I just got back from a vacation in Southern California and was able to decompress, relax and enjoy time with my wife Marcy.
Vacations are great because they allow you to get out your routine and think about things differently – free from distraction.
In my state of relaxation, I got to thinking about how I can afford to take more vacations.
In order to do this, I need to create more profit from my martial arts school.
Now before you lose it and tell me profit is the devil and I should be break even as a martial arts school owner, we will have to agree to disagree.
If the fact that I want to make money – let alone PROFIT – as a martial arts school owner, teaching the art I love to teach, offends you and your beliefs, then please stop reading this post. Not only that, please stop reading this blog.
Everything on this site is about ethically and responsibly earning more profit. Take it or leave it. If you feel that is selling out, then this isn’t the place for you.
Here is a list of things that can help you become even more profitable in your business so you too can work towards more time off, spend more time with your family and lead the kind of lifestyle you want.
50 ways to build a more profitable martial arts school
- Create multiple revenue streams.
You can’t make it just by teaching lessons. You need to have multiple income streams to help add revenue. Hold seminars, workshops, private lessons, after school programs, summer camps, sell merchandise, gift certificates, and more. - Use EFT.
This stands for electronic funds transfer. Become the teacher (good guy) and stop being a bill collector (bad guy). This one idea allows you to sell your services once instead of every month. It also frees your time up because you’re not chasing down the money. - Accept credit and debit cards.
I use my debit card for about 99% of my purchases. Yes this costs you some money each month, but you’re making it easier for people to give you money. Not only that, but more money. - Create a killer website.
Aside from referrals, I get the rest of my students from my website. Don’t build a static website. Build a lead generation machine that kills it in the search engines. - Learn how to dominate Google.
Learn everything you can about search engine optimization (SEO) like keyword selection, title tags, creating back links and SEO friendly copywriting. I’m absolutely crushing it on Google and get tons of traffic and leads from it every day. plus, when you crush it on Google, you tend to do the same on Yahoo and MSN/Live. - Build a list and treat it with the utmost care and respect.
Get set up with aweber.com email autoresponder service and start capturing people’s names and emails in exchange for a free e-guide or report. This will start to form your crowd of followers who will later become your students. - Start a blog.
I write on my blog just about every week and helps keep in touch with prospects, instructors and students. It helps me polish my writing skills, I’m more efficient communicating important information, and keeps me top of mind with everyone. Not only that, but it has tremendous SEO benefit as well. - Start a monthly newsletter.
Another great way to keep in touch with your prospects, students and instructors. I send my email newsletter out once a month and helps people get to know, like and trust me. I include email only articles, announcements, offers, and more. I get new students everytime I send a newsletter. I’m thinking about sending it every two weeks because of this. - Study copywriting.
Be a student and practitioner of effective copywriting. Practice it often. I highly recommend reading sites like CopyBlogger.com for great copywriting ideas. - Keep reading this blog.
Shameless, I know… - Delegate everything.
You don’t have to do everything yourself. I certainly don’t. My wife, instructors and assistant instructors help me out tremendously in this regard. However, it doesn’t stop there and I hire temporary support depending on what I need done. Yes, I still teach and am on the mat. However, there are many behind the scenes things that I have others do for me that make it so I have more free time. - Leverage others talents.
It’s funny how many talented students I have who end up being in professions that can help my business grow. Learn to leverage their talents to help get projects done. Believe me, these people want nothing more than to help you. - Create a rabid following.
By building a list, cultivating it, and always giving to it freely relevant and useful information, I am building tremendous equity which in turn builds a rabid following. This following, in turn, makes it easier. - Create urgency.
If anyone and everyone can buy your services at anytime, why should they buy now? - Create scarcity.
If anyone and everyone can have your services, why would they want something that doesn’t seem special? - Always upsell.
SEARS is famous for having a “Good. Better. Best.” product offering. How can you tap into this idea? - Always cross sell.
What else can you provide that your students would be willing to pay for? - Charge what you’re worth.
I can’t tell you how many martial arts school owners charge what they “THINK” people are willing to pay. I’m not saying gouge people, but certainly don’t give things away. You are worth more and you know it. And, having a higher price also connotes “better” in the mind of your prospects. - Take action.
