{"id":6019,"date":"2026-07-11T05:13:57","date_gmt":"2026-07-11T05:13:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/martialartswealth.com\/go\/the-way-of-the-mile-high-maverick\/"},"modified":"2026-07-11T05:55:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-11T05:55:00","slug":"the-way-of-the-mile-high-maverick","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/martialartswealth.com\/go\/the-way-of-the-mile-high-maverick\/","title":{"rendered":"The Way of the Mile High Maverick"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\"The<\/div>\n
\n\u2b07 Download the Full Book (PDF)<\/a>\n\ud83d\uded2 Buy the Printed Copy on Amazon<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

Printed – Physical Copy available on Amazon.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Creating a Truly Outstanding Career with Your Martial Arts School \u2014 by Stephen Oliver, MBA, 10th Degree Black Belt. Read the complete book below, or download the PDF above.<\/p>\n

\n

Contents<\/h2>
    \n
  1. About the Author<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Preface<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Who Is Stephen Oliver and Why Should I Listen To Him?<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. It\u2019s Your Choice: Abundance or Lack of Abundance<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. Are You a Soldier in the \u201cAlarm-Clock Army?\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. An Embarrassment of Riches<\/a><\/li>\n
  7. Is Your Biggest Challenge Your Attitude and Energy?<\/a><\/li>\n
  8. Never Stop Learning<\/a><\/li>\n
  9. The Economy Sucks? Really?<\/a><\/li>\n
  10. Several Illuminating Lessons<\/a><\/li>\n
  11. Multiple Schools, Licensing and Partnerships<\/a><\/li>\n
  12. Further Thoughts on \u201cMixed-Up Martial Arts\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n
  13. What Is Your Professional Education Worth?<\/a><\/li>\n
  14. Success Is Never a Straight Line<\/a><\/li>\n
  15. Business Knowledge Aggressively Implemented Produces Awesome Results<\/a><\/li>\n
  16. Learn the Skill of Scanning<\/a><\/li>\n
  17. How Would You Know If You \u201cLost Your Mind?\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n
  18. Winners Remember Results \u2026 Losers Remember Reasons. Which Are You?<\/a><\/li>\n
  19. The 10 \u201cSecrets\u201d of Leadership<\/a><\/li>\n
  20. Are you a \u201cRaging Thunder Lizard\u201d Evangelist?<\/a><\/li>\n
  21. Get Off Your Ass!<\/a><\/li>\n
  22. Beware of the Gurus<\/a><\/li>\n
  23. How Much Can You Spend to Generate an Enrollment?<\/a><\/li>\n
  24. Winners and Losers on the West Coast<\/a><\/li>\n
  25. \u201cMixed-Up Martial Arts\u201d Draws a Reaction<\/a><\/li>\n
  26. Crisis Hits<\/a><\/li>\n
  27. Are You Ready to Commit to Success?<\/a><\/li>\n
  28. Manage Your Time, Live Your Life<\/a><\/li>\n
  29. \u201cPositioning\u201d Your Martial Arts School<\/a><\/li>\n
  30. Now is the Time to Hustle Like Never Before<\/a><\/li>\n
  31. How To \u201cTurbo Charge\u201d Your Results<\/a><\/li>\n
  32. Who Is Our Competition?<\/a><\/li>\n
  33. Big Winners, Winners, and the Mediocre Majority<\/a><\/li>\n
  34. A Great Experience<\/a><\/li>\n
  35. Don\u2019t Be a Loser. Rise to the Occasion<\/a><\/li>\n
  36. Recommendations to My Coaching Clients That You Can Use<\/a><\/li>\n
  37. Wow, Extreme Success Academy!<\/a><\/li>\n
  38. The Quickest Way to Kill a School<\/a><\/li>\n
  39. Important Issues for Large Operators<\/a><\/li>\n
  40. We\u2019re in a REALLY Simple Business<\/a><\/li>\n
  41. Critical Success Skill: Build Immunity to Criticism<\/a><\/li>\n
  42. Marketing your Martial Arts School: A Key Is Repetition<\/a><\/li>\n
  43. A Dumb Statement!<\/a><\/li>\n
  44. \u201cEntrepreneurial Seizures\u201d and Other E-myths<\/a><\/li>\n
  45. Focus Your Marketing Dollars on a Specific Target Audience<\/a><\/li>\n
  46. Marketing Your Martial Arts School: Media and Promotional Activities<\/a><\/li>\n
  47. Capturing the \u201cSlight Edge\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n
  48. Want Massive Profits? Implement a \u201cDrip\u201d System!<\/a><\/li>\n
  49. The Good Old Days That Never Were!<\/a><\/li>\n
  50. Focus Your Attention on These Issues<\/a><\/li>\n
  51. In Marketing, What\u2019s Old is New Again<\/a><\/li>\n
  52. Making Direct Mail Work for You, Part 1<\/a><\/li>\n
  53. Making Direct Mail Work for You, Part 2<\/a><\/li>\n
  54. As One Martial Artist to Another, Let\u2019s Talk Frankly About Money: Part 1<\/a><\/li>\n
  55. As One Martial Artist to Another, Let\u2019s Talk Frankly About Money, Part 2<\/a><\/li>\n
  56. As One Martial Artist to Another, Let\u2019s Talk Frankly About Money, Part 3<\/a><\/li>\n
  57. A Reveal of Ten Mistakes You Might Be Making<\/a><\/li>\n
  58. 7 Steps to a Flood of Introductory Traffic<\/a><\/li>\n
  59. Keep It Simple and Focus on What\u2019s Important<\/a><\/li>\n
  60. Have You Reached \u201cBlack Belt\u201d Rank in Business?<\/a><\/li>\n
  61. Every 7 Years \u2026 or We\u2019ve Been Spoiled<\/a><\/li>\n
  62. Some Thoughts about Style, Part 1<\/a><\/li>\n
  63. Some Thoughts about Style, Part 2<\/a><\/li>\n
  64. Some Thoughts about Style, Part 3<\/a><\/li>\n
  65. Don\u2019t Make These Stupid Mistakes in Your School!<\/a><\/li>\n
  66. Opinions About Running Your Martial Arts School\u2026Everyone\u2019s Got One!<\/a><\/li>\n
  67. There are men in the ranks who\u2019ll stay in the ranks<\/a><\/li>\n
  68. Powerful Commonalities in Our Differences<\/a><\/li>\n
  69. Stepping Over Dollars to Pick Up Pennies<\/a><\/li>\n
  70. Prepare to Review Your Year<\/a><\/li>\n
  71. Lessons Learned from Apple\u2019s Steve Jobs<\/a><\/li>\n
  72. Go Fast, Turn Left<\/a><\/li>\n
  73. A Special Report on Tuition Pricing<\/a><\/li>\n
  74. Lessons You Can Learn from Jhoon Rhee<\/a><\/li>\n
  75. An Interesting Question from a NAPMA Member<\/a><\/li>\n
  76. What\u2019s your \u201cCircus Celebrity\u201d?<\/a><\/li>\n
  77. What If There Was A Recession But You Didn\u2019t Attend?<\/a><\/li>\n
  78. Would you rather be the Apple Store or Wal-Mart?<\/a><\/li>\n
  79. Lessons from Top-Performing Schools<\/a><\/li>\n
  80. The 1% or the 99%?<\/a><\/li>\n
  81. The Inner Circle and Peak Performers Invade West Point<\/a><\/li>\n
  82. \u201cAdding 100 Students\u00aein 6 Weeks\u201d?<\/a><\/li>\n
  83. Sure Ways to \u201cShoot Yourself in the Foot and Derail your Progress\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n
  84. The Higher You Climb the Ladder, the More of a Target You Become<\/a><\/li>\n
  85. Be \u201cImpeccable.\u201c<\/a><\/li>\n
  86. MMA has Killed \u201cTraditional Martial Arts Schools?\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n
  87. 81% Upgrade Ratio<\/a><\/li>\n
  88. Hey, First, Some Reminders\u2026<\/a><\/li>\n
  89. Here are Just a Few of the THOUSANDS of School Owners<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div>\n
    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    About the Author<\/h2>\n

    Stephen Oliver, MBA, is a 10th Degree Black Belt, the founder of Mile High Karate and Martial Arts Wealth Mastery, a Georgetown University honors graduate, and one of the most accomplished strategic advisors in the martial arts industry. Known industry-wide as \u201cThe Millionaire Maker,\u201d he has spent more than five decades in the martial arts \u2014 as a practitioner, instructor, multi-school operator, tournament promoter, industry publisher, and business coach to elite school owners worldwide. For more than four decades he has built, operated, and scaled martial arts schools while coaching thousands of school owners across the United States and internationally to higher levels of professionalism, enrollment, retention, and profitability. In April 2026 he was promoted to 10th Degree Black Belt \u2014 the art\u2019s highest rank \u2014 in recognition of more than five decades of continuous contribution to the martial arts.<\/p>\n

    Stephen Oliver\u2019s lineage traces directly through the founding generation of American Tae Kwon Do and kickboxing \u2014 beginning in the Jhoon Rhee\u2013Allen Steen\u2013Pat Burleson lineage in Tulsa, continuing at the Jhoon Rhee Institute headquarters in Washington, D.C., and evolving through decades of training with Grand Master Jeff Smith, the first PKA World Light-Heavyweight Champion. His promotions reflect that lineage: First Degree Black Belt in 1978 from Jhoon Rhee; 6th Degree in 1994, also from Jhoon Rhee; 7th Degree in 2001 from Grand Master Jeff Smith; 8th Degree from Jeff Smith; and 9th Degree from Jeff Smith, Bill Wallace, Pat Burleson, and Joe Corley. In April 2026 he was promoted to 10th Degree Black Belt \u2014 the highest rank attainable in the art \u2014 by Grand Master Jeff Smith, with recognition also from the Uechi-Ryu Butokukai under Grandmaster Buzz Durkin and the Senior Council.<\/p>\n

    The book that follows was originally written in 2013; some chapters reference events of that period, but the philosophy is evergreen. \u2014 Editor<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Preface<\/h2>\n

    any of the chapters of this book are from confidential high-level letters to my Inner Circle coaching members, or from newsletters sent only to \u201cMaximum Impact\u201d members, or rarely, internal correspondence to my Mile High Karate franchise owners or staff. Therefore some will have dated references or references to events happening at the time that the memo, letter or newsletter was written. They have been included because the philosophy behind the conversation is \u201cevergreen\u201d and important for you as a school owner.<\/p>\n

    September 2013 Stephen Oliver, Evergreen, Colorado.<\/p>\n

    I know what you may be thinking:<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Who Is Stephen Oliver and Why Should I Listen To Him?<\/h2>\n

    ee, in our industry it seems like everyone has popped up to offer advice. How do you tell fact from fantasy? Value from fraud?<\/p>\n

    Unfortunately in the Martial Arts School industry most of the really successful people are spending their time growing their staff, students, martial arts schools, and especially their net profit not sharing their secrets with you. I am different from most of those sharing information in a variety of VERY important ways that are important to you and will help you dramatically grow your school and, your income!<\/p>\n

    Many of the \u201cgurus\u201d in our industry fall into one of the following categories:<\/p>\n

    1. Never been there \u2014 never done that. That\u2019s right, there\u2019s a BUNCH of people trying to sell you advice who have never sat where you sit and dealt with the problems and opportunities that you face every day in your karate school. They often are excellent speakers and persuasive purveyors of their own products, programs or subscriptions, but really never did it themselves. Their ideas are unproven. Their perspective limited to that of an outsider.<\/p>\n

    How am I different? Well, I opened my first school in 1975. And, I have been continuously operating my Mile High Karate schools in Denver since 1983. I currently have successful locations throughout North America, Australia, New Zealand , United Kingdom and the world. I\u2019ve operated a large<\/p>\n

    Stephen Oliver 10th Degree Black Belt CEO, NAPMA<\/p>\n

    multi-martial arts school operation. Have taught thousands of martial arts students and run every aspect of a school.<\/p>\n

    2. Not even a martial artist! Believe it or not, there are \u201cexperts\u201d in the martial arts business who aren\u2019t even a martial artist. They don\u2019t understand the training, mindset, and love for the martial arts that we share\u2014then dare to tell real martial artists how to run a school teaching real martial arts skills and curriculum.<\/p>\n

    How am I different? I began studying martial arts in 1969. Trained in Tae Kwon Do with the Jhoon Rhee Institute along side the likes of World Champions Jeff Smith, John Chung, Charlie Lee, and the most awesome stable of kickboxers ever assembled. More recently, I was promoted to 10th Degree Black Belt by Grandmaster Jeff Smith.<\/p>\n

    3. Have only run a school in their memory. Some of those who consult or give expert opinions only run a martial arts school in their memory \u2014 in some case distant memory. Some of those recollections seem more like a distant dream (or, in some cases vivid nightmare!). Many of these people operated in very different circumstances and times.<\/p>\n

    How am I different. I am still totally immersed in the daily operations of martial arts schools \u2014 up to doing 527 enrollment conferences in the past three years<\/p>\n

    personally \u2014 nose-to-nose, belly-to-belly. Every Monday and Friday I meet with and train our school managers and instructors \u2014 and, solve the everyday problems that you face in the real world (albeit at possibly a higher volume).<\/p>\n

    4. Never ran a successful school. Even those advice givers who really are Black Belts and run, or have run schools \u2014 usually never ran a particularly successful operation. Many got into offering advice about running a school since they really couldn\u2019t figure out how to make much of a living running schools.<\/p>\n

    How am I different? Right now, many Mile High Karate schools will do well over $500,000.00 in gross revenues (in some cases much more). I broke the $1,000,000.00 a year barrier way back in 1985, and continue to operate a hugely successful operation. I\u2019ve made a six-figure-plus personal income for over 30 years strictly from schools.<\/p>\n

