Excellent Q&A on Starting A Martial Art School Using Small Dojo Big Profits
One of my newsletter subscribers emailed me with the following questions about my programs. I think he brings up a lot of interesting questions about Small Dojo Big Profits, so I thought I’d post my answers here for everyone’s benefit. Enjoy.
– MM
Q: My question is does your program really have a marketing schedule that is easy to follow and implement?
A: Yes and no. We have a schedule, but all marketing takes some work, and good marketing takes more than bad or lazy marketing does. You need to be realistic about starting and growing a business, especially in this economy and in this day and age. People are bombarded with marketing messages, day in and day out. You need to be visible all over your area if you want to grow your school. That takes time to implement and manage. I wish I could tell you it was easy, but then again if I did you wouldn’t be following me.
Q: Is the marketing costly?
A: It can be inexpensive, or costly – depends on your resources. I have a universal marketing cost axiom: You can either have low-cost/time-intensive marketing, or high-cost/low-time-investment marketing. Each methods differs, and you have to decide what you’re going to do based on your marketing budget.
Expect to reinvest most of your profits into your marketing for the first six to twelve months you are in business.
Q: Does your program have ideas for attendance records?
A: I have spreadsheets you can download. Simple is best, in my opinion. However, you may want to use some sort of school management software once you can afford it. It will make your life easier. I recommend a few on my sites. Or, when you join just ask the instructors on the forums to recommend what they use.
Q: Does your program teach sales technique and price disclosure techniques?
A: Small Dojo Big Profits provides a primer on appointment setting and enrollments procedures. If you want more on sales skills for martial arts instructors, my “Phone to Enrollment System” goes into much greater detail on the topic. You can purchase it here:
http://martialartschoolalliance.com/martial-arts-business-marketing-books/
Q: Do you advocate a contract system?
A: Yes. For several reasons that are plainly stated in the Small Dojo Big Profits manual, and repeated in various articles and forum posts on my membership sites. In short, using membership agreements (contracts) ensures that your clients understand exactly what is expected from them and what you’ll provide for their tuition.
In addition, it forces them to commit. I don’t believe in teaching students who aren’t committed to learning. So, it helps separate the serious from the curious.
Finally, it stabilizes your income somewhat. People are flaky these days – getting things in writing helps you keep your doors open. I don’t care what anyone says, running a month-to-month school just isn’t in your best interest.
Besides, if you can’t take your own school seriously enough to ask for an extended commitment, why should your students?