Posted by Mike Massie on March 11, 2010
Want To Fail Fast? Make Every Decision Based On What Other People Think…
Nope, I can't do it... but that doesn't mean I'm going to criticize someone else for doing it if it makes them happy and successful.
This morning on our forums, one of our members who is just getting started asked if she should start teaching three year olds.
Apparently, she is good at it and likes teaching that age group. And, there’s a demand for it in her area.
Here’s the thing… she was worried about what other people would think if she started teaching that age group. Of course, this created doubt in her mind regarding the best course of action for her to take in her business.
Thankfully, one of the members of the forum who has been in business for a few years stepped in and told her not to worry abut what other people think.
And I agree with what he said, completely. Running your business according to what other people think is the surest path to failure of any that I’ve seen in over two decades of teaching.
You may disagree with me in this particular instance, but bear with me… I am going to use it as an illustration of why you need to make business decisions based on your own judgment, and not on the opinions of others.
Getting Back To The “Teaching Three-Year-Olds” Dilemma…
Here’s the thing about this particular example – it just makes good sense from a business perspective for her to start this class.
For starters, she is just starting out. In this economy, and especially when you’re launching your school, you just can’t afford to turn away business.
Also, there’s a serious lack of competition in this niche. Think about it – no one wants that age group, and I mean no one.
And the best part is that it’s a hot market if you can handle it and you enjoy doing it.
Personally, I tried running a three and four year old class, and I hated it. But, that’s because I wasn’t good at it. I had plenty of interest though, and if I happened to be good with three-year-olds, I’d have stuck with it.
Would some instructors look down on me for it? Sure, but they aren’t paying my bills.
And, I’ll tell anyone – although I suck at working with three year olds, I greatly enjoy teaching the slightly older 4-6 year old group. In fact, they’re my favorite age group to teach.
So what if other instructors think I’m doing a romper room routine when I run that class? I could care less. I am doing something I love, providing enjoyment for those kids and their parents, and making a living doing it.
Let me tell you – there is NOTHING wrong with that.
Besides, It’s All Relative
When you think about it, anything under age 7 or 8 is just prep for the older kids classes, and any classes from ages 7-8 to teen is just prep for the adult classes. And, adult beginner’s classes are just prep for the advanced classes.
You know… where the “real” martial arts instruction takes place. 
It’s all relative… so who said you have to meet someone else’s standard of what a “real” martial arts class is in your school?
Don’t get caught up in that – it’s the quickest way to worry yourself out of business.
Who Makes The Rules On What A “Real” Martial Art School Is, Anyway?
Ten years ago, you’d have never seen a BJJ or MMA school with a kids program.
Now, every serious full-time BJJ or MMA school has some sort of kids program. Why do you think that is?
Obviously, it’s because we all deal in the same reality when it comes to running a business. What goes up must come down. The sun comes up in the east and sets in the west. Hot in summer and cold in winter. Businesses operate on cash. It’s just common sense.
Personally, if I want to learn combat sports or self defense, I am going to find the most qualified person around to train with. Then, I am going to try a few classes to see if I like that person… if I “click” with them, in other words.
If they are a world champion jiu jitsu player and a good instructor, what the heck do I care if they run a three and four year old class or an after-school pick-up program in the afternoons to make ends meet? How is that any different from them working a part-time job outside of the school to help pay their bills?
Personally (and professionally as well) I think it makes more sense for them to be making that extra income in their school rather than by working a part-time gig.
Why? Because that means their focus isn’t split – and that is going to make the school better because they are going to be able to be 100% committed to running that school.
So Before You Pass Judgment – Check Yourself
So, before you go passing judgment on a martial art school owner for teaching a program that you wouldn’t touch – let me give you some advice… check yourself and remember that you aren’t paying their bills.
Besides, someday you may be in their shoes… and you’d be surprised at how your opinions change when you have to make the rent on a full-time martial art school every month.
Posted by Mike Massie on October 7, 2009
There Are No Silver Bullets When It Comes To Marketing Your Business
If you're looking for a "silver bullet" when it comes to marketing your school... well, you may as well be hunting for werewolves and vampires, too.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.
There is no “magic bullet” when it comes to marketing your school.
So, knowing this… why is it that so many martial arts school owners continue to look for that mythical single simple solution to their marketing and recruiting dilemma?
If It Sounds Too Good To Be True…
Have you seen the ads in the magazines where the vendor promises to solve all your marketing problems?