    5. \u201cFlash in the Pan\u201d Often this comes in the guise of “gee, I just started figuring this stuff out and had a great year last year. What if you pay me to tell you about my short-term successes. I did $ (pick a number $100,000 net, $400,000 gross, etc., etc.), will do more this year, and would love to show you how I did it.”<\/p>\n

    How I am different? Well, I\u2019ve already covered this for you, but let\u2019s just say that there are many people who have a good year of two. Let\u2019s see if they can weather the ups and downs of our industry, and, boom years and recession. I only trust those who have weathered some internal and\/or external crisis and gotten back or stayed on top. Don\u2019t trust the unproven, untested enthusiastic newcomer.<\/p>\n

    6. Personality driven: NOT Duplicate-able. I think we\u2019d both be able to draw upon a few examples of Magnetic Personalities whose per-<\/p>\n

    sonal success is exciting, but really not something that could EVER be replicated in your operation.<\/p>\n

    How am I different? I\u2019ve run a large school operation since 1983. In that time nearly 100% of our teaching, marketing, and sales were accomplished by employees (or now, partners) who had to implement my systems. They are not dependent upon charisma or unstoppable energy. I have spent years studying operations and marketing, including formally achieving a Master\u2019s in Business Administration, that included having a literal bevy of MBA\u2019s and Ph.D.\u2019s analyze the martial arts school business to help me create powerful duplicatable systems for school operations.<\/p>\n

    7. Have lost touch with what works in the 21st century.<\/p>\n

    Unfortunately the industry is full of dinosaurs and leaders of the past, whose time has long since passed, but whose friends and associates are unwilling to say \u201cthe emperor has no clothes.\u201d Systems that may have been revolutionary in 1970 or 1980 (even 1990 and beyond) may be out of date or just plain insufficient in the current environment.<\/p>\n

    How am I different? In a variety of ways I continue to explore the \u201cleading edge\u201d of new technologies, teaching techniques, marketing strategies, and technological enhancements. I explore the latest approaches not only through my own school implementation but through an unmatched \u201cmaster-mind\u201d team of industry leaders that I network with and share ideas with constantly.<\/p>\n

    I will only share with you ideas and system that have been PROVEN to work through extensive testing in the real world of daily school operations. And, no short-term \u201cfixes,\u201d only long-term success strategies. No ideas that look interesting, but really have never been tried. I may occasion-<\/p>\n

    ally offend, but will promise to tell you the way it is \u2014 no editing or ulterior motives.<\/p>\n

    Stephen Oliver, MBA 10th Degree Black Belt CEO NAPMA (National Association of Professional Martial Artists)<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    It\u2019s Your Choice: Abundance or Lack of Abundance<\/h2>\n

    nce again, I talked to 10 school owners this week from throughout the United States. Several lamented the economy, stated that they just aren\u2019t great businesspeople and how it\u2019s impossible to convince parents or adult students to pay or commit in the current economy. I remember one conversation, scheduled for 20 minutes, but the first 10 minutes were spent listening to a very articulate explanation of why it is just impossible for anyone \u2014 \u201cbut someone like me\u201d \u2014 to make a living in the current economic climate.<\/p>\n

    During the same day, several others told me about how they are hitting all-time records. It\u2019s interesting how that works.<\/p>\n

    One school owner said that during November and December, he was in the middle of an emotional meltdown \u2014 in a panic about a cratering school and numbers. Blaming the economy! That same school owner did $45,000 during April, which, for him, is in record territory \u2014 and he is making continuing improvements.<\/p>\n

    Tony Robbins, on a few of his CDs and during his appearances, talks about \u201cmy delusion.\u201d What he means is that, in many cases, you can choose a belief system about a set of circumstances that either supports your success or your failure. Objectively, it\u2019s possible that neither is true. If you had the choice of a helpful belief or one that harms you \u2026 then, which would you choose?<\/p>\n

    For instance: You can believe that we are in a marvelously recession-proof industry. You can think it\u2019s exciting that people look to fitness and exercise as an opportunity to feel better and learn confidence and focus, when there\u2019s an overall downturn. There\u2019s<\/p>\n

    plenty of empirical evidence to support that belief, by the way. During a recession, the movie industry thrives (distraction\/entertainment) as well as fitness centers (and liquor stores for that matter). Alternately, you can believe that no one is willing to pay for martial arts lessons and it\u2019s a great time to \u201cthrow in the towel\u201d or just accept a downturn in your income.<\/p>\n

    Let me ask you a question \u2014 which belief is more likely to lead to YOUR success: Abundance or lack of abundance?<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ll tell you factually that LOTS of schools are thriving this year. School owners and staff members may be working harder. They certainly are working smarter; but their incomes are improving and their enrollments are up.<\/p>\n

    One of our Mile High Karate schools enrolled 15 new students during the first week and a half of May. Another did 17 during the first two weeks. Another generated 200 leads and 65 appointments for introductory conferences from just one event during the first week of May, while another generated 25 intros during the first week of May.<\/p>\n

    There\u2019s plenty of opportunity in the current economy. Possibly more opportunity than ever. Anyway, I\u2019ll guarantee that you\u2019ll get what you expect and see what you believe.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019m Looking Over Your Shoulder<\/p>\n

    Now, before I move on, I\u2019ll remind you of a few recommendations that I gave you during January \u2014 have you taken action yet?<\/p>\n

    First Priority: ALL possible Internal Activities and Events to create REFERRALS and Family Add-Ons<\/p>\n

    These include all of the many internal promotional campaigns and materials (including customizable artwork) that NAPMA.com provides you each month. You\u2019ve received a wealth of information in recent Tool Kits to hold many summer lead-generating and retention events.<\/p>\n

    So, REFOCUS on and MASTER Referrals:<\/p>\n

    1. READ one of the books I recommended (Bob Burg\u2019s, for instance). 2. SCHEDULE many Birthday Parties. 3. SEND invitations to all friends of students for EVERY Belt Graduation. 4. SCHEDULE crazy internal events, regularly \u2014 pump it up now. For example, July is Anti-Boredom Month and includes Cousins Day, while the third week of August is Friendship Week. There are many Web sites with more choices and information. All designed to pull more prospects into your school.<\/p>\n

    Second Priority: Hit ALL of the Grassroots Opportunities<\/p>\n

    1. Elementary schools (Show & Tell, Foreign Heritage Day, Career Day, Street Safe Class, summer\/fall carnivals\/fairs, silent auctions, etc.) 2. Every church, recreation center, community group and day care. 3. Every Boy Scout and Girl Scout function. 4. Every mall show. 5. Every kids\u2019 fair, fitness fair, etc. 6. Every community Expo, fair, carnival, flea market, etc.<\/p>\n

    Third Priority: A Starting Point to MASTER Referrals<\/p>\n

    The following books about creating referrals are listed at Amazon.com.<\/p>\n

    1. Endless Referrals, Third Edition by Bob Burg<\/p>\n

    (Paperback; Oct. 25, 2005). 2. Get More Referrals Now! by Bill Cates (Paperback; Mar 19, 2004). 3. The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea by Bob Burg and John David Mann (Hardcover; Dec. 27, 2007). 4. The Referral of a Lifetime: The Networking System That Produces Bottom-Line Results Every Day (The Ken Blanchard Series) by Tim Templeton, Ken Blanchard, and Lynda Rutledge Stephenson (Paperback; Jan. 1, 2005). 5. Don\u2019t Keep Me A Secret: Proven Tactics to Get Referrals and Introductions by Bill Cates (Paperback; Aug. 27, 2007).<\/p>\n

    Another Reminder: Back to Basics<\/p>\n

    What gets measured gets done. Are you keeping accurate stats of your school\u2019s performance? Are you focusing on exactly what\u2019s happening and benchmarking with other successful school owners? Peak Performers and Inner Circle members benchmark with each other, constantly.<\/p>\n

    1. Set Goals. 2. Know your Numbers. 3. Start with the Right People. 4. Develop a proper Staff Structure. 5. Create a Work-Hard, High-Energy Culture. 6. Ultimately, it\u2019s about marketing and selling every day.<\/p>\n

    7. Keep your \u201cMission\u201d in mind and what you are trying to accomplish. 8. No whiners. \u201cWinners Remember Results, Losers Remember Reasons.\u201d #1: You must have a high target or goal for a midrange objective, i.e., what are the Gross Revenue, Active Count and Net Profit levels you want to achieve by the end of the year? What must you accomplish TODAY, this week and this month to be on track to reach those goals? Every month, set high, but achievable, targets for Enrollments, Renewals, New Monthly Payments and Cashat-School. Make sure everyone knows what they must accomplish EVERY Day to be on track.<\/p>\n

    Daily Target = Target Enrollments Divided by Business Days<\/p>\n

    #2: Measure and Track Everything. Keep several key measures in your head (and in all of your staff members\u2019 heads) every day. Focus regularly on improving service, decreasing your dropout rate, improving renewals and expanding your student body. If you don\u2019t track your numbers and your ratios, then it\u2019s impossible to make an informed judgment of how to fix your results.<\/p>\n

    #3: Start with the right people. \u201cYou can\u2019t teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and irritates the pig.\u201d It\u2019s important to hire the HIGHEST quality people that you can find and create an environment where they can equal or exceed their other career\/ income opportunities. Choose staff members, not based on athletic talent, but on intelligence, drive, charisma and the ability to accomplish your and their goals. If you must supervise full-time people too much, then you have the wrong people. For part-timers and leadership volunteers, it\u2019s okay to supervise (and you must) every 15 minutes.<\/p>\n

    EVERYONE on your staff must look, act and be the role model that we are looking to develop in our students. The reason for enforcing hairstyles, cleanliness, proper uniforms, etc. is to control and help to manage this Product-of-the-Product necessity.<\/p>\n

    #4: The right staff structure. It\u2019s imperative to have two high quality people at any school. One of them is the owner-operator, if the owner-operator is 100% focused on the results of the business. Neither of them can be a full-time college student or high school student nor working a second job. It\u2019s imperative to have a full-time quality person focused on teaching classes effectively (and 75% of students renewing on time, 3% or less monthly dropouts, family add-ons, referrals AND external community marketing events). It\u2019s also important to have a full-time person focused on student service, intros, enrollments, renewals AND internal and external marketing activities. Neither of these people can be teenagers. Neither can have an additional career. Neither can be college nor high school students.<\/p>\n

    #5: Don\u2019t create a culture of clock-watchers. If someone starts complaining about working Saturday, or working too hard \u2026 then they are the wrong person for the job. It\u2019s important that the day be segmented, with time for external promotional activities (gym teacher\/day, after-school programs, church group activities, fairs, carnivals, business-to-business marketing, day-care demos, community center programs, etc.) and prime-time classes, renewals, enrollments and family add-ons.<\/p>\n

    Set a tone of No Excuses and focused goal setting. Involve everyone in making things happen each and every week.<\/p>\n

    #6: There is a saying making the rounds of emails, which is something to the effect of \u201cEvery day, the antelope wakes knowing it must run faster than the fastest lion to survive. Every day, the lion wakes knowing it must run faster than the slowest antelope to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Your version of that thought, for you and your school, is MARKETING. Every day, you must wake knowing that you must have 20-plus new students this month (and every month for the rest of your life) to thrive. NAPMA provides you with<\/p>\n

    plenty of marketing systems, ideas and information; however, you must start the day with your blank pad and ask, \u201cWhat additional will I do today, this week and this month to make sure I hit my enrollment numbers?\u201d At one end of the spectrum, you can hit the mall with a clipboard and guest passes, host big internal events or have a successful school program.<\/p>\n

    The question is \u201cAre you running faster than the fastest lion?\u201d<\/p>\n

    #7: Keep in mind what you are trying to accomplish. Create your school mission. Refer to it daily. Stay on track.<\/p>\n

    ANY obstacles or unnecessary distractions from your primary student mission are potentially destructive.<\/p>\n

    #8: You can\u2019t develop winners if you aren\u2019t one. Ultimately, regardless of all of the stuff you can provide your students, they will model you and your staff. You can\u2019t develop \u201cno-excuses\u201d students, if you are full of excuses. You can\u2019t develop confident students, if you lack it yourself. Make sure that you are a product of the product, every day, in every way. Ultimately, your success is up to you. You work hard, pay attention and follow the system \u2014 or not. There\u2019s nothing to blame, if you fail to thrive. Every tool you need is available. Every support system is in place. The question is \u201cWill YOU choose to be a winner or not?\u201d<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Are You a Soldier in the \u201cAlarm-Clock Army?\u201d<\/h2>\n

    \u2019ve had in-depth conversations with approximately 15 martial arts school owners during the past week. Some are grossing $50,000 to $70,000 a month. Two of them are down from $400,000 to $450,000 per year to now $250,000 to $300,000 a year. A few others are in the $6,000 to $10,000 range.<\/p>\n

    After talking with these school owners and discussing the opportunities and problems of another 30 or so schools, I\u2019ve arrived at several conclusions about what factors limit business owners of all sorts \u2014 including martial arts school owners.<\/p>\n

    Let me start with a quote from an interview with Ted Nugent that I stumbled across. (When I was 17 watching him perform \u201cCat Scratch Fever\u201d in Tulsa, I never expected to use him for success quotes! By the way, at that concert RUSH was his warm-up act!)<\/p>\n

    Ted Nugent talks a lot about discipline. Speaking on the phone from his ranch outside Waco, Texas, the Detroit-born guitarist comes back to it again and again. His life of clean living is the way to go, he says, living another way is nothing less than insane.<\/p>\n