Stop being a day dreamer and start taking action. Now. - Be a giver.
You build a lot of trust when you give freely without expectation of anything in return. This could be information, ideas, time, money … whatever. - Always build value.
People expect more for their money so you have to build value into everything you do. It becomes an incredible sales and marketing tool that helps you get more students and overcome objections. - Discover your competitive advantages.
How are you different from the other martial arts schools? Why should anyone pick you over your competitors? - Determine your USP.
This refers to your unique selling proposition. What valuable statement can you make that helps simply and easily communicate your differentiator so you can properly position your martial arts school? - Terminate crappy students.
You know who I’m talking about. These people drain you and you cringe when they walk into your studio. You have a right to teach whomever you want. Keep your sanity and get rid of these life force suckers. I got rid of one student one time and the outpouring from the other students was amazing. I know I was able to keep 3 students from making this one decision. - Work on the most important things first.
Are you investing 50% of your time on things that make a 1% impact? What if you spent that 50% on something that would make a 10% impact? Pull your head out, find those things, and work on them first! - Take huge bites.
Sharks don’t nibble. They take huge bites. How can you take big bites out of everything you do? - Guarantee your services.
This builds not only credibility but trust as well. The longer the guarantee, the better. - Read a book every month.
You constantly have to be educating yourself. Don’t want to read a book? Find a good blog or website to read. Focus on online marketing, business management, teaching, selling, whatever. Just start educating yourself and start applying it to your business. Today. - Find a mentor.
Is there someone who can give you sound advice about your business and help you grow it? They don’t even have to be martial arts school owners… just good at marketing, selling, and running a profitable business. - Become a student of direct response marketing.
This will transform your business. I was fortunate to work and be trained in many advertising and direct response agencies. However, this information is readily available from many sources both online and offline, including this website. - Learn to become more persuasive.
I’m not saying become manipulative. I’m talking about framing what you do around people want to buy. If someone wants to learn self defense… how can you specifically help them? If someone wants to become more confident…how can you specifically help them? If someone wants to lose weight … how can you help them? Sometimes we talk about what we think is most important instead of framing around what the prospect is looking for. - Learn to listen.
I know you’ve heard that a million times but it’s true. You have to hear what your prospects wants so you can help them make the informed decision on choosing your martial arts school. - Network.
Network with your students… with visitors on this website by interacting and leaving comments and forum posts… with related area businesses … other martial arts school owners… etc. Never stop networking. - Ask for referrals.
Stop waiting for them. Create a referral system and make this a fundamental part of the operations and marketing of your martial arts school. - Learn to sell.
You can be the greatest marketer in the world but if you don’t know how to sell when a prospect comes through the door, it’s all for not. - Ask for the sale.
Know when and how to close a sale. Being a good talker doesn’t mean you know how to close. Study this. Now. - Master the follow up.
Once students become active, the selling isn’t over. If they didn’t upgrade initially, build a plan for selling it later. It’s not a one time proposition. Neither is cross selling. If someone hasn’t signed up yet. How are you following up with them to make sure they don’t forget about you? - Love what you do.
Duh… - Don’t wait for perfect.
I know people who become the antithesis of analysis by paralysis on every project. Are you one of those people? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve written a post, published it, then went back and updated it later. I would rather get 70% of it out there then come back and refine it later. It gets you further, faster. - Create a system for everything.
This way you do things once, and others can learn and repeat it later. Read Michael Gerbers “The E-Myth” for more explanation. This book is a must! - Become the entrepreneur who is on top of your business.
Not the technician or manager who is in the trenches everyday who never can find the time to lead and grow the business. Also explained in the E-Myth. - Live like there is no tomorrow.
Time IS running out for all of us. You. Me. Everyone. If you don’t get aggressive now, when will you? - Share your knowledge.
This is where you come in…
Help me get to 50 ideas! I really want to hear your ideas are for creating a more profitable martial arts school and promise to read every one. It will also help others get inspired and also encourage them to share their knowledge. The more people who participate, the more we all can become more profitable.
So what would YOU add to this list?
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Great ideas! I’m developing a system right now to read “The E-Myth”.
