Posted by Mike Massie on March 31, 2010
Should You Lower Your Standards In Order To Increase Retention?
“How long does it take to get a black belt?”
We usually hear this question from new and prospective students, but the following question was actually posted on my member site forums this week by an instructor:
“How long does it take your kids to reach black belt? I have been told by my instructor that I will have extremely poor retention if it takes longer than 2.5 years, but I just don’t feel like that is enough time for the students to achieve the level that I expect out of a black belt.”
When is a black belt just a piece of cloth? Why, when it's bought and not earned, of course...
Kudos to this instructor for wanting to keep their quality high, even though their instructor obviously isn’t so willing to sacrifice profit for quality (I’d argue that improving quality leads to greater profits overall, but more on that later).
There were some great comments from the other members in response to the question this instructor posed. So if you’re a member and you get a chance, log in today to see what the other members have said so far.
Why I Insist On Keeping My Standards High For Achieving Black Belt
As for my answer? I replied, “As long as it takes.”
I’ve been teaching professionally for years (two decades + teaching kids). And, let me tell you…
If you set the proper expectations FROM THE BEGINNING, you are going to retain a HIGHER QUALITY OF STUDENT than if you set your school up to be a black belt mill just to make a quick buck.
Let me tell you something – the public is NOT stupid. They know exactly what is going on in your school when you “bump” someone in rank just to keep them around.
If You Think Your Clients Don’t Realize What You’re Doing Then Most Certainly, You’re The Fool
Case in point:
Last week I had an interesting conversation with a salesperson who called on my office. Once she found out what I do for a living, she quickly told me about her daughter, who has been enrolled in martial arts for the last five years. Her daughter is close to earning her junior black belt, and the mother just went on and on about all the benefits of martial arts for kids.
Her only gripe? That the instructors would often promote students whose skills and knowledge were grossly inferior to their peers, out of an apparent profit motivation. She said it was obvious they “wanted to move the kids up so they could keep making money off them.”
*Sigh*
Trade A Legacy For A Lexus? Not Me…
In my schools (where we teach a curriculum that is old school martial arts combined with modern self-defense) the average time is 4.5 years to 1st dan black belt.
For kids, it can take longer depending on at what age they enrolled. Younger kids just move slower through the junior ranks. Older kids sometimes move faster. And, we don’t give kids black belts – they get a half-black “junior black belt” in my schools.
Of course, teens and adults can do it in three years, if they’re dedicated. It’s only happened once so far, though. And, I’ll be honest – I simply don’t turn out a whole lot of black belts.
That’s for good reason. You see, I have a philosophy that not everyone is meant to be a black belt. That doesn’t preclude anyone from achieving it in my schools – far from it. However, few people will stick around and pay the price for earning a Massie black belt, because my standards are so high.
Sure, I could lower my standards and probably make a lot more money. But it’s an integrity issue for me, because I’m not going to be the type of instructor who stands on the shoulders of giants, only to walk all over their legacy.
A Quick History Lesson
I have more training and rank in Korean systems than any of the other “traditional” systems I’ve studied, and I was fortunate enough to come from a line of really hard core Korean-style instructors. Also, I am very well read and knowledgeable regarding the history of martial arts in America.
Historically, the trend surrounding taking people to black belt rapidly started with a certain large chain of Korean martial art schools, who built an empire on selling instant gratification to their students.
No, they weren’t the only ones doing it…
However, they were perhaps the most successful. Due to their success, many other school owners (including those from other styles) started seeing how much money they were making by selling belts, and it caught on.
A Few Bad Apples… Can Look Like The Whole Bushel
The sad thing is, lots of Korean and Korean-style instructors kept their standards high and refused to follow the practice. But unfortunately, the practice became so widespread among Korean-style schools that it eventually damaged the reputation of the Korean martial arts overall.
What a crying shame. Personally, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to show people how serious I am about martial arts to get respect from them, simply because of my background in Korean martial arts.