    Nugent, who comes to Phoenix Sunday not to perform, but to speak at the National Rifle Association\u2019s annual conference, is an old-school conservative. As a member of the NRA\u2019s board of directors, he\u2019s a gun nut, to be sure, but he\u2019s also a bow nut, a family nut, an organic food nut and an alarm clock nut.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI like to call it the \u2018alarm clock army.\u2019 Those of us that still set our alarm clocks because we have a responsibility to perform, to produce, to be punctual and attentive, and professional and pursue<\/p>\n

    excellence. We come in every shape and form, we come from every walk of life.\u201d<\/p>\n

    I thought it was an interesting quote. \u201cAlarm- Clock Army?\u201d<\/p>\n

    I think back to another friend (former CEO of this company) who gave me a great quote one time. \u201cOne of my objectives is never to have to wake up to an alarm clock ever again.\u201d I had observed, first-hand, this retiring on the job without telling anyone. The culture evolved to emulate that behavior.<\/p>\n

    Well, many of the school owners I have talked to during the last week echo that sentiment in one way or another. They have mentally \u201cchecked out.\u201d They have hit numbers that put them beyond their \u201ccomfort zone,\u201d and then semi-retired on the job. The number doesn\u2019t matter. I\u2019ve seen a range of breaking even to more typically $50,000 to $70,000 a year, and, in some cases, the low $100,000s. Then, rather than hoping for more and building a better business, a stronger school and a more robust student environment \u2026 instead, they go into semi-retirement.<\/p>\n

    Immediately the numbers slip. Guess what most of them do next? They complain about the economy. They complain that their students have no money. They complain that the economy has negatively impacted their school. All the while, they forgot the \u201cAlarm Clock.\u201d They became lazy and, instead of taking action, they looked for a good excuse.<\/p>\n

    How else is this exemplified? Well, in many cases, it\u2019s by hiring staff, and then \u201cabdicating responsibility for their results.\u201d I can\u2019t tell you how many times I\u2019ve talked with an owner who just<\/p>\n

    doesn\u2019t know what his program director does on a minute-by-minute or hour-by-hour basis. They don\u2019t know the scripts that have been created for use in enrollments, intros or renewal conferences.<\/p>\n

    This certainly isn\u2019t a problem that only happens in martial arts schools. It\u2019s not even a small-company problem.<\/p>\n

    A great story I remember hearing is about when Frank Wells and Michael Eisner took the helm of Disney. Eisner brought Jeffery Katzenberg (now of DreamWorks SGK [Spielberg, Geffen, Katzenberg]) with him from Paramount. According to the story, they inherited a 9-to-5 culture, and by Friday early afternoon all of the executives were gone \u2026 many to the golf course. Immediately, Katzenberg started scheduling movie production meetings (upcoming script reviews, marketing planning, etc.) for the Disney movie studios on Sunday morning.<\/p>\n

    Obviously, many of those executives who had become lazy left in a huff. However, soon to follow was a string of the studios biggest hits since Walt died, as well as the launch of Touchstone Pictures, with the release of Good Morning Vietnam and Down and Out in Beverly Hills.<\/p>\n

    Three Deadly Mistakes (and a Bonus Fourth)<\/p>\n

    Another BIG problem that I\u2019ve seen relates to staffing.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve been banging this drum for as long as I can remember, but many haven\u2019t heard it or \u201cgotten it.\u201d School owners tend to do three things that are deadly.<\/p>\n

    First, they hire LOW QUALITY people. They hire only from within. They hire the man or woman who will work cheap, or who\u2019s been the most \u201cloyal\u201d for many years. Then, school owners experience low results. They suffer from what I like to call, \u201cYou can\u2019t teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and irritates the pig.\u201d<\/p>\n

    One of my chief trainers at Mile High Karate<\/p>\n

    said it recently this way, \u201cYou can\u2019t have mules selling to thoroughbreds.\u201d It\u2019s an interesting thought. What does that mean really? Well, your staff has to be a \u201cproduct of the product.\u201d Ask yourself, if you were the mom on the bench, then would you pay $15,000 or $20,000, so your child could emulate or develop a character similar to the instructor, assistant instructor or program director at you school?<\/p>\n

    Second, school owners have too much \u201chead count.\u201d In other words, they have several parttimers, including high school students trying to do the work that should be handled by one quality full-time person. For a school to perform well, it needs TWO high quality full-time people. One of these may be the owner-operator. A school also needs a full-time program director (typically the owner, in my opinion) and a full-time head instructor. Three part-time instructors (20 to 30 hours a week) does not equal one full-time person who\u2019s really focused on results and building his income as well as career.<\/p>\n

    Third, when school owners find a quality person, they tend to underpay him or her. If someone will work for $7 to $10 an hour, or $1,200 to $1,700 a month, then that should be a good indication that it\u2019s the wrong person. I typically start full-timers at $30,000 to $40,000 a year in base salary or 10% of the gross, or whichever is greater. Frankly, if they only earn the base salary more than one or two months in a row, then I\u2019m looking for their replacements. You want people capable of earning $50,000-plus per year and willing to be focused and work hard to accomplish it.<\/p>\n

    Another deadly mistake of school owners is a failure to recognize the hourly value of their time.<\/p>\n

    I was talking with a coaching client a couple of years ago. His school was on the lowest rung of what I typically accepted ($12,000 a month gross).<\/p>\n

    He made two statements back to back that immediately struck me as silly.<\/p>\n

    First, he said that he was frustrated at not<\/p>\n

    being able to break the $12,000-per-month barrier at his school. He had been stuck on a plateau, prior to working with me, and urgently wanted to achieve larger numbers.<\/p>\n

    Second, he said that he was very pleased that he had been enrolling many personal training clients at $80 an hour.<\/p>\n

    I paused for a minute before commenting, and then asked if he had a calculator.<\/p>\n

    Then, I asked him to divide $12,000 a month by 4.2 (weeks in a month).<\/p>\n

    Then, I asked him to divide that number by 40. When I asked him the total, he said it was a little less than $80.<\/p>\n

    I pointed out that obviously he had valued his time at $80 an hour and that\u2019s approximately the level the school was performing.<\/p>\n

    Next, I asked, \u201cWhere would you like to be within the next 90 days? His response was $30,000 a month. Well, working backwards, I explained that everything he touched had to be worth $180 an hour, if his school was to earn $30,000 a month during a 40-hour workweek. To move to $50,000 a month meant each hour must be worth $300.<\/p>\n

    Another school owner, doing a little more than $10,000 a month on average, explained that he had taken a $35,000-a-year \u201cday job\u201d to supplement his income. Well, that translates to $17 per hour. There are MANY things you can do to make $80, $100, $120, or even $300 or more per hour, if you are working on your school effectively, with maximum energy.<\/p>\n

    Another Quick MHK Update<\/p>\n

    There are approximately 50 regions in the United States for Regional Developers and we\u2019ve already had to reject repeatedly school owners and regional developer prospects because their areas having already been taken. I recommend that if you want to develop a substantial business with few staff members, then take a look at our Regional Developer structure. This is only for successful and adequately capitalized school owners ready for the \u201cnext step.\u201d To take the guesswork from developing your school and to be a \u201cwell-oiled machine,\u201d with all systems in place overnight, consider our franchise opportunity, and visit www.MileHighWebinar.com for more information.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    An Embarrassment of Riches<\/h2>\n

    or the first time in recent memory \u2026 I\u2019m so embarrassed!<\/p>\n

    I recently returned from the Martial Arts SuperShow in Las Vegas. I must admit that I was treated like a king: Front-row seat for a luncheon with Dana White, a special \u201cPlatinum\u201d award from Century at Studio 54 and \u201cred-carpet treatment\u201d start to finish. Of course, Century spent a virtual fortune on the show, including a private jet for Tony Robbins to travel to the show.<\/p>\n

    OK, so why am I embarrassed? Well, for the first time, I\u2019ve noticed the \u201ctipping point\u201d among the martial arts crowd and, unfortunately, it\u2019s back to the 1960s.<\/p>\n

    The martial arts that I love is exemplified in Karate-Do: My Way of Life by Gichin Funakoshi or The Karate Dojo: Traditions and Tales of a Martial Art by Peter Urban, and not, alas, in Iceman: My Fighting Life by Chuck Liddell and Chad Millman, Blood in the Cage: Mixed Martial Arts by Pat Miletich, Furious Rise of the UFC by L. Jon Wertheim, This Is Gonna Hurt: The Life of a Mixed Martial Arts Champion by Tito Ortiz, or the many other books that have hit the best-seller lists recently.<\/p>\n

    Now, don\u2019t misunderstand me. We\u2019ve been studying \u201cMixed Martial Arts\u201d long before UFC. I studied Judo during the 1960s, as did Bill Wallace, Chuck Norris and many others. Jeff Smith fought in one of the earlier MMA championships during the 1970s in Hawaii. The concept of MMA is not new. Go watch Enter the Dragon to see Bruce Lee leading the charge during the 1960s and 1970s. Frankly, the other thing that\u2019s not new is having people of low character or, at the least those who represent the baser instincts, in martial arts.<\/p>\n

    Again, back to the early days. The reason Texas and Oklahoma point fighting was called \u201cblood & guts\u201d was that it was mostly without rules and about, well, blood and guts. Again, nothing new.<\/p>\n

    Once, when Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee was a guest of mine at a big event with several thousand Mile High Karate students in attendance, I asked him, \u201cMaster Rhee, why don\u2019t you present a background and history of Tae Kwon Do? We\u2019ve never done that and with you it would truly be historical.\u201d He answered, \u201cAll those guys were thugs and criminals. My father forbade me to study with them, so I had to do it behind his back. I don\u2019t want to talk about that!\u201d<\/p>\n

    I\u2019m embarrassed because I went to Vegas, where conservatively 60\u201370% of the audience was there for an UFC-fighter autograph, only to learn the next way to choke someone out. I went to the offensive movie Bruno in which a cage-fighting scene makes the character in the movie seem \u201cnormal\u201d compared to IQ-deficit MMA fans (plus, a scene on how to protect yourself from a gay by an instructor who hopefully knew it was a gag).<\/p>\n

    I saw an article about the scene in Bruno. Sacha Baron Cohen, the 37-year-old British actor, said the scene involved his gay character, Bruno, hosting a real cage fight in Arkansas.<\/p>\n

    \u201cThere were 2,000 drunk, good-old boys baying for blood,\u201d he said, while appearing as himself on The Late Show with David Letterman.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI was told not to worry, it would take someone two minutes to climb in the cage. The audience booed me and I challenged them to a fight, thinking I was safe.<\/p>\n

    \u201cThen a 6 ft. 8 in. guy on steroids catapulted over the fence in two seconds and stood in front of me as the crowd cheered, \u2018Kill him, kill him\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Next, Monday morning I picked up The Wall Street Journal, which actually had a review of UFC 100. The review was embarrassing as well.<\/p>\n

    It ranged from Brock Lesnar and his opponent rolling with each other in a hug (I was expecting them to \u201cspoon\u201d next and watch Animal Planet) to Lesnar flipping off the crowd and boasting that he was going home and drink Coors Light\u00ae (good for Colorado, bad for the UFC sponsor Bud Light\u00ae) to what he would do to his wife that night (i.e., \u201canimal planet\u201d). This spectacle was seen by 1,000,000 households, which were probably 4,000,000 to 5,000,000 people. Unfortunately, the positive image of martial arts, as a clean-cut activity for kids and families, that was portrayed in The Karate Kid movies and since, is being progressively eliminated by this image of MMA as \u201cMartial Arts.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Now, again, let me be clear. I certainly don\u2019t blame Dana White. He seems a VERY intelligent guy who has done everything right to build UFC into a billion-dollar company and its fights into one of the most popular spectator sports anywhere. I also don\u2019t blame him for the bimbos in bikinis, tattoos, foul language and beer sponsors. He was TARGETING the lucrative (for TV advertising) 18- to 30-year-old male crowd.<\/p>\n

    That\u2019s a great crowd for spectator sports, but, frankly, a horrible audience for school owners looking to develop quality students.<\/p>\n

    Really, I blame us. It\u2019s the old statement, \u201cWe Have Seen the Enemy and It Is Us,\u201d from the cartoon, Pogo. Why have so many martial artists been swayed by the popular trends and destroyed what we do? Many schools really have become \u201cMixed-Up Martial Arts.\u201d<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s become so crazy that even some of these<\/p>\n

    foul-mouthed guys think they are running kids<\/p>\n

    and family programs. I don\u2019t know about you, but<\/p>\n

    my 7-year-old won\u2019t be anywhere near any of this<\/p>\n

    crap. What must we do?<\/p>\n

    RUN, do not walk in the opposite direction.<\/p>\n

    If you want to attract students who are educated,<\/p>\n

    can pay a reasonable tuition, and will stay for sev-<\/p>\n

    eral years rather than several months, then you<\/p>\n

    MUST not be associated with the expanding<\/p>\n

    MMA image. It\u2019s impossible to run the highest<\/p>\n

    quality family program, if you are also offering<\/p>\n

    the other stuff.<\/p>\n

    That doesn\u2019t mean that you don\u2019t integrate vari-<\/p>\n

    ous styles. There are many OUTSTANDING BJJ<\/p>\n

    instructors and clean-cut schools. There are many<\/p>\n

    instructors who combine fighting styles. Person-<\/p>\n

    ally, I\u2019ve had this conversation with Bill Wallace,<\/p>\n

    Joe Lewis, Jeff Smith, Carlos Machado and many<\/p>\n

    other stars of the industry. All of them agree with<\/p>\n

    my perspective. Clearly, most highly successful<\/p>\n

    school owners, such as Bill Clark, Keith Haf-<\/p>\n

    ner and others, have run in the opposite direc-<\/p>\n

    tion. Some have embraced the MMA trend, but,<\/p>\n

    frankly, I think it\u2019s a bad idea.<\/p>\n

    Finally, don\u2019t miss the point that you will soon<\/p>\n

    be competing with UFC gyms, LA Boxing and<\/p>\n

    many others that are opening, as national fran-<\/p>\n

    chises or corporate locations.<\/p>\n

    On a lighter note, I actually made time for what<\/p>\n

    I truly mean to do on an ongoing basis. What is<\/p>\n

    that? Well, I\u2019ve been touching base again with<\/p>\n

    some dear old friends and sharing their honest<\/p>\n

    and divergent opinions about our relationships.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Is Your Biggest Challenge Your Attitude and Energy?<\/h2>\n

