69 minute read
MARKETING RESOURCE
by MASuccess
NO MATTER HOW BUSY YOU ARE, MAKING TIME FOR MARTIAL ARTS IS A GOOD IDEA.
STRESS LESS
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EPA approved effective against Covid-19 under the Emerging Pathogen Guidance
Photos Courtesy of Josh Arcemont
e live in challenging times. Last year,
WCOVID-19 put a stranglehold on the economy, and it’s not over yet. Sadly, the pandemic has forced some martial arts schools to tap out. Those that were able to survive the lockdowns and subsequent restrictions on business were left scrambling for ways to get students back in the door.
“Last year was tough,” said Josh Arcemont, owner and head instructor of HERO Martial Arts Academy in Spring, Texas. “It was our worst year ever coming into the new year. January/February/March was a struggle, and I knew I had to find a solution.”
While commiserating with friends and peers, Arcemont started hearing positive things about the success that schools were having with the Martial Arts Industry Association and its MAIA Elite program. Anxious to end the slump, the sixth-degree black belt decided to take the leap.
“It was a good time to try something new, so around late April, I began implementing the systems,” he said. “The result was a record month and record-breaking second quarter. It was a pretty dramatic turnaround from the first quarter.”
BACK TO BASICS
Arcemont followed the Elite blueprint to the letter, implementing all the advice doled out by the MAIA team leaders. “I started with Foundations,” he said. “This is where they take you through the four fundamentals of running a martial arts school: pricing structure, upgrades, class schedule and mass intros. We were already applying many of these concepts in our business, but the MAIA system allowed us to tie up loose ends.
“We revamped our schedule, incorporated a pricing structure that serves our members better and added a higher-level training program for our students. This resulted in better retention, higher revenue and a better customer experience. The Foundations program alone helped us tremendously.”
For Arcemont, one of the most important aspects of learning how to take full advantage of the advice he was receiving from MAIA entailed adopting its method of assessing profit based on “student value.”
“Before Elite, we had around 234 students,” he said. “We are currently at 293 and growing — on average, we’ve been netting five new students per month. One thing MAIA taught me to look at was our student value and not the number of students training.”
Here’s how he breaks it down: “You take how much you tial arts program — students can stay in that program forever, gross divided by how many students you have, and that tells and it will give them everything they need. you your value. We had an average $130 student value, and “We also offer our Leadership Course, where we teach I was told you really want that number to be closer to $185. students how to become confident leaders through public Now I’m proud to say that our student value, after joining speaking, voice dynamics, enunciation, body language, and Elite, has been well over $200, which means we’ve increased stage and physical presentation. This is additional training that our student value by over $70 goes along with the martial arts per student. “We also offer our Leadership because leadership is a facet of
“This has provided us with a Course, where we teach students a person’s personal and profesnew lens with which to view our goals and statistics, and it’s been how to become confident leaders sional life.” On top of those two tiers, a very positive metric for us to through public speaking, voice MAIA suggested a third, called track our financial growth.” dynamics, enunciation, body language, the Master Club Program. “The and stage and physical presentation." Elite system added an advanced A TIME FOR TIERS component to our curriculum In addition to increasing student value, MAIA Elite advised that not only complemented what we already had in place Arcemont to establish a system of tiers that interested students but also greatly enhanced our bottom line in the process,” can work their way up during their martial arts journey. He began Arcemont said. building out his curriculum. “In our basic program, we teach taekwondo. In that course,
“At our school, we have a basic program that takes students students learn all the kicks, punches and techniques they need from white belt to black belt,” Arcemont said. “It’s a great mar- to know to get their black belt. In the Leadership Course and
Master Club Program, they receive advanced skills in two [other] Students who participate in this HERO program have their forms of martial arts.” eyes firmly set on the future, which is why they learn life-man-
For Arcemont, selecting those two other arts was easy. A agement skills in addition to the martial arts knowledge that’s state and regional champion with international competition needed be a well-rounded teacher. experience, he has a resume that boasts more than 75 victories “Showing a student how to throw a punch or kick requires one in sparring. He also holds a purple specific skill set,” Arcemont exbelt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. It comes plained. “To actually teach a class, as no surprise, then, that his high- “We currently have 11 to control a class and to correct est tiers have students augmenting their taekwondo skill set with instructors who teach and students, you must master effective communication. So we start kickboxing and BJJ. assist in teaching. Every one our students off by having them
“Students get that in addition role-play in small groups. They can to their leadership skills,” he said. of them got their start in even advance and become instruc“Over the years, we have learned that as students get older, they our Leadership Course." tors in that program. “We currently have 11 instrucneed more of a challenge, and that tors who teach and assist in teachis a big part of what they get from the Master Club Program.” ing. Every one of them got their start in our Leadership Course.
It starts with teaching them how to teach, he explained. “We And now our Master Club Program provides them with the believe that teaching is the most important skill that anyone can structure to become well-rounded instructors. The Elite program have. You only know something to the degree you can teach it to has worked well for us in so many ways beyond just monetary someone else. Teaching forces you to look inward, and through because it’s also providing us with a bench strength of staff as the process, not only do your students improve but you do, also.” we move forward.”
ALL ABOUT THE LONG TERM
Arcemont always knew it was crucial for his HERO Academy to be an active member of the community in Spring, Texas. A savvy business owner and motivational speaker, he understood that any efforts invested in fostering goodwill eventually affect a school’s bottom line.
“We promote [the school] by keeping a high profile in the community,” he said. “We are partners in education with our school district. We do various fundraisers for the schools like our current Back-to-School Drive, where we collect supplies such as pens, pencils and notebooks and deliver them to the schools. Then our instructors spend the day at the schools teaching martial arts, and that gives us a lot of recognition that also gets people in our door.
“Beyond that, social media marketing is big for us. We use a company called Grow Pro, and we do a lot of grassroots volunteering for events. We truly believe it’s important for us to give back. People want to support businesses like ours that are an active part of the community.”
Despite his altruistic nature, Arcemont is enough of a realist to know that even though a martial arts school has a mission to give back by teaching martial arts, the school must succeed
BENEFITS OF LEADERSHIP TRAINING
A devoted husband and father, Josh Arcemont is no stranger to doing things that benefit others. He long ago recognized the benefits students enjoy when they engage in martial arts leadership training because it extends far beyond the walls of the dojang.
“A mentor of mine once told me there’s really no correlation between having a great side kick and having a great life,” Arcemont said. “In other words, you can teach kids how to kick and punch, and all that is fine and dandy, but it doesn’t mean they’re going to have a great life.”
True or false, that prompted him to think, What can I add to my program that goes beyond the punching and kicking and can prepare my students for life in general?
“We only have our students for a small amount of time, and while we have their attention, we’ve got to do our best to point them in the right direction,” he concluded. That’s why he launched HERO’s Leadership Course.
“Parents can enroll their kids into a martial arts program that teaches them how to defend themselves and then the leadership training translates to how they grow in other ways,” he said. “The self-confidence they take away from the program benefits them in job interviews or college applications. It can help to prepare them to be the best they can be in whatever they do.
