Flyers in public spaces
ONLINE:
Website, facebook
EMAIL MARKETING:
Sent to the folks who are on my subscription list.

I am struck, though, also by word-of-mouth. My first cycle had 11, then 20 for my second, and this one had 21 registered and three had to drop after the first class for various reasons.

Next time, I will be soliciting more through the local clinics and wellness centers.

Nice to see and chat with both of you on CFM Home!

Jessica

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#4

Hy everyone, I am Stephane, from France. I have attended the PTI with Patrick at CFM last September.

Thank you Patrick to put this topic, this a key difficulty for most of us I think.

What i am doing now :
1/ I run a 6 week program fro Three years now, and I built a website/blog, on which I publish maybe twice a week some content about mindfulness. Almost 500 articles were posted to date. A good way to be on Google in a good position and to find me when a stress./life.illness issue ion encountered. (www.commentcava.org / www.mbsr-hautsdefrance.com)
2/ Every post is automatically published ion Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin. (Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/mbsr.mindfulnesslille/)
3/ On my web site, the visitor can get full information about the programs I run (and now the MBSR), and can subscribe and pay online (via Paypal). Info is given that it is mandatory to attend an orientation session, and you can subscribe online too for this
4/ Print flyers in the places I run the program : I don’t a “my” place, but I rent a few places I can run the session. I let flyers and posters there, sometimes I have new contacts from there. The places communicates on my programs
5/ I try to be on the contact list of journalists (this does not work very well here) in order to get some print and web articles. Sometimes, they call me for an interview
6/ I organise regularly conferences in exhibitions related to healthcare and organic food.
7/ I keep in touch with “masters” and experts of mindfulness in Europe, as senior MBSR teachers, Dharma experts who sometimes recommend me to people
8/ I have a monthly newsletter which reach almost 2000 people
9/ I run a initiation workshop twice a month, and I talk about MBSR

I don’t communicate a lot into communities I am involved in, I will explore this, this is a good idea ! I plan to visit physiologists and therapists too (when I have a little time to do that…).

I run my first MBSR now (3rd class) with 16 people (incredible !). Next sessions are planned in January, what a challenge !

If you have material to share, such as flyers, ppt presentations or anything else, this would be very helpful, as I am at the beginning…

Wish you the best, the very best,

Stéphane

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