    \u2019ve talked with many school owners during the last month, and I\u2019ve discovered two common issues that limit their success and those are their attitudes about their lives and businesses \u2014 and the energy they expend for their schools.<\/p>\n

    My objective is to reveal common denominators that cause school owners to struggle with the way they see and react to the world around them.<\/p>\n

    The title of Wayne Dwyer\u2019s book, You\u2019ll See It When You Believe It, speaks volumes, and could turn around many lives, if its meaning is really understood.<\/p>\n

    When events in your life create negative feelings or when people with whom you interact everyday leave you frustrated, then it\u2019s time to evaluate your belief system. After all, the world around you is just a reflection of your thinking.<\/p>\n

    Although the term, \u201cpeople management\u201d may be inappropriate, it is a good place to start. As one smart author once wrote, \u201cYou manage things; you lead people.\u201d During the years, I\u2019ve adopted some meaningful metaphors for feeling frustrated when \u201cmanaging people.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Accomplishing anything in one\u2019s life (or business) is like \u201cpushing rope.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Managing people is like \u201cherding cats.\u201d These metaphors may reflect the way you\u2019ve felt many times, they indicate an attempt \u201cto manage\u201d instead of \u201cto lead.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Pushing people to accomplish tasks, be responsible or excel is really worse than \u201cpushing rope,\u201d since people will \u201cpush back\u201d or resist your attempts to manage them. In either case, pushing people or herding cats are both highly unproductive.<\/p>\n

    Like me, I am sure you have struggled with the same unproductive mental cycle \u2014 irritation, frustration, anger, and then finally, realization that the only way to lead your organization is by example.<\/p>\n

    If you want your instructor to teach better, then teach a class yourself, and then help them to improve their teaching methods from your example.<\/p>\n

    If you want to improve your sales efforts, then model success and teach by example.<\/p>\n

    The old adage, \u201cdo as I tell you, not as I do it,\u201d neither leads nor inspires. Too many school owners find themselves trapped when they \u201clead from the front\u201d for martial arts training, but \u201cpush\u201d their staffs to improve business performance, while ignoring it themselves.<\/p>\n

    It just doesn\u2019t work. Tweaking your systems, writing manuals or implementing rewards and punishments programs will never fix a failure to lead from the front. Assigning staff members the responsibility of managing systems or accomplishing tasks you don\u2019t understand yourself is a similar failure to lead.<\/p>\n

    As a school owner, you must master each of the core processes \u2014 marketing, sales and teaching \u2014 before you hire a new employee or involve a current employee in the management of these processes, regardless of how well those employees may be able to do the job.<\/p>\n

    Sales is a particularly misunderstood and mismanaged process in most schools. Instructors feel that selling is beneath them, while never realizing that their most important job as a teacher is to sell the students on becoming Black Belts and<\/p>\n

    developing their maximum potential.<\/p>\n

    Any high school teacher should understand that a key mission of their teaching role is to encourage students to graduate and aspire to higher<\/p>\n

    education. Few of those students (or their parents) would respect a teacher who refused to \u201csell\u201d students to stay in school and graduate.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Never Stop Learning<\/h2>\n

    o matter how much you know, there\u2019s always more to learn.<\/p>\n

    Are you an AGGRESSIVE student? How many non-fiction books have you read this year?<\/p>\n

    Do you take notes when you read?<\/p>\n

    Do you write in the books and jot ideas and<\/p>\n

    implementation strategies?<\/p>\n

    Do you ever re-read a book 2, 3, 5 or 10 times?<\/p>\n

    Do you LOVE Amazon.com or your local<\/p>\n

    Barnes & Noble bookstore?<\/p>\n

    How many biographies have you read?<\/p>\n

    How many audio CDs have you purchased,<\/p>\n

    and then listened to their contents, repeatedly?<\/p>\n

    Are you on the Nightingale-Conant preferred-<\/p>\n

    customers list?<\/p>\n

    Do you obtain ANY industry-specific infor-<\/p>\n

    mation available?<\/p>\n

    Do you subscribe to all of our industry\u2019s school<\/p>\n

    materials?<\/p>\n

    How many DVDs have your purchased and<\/p>\n

    watched?<\/p>\n

    Do you own the Kovar series?<\/p>\n

    How many curriculum-oriented DVDs do you<\/p>\n

    have?<\/p>\n

    Do you have materials from Zig Ziglar, Jay<\/p>\n

    Abraham, Tony Robbins or Denis Waitley?<\/p>\n

    Do you go to many seminars?<\/p>\n

    Do you go to every industry-specific seminar?<\/p>\n

    How much would you spend for a seminar?<\/p>\n

    Would $2,000, $3,000, $5,000 or $10,000 be too<\/p>\n

    much? Why?<\/p>\n

    What types of seminars would you and have<\/p>\n

    you attended? Is it time to \u201clearn outside the box\u201d<\/p>\n

    and explore other subjects?<\/p>\n

    Have you thought about returning to college?<\/p>\n

    Would a BA, BS, MA, MS or MBA be help-<\/p>\n

    ful?<\/p>\n

    Do you have any MENTORS?<\/p>\n

    How often do you talk to them?<\/p>\n

    Do you know their strengths and weaknesses?<\/p>\n

    How\u2019s your peer networking?<\/p>\n

    Do you talk with at least three people per week<\/p>\n

    who are doing something better than you?<\/p>\n

    Do you share and obtain ideas regularly?<\/p>\n

    Do you talk to successful people outside your<\/p>\n

    \u201cnormal\u201d circle of acquaintances?<\/p>\n

    The most successful people I know do several<\/p>\n

    things religiously:<\/p>\n

    1. Read biographies of successful people.<\/p>\n

    2. Read often.<\/p>\n

    3. Keep a dictionary on their desks and search<\/p>\n

    for words that they don\u2019t know or use con-<\/p>\n

    sistently.<\/p>\n

    4. Break from their \u201cparadigm\u201d to look at<\/p>\n

    things in new ways.<\/p>\n

    5. Talk to people who are more successful<\/p>\n

    than they.<\/p>\n

    6. Listen more than they talk.<\/p>\n

    As soon as you stop being a student, you stop<\/p>\n

    growing. Look for new information AND apply<\/p>\n

    it to your business and life. Avoid learning just for<\/p>\n

    it\u2019s own sake, but apply that information quickly.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    The Economy Sucks? Really?<\/h2>\n

    \u2019ve had the interesting and annoying experience of \u201ccar shopping\u201d recently.<\/p>\n

    A couple of months ago I was running errands \u2014 trying to find copies of The E-Myth at various bookstores around Denver, since I had waited until the last minute to decide to use that book for our Regional Developer Training. While we waited to turn left into a Barnes & Noble parking lot, an otherwise nice 18-year-old, recent high school graduate gunned his SUV while looking for songs on his iPod. He failed to notice my car\u2019s blinking turn signal and rammed into my Mercedes at probably 35 mph and accelerating.<\/p>\n

    His SUV looked like it had been in a war. His \u201cdeer catcher\u2019s\u201d front end was torn off. Smoke was coming from the engine. His front bumper was gone, hood crumpled. His SUV wasn\u2019t drivable. In my case, my Mercedes had a dent in the rear quarter panel. The bumper was unharmed, except the plastic cover, which snapped back into position. Rob and I and the young man waited for the police. I consoled the young man, proceeded to purchase a couple more copies of the book and drove to our next errand.<\/p>\n

    Well, the insurance company also \u201ctotaled\u201d my car, giving us approximately $10,000 more than the repair estimate. Apparently, Mercedes parts can cost more than expected, and some of the electronics can really increase the price.<\/p>\n

    Now, I\u2019m looking for a replacement. It\u2019s interesting because I know that car companies, dealerships and salespeople have been whining for a year now about how bad their industry has become.<\/p>\n

    Anyway, on to my point. We\u2019ve been visiting many BMW, Mercedes, and Lexus dealerships, looking for a mid-size,<\/p>\n

    4-door sedan with all-wheel drive. That narrows the choices to a Lexus GS 350 AWD, BMW 5-Series (BMW 535ix) and another Mercedes E Series (E500 4-Matic).<\/p>\n

    Now, after visiting a bunch of dealerships, you would think that these guys are semi-retired and really would prefer to collect the cars rather than sell them.<\/p>\n

    What do I mean? Well, Jodi (my new ex), seems determined to get the BMW 535ix. (The totaled Mercedes was really her car. I primarily drive the Porsche Turbo.) We went to a HUGE, new dealership in south Denver. It has a HUGE inventory and a multi-million dollar facility in a location between Cherry Creek and Highlands Ranch (a RICH area of town).<\/p>\n

    We\u2019ve been to that dealership three times now. EACH time, we\u2019ve dealt with salespeople who did the following:<\/p>\n

    1. Kept us waiting for what seemed like hours (probably 15-20 minutes before being helped). 2. Had no idea what inventory they had. 3. Had no idea how the features and functions of the cars they were selling worked. 4. Spent one to three hours with us, including test-drives in at least one car. After all of the above, none of the three salesmen asked for my name, address, phone number or email. None asked any \u201cbackground questions,\u201d i.e., what I do for a living or why we were shopping now. None asked SPECIFICALLY what car we wanted, so they could find it for us. None followed up, and obviously had no system\/method to do so.<\/p>\n

    Now, this dealership must have MILLIONS of dollars invested in its facility, a huge overhead and PLENTY of inventory.<\/p>\n

    Most of the time, its salespeople were hanging out in the dealership (several of them played with my daughter\u2019s new puppy during one trip). I\u2019m sure they are bitching about the recession. The owner is worried by the downturn.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019m betting he spent 100 times on the facility compared to service and sales training for the staff.<\/p>\n

    Stupid, VERY stupid on his part. We needed a new car and we walked into the dealership with a check in my pocket ready to buy. Clearly, we were as \u201clive\u201d a prospect as exists.<\/p>\n

    Anyway, we visited another dealership. The salesperson was a retired chief from the Air Force. He asked background questions. He did his best to determine exactly what Jodi wanted. (Not that I could recognize the difference of the three she hadn\u2019t liked. The wood trim on the door was the wrong color or orientation, or some such thing.)<\/p>\n

    This salesperson has followed up. He researched new and used inventory that was<\/p>\n

    on its way to the dealership. He called whenever a new car was headed for prep. He generally built rapport, followed up and has done his job.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ll tell you sincerely that even if it\u2019s not exactly the car we wanted, then I want to buy it from him. If the other dealership has exactly the right car at the right price, then I\u2019ll be disappointed and frustrated to buy it from there.<\/p>\n

    How does this apply to you? Well, your students are more persuaded by your follow-up, sincerity, competence and care for them than your technical proficiency \u2014 certainly more than price. At the first dealership, I\u2019d haggle for every penny. At the second, I\u2019d want to be quoted a reasonable price, but wouldn\u2019t be pushing for every penny.<\/p>\n

    Oh, at the second dealer, the salesperson has had several cars arrive just this week, and they were sold before we had time to look at them. Recession, what recession?<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Several Illuminating Lessons<\/h2>\n

    llow me to share an email I received from one of my Mile High Karate school owner\/operators. He operates one of our schools.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI did two renewals today that went well; and one Saturday that went to HELL. The wife was infuriated with our agreements and us, and wished to terminate. She apparently did some research about your martial arts coaching and you, and was rather irritated that we would like to make money for a living. She was rather upset that her child had gained confidence in the program! How in the hell do you respond to that statement? She was ignorant about the martial arts and our program, and just frustrated the living hell out of me. Sorry, I just thought I would vent a little.\u201d<\/p>\n

    I want to share this message with you because it provides several illuminating lessons.<\/p>\n

    First, and, most importantly: You can\u2019t please everyone all the time.<\/p>\n

    If you try to please everyone, then the results are inevitable: You mean nothing to anyone. It\u2019s important to recognize that most personal success stories are \u201cpolarizing.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The successful people tend to be at one end of a spectrum or another, such as Rush Limbaugh and Howard Stern on radio, Donald Trump on TV or even Bruce Lee.<\/p>\n

    Anyone who is very successful gains both a loyal following and an opposing group that loathes his or her success. Successful people must realize that offending a segment of the population goes with the territory.<\/p>\n

    Second: Be immune to criticism. Never, I repeat, never, take rejection personally or worry about what the critics say. My school operator was obviously frustrated; and his report to me was full of his raw emotions because he was reacting to the woman\u2019s criticisms, personally.<\/p>\n

    I immediately recognized his \u201cpersonal\u201d reaction; however, I also realized that if his feedback about this dissatisfied mom was even 30% accurate, then we didn\u2019t want her at the school. Part of the definition of a professional is the ability to reduce the intrusion of emotions or personal reactions into the decision-making process and operation of your profession.<\/p>\n

    If movie stars and celebrities did not have this ability (and not all of them do), then they would be emotional wrecks. You must be immune to criticism to be successful, and the more successful you become, the more critics you will attract!<\/p>\n

    Third: Be extremely satisfied with \u201ctwo steps forward and one step back.\u201d<\/p>\n