“It’s very difficult to find a leadership-development program like ours outside of a corporate program for executives. I was a Boy Scout growing up, and that’s where the inspiration came from. I went through a juniorleadership course, and I know how much it has benefited me in my life, so I said, ‘Let’s do the same thing with the martial arts.’”
as a business to stay in business. And succeeding as a business ASSISTANCE FROM OTHERS requires investing in said business. As he traveled the road to the top, Arcemont learned the hard
“When I researched the Elite program, I never looked at it in way that for any person — regardless of how smart, talented the respect of what it was going to cost me,” he said. “My ques- and creative he or she may be — it’s nearly impossible to tion was, What is going to be the return on my investment and achieve success alone. When the growth of his martial arts when will I see a profit? business had plateaued be-
“If I can see a direct return, then cause of COVID and he’d done it’s a no-brainer. If I spend $1,000 all he could do to remedy that, and make a $10,000 return on my he heeded the adage that two investment, then I’ll take that deal heads are better than one. all day long.” That’s when he reached out for
Whenever a monetary invest- expert advice from MAIA. ment is involved, a business owner “There are some people must evaluate the ROI, but know who feel like they’ve got to that sometimes the big picture do everything by themselves,” encompasses more than just Arcemont said. “They just money, Arcemont said. “For ex- don’t want to listen. They ample, with our relationship with don’t want to learn from the school district or the many someone else. They get into community projects we do, there business so they can say they isn’t always a return that we can see right away. But in the long did it all by themselves. run, there will be a return on our investment in the community. “I know what that’s like because I went through that. I was It could be in the form of new students, new relationships or one of those guys. I went through a period of 10 years when positive PR that eventually opens doors and leads to some I wanted to do it all my way. I didn’t want to listen to anyone money-making venture.” else, so I didn’t. Yes, it worked to a certain extent, but as I
started to grow, I’d look at my staff knowing that if I wanted to provide them with a better future, I had to put my ego on a shelf. It’s not about me; it isn’t about what I created.”
At that point, Arcemont realized that he needed to do something that would benefit his team, his family and his students, and that was to seek assistance to grow his school.
He said other school owners who find themselves in a similar situation should not hesitate to do the same. “I came into MAIA determined to do exactly what they told me to do and let the results speak for themselves,” he said. “Then and only then would I gauge how effective the systems were based on their success or failure. Obviously, my association with MAIA has been a very positive and lucrative relationship and will continue to be so as I open additional schools in the future.”
Terry L. Wilson is an Emmy Award-winning TV personality, as well as a freelance writer and jujitsu practitioner based in San Diego. To contact him, send an email to tleewilson@gmail.com. For more information about HERO Martial Arts Academy, send an email to masterjosharcemont@gmail.com.
CASHING IN WITH ELITE Prior to COVID, Josh Arcemont’s HERO Martial Arts Academy had established a strong personal and business relationship with its students and the community via a series of successful events and programs. However, as good as his efforts were, the outreach suffered during the lockdowns, which took a toll on the entire business. Never one to give up, he decided to join MAIA Elite, and he’s been cashing in ever since.
“For this, our third quarter, we’ve already grossed more in July than we did in the entire third quarter of 2020,” Arcemont said. “I know that 2020 was a rough year for everybody, but just considering the fact that this month alone we have already made more money than we did last year, that’s amazing.
“Since joining Elite, we have been breaking our revenue records almost every single month. Before MAIA, in 2019 our average was $42k per month, and now we are averaging $52k. With Elite, we have increased our gross profit by $10k. It’s only been a few months, but so far things are great.”
BLACK BELT LEADERSHIP
BY NGUYEN “TOM” GRIGGS
Pause, Breathe, Give
Ionce watched my instructor Torey Overstreet work with a youth on a particular problem. Like many schools, TnT Jujitsu focuses on young people and their behavior and grades as a part of rank progression and overall development. One of the school’s academic-based requirements is for kids to constantly improve their grades, especially in their tougher subjects.
One day, as the youth class was concluding, Overstreet reminded the students about grades and report cards/progress reports. As often happens, some of them were struggling. I recall one who was about 11 years old holding his head down because he hated math. I certainly wasn’t a math scholar and can remember spending many nights as a kid crying my eyes out in frustration and angst while trying to make sense of arithmetic. Seeing this student express his frustration through the defeated look on his face wasn’t anything new to me.
The student brought his report card to the next class. It showed that his math grade was a D. Overstreet spoke with him after class, saying that he needed to find a way to improve his grade. Over the next month, the student asked for help, and whenever possible, he received tutoring and tips.
When the time came for the next academic progress reports to be discussed, the student showed his grade, which was a C. While he obviously wasn’t happy and didn’t think he’d done anything admirable, Overstreet did something helpful:
He looked first at the progress report and then at the student. He paused, took a breath, gave the student an encouraging pat on the shoulder and smiled. He explained that small, positive steps lead to success and encouraged him to keep improving and never quit.
The student’s sad expression turned into a smile, and they shared a quick joke. The student left class feeling better and promised to keep working.
Leadership Lessons
This story illustrates several important lessons you can use with your students, staff members and families when personal interaction is required to help someone in need.
Pause: Just as Overstreet paused for a moment before saying anything to the student about his math grade, you can do the same when talking with your staff. In fact, pausing is a simple tool for demonstrating forethought or even a change in one’s thinking.
A staff member may ask you something or you may need to discuss an issue. Pausing before you speak or while making a comment is an effective way to use silence to gain attention and have others focus on your next actions or words. It can add some degree of dramatic tension, but the point is to show that you’re contemplating the issue.
Breathe: When the young man was waiting to hear what his instructor had to say, Overstreet made it a point to take a deep breath. This wasn’t done for show; as we all know, taking a breath is a good way to calm yourself and illustrate focus.
Taking a deep breath also shows that the weight of the decision is known and that you’re committed to the other person. Imagine a staff member is discussing something serious with you. Your intentional breathing helps you stay aware and keeps you calm so you can make the best decision and/or provide the best advice.
Give: The last thing Overstreet did was to give encouragement. The student needed to hear something positive but challenging to keep him moving forward and to show that his progress was being recognized.
Your team members will need different growth components from you. Don’t just give a compliment or say something encouraging at every turn. A staff member may need reprimanding or a kick in the pants. Not everyone responds to feedback the same way, so what you give should be constructive and aligned with your organization’s values and culture.
If you have to give some tough love to a student, staff member or parent, do so at your discretion. But again, before you deliver such feedback, pause, breathe and then give. Remember to give your thoughts with purpose and intent.
Keep working hard, stay healthy and keep earning your stripes.
Nguyen “Tom” Griggs is a professional consultant/speaker on subjects that include teams, leadership and conflict. To contact him, send an email to tom@ntgriggs.com.
IN THE CLASSROOM
BY DAVE KOVAR
Are You Still Training?
believe that one of the X factors that
Ienable people to operate a successful martial arts school is maintaining a passion for the arts. Looking at it from the outside, most people think that because we run martial arts schools, we get to work out all the time. For many people, this is not the case. As a matter of fact, it can be challenging to find time to train when you’re running a business, raising a family and balancing other commitments.
