Use the Upcoming Holidays to Boost Your Business’ Bottom Line!

by Kurt Klingenmeyer

Welcome to the fourth quarter of 2021. These are some of the most exciting months of the calendar year. With so many holidays during the upcoming 90 days, you’ll have numerous opportunities to make your martial arts school the place to be for your students.

These three months also bring numerous opportunities to positively impact your community, grow your student base and provide a tremendous student experience — all at the same time. So buckle up and get ready to finish the year strong.

Mark Your Calendar — October

For kids and families, Halloween is the holiday highlight of the month both in and out of your martial arts school. It’s also a great opportunity to create an atmosphere in your school that keeps students coming back week after week. Listed below are five suggestions for giving your student body a fantastic experience during this spooky season:

by Dave Kovar

In my 40-plus years of running a martial arts school, I have seen many people come and go. I’ve also seen a handful of organizations that have continued to grow and thrive, decade after decade. In my effort to find out what has kept those schools in the game for so long, I’ve stumbled across what I refer to as the “four quadrants.” Although they might not use this terminology, the schools that excel have these in common.

The four quadrants consist of the individual and the team when viewed from an internal and an external perspective. They’re loosely based on my studies of Ken Wilber’s program on Integral Business.

1 — Individual Internal                                          2 — Team Internal

Meaning and...

Let’s face it, online advertising works awesome, but it costs money. 

It’s a pay-to-play platform. 

And it’s one that requires skills and strategy — two things that many martial arts school owners have when they are on the mat — but put them in front of the Facebook Ads Manager, and they are tying on a white belt. 

When times are tough and your marketing budget is low, leaders adapt and overcome. 

And while paid advertising is the fastest way to gain new students, it’s not the only way. 

Smart school owners leverage the power of Social Media and the Internet every single day. 

And while you might not have a large marketing budget, that doesn’t mean you are out for the count. 

This is why I put together 7 ways for you to reach your audience online…for free. 

That’s right. 

These techniques and strategies won’t cost you a dime. 

So what’s the catch? 

It will cost...

We encourage you to frequently assess your business for potential safety hazards and risks. Some areas may require daily assessment, while others may require weekly, monthly, or yearly assessments. Record your assessments, establish procedures for correcting hazards, and keep a well-documented file of your efforts related to risk management. Here are a few key checkpoint areas to consider when performing your assessment.

• Do you have a formal safety inspection process to routinely examine your school and equipment? Does this process include inspecting bathrooms, external walkways, parking lots, and parent waiting areas for potential hazards?

• Does your equipment safety check include checking sources like the Consumer Product Safety Commission (cpsc.gov) for potential equipment recalls?
• Is someone responsible for inspection of your facility?
• Is someone that is trained in both CPR and first aid available during each class?
• Do you have a plan in place for handling emergency injuries...

by Kurt Klingenmeyer, MAIA Consultant

As the Small School Specialist for the Martial Arts Industry Association, my job is to help school owners make the transition from part-time instructor to full-time business owner. Key to that transition is recruiting more students. Although the task can seem daunting or even impossible, especially during the era of COVID, there are some strategies that will help you reach this goal without spending your hard-earned dollars on advertising. Listed below are five.

Buddy Days

The first strategy provides a great opportunity for your current students to share their passion with their friends. When those friends — adults and youths, alike — are brought to class, have them engage in themed drills with the person who invited them. Those can include self-defense drills, focus-mitt speed challenges, partner drills — anything that has the newcomer punching, kicking or grappling with his or her buddy is a win. Collect the...

Walk into Wal-Mart, Target, or Home Depot, and the Holiday decorations are front and center (and have been for weeks).

So what does this mean for you and your academy?

It means it’s time to put together your Holiday Specials — specifically your Black Friday special.

Black Friday may look business-driven, but it’s the consumers who actually started
this shopping event. It was first observed in Philadelphia where there was always
high traffic the day after Thanksgiving.

SaleCycle reported that in 2019, Black Friday online sales surpassed all previous
records, reaching $7.4 billion, up by $1.2 billion from 2018’s $6.2 billion record.

That’s huge!

This is a serious holiday that every merchant with an online or brick and mortar
store should observe.

Our holiday tips will help you to get a cut of the Black Friday sales so you can
settle in for a prosperous holiday season.

Step 1 - Choose Your Offer(s)

Black Friday is really a great time to be selling ...

IS STAYING INDEPENDENT AN OPTION?

There are still many school owners who choose to remain independent. Their reason – whether fully justified or not – is that by remaining independent, they will avoid teaching a “watered-down” style, or teaching solely for profit.  

These independents feel that by not affiliating or franchising, they have more control over what is taught in their curriculum and how it is taught. Many schools that teach traditional styles remain independent to avoid modernization.

However valid their opinions on franchises may be, many school owners also have business reasons for staying small and independent. Many of them have realized that economies of scale do not always work out (i.e.: more/bigger schools for bigger profits). Simply put, bigger is not necessarily always better.

These successful-but-small martial arts school owners have figured out that in some industries getting bigger does not always means more money in your...

AFFILIATION VS. FRANCHISING

There are benefits to both affiliations and franchising, but close examination shows a sizable difference in the control of quality. Many organizations have voluntarily made the switch from affiliation to franchise, primarily to ensure better control of product quality.

The main difference between these two organizing entities is the legal ability to enforce conformity and quality. While some associations may try to instill control through the use of gradings and association “logos,” for the most part, the only true obligation the school owner has to the association is lip service. If the school owner has any disagreements with the affiliation, they need only provide nominal notice and then resign from the association.  

On the other hand, the reason franchises have been successful in the past is due to the legal ramifications the franchiser can evoke if a franchisee does not adhere to the strict business model and requirements laid down...

A quick starting note: I did my initial research on this subject matter prior to the COVID-19 pandemic reaching North America. However, seeing the results of this crisis only reinforced my theory: Martial arts schools must consolidate, or will perish. There may be schools that are exceptions, but they are just that: exceptions.

Inconsistent Levels of Quality

A recent graph published in MASuccess showed that around 96% of all martial arts school owners own only one or two schools. Many of those second schools are small satellite locations (and usually located in an elementary school gym or a local community center). This indicates that there is a lack of consistency with respect to curriculum, standards, quality and legitimacy.

Unfortunately, this lack of conformity has resulted in numerous lawsuits against various schools, often due to some type of negligence on the part of the school owner. Whether this negligence was due to actions of the school owner or one of the...

by Eric P. Fleishman

You started this journey years ago as a student with a deep desire to learn all the beautiful subtleties of your martial art while simultaneously capturing its grandness. Eventually, you transitioned from student to teacher. In this new role of instructor, you implored your followers to embrace the martial arts with the same passion and commitment as they would a spouse. It was your mission to be the best, to communicate to others the form and function, and to keep ancient traditions alive with you as their advocate and protector.

And now, as the proud owner of your own dojo, you not only have the ability to shape the minds of those around you, but you also can impact their lives physically, emotionally and spiritually.

However, to impart your teachings, you must have students. They are the lifeblood of every martial art and every school. In this day and age of smartphones, digital media and increased stress, attracting and retaining students can be a...