    You read the email: \u201cI did two renewals today that went well; and one Saturday that went to HELL.\u201d Naturally, the owner\/operator was allowing his frustration and disappointment about the one renewal to make it seem more important than the two that went well.<\/p>\n

    Those were easy; full of pleasantries and no spikes of emotion to register sharply on the memory. While the one \u201cthat went to HELL\u201d sent emotions off the scale, which is the one most remembered.<\/p>\n

    The trick is to re-direct your emotions to your successes. Revel in those and forget the rejection. After all, one renewal per business day equals 20 to 25 per month \u2014 and I\u2019d be happy with that any month. There\u2019s no value to becoming frustrated by<\/p>\n

    one dysfunctional human being, except to learn that there will be more!<\/p>\n

    Fourth: The solution is often \u201csupply & demand.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Supply and demand is one of the oldest theories, or laws, of economics, and it applies to your martial arts school in much the same way as the largest global corporation. Understanding supply and demand and using it advantageously will solve MANY problems operating a martial arts school.<\/p>\n

    In simplest terms, you win when what you supply is limited, but there is great demand for it. If you have a huge surge of new enrollments<\/p>\n

    and current students begging to join your Black Belt Club, Master Club, Leadership program or whatever your highest level \u201cupgrade program\u201d happens to be, then a number of positive results occur.<\/p>\n

    First, fewer people complain. Second, you are less concerned about students who \u201cdon\u2019t fit\u201d with your school\u2019s culture. Third, you reduce the need to \u201csell\u201d because the trust and credibility of your \u201csocial proof\u201d begins to dominate prospects\u2019 decision-making, which makes them want to be involved with your school.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Multiple Schools, Licensing and Partnerships<\/h2>\n

    \u2019ve been inundated recently with questions from Coaching and Mastermind members and others about opening multiple schools through license agreements, partnerships or various other \u201cbusiness agreement\u201d scenarios. There was also an article in an industry magazine that addressed this topic, and I believe the author was partially right, but suggested dangerously wrong conclusions.<\/p>\n

    Those who have been asking me about how to expand to multiple schools are contemplating what amounts to a franchise business without complying with franchise law. That is a risky, and frankly, unwise move.<\/p>\n

    This is a subject in which I\u2019ve become an expert during the last four or five years. I\u2019m an American Bar Association member, a member of the ABA\u2019s forum on franchising and an International Franchise Association member.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve also provided the means for the law firm that represents my interests to live in opulent style for the past several years helping me to register as a legitimate franchise business.<\/p>\n

    The International Franchise Association recently estimated that $250,000 to $500,000 is required for a new franchisor to open the doors, and the franchisor failure rate is approximately 70%. Having been through the process from A to Z, I don\u2019t question either number.<\/p>\n

    The rationale for an entrepreneur to become a franchise business owner is undeniable, as the following excerpt from a recent article confirms.<\/p>\n

    \u201cA good way to reduce your risk of failure is to purchase a franchise because franchises typically have a higher success rate than other types<\/p>\n

    of small businesses. Conventional wisdom holds that franchises have a failure rate of about 5 percent, compared to the 50 percent failure rate of independent entrepreneurs. Successful franchisors have developed \u2018formulas\u2019 for starting a new business. The good franchisors want your new business to succeed. If you fail, they fail.\u201d<\/p>\n

    I receive enough returned mailings and general correspondence to know that the failure rate of independent martial arts schools far exceeds 20% per year, which is 100% in 5 years; and, that doesn\u2019t include what I call the \u201cWalking Dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Another article excerpt will reinforce my point. \u201cThis is the franchise duck test: If you act like a duck, look like a duck and talk like a duck-then, YOU ARE A DUCK!!! Even if the duck advisor, i.e., your attorney, says you are a COW. You can\u2019t do business legally as a COW, if you are really a DUCK. More importantly, you don\u2019t get to vote! Franchising is regulated by law.<\/p>\n

    \u201cThe general test of whether or not a business opportunity is a franchise, can be summarized as follows:<\/p>\n

    If you sell a business opportunity to any person and you.<\/p>\n

    Allow the buyer to use your company name or logo.<\/p>\n

    Charge a fee to the buyer (inside or outside of product or service).<\/p>\n

    Provide any significant assistance or maintain any significant control over any part of the business.\u201d<\/p>\n

    I strongly urge that you talk to me first, if you are contemplating multi-school expansion. I remain convinced that the best expansion process<\/p>\n

    involves on-site ownership with \u201cresidual income\u201d for your efforts as trainer and chief instructor. If you are searching for a solution to this issue, then<\/p>\n

    e-mail me at StephenOliver@MileHighKarate. com or www.MileHiighFranchise.com.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Further Thoughts on \u201cMixed-Up Martial Arts\u201d<\/h2>\n

    just spent a couple of days here in Evergreen, Colorado with my old and dear friend, Tim Kovar. As you may know, for many years, he was the business backbone of Kovar\u2019s, that he ran with his brother Dave, who\u2019s a consummate martial artist.<\/p>\n

    Tim has been out of the business for a while now (about two years). He left Satori as they added outside management and as the company grew by leaps and bounds, bringing in several million in outside venture capital.<\/p>\n

    If was fun and exciting to catch up with my old friend. It was also interesting to hear his take on the current state of the martial arts industry and a few private thoughts on his business development inside and outside the industry.<\/p>\n

    He and his brother may join us at the Extreme Success Academy. If Tim joins us, then it will be to share ideas about alternative income sources as a martial arts school owner. In his case, he has become very experienced in real estate development as well as complementary businesses to martial arts schools.<\/p>\n

    Now, to follow up on my comments last month in this newsletter about \u201cMixed-Up Martial Arts,\u201d I\u2019ll relate a conversation that I had with Tim many years ago. During the first iteration of UFC\u00ae, when it was still dominated by the Gracie family, Tim and I had talked about the future of the martial arts industry.<\/p>\n

    He told me that his brother was concerned that UFC would be the death of traditional schools. When asked what Dave meant, Tim explained that as people watched UFC and recognized the effectiveness of grappling and various MMA<\/p>\n

    movements they would no longer be interested in learning Tae Kwon Do, Kenpo or whatever style in favor of a preference for MMA-type training.<\/p>\n

    At the time, as you may imagine, I told Tim I thought that was crazy.<\/p>\n

    I explained my thoughts in part by relating this observation. One of the top boxing matches in recent memory (then) was Evander Holyfield-Mike Tyson 1. As I recall, it was one of the most anticipated matches (having been cancelled or rescheduled several times), and had one of the biggest pay-per-view audiences to that point. Given the huge spectator appeal of that fight, by the UFC\/ MMA logic, there obviously was a huge outpouring of interest in taking up boxing in the weeks and months following the fight, right? Boxing gyms\u2019 phones were ringing off the hook? I\u2019m guessing that didn\u2019t happen.<\/p>\n

    See, we confuse the popularity of a spectator sport with participant activity. In the United States, soccer is one of the biggest participant sports for kids; however, for years, soccer has had a very difficult time obtaining TV coverage, much less popularity as a spectator sport. During recent years, NASCAR has been incredibly popular as a spectator sport; however, I doubt that most NASCAR fans have bought a racing suit and driving shoes and enrolled in driving classes at their local tracks.<\/p>\n

    Anyway, I digress. I told Tim at the time that if he and his brother thought that was true (UFC killing traditional lessons because of \u201ceffectiveness\u201d), then he should run a simple test. I suggested taking an edited highlights video of recent UFC fights and playing it during their introduc-<\/p>\n

    tory classes during the next couple of months. I commented that if their conversion rates improved (more people enrolled), then they were right. If they declined, then, perhaps, I was right.<\/p>\n

    In retrospect, that conversation missed a few key points.<\/p>\n

    First, unfortunately, UFC has become so popular that the general public now confuses it as \u201cMartial Arts,\u201d and, therefore, the assumption about \u201ckilling traditional training\u201d is correct for the wrong reasons.<\/p>\n

    Second, clearly, in one way, Dave was right.<\/p>\n

    There is a market (albeit small) for people looking for realistic training. Krav Maga, BJJ, MMA, etc., have all attracted an audience with that in mind.<\/p>\n

    Finally, the whole discussion misses the mark by failing to recognize market segments. The Kovar\u2019s typical students (and Mile High Karate\u2019s and Keith Hafner\u2019s, etc.) are kids, or the family market, and adults who are not primarily looking to become \u201cfighters.\u201d That having been said, the appeal of a spectator sport does not translate into a solid \u201cgrassroots\u201d participant activity.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    What Is Your Professional Education Worth?<\/h2>\n

    ecently, I\u2019ve received several comments about the cost of professional education products. Most of their messages can be encapsulated into:<\/p>\n

    \u201cGee, all of this stuff is really expensive. I can\u2019t afford to spend so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

    I even had one old friend who said: \u201cI\u2019m doing 10 enrollments a month and grossing $30,000 a month. I need to reach 20 enrollments a month and I\u2019ve been told you are the best in the martial arts industry at marketing \u2026 tell me what I need and I\u2019ll get it.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The conversation came completely undone when my first suggestion received the following response:<\/p>\n

    \u201cThat\u2019s too much.\u201d Keep in mind, that in his case, increasing enrollments from 10 to 20 per month generates $30,000 a month or $360,000 per year in added revenues. An even more important consideration is that $360,000 in added revenue per year probably increases his net from $70,000 per year to approximately $400,000 per year \u2014 a 500% to 600% INCREASE. The conversation finally ended when my least expensive suggestion, costing approximately $1,200, was countered by his willingness to invest no more than $600.<\/p>\n

    If you know me at all, then you\u2019re able to guess my attitude.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019m still driving my Porsche and he\u2019s still enrolling 10 new students a month. It\u2019s \u201cno skin off my nose.\u201d It\u2019s his loss, and it makes no difference whatsoever to my lifestyle or outlook. I am only able to help those school owners who want the<\/p>\n

    help, and are willing to invest in their professional education.<\/p>\n

    How much are you investing on your professional education?<\/p>\n

    I recommend two strategies: First, you must be willing to invest one dollar, if it returns two or more dollars. I often rail on this subject, but I do believe in the Benjamin Franklin quote: \u201cEmpty your purse into your mind and your mind will fill your purse.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Second, YOU SHOULD HAVE A CON- TINUOUS STUDY PROJECT.<\/p>\n

    There is much to choose, but my past course of study may help you:<\/p>\n

    Educational Psychology The Psychology of Motivational Teaching Direct Response Marketing Internet Marketing Effective Personal Selling Rapport Building in Communications NLP \u2014 Applied to Teaching NLP \u2014 Applied to Persuasive Copywriting NLP \u2014 Applied to Effective Personal Selling Direct Mail Leadership Employee Management and Supervision Let me help you focus the decision-making process.<\/p>\n

    We\u2019ll assume you are already furthering the mastery of your martial arts skill.<\/p>\n

    Therefore, your business skills probably require the most attention. I propose that there are three primary skills you must develop to succeed in the martial arts industry.<\/p>\n

    Teaching Selling Marketing Once you begin mastering those subjects, you then must move to staffing and master subjects, such as recruiting, hiring, training, supervision and motivation.<\/p>\n

    If you have decided to really grow your career, then where do you start?<\/p>\n

    First, acquire, read and study the information available from all the great industry sources, including reviewing and re-reading the NAPMA monthly packages you received during the last two to three years; and ask about my Extraordinary Marketing and Coaching programs, which have a wealth of marketing and selling information.<\/p>\n

    As an aside, when I joined Jonathan Mizel\u2019s Internet Marketing Coaching Program and Dan Kennedy\u2019s Coaching Program, the first thing I did was to print EVERYTHING available on their Web sites (more than 2,000 pages each). I then organized that material in notebooks and read everything and took notes.<\/p>\n

    These professional education suggestions only scratch the surface of what\u2019s available in our industry. Dave Kovar offers great content on teaching; Tommy Lee on selling; Jeff Smith on developing great Black Belts; and so much more.<\/p>\n

    Once you\u2019ve exhausted all of the industry sources, then start with generic topics, such as selling, marketing and teaching. I recommend:<\/p>\n

    Selling: Tom Hopkins, Zig Ziglar, Robert Cialdini and Dan Kennedy.<\/p>\n

    Marketing: Dan Kennedy and his Magnetic Marketing & Copywriting Programs (visit www. KennedyCopy.com.), Joe Sugarman, John Caples, Claude Hopkins and others.<\/p>\n

    Teaching: I recommend that you read what your local elementary and middle school teachers are required to read for their teaching certification. Lorenzo Trujillo, who has a Ph.D. in Psychology and a doctor of education degree, guided me through all of the teacher resources. It would be a good exercise for you as well.<\/p>\n

    Your head may hurt, but great knowledge doesn\u2019t come easy. Take your time, organize and one step at a time.<\/p>\n

    The mastermind effect that you\u2019ll experience as a Peak Performers or Inner Circle member will move you to the next level by dramatically accelerating your learning curve. My coaching experience with Dan Kennedy, Lorenzo Trujillo, Jonathan Mizel and others has definitely paid huge dividends.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Success Is Never a Straight Line<\/h2>\n

    years in martial arts.<\/p>\n

    37 years in the martial arts business.<\/p>\n

    26 years since the founding of Mile High Karate. Geez, I feel old! In my day-to-day conversations with school owners generating as little as $6,000 a month and as much as $1,000,000-plus per year, I\u2019m continually reminded of both my own \u201carbitrary line\u201d to the target and the typically tumultuous line to the top for most successful business people.<\/p>\n