With that said, we’ve tried to create a culture in our schools where personal training is not only encouraged but also expected. This has helped my team and me maintain our love of martial arts and our desire to improve, regardless of age or athletic potential.
As for me, I’m proud to say (at the risk of sounding arrogant) that it’s been 50 years since my first wrestling match in 1971, and I’m still training. I’ve certainly had my share of injuries along the way, but overall, I have been blessed with good health. I know that a big chunk of it has been luck and good genes, but I also have tried to learn from my mistakes.
Here is my formula for longevity in training. It might seem a bit wimpy to the younger generation, but more mature martial artists will probably understand: • I run frequently, but I usually don’t run very far. • I spar occasionally, but I rarely spar hard. • I weight-train almost every day, but I rarely lift heavy. • I jump regularly, but I don’t jump too high. • I stretch daily, but I don’t overdo it. • I grapple often, but I try to stay smooth, playful and relaxed.
Regardless of the type of training I do, I always try to:
Pick my partners carefully. In my younger days, I would train with anyone who was available — including those who were less-than-ideal partners. Over time, I’ve learned that you can dodge a bullet every now and then, but if you continue to train with partners who have the wrong energy or no control, you will get injured.
Temper my emotions. Whatever I’m feeling before I step onto the floor, I try to release it when I bow onto the mat so I can have the right disposition for training.
Stay present-focused. This seems obvious, but if you don’t keep an eye on it, it’s easy to become distracted. Distraction increases the chance of injury while decreasing the gain you get from the training session.
Keep a beginner’s mind. (OK, so I have to work on this one a lot.) Every now and then, I find myself battling my ego. Things will pop into my head like I can’t believe I’m having a hard time learning this, or I don’t need to learn this; I’ve been training a lot longer than the instructor has. Both trains of thought are to be avoided.
Have fun. Whatever reason you had for starting martial arts, if you’re still training, it’s because you enjoy it. That is why it’s so important to cultivate an element of playfulness in your training. This doesn’t mean it can’t be intense; it just means that when you’re done, you want to think, Dang, that was fun!
Be extremely consistent. With very few exceptions, I do the workout today that I planned yesterday. Some days, my workouts are forced, and other days, they flow gracefully. Regardless, I always try to focus on the great feeling that I have at the end.
To contact Dave Kovar, send an email to dave.kovar@kovars.com.
Video Content Isn’t King...
Ican remember every time my parents left the house to run errands in the early 1990s. I would run over to the television, turn on MTV and watch music videos — this was back when they actually played music videos.
Between commercials, MTV often would play a clip from the 1979 hit song Video Killed the Radio Star, by The Buggles. The song reminds us that “We can’t rewind, we’ve gone too far; video killed the radio star.”
Video — along with the vehicle on which we watch it, the smartphone — killed a lot more than just the radio. The ubiquitous smartphone has replaced the following, just to name a few:
• Cameras • Photo albums • Televisions • Paper maps • Books • Laptops • Video-game consoles
The smartphone has changed how we communicate, how we date, and how we conduct our relationships and friendships. And we are addicted. Americans spend an average of 5.4 hours a day on their mobile devices!
If our prospects and our students are spending almost a quarter of their day on their devices, where do you think your martial arts academy needs to be? Front and center on those mobile phones!
Americans literally carry a media station in their pocket all the time. Most people report “feeling naked” when they don’t have theirs handy. That’s why the cellphone offers you, as a business owner, the best chance for truly individualized advertising aimed at future students. Schools that crack the code and become omnipresent on their prospects’ and students’ digital devices are the ones who are going to win.
Opportunities
Video that’s delivered to smartphones represents your biggest opportunity to grow your business in 2022. No matter the size of your school now, there are countless ways to leverage mobile video. Before I delve into them, we will briefly look at why video is so effective.
Video combines sound, visual imagery, motion, text and special effects to paint a picture of the concept that’s being conveyed. And with the martial arts being so visually appealing — and cool to watch — it’s a no-brainer that this must be part of your marketing strategy.
Photo Courtesy of Cris Rodriguez
At the end of the day, you need content in order to market your school. If you don’t have content, you won’t get clicks online. If you don’t get clicks online, you won’t get leads. And if you don’t get leads, you won’t get sales. Video is the key. After running ads for hundreds of martial arts schools through my company Grow Pro Agency, we’ve documented a 40-percent increase in leads and appointments when clients utilize videos in their marketing.
It’s such a drastic difference that we even launched the Growth Production Program, a “done with you” video-creation add-on. We specify nine shots for clients to film, after which they send us the content. We then edit the footage and create a video they can use in their marketing.
DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPE?
Check out these stats!
Video ads are the No. 1 way consumers discover a brand they later purchase from. 93 percent of brands get new customers because of videos on social media.
84 percent of people say they’ve been convinced to buy products or services by watching a brand’s videos. 86 percent of marketers say videos help them increase traffic to their websites.
84 percent of marketers say videos help them generate leads. 83 percent of marketers say videos increase dwell time on their websites.
78 percent of marketers say videos have directly increased sales.
By now, you can see why video marketing needs to be part of your school’s strategy, so let’s get into the how-to’s. There are five types of videos you need in your marketing plan, each of which is explained below. I also give suggestions for ways you can use them in your school to level up your video efforts.
This is where personalized videos come in. At our academy, we use five types of videos to take the personal touch to the next level.
WELCOME VIDEOS When people book appointments with our academy, we have a “nurture sequence” that goes out to remind them of their appointment and confirm their arrival. We like to take it a step further by sending a personalized welcome-video message.
It’s a 10- to 20-second video that we create with a smartphone. Whoever will be teaching the introductory lesson is the person who shoots and sends the video. It’s kept short and sweet. Here’s an example: “Hey [prospect’s name], this is Coach Leo from Gracie PAC MMA. We’re so pumped to see you for your 4:30 appointment today. We’re going to have a blast, so get ready to have some fun.”
Sending this kind of welcome video is a great way to boost your show rate. The video also will reassure the prospect — after all, familiarity breeds comfort. Chances are none of your competitors is doing this.
NEW-STUDENT VIDEOS When a student signs up, our head instructor records a 10- to 20-second video welcoming the student to our team.
11 Personalized Videos Call me old-school, but I’m a huge fan of snail mail. It seems like all I ever receive in my mailbox are bills, so when some person or company takes the time to send me a handwritten letter, I absolutely love it. Why? Because it’s personalized for me.
With the rise of companies that send “personalized handwritten letters” that are actually created by a machine and with the popularity of companies that use automations to add a personal touch to your marketing, it’s easy to ensure that a positive emotion goes hand-in-hand with your brand. UPGRADE VIDEOS These are important because upgrade programs are among the largest profit drivers for schools. At our academy, when we nominate a new student for an upgrade program, we send a quick video to congratulate him or her and invite the person to try one of our upgrade classes.
WE-MISS-YOU VIDEOS These take “MIA calls” up a notch. (You are sending out missing-in-action calls or texts, aren’t you?) A video is much more powerful than a call. Every Monday during our team huddle before prime time, we shoot these videos and send them to students who were absent the week before. As great as automated messages are, there’s nothing
quite as impactful as a personalized video telling students they’re missed.
