Posted by Mike Massie on August 25, 2010
Quitting, or (L)earning the Power to Execute
The power to execute comes from practice.
“It didn’t work for me. So, I quit doing it.”
How many times have I heard that from martial art school owners? Let me just say, I’m not busting anyone’s chops in particular.
But, I hear this from school owners so often, I feel I need to make an important point about giving up easy in business.
Let’s think back to the first time you learned how to do a certain combination in sparring… maybe a set-up for a strike or submission. You learned it in class, drilled it, memorized the movements, and then you tried it out in sparring for the first time. How did it go?
That’s right, it failed… or, rather, YOU failed to execute it effectively. Let’s be honest – you’d seen your instructor and the senior students in the school pull it off a million times. Yet, it didn’t work for you the first time out.
So what did you do? Of course, you kept at it.
Then one day, BINGO! It clicked and you were able to pull it off. You scored, it felt good, and so you kept trying it. Maybe you didn’t score every time, but pretty soon you were succeeding more than failing, and you may have even developed a strategy around that technique… heck, it may even be one of your “go-to” techniques now.
So, knowing what you know now, how silly would it have been for you to have tried that move or technique once, and then said, “Well, it didn’t work for me, so I quit doing it.”
Yet, those are the exact words I hear from instructors, all the darned time. Typically, it’s with regards to some marketing method or another, but it could also be in relation to any number of common practices that successful schools use.
And the fact is, you’d never let a student give up like that. Ever.
So, why do we do it? And I do say “we” purposely, because I did the same thing many times when I was starting out, and to this day I still have to resist the initial urge to give up when I fail at something new.
I’ll tell you why – because, when you become an instructor, you get used to being “right” all the time. And, when you do something “wrong”, it busts your ego up something terrible.
I know. I’ve felt the sting of getting my ego bruised too. Yet, the winners’ circle only admits the persistent. It’s true in martial arts, it’s true in all manner of sports, it’s true in business, and it’s true in life.
Now, if you’re reading this and going, “Cripes, Mike is right. But how do I keep trying something when it’s not working?” The answer is so obvious, it’s painful. You don’t.
Because, if you do something that works for someone else and it doesn’t work for you, that means you did it wrong. So, instead of taking an ineffective action over and over again, you need to observe how the people who are getting results do that thing. Compare their methods with yours, eliminate the differences in execution, and then try again.
That’s what you did when you first learned martial arts… you watched the best people in your school, and copied them, repetition after repetition. Over time, you got good, maybe even better than the people you modeled your own practice after.
And that’s how you’re going to succeed in running your school as well.
Is it difficult? Obviously, but let me tell you – it’s a lot easier than figuring things out through sheer independent trial and error.
So…
LEARN -> IMPLEMENT -> EVALUATE -> REVISE -> REFINE…
Then IMPLEMENT better.
Rinse, repeat.
That’s the path to success.
Posted by Mike Massie on August 4, 2010
Many martial arts school owners would like to accept electronic payments so they can do their own martial arts billing at their school, but either don’t know how or think they have to hire a billing company to do it.
You can do a better job collecting your own tuition than a billing company, for a fraction of the cost, using the services listed in this article.
In fact, you DON’T need a billing company to accept electronic payments at your school… and you can even do your own monthly billing very easily (and save money on billing too) by using one or a combination of the following services.
There are several ways to do this… some methods are more “DIY” and require you to perform a few steps to set things up yourself. Others are more “hands off” and require a minimum of technical knowledge to set up.
I have listed various in-house billing solutions below from the “easiest” to the most technical, along with links to their sign-up pages.
Method #1: Getting a Merchant Credit Card Account for Electronic Billing In-House
Description: This method involves billing your clients directly through the credit card companies by using your own merchant credit card processing account and some sort of online payment gateway system. Online payment gateways work like a credit card processing machine, except that you enter the client’s information by hand through a secure online system. Typically, they allow you to process payments in a multitude of ways.
Ease of set-up: Relatively easy as the merchant credit card company will set you up and walk you through it.
Expense: Can be much lower than other methods listed below if you have good credit and ask for a “card present” account (that means you only run credit cards when the customer is in front of you with their credit card or debit card in hand).
Types of payments you can accept: Credit cards, debit cards, electronic checks (bill checking accounts).
Automated recurring billing available: Yes. What many school owners don’t realize is that, when you sign up with a martial arts billing company, they simply run your accounts through their own merchant account and then charge you a percentage on top of the discount rate they are getting from Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, Discover, and their own bank. Doing this yourself allows you to cut out the middle man and save a ton of money over the long haul.
Set-up fees: None.
Rate: As low as 1.26% and .05 cents a transaction for electronic checks. Definitely the lowest on the list overall.