    I have always been a huge fan of reading biographies, autobiographies, interviews with, and profiles of, successful people \u2014 as well as books that analyze and describe the route to success for millionaires, billionaires and successful politicians and scientists.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s obvious when you read about just about any successful person \u2014 from Howard Hughes and Walt Disney to Ray Kroc to Steve Jobs and Bill Gates \u2014 that no one had an uninterrupted \u201cstraight line\u201d to success.<\/p>\n

    Many now forget that Steve Jobs, just a few years ago, as Apple\u2019s co-founder, was fired by the board of directors and universally reviled inside and outside the company. Now? He\u2019s the genius behind Pixar, the largest single shareholder of Disney, the genius behind \u201cApple\u2019s return,\u201d including iTunes, the iPod, the return of the Macs, and now the iPhones.<\/p>\n

    How about Donald Trump? A favorite quote: The Donald to Marla, \u201cMarla, see that bum on the grate \u2014 he\u2019s $300,000,000 richer than I am.\u201d Marla, \u201cHow can that be \u2014 he doesn\u2019t have anything?\u201d The Donald, \u201cThat\u2019s right, he has nothing \u2014 I\u2019m $300,000,000 in the hole.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Now? Obviously, he\u2019s WAYYYY back on top. It\u2019s important to remember that success is not a straight line.<\/p>\n

    During the last year to 15 months, many schools have closed their doors, while others have learned that the economy has changed so much that they must implement a different set of business systems and rules, which has led to huge growth, despite the recession.<\/p>\n

    Those who have stumbled have received the same universally, repetitive speech from me:<\/p>\n

    \u2022 It\u2019s not as bad as it looks; \u2022 It\u2019s not nearly as bad as it feels; \u2022 Stay focused on 2-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year objectives; \u2022 Decide where you want to go and start to work. Those who have had success have typically received common feedback:<\/p>\n

    Now, it\u2019s time to expand your thinking to the next level. Decide how you want your life to unfold and create your business to fully support that direction.<\/p>\n

    In some cases \u2014 a school owner, making $30,000 net a year ago, is making that much in a quarter \u2014 in some cases in a month \u2014 now. That\u2019s a big change in lifestyle. Now, it\u2019s time for an expansion of thinking to move to the \u201cNext Level\u201d of success.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019d like to suggest that you pick a \u201cSuccess Study Project.\u201d One that might be useful is to read some biographies or to read one of the books that will help you understanding the success personality.<\/p>\n

    Some suggestions: Profiles of Power and Success: Fourteen Geniuses Who Broke the Rules by Gene N. Landrum<\/p>\n

    Profiles of Genius: Thirteen Creative Men Who Changed the World by Gene N. Landrum<\/p>\n

    Great Business Biographies:<\/p>\n

    Pizza Tiger by Thomas Monaghan McDonald\u2019s: Behind The Arches by John F. Love Hard Drive: Bill Gates and the Making of the Microsoft Empire by James Wallace and Jim Erickson<\/p>\n

    iCon Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business by Jeffrey S. Young and William L. Simon<\/p>\n

    Accidental Millionaire: The Rise and Fall of Steve Jobs at Apple Computer by Lee Butcher<\/p>\n

    Citizen Hughes: The Power, the Money and the Madness by Michael Drosnin<\/p>\n

    Pour Your Heart into It: How Starbucks Build a Company One Cup at a Time by Howard Schultz<\/p>\n

    Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination by Neal Gabler<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ll leave you with a \u201cGoals Statement,\u201d written by Bruce Lee in 1969.<\/p>\n

    \u201cMy Definite Chief Aim:<\/p>\n

    I, Bruce Lee, will be the highest paid Oriental superstar in the United States. In return I will give the most exciting performances and render the best of quality in the capacity of an actor. Starting in 1970, I will achieve world fame and from then onward till the end of 1980, I will have in my possession $10,000,000. Then, I will live the way I please and achieve inner harmony and peace.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Bruce Lee, January 1969.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Business Knowledge Aggressively Implemented Produces Awesome Results<\/h2>\n

    e just returned from the NAPMA Extreme Success Academy in beautiful San Antonio, Texas. Now, I\u2019m prepping for a long weekend of staff, school owner and Black Belt training in Breckenridge, Colorado this weekend.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve spoken with many of the participants, both during the event and since. There\u2019s been universal agreement that this event was much better than last year\u2019s Extreme Success Academy \u2014 and, the best NAPMA event ever, in terms of focused content and a real action plan for success to implement.<\/p>\n

    Samuel Scott, one of our more successful members (and Inner Circle member) sent me this email about the event:<\/p>\n

    \u201cI just wanted to thank you again for another highly enriched business seminar. This session was much smoother and much more focused than last year\u2019s. The blatant truth about the mindset of the so-called \u201cOld-School\u201d mentality is a pill we all need to swallow if we truly want to be living examples of success for our students.<\/p>\n

    \u201cMy team was on fire, and immediately began implementing a number of ideas \u2014 with awesome results \u2014 that they<\/p>\n

    samuel scott full circle martial arts academy glenn dale, md<\/p>\n

    Gee, I wish it were that easy! On another, similar subject, I received this email (edited for space) today.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI\u2019ve had a school for more than 16 years. The last five have been very unproductive. I have been a NAPMA member for most of 14 years. My biggest problem to overcome is causing the phone to ring. I used NAPMA\u2019s marketing material in the past, with little to no results. The ads are awesome, but interest in them is not. I am interested in trying anything, but the after-school busing program.<\/p>\n

    \u201cBottom line: I want my school to grow. You provide the resources to make it happen. Let\u2019s test the system. Give me an ad with the offer that was very successful at another school; I\u2019ll duplicate the process, and then let\u2019s see my results.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI am aware that it isn\u2019t all about new student enrollments; but this is number one on my hit list. If I can\u2019t cause the phone to ring or drive prospects to my Web site to schedule an appointment, then the rest of your marketing<\/p>\n

    ideas for retention are irrelevant.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Master Jeffrey Whitney Whitney\u2019s Karate America whitneyskarateamerica.com<\/p>\n

    Well, I must say it\u2019s a shame that Master Whitney didn\u2019t attend Extreme Success Academy. He would have heard Keith Hafner\u2019s spectacular presentation on generating new students a few years ago. He explained about community outreach rather than one letter or \u201cad slick.\u201d Master Whitney would have heard Bill Clark, Dave Kovar, Jeff Smith and me discuss how the market has changed and what you must do to be successful.<\/p>\n

    Several of my schools have generated 50 to 100 new introductory students during the last 30 days through community outreach activities, not paid advertising or using a one-off ad slick. During the<\/p>\n

    1980s and 1990s, I could just pour money into newspaper and \u201csaturation-bombing\u201d direct mail, and do fine. Those times have passed.<\/p>\n

    During my presentation, interpreted by some as the \u201cProphet of Doom,\u201d I presented four factors dooming many in our industry to failure and, in a real way, contributing to more than 4,500 schools closing their doors during the past 12 months.<\/p>\n

    One of those factors is the general unresponsiveness of the market to the standard \u201ccome-takekarate message.\u201d I believe that UFC\u00ae, Tapout\u00ae and others have poisoned the market, in addition to a general economic downturn. That doesn\u2019t mean you cannot be very successful, but it takes more learning and less of just taking an ad slick to FedexOffice\u2122 to reproduce it and distribute it to the media.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Learn the Skill of Scanning<\/h2>\n

    he first \u201csecret\u201d of the skill of scanning is that it\u2019s unnecessary to read, study, understand and master every topic. Instead, find the ONE good idea that will enhance your operations every month in one of the three key areas: enrollments, retention and renewals.<\/p>\n

    I know I\u2019ve increased the discussion from ONE good idea to THREE key operational areas of your school, but I am confident you\u2019re still able to follow. When you scan the materials, you only need to look for that ONE good idea that will improve any ONE of these THREE key operational areas. You don\u2019t need ONE good idea for each.<\/p>\n

    I recommend that you try the following steps to scan and absorb the latest Maximum Impact package material easily and quickly.<\/p>\n

    Make copies of the written materials. Scan each document and use a highlighter to note anything that catches your attention as a potential ONE good idea to improve enrollments, retention and renewals. It may be a subhead of a section of text, a statement in the opening paragraph and\/or points in the review section. Information presented as bullet points, numbered lists or in boxes is often where that ONE good idea resides.<\/p>\n

    It will only take you a few minutes of your time to scan even the longest document because you are only looking for the high points to highlight. You\u2019ll notice that suddenly you\u2019ve carved a few words and phrases from documents of thousands of words.<\/p>\n

    Listen to the audio CD next and note how the high points you marked on transcript are presented and discussed by the contributors. Pause the CD to take notes if the contributors provide additional information that will help you understand and implement any of the ONE good ideas you<\/p>\n

    highlighted on the written materials.<\/p>\n

    Watch the DVD, and use the same procedure above to find those ONE good ideas.<\/p>\n

    Return to the written material and read and study just those sections, paragraphs, phrases, etc. that you highlighted. You may have to read some text before and after your highlighted text to understand it fully, but you DON\u2019T have to read the entire document to find ONE good idea or even two!<\/p>\n

    Listen to the teleconference and learn how other school owners are implementing the ONE good idea they found in previous months\u2019 lessons and concepts.<\/p>\n

    Try this scanning method a few times, and you\u2019ll quickly discover how little time you need to invest in large amounts of materials.<\/p>\n

    Remember, however, you want to avoid EMPTY knowledge, that is, knowledge you gain simply to be able state you possess it. Instead, you want to find and absorb a few key concepts that will help move your school to the next level.<\/p>\n

    What is also truly remarkable about this scanning method is that the documents you scanned so quickly can be read and studied further in the future to extract other good ideas. It\u2019s like having a gold mine you can visit whenever you want to mine another nugget!<\/p>\n

    This is what I call the \u201ccircling-back\u201d experience. As you use this scanning method more and more, you\u2019ll find yourself circling back to key knowledge areas to add to your understanding. Every time you do so you\u2019re adding another layer of knowledge and continuing to strengthen your foundation for greater growth.<\/p>\n

    In my case, I started with technical martial arts skills, and then moved to martial arts instructional skills. Prior to opening my first school, I<\/p>\n

    worked to master direct-response marketing and selling. From there, I moved to higher levels of skills training, and then extensive educational psychology. I then \u201ccircled back\u201d to sales and sales processes, developing my knowledge further. I circled again to direct-response marketing for even more knowledge about that topic.<\/p>\n

    This is also a strategy you should use with your Maximum Impact package. If you continue to circle back to increase your knowledge of the three key operational areas above, then you\u2019ll learn more, intensify your level of understand-<\/p>\n

    ing and mastery of the various subjects and grow more as a person and professional.<\/p>\n

    Don\u2019t be stressed about reading, or even understanding, every Maximum Impact package; it\u2019s unnecessary.<\/p>\n

    I do want you to be stressed about adding ONE good idea or strategy from each package that will make an immediate and positive impact on your school. Of course, that\u2019s hardly stressful at all, considering I\u2019ve shown you how quick and easy it is.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    How Would You Know If You \u201cLost Your Mind?\u201d<\/h2>\n

    ast week was interesting. I returned from our annual Black Belt Retreat in Breckenridge, Colorado, where approximately 200 Black Belts tested, with more than 500 in attendance. It was uplifting, as several new Mile High Karate schools joined us (Mission, TX and Erie, PA, among others). There were many tremendous success stories; instructors from throughout North America in attendance; and Jeff Smith, our Regional Developers and myself conducted operations training all weekend. Truly an uplifting experience (and all at 9,000-foot elevation)!<\/p>\n

    A couple of days later, we had approximately 10 school owners in training for the week, and then Denver was hit by a massive blizzard. Next thing I know I\u2019m headed home after being stuck on I-70 in our new BMW just as an ambulance pulls into my driveway, with EMTs looking for the \u201cbaby who\u2019s not breathing.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Well, the next couple of hours were hair-raising. My 18-month-old son is transported in the ambulance to the hospital in a blizzard. Mom is in the ambulance; I\u2019m following in our SUV (Volvo XC-90 \u201cSoccer Mom Mobile\u201d). Anyway, I didn\u2019t know how scary it really was until I arrived at the hospital. Apparently, Chase did stop breathing in the ambulance. I walked into the emergency room with what looked like the entire hospital staff hovering over my screaming and terrified son. Anyway, two days in the hospital and numerous visits from doctors and he was fine, but undiagnosed. Apparently, some combination of asthma and allergies caused him to have difficulty breathing and to stop breathing on the way to the hospital.<\/p>\n

    Now, I\u2019ve had tough days, months and weeks before, but nothing tops following an ambulance with your 18-month-old in it in a blizzard. I\u2019m trying not to slide into the ambulance or become stuck on the way. I then walked into a scene from the television show ER, with my screaming baby. Personally, I\u2019ve always been great at handling crisis, so the effect really didn\u2019t hit me until Friday or Saturday (Wednesday was the ambulance run).<\/p>\n

    Well, in the meantime, during some downtime at the hospital, I made the mistake of checking my email. I now discover that a little war of words is actively in progress for a couple of days: an old friend of mine who seems to have finally lost his mind.<\/p>\n

    Toby sent an email, sharing a couple of ideas that Master Bill Clark presented at the Extreme Success Academy in San Antonio. Tom Callos apparently had a meltdown from Hilo (HI) that resulted in blog posts, emails and a raft of back and forth between him and Toby. Now, I always hate to \u201cswing at pitches in the dirt,\u201d but the whole thing became ridiculous. Tom apparently starts calling NAPMA, Toby, Bill Clark and I and everyone involved, saying we were unethical, underhanded and teaching concepts (remember this was a shorthand explanation of Master Clark\u2019s idea, and not a NAPMA idea directly) that are \u201cBeneath the Dignity of a Martial Artist.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Well, it\u2019s a terrible thing when you lose your mind.<\/p>\n