BIRTHDAY VIDEOS We have quite a few birthday traditions for our students, one of which is receiving a personalized video from our head instructor. We film them on the last day of the month for the next month’s birthdays, then schedule them using the Boomerang app. SHOWCASE VIDEOS Live videos that showcase your classes, events, seminars, staff members and programs are some of the most fun clips you can produce. Make sure you pre-frame your students prior to going live to ensure a superior result.
When doing this, be sure to offer context on what you’re going live on. I’m a fan of starting selfie-style and explaining what I’m about to showcase. Then I flip the camera to show the class, event, etc. Finally, I go back to selfie-style and provide a call to action.
Live Videos LONG-FORM VIDEOS Most of the content you put out, especially 2 2 In general, live videos get more engagement than pre- on Facebook, will be short-form. However, doing an interviewrecorded videos. There are multiple platforms on which style or talk-show-style live video is great for mixing things you can go live; the ones we focus on are Facebook, Instagram up. Long-form content also works well on YouTube, where the and YouTube. average length of No. 1-ranked
With the constant changes videos is 15 minutes. in the Facebook algorithm and In the past, my school did a in Facebook overall — which series called Beyond the Mat‚ tend to completely trash every- in which we covered topics one’s reach — going live is one like “Will MMA make my child of the few remaining ways to violent?” “What’s the differget in front of more of your ence between styles?” and followers (more reach) and get “How does martial arts training more engagement on your con- improve life skills?” Such longtent (more comments). It’s one form live videos are best done of the most authentic pieces of If a new student asked you how to get with a cohost because that alcontent you can create. better at the hook kick, what would lows you to feed off each other. So why aren’t more schools going live? Because staffers you say? “Go practice!” It follows that EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS You are lack competence, and that the only way to develop skill in front a martial arts instructor, which gives them a lack of confi- of the camera is to practice, which means teaching is one of your dence. Everyone knows that superpowers. It follows that live videos produce better re- means actually doing it. shooting an educational live sults than prerecorded videos, video is easy — and fun — for but that lack of confidence stops school owners from getting in you. A series of how-to videos can showcase your curriculum and front of the camera and going live. position you as an expert in your community. A series of FAQ
If a new student asked you how to get better at the hook kick, videos can, well, answer viewers’ frequently asked questions. what would you say? “Go practice!” It follows that the only way to develop skill in front of the camera is to practice, which means ac- BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEOS These are among the most popular tually doing it. Once you get comfortable with that, consider these live videos you can do. Show a part of your weekly instructorfive types of live videos that can be used in your marketing. training session, your lobby during prime time or lunchtime at your day camp. This will keep people entertained and engaged WHAT’S-UP-MONDAY VIDEOS The easiest live video you can pro- because they’ll see parts of your school and/or routine they duce is what I call a “What’s Up Monday” video. It will help you normally don’t see. improve your Facebook Live skills. You won’t get tons of viewers, Before you go live with any of these suggestions, there are but you will increase your video-making skills. three things you should do. First, promote it. I like to create a
The essence of the videos is you review what’s going on in basic graphic in Canva and post it beforehand. Second, plan it. your academy that week. You can talk about curriculum, birthday I suggest making a bullet-point list of the items you’ll cover. parties, special events — anything that’s relevant. To get started, Third, practice! grab your monthly newsletter or bullet-point what you want During your live videos, think “edutainment.” You want to eduto cover. Keep it simple. Be sure to smile. And start developing cate your audience, but you don’t want to be as boring as a wet those live skills! mop. Add some entertainment and make the viewers laugh.
To enhance interaction, ask your audience questions or provide prompts for them to drop comments. Call out commenters by name to further build engagement, and answer questions in real time to prompt more people to ask questions. Crucial point: Embrace your mistakes. You’re a human being, and people will identify with you more when you show the real you.
Once your live video is complete, there are a few additional items you’ll want to check off your list. Creating a custom thumbnail for your video will make it stand out in the newsfeed. You can even pin your video to the top of your business page. Make sure to enable captions on the video.
If you’d like to take it a step further, turn this video into more pieces of content such as blogs or email blasts. If the live video really begins knocking it out of the park, further promote it by putting some money behind it. And if you’re a real-life digitalmarketing ninja, create a custom audience composed of the people who watch your video, then retarget them with an offer.
3 3 Educational Videos This is the third type of video you should be producing. I touched on a few options earlier, but those were for live videos. Educational videos are prerecorded.
One of my favorite types of educational videos to send to people who just booked an appointment is the welcome video. This is a clip, often professionally made, that helps build the “know,” “like” and “trust” factors with prospects prior to the first time they come in.
My school sends them out as automated text messages with a link to a landing page on our website. The welcome video sits on that landing page and gives an insider’s look at what the prospect’s first experience with us will entail. For example, we introduce the academy and our team, then break down what will occur during that first visit. We found that sending such videos bolsters the show rate on appointments.
Another type of educational video you can make is the technique video. Think of your beginners — what might they be interested in learning? There’s also the staff-spotlight video that highlights your team and what sets you apart. I’m sure you can think of other topics.
4 4 User-Generated Content Any type of content — videos, comments, images, reviews and so on —that’s created by people and not by your brand is a powerful way to showcase your business on social media because it puts your customers’ experiences at the forefront. Any business can say it’s the best at what it does, but when a customer says that business is the best, it’s in a different league altogether.
Examples of user-generated content include parents posting photos or videos of their children earning a belt, getting nominated for an upgrade program or winning a medal at your tournament. Every time students or their families post a picture or video taken at your academy, you get free advertising. And reposting their material allows you to further leverage their experience.
Another type of user-generated content is the testimonial. While Google reviews and Facebook recommendations are incredibly powerful, getting one of your parents or students on camera can provide even more social proof. Here are some guidelines I’ve developed for obtaining testimonials.
The key to getting a great testimonial is to paint a picture of where the person was prior to finding your service, where the person is now and how your program helped with the transition from point A to point B.
Start by having the person do a short introduction. Ask how the person got involved with your school — what was going on in the person’s life (or the child’s life) that led to a visit to your academy. Ask what the person signed up for at your school, then inquire about what the result was. (Try to get specific, measurable results such as “I lost 20 pounds,” “My daughter raised her grades from a C average to an A average,” and so on.) Then ask how the changes have impacted the family and/or the child. Finally, ask what the person would say to someone who’s considering joining your school.
Once you’ve obtained the video testimonial, there are seven things you can do with it: Put it on your landing page in your funnel, put it in your prospect-nurture sequence, set it to play on your lobby television, post it on your social media platforms, add it to a playlist on your YouTube channel, use it in a Facebook ad and post it on your website.
5 5 Advertising Videos The final type of video you should use for marketing is the kind that’s made specifically for advertising. There are many places you can use a commercial-style video from ads on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to your Google My Business listing, your website and your email marketing. Of course, you also can post it organically on social media and play it in your booth at festivals.
The best types of advertising videos are those that tell a story. Being able to use a narrative to communicate your message helps viewers feel something — and usually it’s enough to inspire them to take action. We all love a good story. We love to hear them, read them and binge-watch them. They entertain us, they move us and they influence us. And the best part for marketing is they put value on products and services.
