Key Sales Steps for Growing a Martial Arts Business

Building a successful martial arts business is not an easy task, especially when compared to a personal training studio. This article will discuss some effective sales strategies that can help you grow your martial arts business. It will also highlight the differences between a martial arts business and a personal training studio.

The Fun Factor in Martial Arts

One of the most crucial aspects of growing a martial arts business is ensuring that the classes are enjoyable for students. According to our experience, if martial arts classes are not fun, students are likely to return to conventional gyms where they can run, lift weights, or perform other basic fitness activities. Ensuring that students enjoy their classes is vital to retaining them and attracting new students.

Encouraging Referrals and Word-of-Mouth Advertising

Another important sales strategy is to encourage students to bring their friends and family to try out your classes during quarterly or semi-annual events. These events, referred to as 'bring a friend' periods, can help you collect valuable referrals and introduce your business to new potential customers. This approach not only helps with word-of-mouth advertising but also ensures that your business gains a diverse group of students from different backgrounds and skill levels.

Offering Trial Classes with a No-Risk Contract

One of the key strategies in growing your martial arts business is to offer students a risk-free trial period. Our advice is to provide a month of classes before requiring a signed contract. This is beneficial for both parties: you can assess whether the student is right for your school, and they can determine if your classes suit their needs. A trial period can help minimize the likelihood of a bad student negatively impacting other students, either through injuries or by creating a toxic environment.

Providing Flexibility through Contractual Terms

Offering flexible contractual terms is also crucial for retaining students and ensuring that your business can adapt to changing circumstances. Consider offering a month-to-month contract that allows students to leave without penalty. This gives students peace of mind, knowing that they can participate or discontinue their participation as life circumstances demand. This also helps retain students who may be frustrated with the training but can still return if their life situation changes.

Capturing the Core Workout Experience

When evaluating the core workout experience in martial arts, it's important to offer a high-intensity, challenging workout. Our experience as a fitness enthusiast, who is mostly physically inactive and has some medical cardio and lazy-cardio issues, teaches us that hitting pads, optimizing throws, and getting hit should form the base of your martial arts classes. If your classes lack these elements, it's likely that students will seek a more intense workout elsewhere, like a traditional boot camp.

Challenging Your Students

To attract and retain students, it's essential to provide continuous challenges that meet the diverse needs of your curriculum. The curiosity of martial arts students often stems from the desire to constantly learn new techniques and overcome challenges. It's important to introduce new challenges at regular intervals so that students remain engaged and motivated.

In conclusion, the successful growth of a martial arts business requires a combination of fun, flexibility, and consistent challenge. By focusing on these key sales steps and understanding the differences between martial arts and personal training studios, you can build a thriving martial arts business that attracts and retains students effectively.