Never mind the fact that plenty of great martial artists have backgrounds in Korean systems. But, let me assure you there are still quality instructors turning out quality black belts from Korean-style schools.
But I digress… I only brought this up so you’d know how the practice of lowering belt rank promotion standards came about, and to illustrate to you younger instructors that it wasn’t always as easy as it is today to get a black belt.
Getting Back To Promoting Kids To Black Belt
Now, it’s almost the norm in American martial art schools that teach sub-styles of karate (Korean and otherwise) to rank people very quickly and rush them to black belt for fear of losing students.
Again, what a crying shame…
By making this practice the status quo, the martial arts industry in America has succeeded in doing the following:
1. They’ve watered down the martial arts in America by turning out black belts who aren’t really prepared at all to teach… who then in turn start schools before they are ready and teach their own students their own bad habits and pass on their underdeveloped knowledge of technical execution -
2. They’ve conditioned much of the public into expecting to get things quickly and easily when they enter a martial arts school. Certainly, I can teach someone to defend themselves in two or three years of study (sometimes less, depending on the student). But it takes much longer to train a competent black belt who is capable of passing on what they know.
3. They’ve led the public and their students to believe that the only prerequisite for being a competent instructor is to hold a black belt… a belief that in turn has made it much easier for the public to be duped. Typically this is by marginally-qualified charlatans and con artists posing as legitimate instructors who are more than eager to fool the public into thinking they’re getting good martial arts instruction – all while charging them handsomely for sub-par training and instruction.
Since When Did Maintaining Quality Become A Hindrance To Doing Business?
You know, one of the fastest growing martial arts styles among kids and adults in America is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. And, as everyone knows, BJJ instructors are famous for being “stingy” with rank – or, at least that’s how they’re often categorized.
Me, I say they do it right. Eight to ten years on average for earning a black belt is just about right to me, when you’re talking about preparing someone to teach and pass on what they’ve learned.
Sure, a good four or five year purple belt is more than capable of leading a good class… But I’ve long believed (based on years of observation) that it takes about ten years for an instructor to really gain a sufficient depth of knowledge regarding the subtleties of their art to become an accomplished instructor. (Note: I don’t certify a black belt as a full instructor until they’re 3rd dan or higher – which takes about eight to ten years typically.)
But wait a minute… it takes about two years on average to get the first belt in BJJ. Yet, we’ve seen people turning out in droves to join Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu schools over the last decade.
Could it be that the public really wants something that is real? Something that is worthwhile and truly earned? Something not watered down, but that’s been kept pure and honest?
I say, the answer to all of the above is a resounding “YES!”
So, Here’s My Advice…
So, here’s my advice to you – instead of worrying about losing students because you aren’t lowering the quality of your programs enough…
Worry instead about retaining students by teaching the highest quality program you possibly can – trusting that your reputation and high standards will be your strongest retention tool.
Posted by Mike Massie on January 29, 2010
Matt Stover preparing to place another one through the uprights. Photo courtesy Colts.com
So my old buddy Matt Stover is going to the Super Bowl again.
And, he’ll have the distinction of being the oldest NFL player ever to play in a Super Bowl game.
To be truthful, Matt and I haven’t spoken in years.
But, in the off-seasons prior to his 1999 and 2000 seasons with the Ravens, I had the privilege of helping Matt train his off leg for greater balance and increased kicking precision.
Those two seasons were break out seasons for Matt and the Ravens.
I’d like to believe I had a small role in that. Matt thought I did, and said so. I don’t take much credit though – there are a whole slew of professionals who work with pro athletes, and each one does their share to help out.
And, Matt’s the guy who did all the hard work, and the one with the golden leg. 
But the crazy thing is, I’d have never thought in a million years that I’d have *anything* to do with an NFL player going to the Super Bowl.
And it would have never happened if I’d listened to all the people who told me I was wasting my time with my dream of being a full-time martial arts instructor and school owner.
I thank God that He made me resilient (thank you, God).