Storytelling as a marketing tool also helps humanize your brand and cuts through the noise of the marketplace so your advertising will stick. Some 82 percent of global internet traffic in 2022 will come from video. Therefore, utilizing video in your online advertising is a must.
If you can’t afford to hire a professional to come to your school to create an advertising video, check out some of the done-with-you options like the aforementioned Growth Production Program. And if you’re really in a pinch, shoot a talking-head video with your mobile device and use it in your ads. It’s better than nothing.
My favorite template to use when creating a talking-head video follows the GREAT format. “G” stands for grab attention. “R” stands for restate the pain point. “E” stands for explain the unique selling point. “A” stands for actual proof. “T” stands for tell them what to do next.
To wrap up, one of the most powerful strategies you can use to grow your business is to incorporate video into your marketing. Then for efficiency’s sake, take the video you create and turn it into multiple pieces of content. For example, say you shot an educational video on the “3 keys to stopping any bully.” You filmed this on your smart device and posted it on your Facebook Business Page. Now think of what other channels and platforms will enable you to reuse this content.
Can you put it on your YouTube channel? Can you transcribe it and write a blog post? Can you turn it into a three-part email series with a call to action for your upcoming bullyawareness seminar?
Always remember that content is anything that adds value to the life of a reader or viewer. If you want to have great marketing, it starts with great content. While many people say that “content is king,” I believe that “content is the kingdom.” And now that we’re accustomed to our smartphones and all they offer, that content needs to be video.
Cris Rodriguez has a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and a third degree in taekwondo. The co-owner of Gracie PAC MMA, she has 25 years of experience in the martial arts and 18 years of experience as a teacher. Based in Tampa, Florida, Rodriguez has studied internet marketing for eight years and is the founder of Grow Pro Agency, a digital-marketing firm that runs Facebook and Instagram ads for martial arts school owners. Photo Courtesy of Cris Rodriguez
elcome to the fourth quarter of 2021.
WThese 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
HALLOWEEN COSTUME COMPETITION What is every kid’s favorite part of Halloween — besides the buckets of candy? Dressing up, of course! During the month of October, you can take advantage of that by designating a week for students to wear their favorite spooktacular costumes to class.
Snap a quick picture of each student in front of your school logo — whether that’s a wall mural, a banner or a sign. At the end of the week, upload all the photos to an album on your school’s social media page. Encourage parents to share their child’s snapshot throughout the week to garner as many “likes” as possible. The student whose picture accumulates the most likes by October 31 wins a $100 gift card to your pro shop.
In this manner, a costume competition can be a win-win for your families and your school. They get to show off their child’s cool costume, and your social media page gets a boost in the form of increased engagement, which amounts to free advertising.
For kids and families, Halloween is the 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: PUMPKIN PARENTS NIGHT OUT Every parent loves the opportunity to have a night out without the kids. So why not host a fun-filled evening for your students, replete with pumpkin decorating, a kid-friendly Halloween movie, costumes, pizza, Halloween-themed games and, of course, some martial arts?
For this Friday night event — three hours is a reasonable duration — you’ll want to stock up on some monster-size pumpkins. They make fantastic school decorations in the weeks leading up to Halloween. You’ll also want to order pumpkin-decorating stickers. They’re easy to use, and they allow you to avoid the cleanup associated with actually carving or painting jack-o’lanterns. Bonus! Kids will love having another occasion to don their costumes.
When you offer this much fun, parents will gladly pay $30 or more for the evening.
TRUNK-OR-TREAT Some parents love to get involved in Halloween festivities as much as their kids. So consider hosting a “trunk-or-treat” event in which families can get a little crafty together and decorate their vehicles. While it’s unfolding, give students three tickets each to vote for their favorite vehicles. As they go trick-or-treating, they hand out a ticket to their three favorite costumed cars.
The family that receives the most tickets wins a prize. It can be gear from your pro shop or a free pass to the next parents night out. Just be sure to avoid scheduling your trunk-or-treat during your city’s traditional trick-or-treat hours or participation could suffer.
HALLOWEEN REFERRAL REWARDS One quick-and-easy method for getting the word out regarding your martial arts school during this season is through referral rewards. Before the holiday, have high-quality cards printed. They should highlight an exciting Halloween special such as “Get four weeks of classes and a free uniform.” On the back, include a space where students can write their first name and last initial.
As Halloween approaches, give at least 20 cards to each student to distribute while trick-or-treating. If a recipient brings back a card and enrolls, the referring family receives a reward such as $50 in cash or $75 in credit at your pro shop.
Bonus! Also distribute the cards to local businesses that have a clientele that’s similar to yours for a little cross-advertising. Suitable businesses include daycare centers, children’s clothing stores, restaurants, toy stores and any other establishment that services families. When you go to propose this, be sure to take some of their advertising materials to give out in an effort to foster mutually beneficial relationships with local businesses.
HALLOWEEN-SAFETY MAT CHATS Halloween offers an excellent opportunity to integrate several life skills into your weekly mat chats. When you consider that once a year, children ring doorbells and interact with strangers, you can see the logic of setting aside a few minutes during your martial arts classes to discuss these interactions.
What should they say and do after ringing the doorbell? How should they speak? What manners should they use after receiving a treat? Should they ever enter a stranger’s house? What should they do if someone invites them in? Should they ever trick-or-treat by themselves?
By discussing such issues as a class, all your students will be better prepared for safe trick-or-treating. And parents will see the value of the life skills you’re teaching their children.
While you may not have time to implement all these ideas in October, utilizing even one or two can enhance the fun-filled and family-oriented atmosphere of your dojo. Students come to you to learn martial arts, but they often stay because of the experience. So embrace the fun of Halloween to engage your students and families and keep them coming back for more.
Mark Your Calendar
As we know, November is all about Thanksgiving and being grateful. But how can you incorporate those themes into your monthly plan at the dojo? First off, it’s a fantastic time to give back to your community. Whether that’s through neighborhood events, local schools or other venues, you can get your school involved and connected. Here are some suggestions:
COMMUNITY EVENTS AND FESTIVALS While every community is different, November tends to be immensely popular everywhere, especially when it comes to local events. Festivals, vendor exhibits and craft fairs often ramp up before the winter holidays get into full swing. Participating in local events is recommended for fostering involvement in the community and spreading the word about your martial arts school.
When you attend such events, don’t just sit behind a table and try to register families on your clipboard. Make your booth fun and interactive, just like your classes! Focus on the experience: Bring your martial arts gear and wear your gi. Set up a Century BOB with a T-shirt that says, “Punch me 20 times in 10 seconds and win two free weeks and a uniform.” Festivalgoers, young and old, will welcome the challenge.
When they’re engaging, make sure you chat them up, collect their contact information and invite them to a free event at your school the following week.
KICK-A-THONS FOR LOCAL SCHOOLS When you’re focusing on giving back, consider your local schools. During the month of November, host a kick-a-thon in your school. This is a great way to develop a relationship with your local school district while allowing you and your students to raise funds that go back to the schools. Meanwhile, it can give you an opportunity to meet the administrators and staff.