Speed of Payment: Fast. Money is transferred to your checking account in 48-72 hours.
Drawbacks: If your credit rating is extremely poor, you may not be accepted, or you might have to pay a slightly higher rate. This is rare though, so don’t be afraid to apply.
Best for: Established business owners and those with a decent credit history who want the absolute best rates.
Link to Apply: Click here to apply
Method #2: Using Your Own Merchant Account In Conjunction With A Web-Based Billing Application
Description: This method involves using an online billing application in conjunction with a merchant credit card processing account or a third-party service like PayPal to manage, track, and process your payments.
Ease of set-up: Typically it’s fairly easy to set up your account. The whole concept of using web-based billing applications is to make it easier to setup, process, and track your billing accounts. With contemporary services like Freshbooks, user interfaces are much more intuitive and feature-rich than solutions provided by most payment processing companies.
Expense: Typically these services offer free trial accounts that allow you to test their service with a small number of clients (3 or less). You can then upgrade your account based on the number of client accounts you need to bill each month using the software. Rates start as low as $10 a month up to $80 a month for an unlimited number of client billing accounts. (Note: Some services may charge an additional fee for automatic recurring billing capabilities.)
Types of payments you can accept: Credit cards, debit cards, electronic checks (bill checking accounts), depending on your payment processor.
Automated recurring billing available: Yes. The most popular applications are actually designed to make it easy to schedule and process recurring billing payments for your clients. You can also bill your clients via email invoicing.
Set-up fees: None, just a monthly subscription fee.
Rate: Whatever your payment processor charges.
Speed of Payment: Depends on the payment processor.
Drawbacks: A monthly fee on top of your processing fees. However, for the ease of use and advanced bookkeeping and tracking advantages, it is worth it to be organized and to automate your billing and bookkeeping tasks each month.
Best for: Business owners who want convenience and don’t mind paying a little extra for it.
Links to Providers: Freshbooks – Invoicera
Method #3: Using A Third-Party Merchant Services Provider
Description: This method involves using a third party provider, such as PayPal or 2-Checkout, to process your payments.
Ease of set-up: Typically requires a bit more technical know-how, as you will need to navigate their account administration panel and set up various payment methods according to your needs and preferences. In addition, you may have to know some HTML and have basic web design skills, as you’ll need to place the code for payment buttons on your websites. (Note: PayPal now has a recurring billing function you can sign up for which allows you to enter and process your client’s payments online, but it requires a monthly fee for access.)
Expense: Higher than if you get your own merchant credit card account, with processing fees averaging about 3.5%. However, if you want to get up to speed quickly, or if you have spotty credit or don’t have a business bank account set up, this may be the best option for new instructors.
Types of payments you can accept: Credit cards, debit cards, electronic checks (bill checking accounts).
Automated recurring billing available: Yes. (Note: Automated recurring billing comes standard with a 2Checkout account, but with PayPal you have to apply for it).
Set-up fees: Between $15 and $50, depending on the service and plan you choose.
Rate: As low as 2.2% with a .30 cent per transaction fee for PayPal. 2Checkout charges 5.5% with a .45 cents per transaction fee.
Speed of Payment: Fast with PayPal – with the exception of e-checks, your money is transferred to your PayPal account immediately, and you can withdraw it by transferring it to your checking account which typically takes 48-72 hours. 2Checkout transfers money to their vendors weekly via electronic deposit of funds.
Drawbacks: Higher processing rates, and you’ll need someone with a little technical know-how to set it up. Also, 2Checkout requires that you have a website setup with all your purchase information online before you apply.
Best for: Someone who wants to get up and running fast with no hoops to jump through to qualify; the technically inclined; those with less than sterling credit; and, new instructors who are just starting out.
Links to Enroll: PayPal – 2Checkout
- Have questions or comments about doing your own martial arts billing? Post them below!
Posted by Mike Massie on July 6, 2010
I rarely post links to any other blogs or sites, simply because most of what is written on martial arts business topics online is derivative or it doesn’t match my personal philosophy of business.
However, Stephen Kesting posts some really good information on his site and in his newsletter, and this article by Krista Scott-Dixon is no exception. In it, Krista provides a female perspective on why more women aren’t interested in grappling, why they get involved and don’t stick around, and what instructors can do to entice more women into their classes… and keep them there.
While it was written specifically regarding grappling and BJJ, Krista’s advice obviously applies to ANY martial art or martial art school.
Incidentally, my only real beef with her article is her suggestion to offer free or discounted classes for women. I totally disagree with that, as I feel it promotes a double-standard that ultimately is disadvantageous for the school owner, insulting to women, and unfair to the men who pay full-price for the same classes.