    For obvious reasons, I didn\u2019t intervene other than to send Tom a short note that he really should (and does) know me better after 20 years and that he might think before \u201cflaming.\u201d He did, after flooding the Internet with this crap, apologize.<\/p>\n

    Anyway. What\u2019s beneath the \u201cdignity\u201d of a martial artist? Well, certainly I believe that being broke is beneath the dignity of any martial artist. I certainly believe you should do nothing that creates exposure, but hurts your image. (The Jerry Springer Show, guests passes distributed at a strip club or liquor store, etc.,\u2026it\u2019s a long list.) However, most school owners in our industry sit on their asses and do nothing. Rather than risk going too far, they do nothing.<\/p>\n

    Personally, I\u2019d like all quality teachers to be \u201craging thunder lizard evangelists\u201d for the value of martial arts training. The marketing concepts that I\u2019ve typically taught include everything from Web sites and search engine optimization to direct mail, television infomercials and community outreach ideas; anything to be in front of 300 to 3,000 people at once. I prefer \u201chigh-leverage\u201d activities to one or two at a time. However, rather than sit in your school and bemoan your lack of<\/p>\n

    results, it would be better to go door-to-door, stand in the school car line and talk to parents one at a time, or distribute guest passes at the shopping mall.<\/p>\n

    Tom, in his misplaced indignity, misses the point that the vast majority of school owners in our industry just do nothing. Those who are growing rich have one thing in common: \u201cMassive Action.\u201d They also share another common trait: \u201ctaking credit or the blame for their results,\u201d rather than looking for someone or something to blame.<\/p>\n

    Unfortunately, too many giving advice in our industry aren\u2019t running profitable martial arts schools. Some never have. For others, it\u2019s been a LONGGGGGG time. Trust me when I say that my objective for you is success in the easiest and most efficient way possible, but it\u2019s not \u201cmagic pixie dust\u201d; you must wake every morning and go to work.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Winners Remember Results \u2026 Losers Remember Reasons. Which Are You?<\/h2>\n

    was in Atlanta a few weeks ago for an event with Dan Kennedy, Bill Glazer, Lee Mil\u00ad teer, George Foreman and others. Several NAPMA members have taken my advice to pay attention to what Bill and Dan have to say, and were also there. (A couple of them foolishly missed the NAPMA Extreme Success Academy, and that probably would have done them much more good \u2014 for those who were at both, congratulations for bettering yourselves.)<\/p>\n

    Anyway, one speaker was my friend Lloyd Irvin. It was interesting to hear Lloyd speak. Throughout his presentation, he continued to talk about a Genius Martial Artist who started him on the path to becoming a \u201cMartial Arts Millionaire.\u201d<\/p>\n

    He spoke of provocative emails received, and about comments made, such as \u201cany idiot can run a school doing $30,000 or more per month,\u201d and advice he had been given when he was running a $7,000-a-month school that propelled him to $1,000,000-plus.<\/p>\n

    Interestingly, I was the \u201cGenius\u201d he meant. Frankly, in my state of mind at that event, my reaction was erroneously, \u201cGee, sounds like I used to be pretty smart.\u201d Obviously, not great self-talk; however, it was incredibly interesting to hear my advice filtered through Lloyd to the crowd (and to several staff members and me in attendance).<\/p>\n

    He explained how he had spent $397 for a \u201cpassword\u201d that was my digital Extraordinary Marketing Book and how that book, while he was in Brazil training, pushed his gross from $7,000 to $20,000-plus. (It\u2019s available free at your NAPMA member site.)<\/p>\n

    He then described paying $2,750 for the first Ultimate Martial Arts Marketing Boot Camp, and then $5,000 for a \u201cBox of Marketing Stuff\u201d that I was selling at the event. Each time he made an investment, his return was 100 times or more in financial results.<\/p>\n

    That was his first step to create a $1,000,000 school and, frankly, a $10,000,000-plus \u201cMarketing Empire\u201d that includes training various UFC fighters, running his school and marketing a variety of \u201cstuff\u201d online.<\/p>\n

    He reminded me that I told him that unfortunately 97% of people, who attend a seminar, read a book or learn some material, would do nothing with that knowledge. Another piece of advice that he shared was when I asked him, \u201cWhat are your goals for the next 12 months, 3 years and 5 years?\u201d When he answered that he hadn\u2019t thought of his goals, I apparently responded with a sarcastic, \u201cThat\u2019s OK, 97% of the people haven\u2019t thought about them either \u2014 those that won\u2019t do anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

    He called what I had taught him the \u201csecret room.\u201d In other words, others would think that you went to a seminar or event (think Extreme Success Academy), and a few attendees were taken to a \u201csecret room\u201d and given the \u201creal secrets.\u201d Obviously, at the events he attended, and that made him a millionaire, there was no secret room. He heard the same message from me as others did. It\u2019s just that he VIOLENTLY EXECUTED.<\/p>\n

    His metaphor, taken from a conversation on a tape that I gave him (sold him) called The Go To Guy by John Carlton and Gary Halbert, is a \u201cgun to the head.\u201d Implement as if someone has a gun<\/p>\n

    to your child\u2019s head, and if you don\u2019t do it during the time allotted, then your child will be shot.<\/p>\n

    Clearly, most of us take action as if tomorrow is as good as today. Big winners take action that absolutely must happen this minute \u2014 as if there were a gun to their heads or their children\u2019s heads \u2014 and will implement right now.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s what used to frustrate me the most about the bottom one-third of my coaching clients. We\u2019d have the same conversation every month. I\u2019d give them a list of tasks, and then 30 days later<\/p>\n

    they would still not have implemented them.<\/p>\n

    A couple of years ago I just chose not to accept coaching clients that I thought would be like that, and fired those coaching clients with whom I ever had the conversation the third time or if I had many conversations a second time.<\/p>\n

    What\u2019s a takeaway? Implement as if your life depended on it. Wake every morning and knock off your top 5 or 6 items on your to-do list. Do them and move forward \u2014 quick!<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    The 10 \u201cSecrets\u201d of Leadership<\/h2>\n

    here are many effective styles of leadership, probably, as many as there are different personality types of employees and bosses.<\/p>\n

    That having been said, I do believe that there are several \u201csecrets\u201d to leadership in any organization.<\/p>\n

    Vision<\/p>\n

    You must have a clear and compelling VISION for the future of your organization. These are not benchmarks, targeted gross revenue or active student count, but something much more powerful.<\/p>\n

    Your vision is a picture of where you want the organization to progress. It\u2019s the big picture of how your business should look, in as much sensory-rich detail as possible.<\/p>\n

    Leadership starts from within. If you have a clear picture of the future of your organization, then your conversation, actions and goals will tend to fall in line with this vision, and, ultimately, manifest it.<\/p>\n

    Communi\u00adcation<\/p>\n

    Having a clear vision of the future is valueless unless you become exceedingly effective at communicating that vision to others. That does NOT mean that you must be a gifted public speaker. Many great leaders (including Thomas Jefferson, among others) were not gifted speakers. You may communicate your vision through pictures, public speeches, written communications or ANY media, but your message must be received by its intended recipients in as compelling a way as possible.<\/p>\n

    Emotional Commitment<\/p>\n

    You must lead people from their heart and not their head. Daily commitment comes from<\/p>\n

    an emotional attachment to the leader, mission, vision or the target feelings conveyed by your vision of the future. All leadership is based upon the emotional commitment of the followers much more than an abstract intellectual understanding of goals and objectives.<\/p>\n

    Values-Based<\/p>\n

    Although financial rewards help motivate or maintain motivation, ultimately, people will wake early and work late with the highest levels of intensity to contribute to others and the community. If financial rewards are directly tied to personal contribution to others, then motivation will remain high. Long-term motivation in any win-lose environment is nearly impossible. Be clear about your overriding values, and operate daily within those espoused values.<\/p>\n

    Congruence<\/p>\n

    Your words and actions must be congruent. You cannot motivate people to contribute and encourage them to a higher purpose if, ultimately, your integrity is questionable. Although business owners and managers \u2014 and politicians \u2014 have attained high levels with questionable integrity, I maintain that long-term leadership must be based upon honesty and the highest integrity. If your manager co-opts your help to hide his extramarital affairs, then how much trust will you give him? If your boss has a different persona in public than in private, will you trust that his or her communications with you is sincere?<\/p>\n

    Team Orientation<\/p>\n

    Someone once said: You can accomplish anything if you don\u2019t care who receives credit for it. In<\/p>\n

    the martial arts, this attitude is exceptionally rare. Many \u201cmaster\u201d instructors have started to believe their own press, and act as if anything good that happens to them was their idea. Give credit. Involve the entire team. Work as much as possible to accomplish new directions through consensus. It\u2019s better, as the leader, to play a supporting role in many discussions and let the team members find the \u201cmeans\u201d to accomplish the \u201cends\u201d in your vision.<\/p>\n

    Results Orientation<\/p>\n

    Focus on results, NOT process. Create accountability from every team member and student for the end result, not the activity. Many ideas are good, if implemented effectively. The greatest idea will fail if implemented poorly. Allow people, within limits, to choose their own means to achieve your agreed-upon end. Manage, based upon results, not activity.<\/p>\n

    Goals<\/p>\n

    Once you\u2019ve implemented all the other \u201csecrets,\u201d establish daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly goals. Make sure that they are all congruent with your mission, values and vision. Peter Drucker once said: \u201cWhat gets measured gets done.\u201d Keep records and statistics on everything<\/p>\n

    in your business, but focus on two, three or four key numbers, and then watch them like a hawk. Graph them. Post them in your office, at the reception desk, in the employee break room, or even on the front door of the school. Nothing motivates action like a huge graph of your targeted active student count in plain view. Look at your key numbers daily or even hourly to maintain focus.<\/p>\n

    Walk Your Talk<\/p>\n

    I know this is redundant, but nothing fails to motivate employees or students more than hypocrisy. Make a decision to live by your values and to be who you say you are 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.<\/p>\n

    Fairness<\/p>\n

    Ultimately, everyone must benefit from success and suffer from failure. In compensation, reward people greatly for successes, and make sure there are consequences for failure. If you delegate authority, then focus on the team and allow its members to be 100% responsible for their outcomes. Be supportive, but not paternalistic. If you never allow anyone to fail, then you\u2019ve never allowed him or her to achieve much either.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Are you a \u201cRaging Thunder Lizard\u201d Evangelist?<\/h2>\n

    t\u2019s fascinating to me the number of martial artists who live for their arts, but are bashful about sharing the value of those arts with others. Hopefully, that\u2019s not you.<\/p>\n

    Frankly, if what you do has an incredibly positive, life-changing impact on your students, then don\u2019t you owe it to everyone in your community to show them, in a convincing way, what it is you teach and the value of your product for them?<\/p>\n

    Marketing, or publicity, is just communications with the people in your community. You can purchase advertising (print, broadcast, direct mail, etc.) Or you can communicate for free (publicity). You can be a speaker or teacher to \u201caffinity\u201d groups (academic schools, day cares and churches, etc.) and introduce your school to large numbers at once or you can be a telemarketer or door-todoor salesperson and introduce your school to individuals one at a time.<\/p>\n

    You must have a great product, however, AND be a true believer (so must your staff). You must be passionate about sharing the value of your program with everyone who\u2019s willing to listen.<\/p>\n

    How do you convince people in your community that martial arts training at your school is REALLY valuable?<\/p>\n

    Rule Number 1: \u201cLong-form\u201d communication is better than \u201cshort-form,\u201d which means a one-hour live presentation is better than a 30-second live presentation. On television, 30 minutes (or 27:30) is better than 30 seconds. By mail, a 20-page letter or big package of information, with a DVD or CD, is better than a postcard. At an elementary school, a series of presentations is better than one presentation. The more information you can con-<\/p>\n

    vey and the longer you keep your audience, leads or prospects engaged, the more opportunity you have to \u201cmake your case.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Rule Number 2: In-person communication always \u201ctrumps\u201d broadcast communications. For instance, if you have a choice of a prospect visiting your Web site or talking to you in person (by phone or at your school), then in person is almost always much better. If you have a choice of prospects receiving an email or you calling them, then the call will be much more effective. If you have a choice of talking to them live or them receiving a \u201cRobo-Call,\u201d then in person is always better.<\/p>\n

    Rule Number 3: A \u201cclass\u201d or \u201cparticipation\u201d is always better than a \u201cdemonstration,\u201d with prospects as \u201cspectators.\u201d In all cases, convincing them to participate and keeping them engaged will always trump passive observation. In a practical sense, compare a \u201cMall Demo\u201d in front of several hundred to a class taught at center court to 20 or 30. The class will always work better to move prospects into ongoing participation.<\/p>\n

    Rule Number 4: Even if a prospect is not interested today, it doesn\u2019t mean he or she won\u2019t be interested next month, quarter or year. You always want to obtain contact information from all \u201cspectators,\u201d \u201cparticipants\u201d and \u201cinterested parties,\u201d and then you must constantly and repetitiously followup. Email your lead list weekly or daily. Mail information to your prospects monthly, or more often. Call them quarterly, or more often. Send them invitations to events or activities. Without contact information, you will enroll a very small portion of whom you could, potentially.<\/p>\n

    Rule Number 5: \u201cFarm your community.\u201d Re-<\/p>\n

    member, your community is always changing. Individuals are being married and divorced. They are moving to and from your community. Couples are having kids and their kids are growing, developing and evolving. Adults and families are sometimes rich and sometimes broke (and typically someplace in between). Sometimes, they are bored, sometimes overwhelmed. During some months, certain members of the community will experience trauma that moves them to explore new activities. Others will experience trauma that moves them to withdraw from activities. You must be constantly in front of as many people as possible and often as possible. While you may need to expose them to your message seven or nine times before they pay attention\u2026you must<\/p>\n

    also place your message in front of them when they are receptive. That means you must constantly and repetitiously generate leads, mail them and call them, and constantly be returning to the same community of people.<\/p>\n