And, when I’m watching the Colts play in the Super Bowl this year, I’ll be thinking to myself that I at least had a tiny little part in making that happen.
Have a great weekend, and go live your dreams.
Until next time,
Michael D. Massie
P.S.: Small Dojo Big Profits explains how I did it… in spite of all the people who said I couldn’t. Check it out if you need some guidance or inspiration.
Posted by Mike Massie on June 29, 2009
Starting-A-Martial-Arts-School.com and MASAInetwork.com member Don O’Neal posted an excellent article on his MASAInetwork.com blog explaining how you can get your program into a YMCA or rec center:
http://www.masainetwork.com/profiles/blogs/getting-in-a-ymca-or-rec
(Hint: Be sure to register when you hit the site – it’s free!)
The martial arts social networking site for instructors.
This is an excellent primer on how to get your foot in the door by presenting yourself in a professional manner.
I’d have to say that the #1 reason instructors aren’t offered spots at YMCAs and rec centers has to do with not being taken seriously due to not presenting their program in a professional manner.
Check out the article – it’ll help you avoid making that mistake. Oh, and be sure to message Don to thank him for contributing the article on the MASAInetwork.com site.
Until next time,
Michael D. Massie
Blog: http://martialartsbusinessdaily.com/
Social Network: http://www.masainetwork.com/
Business Manual: http://www.small-dojo-big-profits.com/
Resources: http://www.starting-a-martial-arts-school.com/
Summer Camp Manual: http://startingasummerdaycamp.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/michael.massie1
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mabizdaily
Performance Nutrition: http://truth.mymaxsystem.com/athletes.php
P.S.: Here’s some recent feedback on our business materials…
“I think your stuff is great, it is almost to good to share
but I am going to anyway. Thanks.”
Sensei Robert Taylor
Sidekick Karate
China Grove, NC
P.S.S: Still a few spots left for the August seminar:
http://martialartsbusinessdaily.com/event-registration
Posted by Mike Massie on May 27, 2009
If you're not getting the results you want from your advertising, it could be that your message is confusing your potential clients...
“I tried that and it didn’t work.”
“We ran ads in the paper, and never got any calls.”
“I can’t see the point in updating our website – it never brings us any students, anyway.”
“I don’t understand… we used to get great results from our ads, but they’ve dropped off to almost nothing.”
“Advertising doesn’t work, so we rely on word-of-mouth.”
“Business cards are a waste of money.”
3 Common Marketing Mistakes That Confuse, Dilute, and Hinder Your Marketing Message
Each of the above are statements I’ve heard over the years from school owners regarding advertising and marketing.
All too often, when a school owner’s advertising efforts fall flat, they are quick to blame everything from the advertising medium to sunspots for their lackluster results.
However, the real culprit is often that the school is sending mixed messages in their ads… and, due to the fact that “a confused mind almost never takes action,” the school’s marketing efforts subsequently produce pitiful results.
Sending The Wrong Message
For example, have you ever seen an ad for a women’s self-defense seminar featuring a picture of a terrified-looking woman being attacked and pulled into a vehicle?
This represents an obvious mixed message – the image of defeat and the message of increased safety through acquired knowledge are in conflict (and the negative image almost always wins out). So, if I wanted to attract women to a self-defense seminar, it would make much more sense to include a picture of a woman successfully defending herself from an attacker.
Here’s another example, and one you’re likely familiar with: A school runs an ad for children’s martial arts classes, promising to build self-esteem and teach valuable life skills. But, the picture in the ad shows two kids sparring, with one of them getting clobbered in the process.
Obviously, the emotion evoked by the image is incongruous with the message in the ad copy, because getting kicked in the head is probably not going to do much for that child’s self-esteem ( and while dad might think it builds character, moms are the ones who generally decide what activities their kids participate in…)
Trying To Be All Things At Once In Your Ads
Sometimes, the issue of mixed marketing messages has to do with the school placing an ad that advertises every single program the school offers. “Kids Karate! Mixed Martial Arts! Grappling! Weapons! Women’s Self-Defense! Inverted Trapeze Combat!” and so on.