To make this kind of event fun, invite your martial arts students to collect pledges from friends and family members — I recommend a penny per kick or a flat donation. At the actual event, have students do as many kicks as possible in 30 minutes, rotating between stations with various equipment and pads.
Parents get to be involved, as well. They can hold pads and count kicks for their child. Kids earn prizes depending on their pledge totals, and the remaining funds are donated to their school. Be sure to set up an appointment and hand-deliver the
check — ideally, this will enable you to meet the principal faceto-face.
MAT CHATS AND LIFE LESSONS If you incorporate mat chats or a lesson-of-the-month program into your classes, November is a perfect time to focus on gratitude. There’s no better opportunity to reinforce life lessons. For example, you can take time during each class to talk about what gratitude means and how we can be thankful for all that we have. Or you can mention that November 13 is World Kindness Day, then challenge students to complete random acts of kindness for their families and friends.
By incorporating such lessons into your curriculum, you’ll add value to your program for current members, as well as those who sign up. Also, you’ll cultivate character development.
PRE-ORDERS FOR HOLIDAY EVENTS As you know, families use November to start preparing for the gift-giving season — which is why a holiday catalog from Century Martial Arts will arrive in your mailbox soon. So why not give each member of your martial arts school his or her own copy to take home along with a retail order form?
Set a pre-order date in November for turning in order forms — the Wednesday before Thanksgiving works perfectly. Kids will love paging through the catalog, and parents will love having access to more gift ideas. Place your school’s order immediately, then set the order pickup date to coincide with your mid-December holiday event. This will boost retail sales while helping your students gear up for the coming year.
Mark Your Calendar
Wrapping up 2021 in December should be one of the most exciting times of the year — if not the most exciting time. Finishing on a high note is a powerful feeling for you and for your students, who will leave yearning to get back on the mat in 2022. As you enter the holiday season, check out these opportunities for your dojo:
HOLIDAY EVENT It isn’t the holiday season without a party, so consider hosting an event at your school in mid-December. Take this opportunity to go all out with your decorations. Having a Christmas tree, lights, an inflatable Santa Claus and so on will turn your dojo into a winter wonderland. You can even order a few Santa martial arts uniforms for your instructors to wear.
During the event, serve cookies, desserts, hot chocolate and coffee — and have plenty of holiday music playing. If you can, hire a Santa to pose for pictures with families. Take extra time to socialize with all who attend, whether students or family members. There’s no better time to build rapport and get to know them on a personal level.
Be sure to remind attendees to pick up their retail orders for Christmas. This is a fine incentive to get them in the door — and perhaps do a little extra shopping, as well. Overall, hosting a holiday event requires minimal preparation, which makes it even more worthwhile.
TRAIN FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR FOR FREE Generally, most families aren’t looking to enroll their kids in activities during the month of December. Most are simply looking forward to celebrating the holiday season. To ensure a steady influx of new students, you’ll need to have an unbelievable special.
“Train for the rest of the year for FREE” is about as powerful an offer as you can get. A new student can enroll in your school
for $0 down with no monthly payments until January 2022. The only thing that student will need to purchase is a uniform and any equipment that’s required for class.
This is such a strong offer that December has the potential to be one of the best months for enrollment. It can set up your school up for an unbelievable January.
PARENTS NIGHT OUT As Christmas approaches, every parent is looking for a few last-minute uninterrupted hours to shop and see to other preparations. So why not host a parents night out for your students in December?
There are countless ways to make this fun. Play a few Christmas movies. (Home Alone, A Charlie Brown Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas! are popular options.) Set up stations for crafts such as card decorating and ornament making. Encourage kids to take home their projects afterward and give them to their family members. Christmas cookies make delicious treats, and pizza is always a favorite.
Parents will be grateful for the effort you expended to give them a night out, and kids will leave with memories of a wonderful time at the dojo.
As we head into the final months of the year, there are so many fun and festive ways to celebrate. Be sure to schedule your events early to allow yourself enough time to give your students the most incredible experience possible. As always, if you have any questions about the ideas presented here, reach out to me or any of the MAIA Elite consultants. Happy holidays.
Kurt Klingenmeyer owns two karate schools in Southeastern Wisconsin. With a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in education, he applies his experience as an educator to the field of martial arts instruction. As MAIA’s “launch specialist,” he helps school owners maximize their potential and reach their goals. To contact him, send an email to KurtKlingenmeyer@gmail.com or call the Martial Arts Industry Association at (866) 626-6226.
A Successful Business Requires a Talented Person at the Helm!
BY KELLY MURRAY-GRYS
started training in the martial arts in 1986
Iwhen I was just 4 years old. I was the only girl in my class and, even more notable, one of very few girls I knew who did karate. The dojo didn’t have air conditioning to deal with the summer heat, and we all did our pushups on our knuckles on the hardwood floor. On more than a few occasions, I was hit in the abdomen to the point of having the wind knocked out of me while being told that if I’d kept my guard up, I wouldn’t have gotten hit.
Needless to say, it was a different time to be a martial artist.
A couple of other observations from that time: Our instructors didn’t give much thought to our feelings, nobody cared if we were under the weather on a given day, chest protectors hadn’t become the norm, and it was considered a privilege to mop the dojo floor at the end of the day. The staff of the school was composed of loyal black-belt volunteers, diehards who would teach five or six classes in a row until 11 p.m. without ever complaining.
If reading that cultivated a sense of nostalgia for you, let me do you a favor and knock you back into this century! The martial arts community has very different industry standards now, along with some unique challenges that affect you as an employer.
We live in a period when finding good talent feels difficult, at times hopeless, for some of us. We live in a period when molding and shaping young talent feels frustrating, rather than rewarding, for most of us. As a team-training specialist, I receive endless questions regarding what may be the new normal, and one of the most common is, How do I develop a rock-star team in my school?
Well, as I always tell those people, it starts with you. That’s right, developing a great team starts with you making a dedicated and determined commitment to becoming a great leader.
It’s the best way to get your staff and your business moving in the right direction.
Photos Courtesy of Kelly Murray-Grys
Pillar No. 1
I have discovered that there are three pillars of leadership that apply no matter the type of business. The first pertains to your perspective. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve received emails and phone calls from frustrated and annoyed school owners who complain about their staff. It’s well-known in business that complaining doesn’t solve anything. The irony regarding those who complain about their staffers is that they fail to realize that their team is a direct reflection of them. Your team is only as good as you train your team members to be.
Rather than complaining, you need to focus on solutions to problems and the person who can implement those solutions. For this reason, I’ve created a mantra for team leaders: It’s my fault, and I can fix it.
Taking ownership of the weaknesses of your staff and the challenges you face with your employees will empower you to actually do something to make your business better. Once you stop blaming the economy, the parenting of our youth or the generational demise of our recruits (“Kids these days!), you take back your power as the leader your staff needs you to be.
In all likelihood, as a professional teacher, you underestimate your skill set and your strengths when it comes to solving the problems you encounter. Changing that revolves around adjusting your perspective. The next time a problem arises, just tell yourself that it’s your fault and that you can fix it.
