Martial Arts Professional Magazine

Key Number 3: Creating a positive community in your school to reinforce student longevity. Your goal is to move martial arts training in your school beyond just an activity, and become a lifestyle or a hub of the family.

I have the amazing opportunity to speak with school owners throughout the world. I’m impressed by how much they are involved in their students’ lives and their communities.In almost all of these cases, the school owner’s heart is in the right place, but in many cases, there is a significant disconnect. These school owners usually know the details of their students’ lives. They know that Johnny’s parents are divorced. They know that Suzie is having trouble with her focus at academic school, which most likely stems from her low self-esteem and self-worth. Furthermore, these school owners person-ally know many nearby business owners and the local mayor, school officials and Chamber of Commerce members. In general, these school owners are very altruistic and responsible members of their communities.

In almost all of these cases, the school owner’s heart is in the right place, but in many cases, there is a significant disconnect.

These school owners usually know the details of their students’ lives. They know that Johnny’s parents are divorced. They know that Suzie is having trouble with her focus at academic school, which most likely stems from her low self-esteem and self-worth.

Furthermore, these school owners personally know many nearby business owners and the local mayor, school officials and Chamber of Commerce members. In general, these school owners are very altruistic and responsible members of their communities.

This relates to the retention rate in their martial arts schools in two very important ways

1. In general, school owners want to be involved in their students’ lives; they really want to make a huge, positive impact on their students; and they genuinely care about their surrounding communities.
2. Unfortunately, despite this desire to create a strong, positive sense of community in their schools, these school owners seem to do almost nothing to systematize and communicate this to their students and their families.

As a result, there are many opportunities to reinforce and garner long-term student commitment that are lost in the gap. Of course, my perspective is to think like a marketer (and, frankly, as a school owner, your perspective should be the same). Communication is everything!

In essence, we want to educate our students and their families as to the tremendous benefits of training in our schools on a long-term basis; and we need to educate them with as many means as we have at our disposal. (Keep in mind, people are typically wrapped up in their own lives, and need repeated “touches” of a message to actually hear and understand it.)

For example, when one of our students earns the “Terrific Kid” award in his elementary school, we have a tremendous opportunity to highlight him in a positive light at our school. We should bring him to the front of the class and ask everyone to give him a big “You Rock!” We should write and send a quick e-mail, explaining his accomplishment to all our members. We could ask his mother to write a letter, explaining how his martial arts training helped him accomplish this great award.

Again, unfortunately, too many owners with whom I speak don’t make this effort. They expect that, since they are doing such a great teaching job, everyone knows the benefits of the training. This is almost always false.

So, not only is it important to do a great job, inspire your students, build their confidence, increase their self-esteem and fulfill all your promises to them, but also we must constantly re-sell the benefits of their training!

I recently attended a conference where Gene Simmons was one of the guest speakers. Gene is one of the few rock stars who has managed to maintain and substantially grow his wealth, long after the peak of his career. Gene has licensed more than 4,000 products, and has created a billion-dollar business from KISS. In his presentation, he made one of his trademark statements:

“I’m in the “ME” business! My job is to pro-mote “ME!” If I don’t blow my own horn, then who will? The world doesn’t owe me anything, and it won’t provide me with anything, unless I’m willing to take it myself!”

Although he puts on a great show of bravado, he understands his job. If he doesn’t blow his own horn, then who will? If you aren’t telling your students how important it is to continue their training (and giving them specific examples of people just like them, and the AMAZING things they’ve accomplished), then who will.

In my next column, I’ll share how to use internal events, activities and social engineering to build your community!