Also, it goes against good business principles (businesses are called businesses because they are created for the purposes of making money). But other than that one little suggestion she makes about charging women less, I believe that it’s a great article that I think every instructor and school owner should read.
Go check it out now:
How To Get More Women Into Grappling
Posted by Mike Massie on June 29, 2010
The Only Job Security For Martial Art School Owners
Even the youngest students expect a level of professionalism from their instructors. Remember, children will express their views and opinions to their parents, and such conversations often influence parent's buying decisions.
Here’s a question for you…
How professional is your school?
This is an area that is typically ignored or taken for granted in martial arts schools, yet I have observed it to be a pivotal factor in the success of many, many schools.
So, here are some areas where you may consider evaluating and improving the level of professionalism in your school.
Doing so could very well pay off for you in increased enrollments and word-of-mouth referrals.
Facilities
The next time you walk into your school, make a point of looking at it with fresh eyes. Look at it from the perspective of someone who is walking in for the first time evaluating the facility as a potential customer. What would they think?
In my experience, few school owners pay particular attention to the cleanliness and orderliness of their schools. This is a huge mistake. The way your school looks (and smells) is a big part of how people perceive your facility.
In my first school, it was admittedly not in the best location. We had no external doors or windows, it was at the end of a long hallway, and the space was more or less a warehouse facility. Also, I had fixed the place up using a lot of secondhand and bargain basement building materials, which resulted in mismatched floor tiles, and a “DIY” appearance on the fit and finish of the interior.
So, we took great pains to keep the place as clean as possible. I’ll never forget the time when we had a female guest instructor teaching, and she walked out of the restroom with a surprised look on her face. “That’s the cleanest bathroom I have ever seen in a martial arts school,” she stated.
The point here is that, even if you don’t have the best facilities, you can still make a good impression by keeping them as clean as possible. Also, a fresh coat of paint on the walls once or twice a year and replacing old and worn equipment is a must. If it’s dirty, clean it. If it’s old and worn, replace it. Look at everything in your school with fresh eyes at least once a week, make a list of what needs cleaned, repaired, and replaced, and knock it out immediately.
Procedures
Do you answer the phone professionally… every time you answer? Are visitors promptly welcomed as they walk in the door? Do you return phone calls promptly the same day you receive a voice message? Do you even have a list of procedures to follow that outline how to take a new student from their first contact with the school through the entire enrollment process?
Having protocols and procedures in place are what make the difference between amateurs and professionals. Amateurs wing it, while professionals know exactly what to do at every step of the way, because they have a procedure, protocols, and contingency plans in place that they’ve memorized and practiced until they become second nature.
Customers can tell when you’re winging it. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been calling martial arts schools in my area while performing a competitive analysis in certain areas of my city. And, I’m amazed at the fact that 50% of the schools I call don’t answer their phones, while the other 50% do not have any basic phone sales training at all. That’s right – NONE of the schools I have called knew a thing about setting appointments and selling over the phone.
So, imagine what would happen if just one of them put professional protocols and procedures in place. I can assure you, they’d quickly outdistance their competition and increase their market share dramatically.
Be professional. Have professional procedures and protocols in place that cover everything from answering the phones to handling students professionally who are withdrawing from classes. All other things being equal, what separates you from your competitors is how professionally your clients are treated. Over time, this WILL make a huge difference in the volume of your referrals in your community.
Policies
How well do you treat your clients? Do you have posted policies regarding membership agreements, late fees, cancellations, and attendance? Are you of your word when it comes to enforcing those policies equally across the board? Do you treat every student fairly and without bias or preference based on your posted company policies?
Your company’s policies are part of the agreement you make with your customers that says, “I’ll provide ‘x’ service for you, you’ll pay me ‘y’ in return, and if ‘z’ comes up this is how you can expect us to handle it.” Having such policies in place assures the client that you intend to treat them fairly should things go awry, and it also lets them know what they can expect when the unexpected occurs.
Ask yourself, for instance:
- Is it fair to make someone pay the balance on their membership if they move to another town due to a change of employment?
- Would you want to continue paying for martial arts lessons if you were permanently disabled due to illness or injury?
- If you were the student, would you like to have the option to make up classes missed due to illness or vacation by attending extra classes during the weeks following the missed classes?
- Were you the student, would you appreciate having a three-day grace period before late fees were incurred on late tuition payments?
- If you were the student, would you appreciate having the NSF fees waived on the first occurrence of a check or EFT payment being returned or rejected for non-sufficient funds?
Such policies give the student the benefit of the doubt. In addition, having policies such as these posted in your school conveys the message that, while you do have policies in place to prevent unethical customers taking advantage of the school, you also have the customer’s well-being in mind. “Firm but fair” is a good attitude to have when it comes to drafting and implementing your company’s policies.