Here’s a valuable extension of the concept: You are not only responsible for the success of your team but also privileged to take on this role. That’s right: Leadership is a privilege.
To teach, to mold, to influence and to lead — it all amounts to a gift that I, personally, can’t help feeling grateful for. True leaders recognize this privilege and have immense gratitude for being able to be part of another human’s evolution toward becoming a better human.
If you struggle to find joy in helping your team grow and succeed, maybe leadership isn’t for you.
Pillar No. 2
The second pillar of leadership revolves around time. How often you give it and how you choose to spend it with your people play important roles in building a team that stays loyal.
Although the many specifics of this pillar would require more space than I have here, adopting a one-on-one strategy is a great way to start prioritizing your time with your team. In essence, a one-on-one is time spent with a purpose.
I recommend conducting a one-on-one with every member of your team at least twice a month. If your business operates with a smaller staff, once a week is even better. In case you don’t know, one-on-ones are private, prearranged sessions that are consistent and expected. They need to last only 15 to 20 minutes to be efficient and effective. They serve four purposes, which makes them a must for any team leader.
The first goal of a one-on-one is simply to grow the relationship between you and your employee. This is about getting to know the team member on a deeper level. Understanding what the person’s passions and goals are, how the person prefers to be communicated with and what the person’s support system consists of will engender trust and clarity, both of which are essential for a healthy working relationship.
Because the goal is to build a relationship, you also should share details about yourself to connect the employee's vision to your own.
The second goal of a one-on-one is to conduct specialized training based on the employee’s weaknesses or struggles. As a team leader, you should use data and key performance indicators to determine the focus of this training, which requires a real-time grasp of what the person needs most in order to contribute to the growth of the business.
The third goal is to focus on the personal development of the employee. To facilitate that, a one-on-one session can be used to share thoughts on a book you’ve assigned, to listen to a podcast together, to mentor financial planning or to create better time-management strategies for work and/or life.
The last goal is to simply use the time to listen. Active listening is a skill that all team leaders need. Perhaps the employee has struggles or conflicts with a co-worker. Perhaps she is feeling frustrated about a certain aspect of her job. Perhaps he needs this time to vent or ask specific questions. Perhaps the person just has ideas to share with you.
All these things are appropriate during a one-on-one, a time when you can be fully present to absorb what the employee communicates about his or her needs. To reach the goal of truly hearing what the other person says, refrain from saying everything that comes to mind. Rather, provide a safe space where each member of your team can speak and feel understood.
Pillar No. 3
The third pillar of leadership is prioritizing your self. I separated the words “your” and “self” on purpose. My intention is to illustrate that it’s crucial to identify your own being as the main student on this leadership journey. Below are three ways to get a handle on this recommendation:
• Develop a self-care practice.
When you’re not giving your self the best, you’re not giving anyone else the best of you, either. Your energy matters a lot when it comes to how well your team performs. When you’re burned out, stressed, frustrated, sleep deprived, fueled by caffeine and sugar, or depressed and anxious, you should expect the performance of your team to follow suit.
The best thing you can do for your team if you’re feeling any of those things is stay away. Before you re-engage with them, develop self-care practices that will enable you to create a healthier relationship with your self and that will allow you to show up in a way that serves them. The basic components of good physical health — things like proper nutrition, exercise, water and sleep — are great starting points.
You also should aim to expand your emotional and spiritual health. You can do this by strengthening your most satisfying relationships, connecting with like-minded people, meditating, journaling, visualizing and/or reading. Play, rest and recovery are also your work. (Read that again.)
• Keep studying leadership, business management and communication.
Just like your physical, emotional and spiritual health, your intellectual health needs to be prioritized. Many school owners I work with spend plenty of hours learning how to market better, how to improve their SEO and how to make more money. However, not enough of them spend time studying the topics that will buy them the ultimate ticket to entrepreneurial freedom: a team that can do things as well as they can.
• Get feedback from the people who matter most: your team.
Being open to hearing how your team views your leadership style and approach can leave you feeling vulnerable, but it’s absolutely necessary. For that reason, you must learn how to receive negative feedback without taking it personally. It will put you on the fast track to improving as a leader.
Doing this also will gain you the respect of your team by demonstrating that you’re dedicated to getting better. You’re showing them that the ego is not a good compass for measuring how well a person is doing.
In the end, your message to them will be that the only feedback you’re concerned with is theirs because they are the ones you’re privileged to lead as you all strive to make your business more successful.
A sixth-degree black belt in isshin-ryu karate, Kelly Murray-Grys was the director of franchise training for iLoveKickboxing, a multimillion-dollar franchise she helped to grow from its inception. She now works as a leadership and confidence coach, helping small-business owners and entrepreneurs create powerful infrastructures and environments that generate success. She is also an executive consultant for Skillz Worldwide, a child-development curriculum that serves thousands of martial arts schools across the globe.
TURNING POINT
BY HERB BORKLAND
Ray McCallum: Walking Into His First School
exas karate champion Ray McCal-
Tlum won national and international titles in both point and full-contact fighting from the 1970s into the late ’80s. After training under Demetrius Havanas and Allen Steen, McCallum toured the world as a team competitor and fighter. Crowds loved his virtuoso kicking and victory backflips. His three battles with Keith Vitali are considered among the greatest contests of their era. A quick-hitting, strategic, finesse fighter, Vitali won twice — but also reported witnessing McCallum use three techniques never seen before in tournaments. Vitali called his opponent “the most spectacular fighter of the day.”
MAS: Where did you grow up, and what did your dad do? Ray McCallum: Born and raised in Dallas, Texas. Dad passed away when I was 10. I had a good stepfather. He backed me 100 percent. Mom hated karate — still does.
MAS: When was the first time you heard about karate? McCallum: Our church counselor was a brown belt in judo. He brought some gis to a campout and showed us techniques and throws. I was pretty impressed. I was always fighting guys bigger than me, for some reason.
MAS: Turning point? McCallum: I was 14 and riding my bike to go play a pinball machine, and there was a karate school in front of Walmart. I walked in and knew that would be [my calling for] the rest of my life.
I responded to the respect. That first day, a couple kids almost my age and not as big as me led the class wearing nice white gis and junior belts. I hung out there for three or four hours. It took me two-and-ahalf years to make black belt — normally, it took four years — and no kids classes. The sensei was Demetrius “Greek” Havanas. Interesting, the way he taught. …
I remember I was a junior green belt, 14 years old but tall at 5 feet 10 inches. I went to a fair to help with our school demos. Havanas grabbed me by the throat and side-kicked me off the stage four or five times. He got agitated because it was taking me longer and longer to get back up there. Then he grabbed me by the hair so I didn’t go as far. He was appeased by that. I don’t know if I was or not. (smiles)
That’s how he taught. I went back every day for a week, and he’d kick me off the stage 15 times a night. Also, I was there at school every day. He said, “What are you doing here? I thought I killed you yesterday.” It was a situation where I wasn’t leaving, and he was doing his best to run me off. (smiles)
I made black belt at 16. Greek always wanted to do a backflip in the ring. In 1978, I learned how from some gymnasts. First time I did one was in 1981 when I won the world championship in Milan, Italy. I must’ve done 20 before they hooked me off the stage. Sensei Havanas had passed away four months before. Greek had a lot of respect for people. That’s where mine comes from.
