Posts Tagged ‘Black Belt’

Being Consistent Will Pay Off In Huge Dividends for Your School’s Success

Just as it took consistency in training to reach an advanced level of skill, it takes consistency in your business activities to achieve the financial success you desire.

How important is consistency in your martial arts business? I believe it is of the utmost importance.

Honestly, this is your financial future we are talking about – how could anything less than consistent daily action toward your goals be acceptable?

Yet, more often than not I find martial arts school owners are highly inconsistent in their management and marketing activities. And, it’s not just their consistency in taking action that is in question; it’s also the type of actions they take.

You see, both are extremely important to your success, because taking the wrong actions consistently can be just as devastating to your business as taking no action at all. You must understand first what the right actions are to take, and then take those actions on a consistent and daily basis to succeed.

Let’s examine what this looks like “in action” so we can have a better understanding of what proper consistent actions are, as well as the sort of impact they can have on your business. Read the rest of this entry »

Wanna’ Crush Your Competition?

Many times, the best way to crush your competition is to be as different as possible.

Crushing your competition right out of the gate is a hard thing to do…

Especially if you’re opening your school in a tough market with lots of competitors.

Even so, there is only one nearly surefire way I know of to crush your competitors…

And that’s to compete on a totally different playing field than the ones they are running their businesses on…

Here’s how you can do exactly that, and secure your school’s financial future by carving out a niche in your market that is uniquely yours and yours alone. Read the rest of this entry »

So, What’s Next?

Knowing what comes after black belt can be a great way of keeping students' interest once they reach 1st dan.

For new school owners, this may not seem like it’s even worth worrying about yet… but I’m here to tell you it’s something you need to consider if you’re past your first year in business.

You might think it’s only important to have a strong program up to black belt, because that’s what most of your students are after, but that’s a dangerous misconception that can hurt your school’s long-term growth.

Now, some martial arts systems already have tons of curriculum in place for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree black belts (Note: Just having a new form to teach them isn’t going to cut it).

And in other systems (like BJJ, for example), the road to black belt is so long, the main challenge you face is keeping students until black belt. However, if you fall into either of these categories, you still should read this article because there are still pitfalls to keeping students long-term you may not be aware of.

So, sit tight and take notes while I tell what works in keeping students through black belt and beyond.

Read the rest of this entry »

There’s a dilemma most martial arts instructors face when they start teaching kids (well, those who are honest and have integrity, anyway). That is, how do you handle belt rank promotions for kids?

Obviously, kids don’t have anywhere near the emotional maturity, logical deduction, motor skills, strength, or learning ability adults have. Granted, kids can do a lot of things many adults can’t (full splits in three weeks, anyone?) but generally speaking they simply cannot perform like adults when it comes to retention of techniques, application of techniques, and performing like an adult black belt.

So how do you handle belt rank promotions for kids without lowering standards or becoming the thing you hate most? Read the rest of this entry »

Unfortunately, we can’t halt the march of time, but we can plan ahead to ensure that the coming months go very smoothly in our classroom. As everyone knows, things tend to move at a slower pace around the holidays… at least as far as business is concerned. You’ll likely find yourself with some extra time on your hands on those days when you shut down your classes to observe the holidays. And, that’s the best time to take stock of what you’ve done previously, and to plan ahead to improve your classes in the Read the rest of this entry »

When I first heard the term “rotating curriculum”, I had no clue what the concept was. I think the first person I heard talking about it was one of the billing company guys, and to be honest I really discounted the idea wholesale when he mentioned it. Well, a short while later I found I was having a hard time keeping my classes structured as my school grew. I also found it difficult to keep my instructors on track with their lesson plans – no one really had an idea of what to teach in class, and Read the rest of this entry »

Pricing Strategy #1: Applying the Law of Supply and Demand

You should be aware that when a service is not a commodity (easily copied and mass-produced), it is naturally in higher demand and worth more. Our services are unique because very few people make it to black belt and even fewer decide to teach. Read the rest of this entry »