Well, this is alone the lines of networking but talk about your school. Tell everyone one you run into. This could be a cahier at a store you frequent, the food sever at a restaurant, a bar tender at a pub, your doctor, or your dentist. Now who wouldn’t like to invoke a little payback on their dentist?
It is also good to get your name out there by getting involved in local events, doing fund raisers, and sending articles and news into you local paper. The more you can get your name out is a positive way the more name recognition your school will get
Thanks for the comment and ideas, Mike. That puts us up to about 46 ideas. What other ideas do YOU have?
I not an owner yet but want to be so I will give you some ideas from a consumer perspective. 1) When you sell products, make sure they arrive within a reasonable time when they are paid for prior to arrival, or get another vendor. 2)When marketing for the first time or when seeking feedback, get back to the responders! This is a common mistake in many industries 3) The TKD studio I go to has events and parties all the time to make the students feel like a family. This goes a long way toward loyalty and turnover rates 4) Allow a short (or long) break between classes to allow students to ask questions or make purchases.
Thanks for all your useful information. I will be a frequent visitor.
A picture is worth a thousand words. The picture that we present to prospective students/clients will be a big part of the impression that they will have of us and our schools. Make sure that your school frontage is inviting and professional looking. A good example (and there’s usually one in every town) is the martial arts school that has the hand painted slowly deteriorating plywood sign hanging out front. The appearance of your school front can work like a beacon; attracting new students, or it can be like a “Warning” sign; causing them to run straight to your competitors.
The cleanliness and appearance of the inside of your school is just as important. A nice school front may get them in the door, but if the inside of the school is dirty, messy, or smells bad; chances are that they won’t stay very long. The staff is part of the decor. The message that a clean and neatly dressed staff send is that you are professional and that you take pride in what you do.
Just some thoughts.
Hi Ryan!
We have been using Craigslist.com since we opened our club 3-1/2 months ago. A majority of our enrollments have come from Craigslist as well as word-of-mouth referrals.
I also want to thank you for your insight and advice! It has helped my wife and I tremendously in growing our club and keeping a clear business sight on our goals for our club. We have been able to quadruple our enrollment since we opened 3-1/2 months ago (started with 6, now have 24)!THANK YOU!!!
Joe,
Glad to hear my ideas helped you quadrupedal your students base in less than 4 months and you’re welcome! I’ve got to tell you, your comment made my day. It makes writing my posts and investing all the time and energy into them that much more rewarding.
44. Have a photo day at your school once a year and please use a good martial arts company. The students love having their photo taken Robertson’s Martial Arts Photography is a great company.
#24 Terminate crappy students – Amen to that!
Here’s 2 that we use regularly to generate leads and retain existing students.
47. Host at least 1 lead generating event per month (Buddy Day, Movie Night)
48. Press releases for tournaments, belt tests, etc are great PR and free advertising and good for student retention:)
What other killer profit ideas would you like to add?
Get involved in your community. Adopt a highway, do a monthly neighborhood clean-up, offer free classes at a local park, co-op with other community based groups to do something great for those within your area (serve a meal at a homeless shelter, build a house, etc). All of these things can work to bring your school and students a lot of good publicity.
Wonderful post! Thanks for the great ideas!
You should comment on selling your credentials. In my limited experience, I have found that prospective students are attracted by my titles/accomplishments/certifications. I don’t lie or exhaggerate them, but I do make a point of bringing them to the forefront of my advertising.
Great website, thanks for helping us martial artists make it through these tough times.
Idea 1: Develop relationships with the competitors, hold joint demonstrations and functions. Most people lack exposure to other martial arts except their own, and you can never have too many friends.
Idea 2: Don’t just Blog: Tweet. you can find tons of excellent martial artists on twitter using hashtags by discipline, ex. #kungfu, #karate, #taichi, or general ones like #martialarts, #martialway, or #MMA. Find your niche and network.
Great ideas. Thanks for sharing Jordan. Most martial arts school owners I talk to don’t know how to use Twitter…. what it’s about… or how to begin leveraging it. You can follow me at @rwheaton
Hey Ryan,
Great ideas. I love this blog. As someone who is at least a year away from opening my own school, it’s really helped me plan, and made me more confident.
