Posts Tagged ‘new students’

This month’s start-up article is essential for anyone who is launching a new school, because it has to do with staying on track using the “P.I.E.” method… 1. Planning 2. Implementation 3. Evaluation I actually learned this approach to task management when I was in the Army Combat Medical Specialist course at Ft. Sam Houston. We were taught this approach as a means of organizing the treatment and care of patients in the clinical setting. What I have discovered about the PIE method is that it’s Read the rest of this entry »

The first time I gave out a guest pass for free karate lessons at my school, you would have thought I was giving away my firstborn child. At that time, I couldn’t see the economic value of giving away one week of lessons in exchange for possibly gaining a new student.

Well, my view on that issue has changed over the years and now I gladly give out free passes all the time. Why? Well, let’s do the math: Read the rest of this entry »

The biggest challenge new and established school owners face is getting new students. The thing most martial arts instructors fail to realize is that, once they open their doors, they are no longer just in the business of teaching martial arts. Now that they’ve decided to open a studio, they have an added responsibility to keep their doors open by attracting new business.

Although many instructors fail miserably in their marketing efforts, it’s often more due to a lack of planning than a pure lack of marketing know-how. Instead of going over the basics of marketing (you can read that by picking up any good marketing book), instead I am going to tell you how to plan your efforts so you get the most from your hard work and money. Here’s how: Read the rest of this entry »

As a martial arts school owner, you need to recognize the relationship between price and value. I feel that it’s important to share this with you because when you raise your rates, you can rest assured that there will be some people who will say that you are “too high” or “too expensive” or whatever… However, the fact remains that: 1. You get what you pay for. 2. Value is always related to perception – therefore, the perceived value of a product determines what a person will be willing to pay. Read the rest of this entry »

Although most of the martial arts school owners and instructors I have coached don’t want to have a huge mega-studio, many of us would like to earn a comfortable living teaching between 150 and 200 students. While for some that may seem like an easy goal, for many others reaching 150 students seems near impossible.

The biggest hurdle to most school owners in hitting their enrollment goals is that they tend to look at different aspects of their business in isolated terms. Over here we have “curriculum”, here we have “advertising”, here we have “retention”, here is “billing”, then there’s “scheduling”, “pricing”, etc.

The problem with this is that it leads to a skewed sort of thinking – that is to say, you start to think that one part of your operations won’t affect the whole. And that can be hazardous to achieving your goal of having a small, profitable studio.

Let me explain… Read the rest of this entry »

One of the hardest things about starting a new studio is finding ways to market before you are making any profit. It’s a real catch-22; you know you need to market to attract students, but you don’t have much money to spend to do it. So what do you do?

Actually, there are a number of low-cost and moderate-cost methods you can use to attract new students. The first thing I would suggest is to Read the rest of this entry »

After operating various martial arts schools and programs for over fifteen years, one thing that I have learned is that my students are my best advertisement.

What I mean to say by that is, I get more people that call or stop by to join classes who say they heard about us from “a friend” than I generally get from paid advertisements.

That tells me that my students say positive things about the school (which really makes me happy). And, if you are offering a quality program and treating your students right, you’ll likely get quite a bit of new students from referrals as well.

In fact, referrals can end up being your number one source of new students. And once you start getting them, you don’t want them to stop!

So, in order to encourage referrals, it’s a very good idea to offer a referral incentive program in your studio. We’ve used one for years that has worked very well for us.

Here’s how it works: Read the rest of this entry »

Lead boxes are a good means of getting new students – if you work them right. Here are the pros and cons of using lead boxes, and some suggestions on how to use them effectively:

Cons – Read the rest of this entry »

Developing better time management skills will allow you to use your time more effectively – “leveraging” your time, if you will. This in turn will make you more productive, and can definitely have a positive impact on your income.

Mentally go through everything you did yesterday. How much time did you spend doing things that have no impact whatsoever on improving your quality of life?:

* Daydreaming
* Worrying
* Engaging in unimportant conversations
* Spending time with people you really don’t care for – aka, “energy takers”
* Letting others waste your time
* Starting projects, getting distracted, then starting them over again
* Reading frivolous and unimportant magazine or news articles
* Watching TV (for some, the biggest time thief – in my opinion, it’s also the main reason for the “dumbing down” of America…)

It can be pretty frightening when you think about how much time you actually waste in a day. Now, think about how much more efficient you would be, and how much more quality, unadulterated free time you would have if you managed your time better.

Instead of working extra hours in the studio, you might be out playing at the park, relaxing at the pool, going to see a movie with your friends and loved ones, and doing other fun stuff.

So, let’s work on some time management skills to see how to increase your productivity. The first step is to set priorities. Here’s how: Read the rest of this entry »

The following are some simple, straightforward teaching tips I hand out to all my instructors and assistants when they begin helping out in class: Read the rest of this entry »

Scheduling your classes and programs correctly for your martial arts business can mean the difference between having full classes and having an empty studio floor.

Here are some tips for creating a schedule that will help you deal with overflow and keep your students happy: Read the rest of this entry »

New and prospective students require special attention and care during their first visit to your school. This is when the student and their family will form their first impression of you and your studio.

If they are not given ample time to ask questions, or if they feel they were mishandled in any way, chances are good that they’ll end up at another martial arts school. Remember, if they leave your school, they will miss out on a quality martial arts experience.

It’s a real shame when someone opts for a sub-par martial arts school because they weren’t handled in a professional manner at another school. Don’t lose anyone over a lack of professionalism and courtesy!

Here are some guidelines to follow to make a new student feel at home on their first day: Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re like most martial arts business owners you’re always looking for simple ways to make some extra money and recruit new students. One of the easiest methods of recruiting kids to your program while bringing in extra income is through hosting birthday parties.

Now, before you begin to pass judgment, hear me out. I know of gymnastics centers that do a significant amount of their business on birthday parties alone. And, believe it or not, if you teach kids it’s the dance and gymnastics centers that are your main competition, not the YMCA karate program down the street.

Although it may not be in the scope of duties that you envisioned yourself performing when you opened your studio, if you teach kids and are not yet hosting birthday parties you are overlooking a major source or referrals and income for your martial arts business. Done properly, they will increase your exposure and bring in additional income with a very small investment of time and money.

Now, here’s how you can run one: Read the rest of this entry »