And all you have to do is buy their product, or pay for them to visit your school and set up their marketing system for you… then voila! Your marketing problems will be solved forever!
As those of us who have been in the industry for a while know, this is a load of crap. If there was a single simple solution to our martial arts school marketing woes, everyone would be doing it.
Now, let me explain why there isn’t a single simple solution to successfully marketing a martial arts school…
Reasons Why Marketing A Small Business Is Inherently Challenging
One of the things I learned early on in my career as a small business owner is that marketing any small business is inherently difficult. There are very good reasons for why this is true, and I’ll list each one below so you’ll have a better understanding why marketing your school always seems to be a constant battle.
Reason #1: Multiple Marketing Channels. Back in the day, there were very few marketing channels available where businesses could reach consumers. In any given town, you might have a single local newspaper, three network television affiliates, and a few local radio stations that were well established in clearly defined markets.
However, that hasn’t been the case for some time now, as the internet has changed everything. Where schools could once get by with a weekly news ad and the occasional local T.V. or radio spot, in today’s marketing environment these marketing methods are nowhere near as effective… and that’s because consumers are getting their information and entertainment from multiple sources.
So, school owners who want to market their schools have a herculean task facing them… being seen everywhere on a limited budget.
Reason #2: Changing Market Conditions. Once again, the rapid advent of technology is to blame here. In this day and age, technology has become an integral part of our daily lives. To some extent, that’s a good thing, but unfortunately for the small business owner it means that when technology advances, things can change drastically in the market.
An obvious example of this can be found in advancements in digital media storage. MP3 players have all but obliterated the record store industry, and turned the recording industry on its head.
Think these sorts of changes can’t affect the martial arts industry? Think again. As life goes digital, many martial arts schools have been forced to adopt “new” technologies such as email and online video to reach consumers. And, as new technologies are similarly adapted by consumers, school owners need to be on the lookout for these trends and be ready to exploit them to successfully market their schools.
Reason #3: Increasingly Distracted Consumers. One of my all-time favorite holiday movies is “A Christmas Story.” The tale follows the trials and travails of a young boy who desires nothing more than to get “an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle” for Christmas. The movie was released in the mid-80s, back when the lifestyle in America at the time was still relatively close to the slow and comfortable pace of the 1940s depicted in the movie. (Ah, the good old days…)
But no more… In today’s world, typically both parents work outside the home. And, in single parent homes the parent necessarily works to support the family. Parents get up when it’s dark outside, see the kids off to school or daycare, rush off to commute to work, commute back home at quitting time, only to have to shuttle their kids here and there, then get home after dark in time to feed the kids, put them to bed, and maybe have a few minutes to themselves before they have to do it all over again the next day.
Kids have a slew of sports and after-school activities to choose from, not to mention video games, T.V., texting, and the internet to distract their attention. And, young professionals are faced with ever-increasing job responsibilities that cut into their social and personal time (a recent poll claimed that many young professionals are afraid to take vacations for fear of losing their jobs should something go wrong while they’re away from work).
With all this going on in the lives of consumers… how likely do you think it is that they’ll pay attention to your marketing the first time they see it? If you said, “Not likely at all,” you’re dead on. That’s why you have to get in front of the consumer repeatedly and regularly in order to effectively market your business.
So, What Does This Mean To You?
In short, it means that in today’s world you need to have a comprehensive marketing plan that exploits new technologies and that reaches consumers via multiple marketing channels. For most martial arts school owners, this may seem like a daunting undertaking. I know, because at one point I had to figure this stuff all out for myself… and then figure it out again, over and over again during changing times and economic upheavals.
That’s why I set up my coaching site to provide simple, easy-to-implement monthly marketing advice to school owners. Each month I tell the site members what they should be doing to market their schools (both via online articles, and through discussions on our member forums) and they have only to implement the plan I provide to them.
But, if you want to figure it out on your own, I can relate. Even so, I encourage you to give the membership on my business coaching site a try. It’s inexpensive, proven, and it will save you a lot of headaches… if you’re willing to take what’s provided and put it to use.
Because remember – there are no magic marketing bullets… only good marketing practices and hard work in putting those practices to use.
Until next time,
Michael D. Massie
Coaching Program: http://www.starting-a-martial-arts-school.com/
Adult Curriculum: http://selfdefenseblackbelt.com/
Social Network for Martial Arts Instructors: http://www.masainetwork.com/
Business Manual: http://www.small-dojo-big-profits.com/
Summer Camp Manual: http://startingasummerdaycamp.com/
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