The problem with this is that by trying to include something in your ad that will appeal to everyone, you end up appealing to no one. Your message ends up being too diluted to have any real impact.
A better approach would be to publish a single, laser-focused ad that zeroes in on a single market with just the right product and marketing message to appeal to that audience. In this way, you maximize your ad’s effectiveness and (although it seems contradictory) you also get a lot more mileage from your advertising dollars.
Not Providing A Clear Call To Action
The last, and perhaps most common mistake, is that of failing to provide a clear and unencumbered path to the desired action. Think about it – the purpose of the ad or marketing piece is to get that person to call, fill out a lead capture form, or walk into your school. If you haven’t made it clear to the prospect how they can do that, your ad is practically worthless.
You’d be amazed at how often this happens. Open up your local paper and start looking at the ads. I bet you can find multiple ads on every page that fail to tell the reader what to do.
- “Call us at…”
- “Visit our website now at…”
- “Come visit us between the hours of…”
Just by simply ending an ad with instructions on exactly what you want the prospect to do, you can increase the response rate significantly. I know, it sounds obvious that you want them to call you, but unless you say it (and display the phone number prominently) chances are good the reader won’t contact you at all.
In Closing
So, have you been sending your prospects mixed messages, or confusing them in your ads? take a moment today and look over all of your marketing materials. Pick out those ads and marketing pieces that are ambiguous, confusing, or that fail to clearly state the action you want the audience to take.
Then, fix them immediately! They’re your marketing dollars, and ultimately it’s entirely up to you as the owner of your business to make each one count.
—
Mike Massie is the author of Small Dojo Big Profits and runs a martial arts business coaching website for new instructors and small school owners, StartingAMartialArtSchool.com. Click here to purchase Mike’s business manuals and materials.
Posted by Mike Massie on February 21, 2009
Hey, I've just been accused of "empire-building". Guilty, as charged...
Sheesh, some people.
I had someone email me Friday saying that I “jumped the shark” by launching MASAI.
Why? Because I’m charging for it.
Wow. A business about making money? Who’da thunk it?
My mistake, I didn’t know making money was illegal in the U.S. – I hereby withdraw all my entrepreneurial overtures immediately. 
Seriously, you have to wonder what goes through someone’s head when they say things like this.
It amazes me, truly.
Here’s part of a response to a comment that I posted earlier that sums this up in the context of why some school owners fail:
I think some school owners are really confused about why they’re in business. Webster’s defines it (business) as, “A usually commercial or mercantile activity engaged in as a means of livelihood.”
By that definition, the purpose is to make a living. So, if you think you’re in business to propagate a particular style or system, to adhere to a particular curriculum or set of rank requirements, or to create disciples thereof; well, you’re mistaken, and you should really be teaching a part time program and doing something else to support yourself.
It doesn’t mean you can’t teach good martial arts and still earn a living; quite to the contrary. However, being in business does mean that you need to be selling what the customer is buying, and that’s not always a certain style or system…
And you darn sure can’t be doing it for free if you like eating and having a roof over your head.
Yep, I think that about says it all.
Until next time,
Michael D. Massie
PROUD Founder and President,
The Martial Art School Alliance International
Website: http://www.martialartschoolalliance.com/
Blog: http://martialartsbusinessdaily.com/
Business Manual: http://www.small-dojo-big-profits.com/
Resources: http://www.starting-a-martial-arts-school.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mabizdaily
P.S.: Thought you’d like to read this…
“After reading Mike’s Small Dojo Big Profits manual and
looking at the local competition I decided to make that
dreaded move…
In a time of recession and job losses I’ve actually
increased both membership and training fees!”
Bill Liddle
Bujinkan Honryu Dojo
P.S.S: Have you joined yet? What are you waiting for?
Become a member TODAY at:
http://www.martialartschoolalliance.com/join
Comments:
Filed Under: News