I attack somebody’s mind. It’s the best target you have. I had to go out there and put the fight on somebody else. What I mean is, I’d built up the energy and intensity, and then I didn’t know what was coming any more than they did. Make ’em a believer! In stalemates, I had “pocket tricks” to help me — like ducking under a high kick to take out the fighter’s support leg and then jumping up and coming down, landing a flying punch.
MAS: What’s in your future? McCallum: I wish the best to the new karate Olympians. The style is a little cleaner than what we used to do, but they have the respect, which I really like. I love all the karate folks. I appreciate the life they have given me. The ones I know are the salt of the earth. The ones that don’t know me need to straighten up and get back to what’s real.
To contact Herb
Borkland, send an email to herbork@comcast.net. Photo Courtesy of Ray McCallum
HEALTH KICK
BY ERIC P. FLEISHMAN
Road Map to Better Health and Enhanced Productivity
Running a martial arts school can be a challenge. Forking out money for marketing to attract new students, keeping the students you already have, and staying current with billing are timeconsuming and often grueling.
Under these conditions, it can be difficult to find time to stay in shape, let alone maintain a positive outlook on life. Caught up in the daily grind, too many people lose sight of the fact that positivity is the ultimate key to success. That’s because a truly positive attitude can be infectious, spreading like wildfire through your school and beyond.
But how do you spark this process, and where does the magic begin? It all starts with you. The easiest way to foster positivity in your life is to make the conscious decision to see the proverbial glass as half full. Here are four additional steps that will help you supercharge the transformation.
• Go to bed earlier and cherish sleep. Sleep is how the body and mind recharge. Sleep also delivers a level of mental clarity that supports better decision-making.
• Begin a daily exercise regimen. My Sleek Ninja program is great for school owners. This and other forms of exercise release powerful endorphins that can ward off depression and deliver a sense of wellbeing. For many, this alone can be a game changer. As your body responds to the exercise with fat loss and muscle gain, the reflection in the mirror will be dynamite for your self-esteem. Remember the adage, “Look good, feel good, do good,” which has its roots in a timeless pattern of success.
• Start making smarter decisions at mealtime.
Choose nutrient-dense foods that fuel your body and mind, rather than gorging on empty calories. Animal-based proteins, water-based carbohydrates like fresh fruit and vegetables, and sufficient hydration will nourish your body, stimulate your ability to think clearly and keep your positive mood going strong. Doing this requires a real commitment on your part. When you find yourself mindlessly reaching for a candy bar, grab a protein bar instead. Small changes can lead to massive shifts.
• Strive to reduce stress. For some, this means delegating certain tasks to others at the dojo to keep from falling behind or feeling overwhelmed. For others, it might require putting away the smartphone earlier to have more time to decompress before going to bed. Either way, learning to manage stress is key for allowing positivity into your life on a constant basis.
Your brightened outlook will have an immediate effect on your instructors because the trickledown theory of management holds true: Leading by example empowers those who work with and for you to rise to the occasion and then pass the good vibes on to others.
Another benefit of this increase in morale is an across-the-board rise in productivity. Happy workers are more effective at completing tasks in a timely fashion. Their rosy attitudes enhance person-to-person contact with students, resulting in more enthusiastic pupils. This boosts the dojo’s overall reputation, which makes getting new students easier.
Remember that people are attracted to energy, especially positive energy. Having momentum behind your staff and your school will reflect favorably on your specific martial art, which in turn, enhances all martial artists. One decision to shift your attitude toward the affirmative can ignite a chain reaction that ushers in an era of success that seemed unattainable. Don’t wait! Make your decision to embrace the power of positivity today.
Eric P. Fleishman — aka Eric the Trainer — is a Hollywood-based trainer of celebrities. In the 28 years he’s worked in the industry, he’s taught actors, musicians, MMA fighters and military personnel. He hosts a popular TV show called Celebrity Sweat, which is available on Amazon Prime. His message of healthy living has been adopted by many groups, most recently the American Culinary Federation.
YOU MESSED UP! NOW WHAT?
BY KATHY OLEVSKY
“I’ve written this column for 10 years now, telling the world how I’ve survived 45 years in the martial arts business despite having made many mistakes. In fact, I have not even begun to cover them all. I share my stories to help you learn from them — and because it’s important to know that you, too, may blunder along the way but that your school can survive.”
2021 Was a Learning Experience for Everyone!
For five years, my martial arts business experienced slow-but-steady growth while meeting the needs of a solid foundation of students. The staff became skilled at keeping our students happy and excited about training as they rose through the ranks. Our retention rate was good.
Then everything changed when COVID struck. I’m guessing it’s the same for many dojo around the world.
We lost more than 100 students because of the pandemic. Then we grew by 150 students between February 2021 and August 2021. All of a sudden, we had to increase our support for beginner classes while reducing some of our intermediate classes. We had lost the middle section of our student body.
Our brown belts and black belts, for the most part, hung in there with us through a year of virtual instruction and limited in-person training. Our intermediate ranks, on the other hand, left in droves.
For the first time in many years, we started to hear complaints about how we were managing our classes. I remember when the first parent left because he didn’t think his child was learning anything new.
Our instructors were doing their best, but we were overloading them with new students. In a period of normal growth, we would have had between five and 10 students in a trial program over the course of two weeks. When people started coming back in early 2021, we sometimes had as many as 15 new students in a single class. We had lost so many students that we couldn’t afford to miss the opportunity to sign up any of the newcomers, so we took them all.
The problem was, our staff had been teaching virtually for a year, and this new rush was a bit overwhelming. While we easily could have handled such a rush in 2019, we’d become different teachers in 2020.
I’ve heard martial arts school owners say that they would welcome an onslaught of new students anytime, anywhere. The reality of it is you have to prepare for something like this before it happens — if you want to succeed.
Before the pandemic, we evenly balanced our teachers throughout our ranks, and they all had unique skill sets. Of course, there were instructors who could teach everyone, but in our school, most were fine-tuned to a specific age group or belt level.
In addition, we had instructors who preferred not to be vaccinated, so they continued with virtual classes. We had other instructors who chose to stay out because of age, the needs of family members and other reasons. But the new students kept coming through our doors.
To be honest, we didn’t manage these changes well for a few months. As always, though, we learned from our mistakes. We adjusted our class times to better accommodate the ages and levels of our students. We moved some instructors around and made class sizes smaller for a sixmonth period. By late summer 2021, we were back to normal with all our instructors working and most of our students happy again.
It was strange seeing so many new faces on the floor while missing all the familiar faces. However, we realized that they’re not lost. Having all those students who were happy with us before COVID meant that we had a whole list of names we can market to — and, hopefully, get back in the dojo.
So we’ll begin 2022 with a host of new students to teach and lots of former students who might be convinced to return to the martial path. All things considered, it’s a good place to be.
To contact Kathy Olevsky, send an email to kathy.olevsky@raleighkarate.com.