Regarding seminars, I was wondering how you start off? Do you offer to other clubs? To your own club? It’s not something I’ve come across much in my MA experience.
Anyway, love your site! Please keep up the good work!
Internal seminars to your existing students is more what I was referring to there. It could also be a good event to have your students refer their friends. The topic list is endless and could be about weapons, grappling, multiple attackers, sparring…whatever you think would interest your students. It’s a good way to provide additional value to your students as well as help bring in additional incremental revenue. Hope it helps!
Create niches. For example: “Martial Arts for Kids with ADHD.” My background is in other areas (journalism, marketing, small business, real estate), but got involved in special education issues after my son was diagnosed with ADHD and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). He was about 10 years old, and had been going to a karate school for a couple of years and the structure and discipline already had helped. As the years went by and I became more active in some special education/ADHD groups, I started hearing, anecdotally, of other kids who’d benefitted from martial arts. To make a long story short, a few years ago, we helped develop a “Martial Arts for Kids with ADHD” program at a karate school where my son was co-teaching a grappling program. It went very well, and we’ve done the same several times both at that school and at another.
There’s a real demand for such niche programs. And if you’re worried about “crappy students” (Item 24, above), don’t be. Most of the kids work out just fine. In our experience, of perhaps 100 kids, only one or two were really disruptive or problems. Many transitioned very nicely from that specialized program into the schools’ regular karate programs.
Another type of niche is teaching a skill within the martial arts family that you’re not already offering. And you may actually find that expertise among your students. Two examples: My son takes Brazilian Jiu Jitsu lessons taught in a very large karate studio. One of the other students–a blue belt in jiu jitsu–is an extremely good kickboxer, and he teaches kickboxing at the karate studio. Second example: My son, who’s also a blue belt and quite good grappler. He started off learning grappling at a karate studio; after a couple of years he was beating his instructor. He now co-teaches (and is really the primary instructor in grappling) at that karate studio.
Another idea, building on Lane Cox’s suggestion about getting involved in the community: Look for ways to build good will. Example: Here in the Washington area we had a huge amount of snow in the weeks prior to the district, regional, and state AAA high school wrestling tournaments. Schools were closed and so the kids couldn’t practice . . . at school. But a number of karate studios provided space, at no charge, so the wrestlers could practice and keep in shape. It didn’t cost the karate schools anything, but built tremendous goodwill within the community, and probably will lead to additional business.
Start a Facebook Group and Fanpage.
Advertise on facebook and post all events at your school
1. Paint your window! We would have done this sooner if we’d known how well it would go over. One panel painted with text only–our current special and our phone number in big letters. We have gotten 12 students in 6 weeks!
2. Offer a good trial program. Tell them exactly who you are looking for. We have been doing a 4-week trial for $25 and they get a uniform. These are converting to enrollments at about 75%.
3. Create a program for young children. We teach a class for 3-6 year olds. Most schools do not take kids under 5–actually, most activities period. Often the first words out of a caller’s mouth are “What age can they start?” We have a 30 minute class for the little ones with a curriculum tailored to their ages. They love it! And you will likely get older siblings too.
We are doing a Video shoot day with My School Footage will be used to go on our youtube page websites and facebook groups and pages also local community pages too
Ryan and others,
I get a chance to view your sight as often as I can but not as often as I would like. I always found your information worth reading. And it looks like you have some great advice from many of the others. I would just like to say thank you, and to all the others with their great ideas as well. I will get back here more often.
Erik Pitchford
Pitchford’s ATA Black Belt Academy
I’m sorry but what do you mean when you say terminate crappy students? Do you mean ones who have shown disrespect or ones who have trouble developing skill. If the latter isn’t this a little harsh, afterall they came to the dojo to learn, everyone is at different levels naturally, does somone without talent have to train like he is going to be an elite just to stay in the dojo?
Thanks for the question. In general, I’m talking those students who question to question (not trying to understand), are disruptive, bully other students, constantly step over boundaries, overly aggressive, deliberately lack control, etc. I would never recommend terminating someone who is really trying but might be slow to pick things up. Hope it helps.