In Closing
Professionalism is the result of expertise, experience, competence, caring, and consistency in action.
And while any amateur can hang out a shingle and start a school, the professional instructor is one who emphasizes excellence in every aspect of their school’s operations. Elevating your school to the level of such excellence will take you a long way toward securing your financial future as an instructor.
Be excellent at what you do, because professionalism is job security for martial art school owners.
Posted by Mike Massie on June 2, 2010
How To Get Small-Dojo-Big-Profits In Hard Copy At A Discount…
Real quick before I get into today’s article – I have a limited number of Small-Dojo-Big-Profits business system manuals in hard copy that I am selling at a discount. There is nothing wrong with these manuals, other than the printer messed up the shrink wrapping .
Normally hard copies of the manual go for $149. I’m selling these half-off at $77 + $5 for shipping.
I only have a few copies, once they’re gone, they’re gone…
Click here to order
Sorry, the books sold out quick. If you want to buy it at the regular price, check out the Small Dojo Big Profits website.
Now, on to today’s post:
The Dangers of Making Things Too Easy
What happens when you give students a black belt on a silver platter? All you have to do is look at our industry for the last 25 years to see..
Are you struggling with balancing retention versus quality in your school? I know I have in the past, and it makes things even harder when you’re worried about paying your bills and making rent each month.
But is there really any need to worry about this issue? For years, “experts” in the mainstream industry have told us that the reason why martial arts schools lose students is because they make things too hard and students don’t feel like they’re progressing.
Well, a funny thing happened on the way to the next century… we started seeing public interest in new trends in the martial arts… namely:
- Grappling
- Reality-Based Self Defense
- Mixed Martial Arts
At least based on the information I get from networking with school owners locally and across the nation, interest in these market niches is at an all-time high in our industry.
Yet, you don’t have to do much research to see that adults are flocking to grappling, MMA, and reality-based self defense programs by the droves… I think we can all agree on that.
But Here’s The Funny Thing…
Now, think about this for a second – there’s nothing easy about participating in those types of programs. Moreover, in arts that exist within these niches, rank is a secondary consideration to training and learning… exactly the way it should be in every martial art.
Case in point – Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Sure, every once in a while you hear about a BJ Penn or a Lloyd Irvin getting their black belt in three or four years. But those are extremely rare cases. For the most part, it takes the average student as long to get their first belt in BJJ as it does to get a black belt in the average tae kwon do school (not in my school, but we’re not the norm, either).
What gives? For more than 20 years, hasn’t the mainstream industry encouraged martial arts school owners to make the “black belt” the beat-all end-all goal in your school, in order to increase retention and to encourage students to stick around for the long haul?
If that’s the case, why is it that BJJ schools are seeing record enrollment numbers and interest among that most elusive of markets – the adult segment?
And, lest you blame this all on the UFC craze, let me draw your attention to all the Israeli martial arts schools and reality-based MMA and JKD schools that are doing extremely well in this economy. Once again, rank is secondary to training in those programs.
There Must Be An Explanation For This
Oh there is, believe me. You see, we are living in an information age, a time when the average person can go to Google and research anything they want… when anyone can go online and in just a few keystrokes find out what other people think about anything and everything.
The exchange of information is tremendous… and this has led to a consumer who is more educated than ever before.
That includes pubic opinion about which martial arts are best for self-defense, for children, for women… you get the picture. And, the result of 26 years of commercial karate and tae kwon do schools handing out belts like candy has resulted in a public perception that they are just for kids.
So How Did We Get Here?
Folks, it’s no coincidence that I’m writing this article just before the major motion picture release of The Karate Kid remake. Certainly, this movie will spark interest in traditional martial arts training among young people (or maybe just kung fu schools – who knows?)
However, the question we need to be asking ourselves is whether we want to continue to make the same mistakes that were made in our industry over the last three decades. You know… following the tremendous influx of children that entered martial arts schools after the release of The Karate Kid in 1984.
Money makes people in our industry do some stupid things, not the least of which is watering down a martial art for mass consumption in pursuit of profit.
So, How Do We Fix This Negative Perception?
Not that I’m saying you should change your kids curriculum so you’re teaching children like little adults…
However, I am suggesting that we place the emphasis in our schools on training and learning, instead of little pieces of cloth that don’t mean much without the skill to back them up.
And, let the public know that your school focuses on training, not selling belts. At the very least, maybe we can educate the public about how to know the difference between a “black belt factory” and a serious martial arts school.
Do you agree? Disagree?
Let’s hear it! Post your comments and opinions below – I’d like to know what you think.