    Rule Number 6: You must \u201cDo Enough Stuff.\u201d For some schools, it\u2019s as simple as do more stuff. Most school owners underestimate the effort and expense to enroll a new student. If you are enrolling 5 students a month and need 20, then it may be as simple as doing four times as much stuff (time and energy or spending). Never discount that fact that you just may not be doing \u201cEnough Stuff\u201d to generate the results you need. There is no \u201cMagic Pill.\u201d You may just need to work harder or invest more money in your business, or both.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Get Off Your Ass!<\/h2>\n

    n a special report for all members in January, I outlined the 10 things you must do to thrive this year. It was a very valuable and important outline of the steps that are necessary in today\u2019s environment in order to grow your school and have a dramatic impact on your students and your community.<\/p>\n

    Hello Stephen,<\/p>\n

    The \u201c10 Things You Must Do to Thrive\u201d was spot on! I couldn\u2019t agree with you more and I wanted to tell you. If only more school owners would really understand number one!<\/p>\n

    Anyway, I wish you every success and all the best to Jodi, Jaeda and Chase.<\/p>\n

    Buzz Durkin<\/p>\n

    Now, if you don\u2019t know Buzz, in addition to being one of my oldest and dearest friends, he is one of the top school owners in the United States. He runs one of the most solid, highest quality schools that I\u2019ve ever seen. In a small community he maintains a large enrollment with the strongest student retention that I\u2019ve ever seen. He embodies true concern for his students and a deep reach into his community.<\/p>\n

    As a reminder the 10 points were (see the complete report at www.NAPMA.com in your members section:)<\/p>\n

    Number 1: Premium Pricing is the Quickest Route to a High Net.<\/p>\n

    Know your value and price your tuition accordingly. We are not in an industry where low price buys market share. In almost all cases all low price does is limit your revenue per student and convince your students of your limited value. \u201cAbsent other Criteria, Price Determines Percep-<\/p>\n

    tion of Value.\u201d It\u2019s my belief that you should be in the range of $200 a month for a new student\u2019s lessons in your school. I\u2019d recommend two to three months \u201cdown payment\u201d to initiate a minimum of a six months and preferably a 12\u201418 month initial contract for lessons.<\/p>\n

    Number 2: Focus \u201cInternally First.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Take out a blank legal pad and focus on what you can do to improve student perception of value. Value starts with Rapport. Hire only sincere and honest people who truly care about their student\u2019s achievement more than their own.<\/p>\n

    Number 3: Have a Strong Sales Process in Place.<\/p>\n

    Have a strong introductory, Enrollment, Orientation, and Upgrade Process in place. Implement a focused system to support that process. Vigorously train all staff on that system, continuously. NAPMA provides extensive training on all sales and marketing processes as well as comprehensive programs<\/p>\n

    Number 4: \u201cWhat gets measured gets done.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Keep complete operations statistics on your school and always have an up to date Profit and Loss statement. Learn how to read your numbers. Learn what your benchmarks should be for each area.<\/p>\n

    Number 5: Upgrade your staff.<\/p>\n

    The most important thing you can do once you have employees is to run regular (weekly or twice weekly training.) An employee either does or does not have the aptitude to perform the role that you need filled. They bring their own motivation to the job.<\/p>\n

    Number 6: \u201cMartial Arts Without Philosophy is Just Street Fighting.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The move towards mixed martial arts has allowed<\/p>\n

    many to abandon the underlying personal development aspects of martial arts training. Certainly, simple things like having a student creed make a huge difference. Teaching weekly \u201ccharacter development lessons,\u201d having a \u201cleadership team,\u201d and sharing positive \u201clife skills\u201d are essential.<\/p>\n

    Number 7: Focus on Retention.<\/p>\n

    The least expensive sale you ever make is the second or third sale to the same student. Unfortunately, in most every case, it\u2019s expensive, either in time or money to enroll a new student. You may spend $500 to $1,000 or more in paid advertising to get a new student.<\/p>\n

    Number 8: The Marketing Parthenon.<\/p>\n

    Relying on only one or two methods for generating new students is not only lazy but inherently dangerous. You must develop a wide range of systems and methods for creating introductory traffic consistently.<\/p>\n

    Number 9: Separate Your Hobby from Your Business.<\/p>\n

    The vast majority of school owners confuse their interests as a \u201chobbyist\u201d with their role as a professional educator. You must not forget that your interests and needs as a Black Belt are different than the interest and needs of most of those who are interested in taking lessons from you.<\/p>\n

    Number 10: Eliminate Self-Defeating Thinking and Elevate your Expectations.<\/p>\n

    Just like in the recent phenomenon \u201cThe Secret,\u201d ultimately you get what you expect and attract what you focus on intently. It\u2019s important to look for references that support your goals and objectives and to ignore the naysayers. Be very careful that you pay attention to the top 10% of our industry and ignore the opinions, pricing, results of the rest.<\/p>\n

    Now, I hope you will review this list. Take a blank legal pad and on the top of each page make a<\/p>\n

    note of one of these points. \u201cBrainstorm with yourself\u201d about how to effectively implement each point. Write down questions on each item and email them to me at StephenOliver@NAPMA.com for discussion on our next \u201cMaximum Impact\u201d Teleconference or for inclusion into an upcoming NAPMA now as I answer member questions.<\/p>\n

    In reviewing the list I recognize that there are perhaps a few things missing. I\u2019m reading a book that Don Warrener wrote and was kind enough to send me a signed limited edition of The Kata of Business. Now, I haven\u2019t gotten very far, but it\u2019s got some great material in it. That having been said, I doubt if I\u2019ll agree with everything, but a couple of comments in the book stuck out as especially appropriate. One was his note that the difference between a failing school owner and a successful one is 20 hours per week.<\/p>\n

    Well, I should have made that number 11 on the list. Frankly, most school owners just really don\u2019t work very hard. They show up at the school at 4 or 5 p.m. and leave at 8 or 9 p.m. and think that they\u2019ve done a full day. Honestly, most of the \u201cBig Success Stories\u201d that I know of start their day early and put in regular 10 to 12 hour days. They\u2019re putting in 60 to 80 hour weeks pretty regularly. In the case of our staff I expect them spend daytime hours on marketing activities (7 a.m.\u20143 p.m.) and evening hours focusing on retention, renewals, and enrollments.<\/p>\n

    This quarter I\u2019m running all of my staff and school operators back through Tom Hopkin\u2019s great book, Master the Art of Selling,\u201d and, a key point in the book is that you must \u201csee 20 people belly to belly every day.\u201d January\u2019s \u201cMillionaire Skills\u201d call (for Peak Performers and Inner Circle) included Brian Tracy making the same point. He said that most business owners spend precious few minutes actually face to face with prospective customers in a sales effort.<\/p>\n

    If you are not talking to prospective students<\/p>\n

    (or existing ones about upgrades or referrals) then you just aren\u2019t doing what\u2019s most important for your business. You\u2019ve got to have that extra 20 hours per week out seeing live human beings how can enroll in your school or who have an audience of likely suspects for your school. All the time spent on Facebook, Twitter, surfing the net, or on unnecessary paperwork, or other social activity during the day just keeps you from getting out and talking to school principles, church leaders, and others in your community who can help your school grow.<\/p>\n

    Back to Don\u2019s book. He spends a lot of time breaking down what I have in my \u201c10 Things\u201d list as point number three. And, he\u2019s right. Although we cover an awful lot of high level material in Maximum Impact, Peak Performers and Inner Circle, it\u2019s always essential to circle back to the basics of how to answer your phone (Info<\/p>\n

    To close on this reminder of the \u201c10 Things You Must Do to Thrive,\u201d I\u2019ll remind you to pull the NAPMA Stats reports off of www.NAPMA. com and really track your numbers. It\u2019s amazing what happens when you really pay attention to what\u2019s happening in all aspects of your school how rapidly you can make huge improvements.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Beware of the Gurus<\/h2>\n

    o help dispel some recently developed myths or just plain bad information, I\u2019ll give you the short version; however, at times, I will read a little like a college professor, who says, \u201cWell, it all depends.\u201d Cash versus Billing? Here\u2019s a big \u201cWell, it depends.\u201d First, there are state laws, especially in California, Maryland, New York and other states and local municipalities, which you must follow. First, you should make sure that you are bonded or otherwise legal, depending on your local regulations.<\/p>\n

    Second, if the majority of revenue, on average, is routed through your monthly billing, then you will be \u201cleaving money on the table,\u201d and will not earn as much income as otherwise possible.<\/p>\n

    Third, if you \u201cpush too hard\u201d for 100% cash, then you will likely lose some students and create a less favorable environment for your school.<\/p>\n

    Fourth, if you receive cash for short programs (four to 12 months), then it won\u2019t make much of a positive impact on your revenue; however, if you receive cash for two, three, four or more years, then you will, on average, receive more money.<\/p>\n

    Fifth, people rarely ask for refunds, and you rarely need to give them (unless you have a regulatory issue that requires refunds). Taking cash payments, therefore, does not put you generally at risk of reimbursements.<\/p>\n

    Sixth, how good is your school? The better your student retention, the less it is important to ask for cash early.<\/p>\n

    Finally, there are two additional BIG considerations:<\/p>\n

    Are you a good or bad money manager? Martial arts instructors\/school owners are notorious for bad money management, and often spend un-<\/p>\n

    earned revenues. You must manage your money wisely before you take large amounts of cash that you haven\u2019t really earned because you haven\u2019t provided the lessons yet.<\/p>\n

    How hard are you willing to work? If your billing check does not cover your monthly expenses, then you must be willing to \u201cmake it happen\u201d every month. Going to China, Brazil or wherever for a month will kill your school if you do not have a track record for healthy monthly revenues.<\/p>\n

    You start each month new anyway, and you must HUSTLE every month to keep your school steady or growing.<\/p>\n

    Does Advertising Work?<\/p>\n

    I\u2019m willing to accept the moniker of our industry\u2019s \u201cmarketing guru\u201d and tell you two accurate bits of advice:<\/p>\n

    First, given the choice of an enrollment that didn\u2019t cost anything and one that cost $500, $750 or $1,000, in just about every case, I\u2019ll take the one for free.<\/p>\n

    Second, every school owner must put MUCH time and energy into all phases of marketing his or her school and should budget 12-15% of the target gross revenue on that effort. Yes, when done properly there are many effective television, radio, direct mail and print media opportunities that work consistently.<\/p>\n

    The gurus who tell you that advertising doesn\u2019t work just don\u2019t know how to make it work. A strong school, however, should be able to generate 50% or more of its enrollments from internal and \u201cgrass-roots\u201d efforts, and shouldn\u2019t have to rely totally on paid advertising for new enrollments.<\/p>\n

    What this argument doesn\u2019t address is the following REALITY:<\/p>\n

    You should realize that your marketing efforts flow through a grid that includes:<\/p>\n

    LABOR INTENSIVE and RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE.<\/p>\n

    EXPENSIVE and RELATIVELY LITTLE EFFORT REQUIRED.<\/p>\n

    If you have a small school, then you must concentrate, first and foremost, on the marketing methods that require effort, but relatively little money. As you grow, you will find that an increasing emphasis on \u201cbuying intros\u201d makes more and more sense.<\/p>\n

    This explains why it is so difficult to \u201cgrow your school\u201d while working a \u201cday job,\u201d with the hope of making a transition one day. In almost all cases, it just never happens because the marketing efforts require either TIME or MONEY, and without both you are left with few options or opportunities.<\/p>\n

    Are You Worried about Student Retention?<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ll give you an easy and short answer. Do you want to like what you see in the mirror each day? If so, then work on excellent student service and rapport building.<\/p>\n

    Can you fix student dropouts? No, we all have them.<\/p>\n

    Harvard has a 98% graduation rate. That means 2% of those who are accepted do not successfully complete the four-year program, which is the equivalent of a 0.04% dropout rate per month.<\/p>\n

    As an industry, we have a long way to go. While 7% may be an industry average (and it may even be 10% dropping out PER MONTH) that\u2019s not a given. I\u2019ve personally seen highly successful schools with less than a 2% rate per month. Not great by Harvard\u2019s standards, but the difference between 7% and 2% makes a HUGE difference in your student count, word-of-month reputation and, ultimately, your revenue.<\/p>\n

    FOCUS on QUALITY service, as perceived by your students, and all other elements of your business will take care of themselves (that is, if you become a expert MARKETER, master of SALES skills and manage your business effectively).<\/p>\n

    Why don\u2019t we \u201cWalk our Talk?\u201d<\/p>\n

    When talking with many school operators during the last few months, I had a \u201cBlinding Flash of the Obvious.\u201d I\u2019ve always loved that reference (I borrowed it from Tom Peters).<\/p>\n

    What\u2019s the \u201cBlinding Flash of the Obvious?\u201d All martial arts instructors say that we teach focus, discipline and confidence. Many of us also claim to teach success skills, such as goal setting, self-esteem and self-image.<\/p>\n

    I see a total lack of those same attributes or a failure to translate lessons learned physically to the operation of their martial arts schools. This is the #1 problem of school owner\/operators.<\/p>\n

    We should all be a \u201cproduct of the product,\u201d and NO, I\u2019m not talking about a walking, talking, killing machine. What I\u2019m talking about is becoming goal-oriented, focused on results and having HIGH EXPECTATIONS of our schools and ourselves.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    How Much Can You Spend to Generate an Enrollment?<\/h2>\n

    ast month, I presented some ideas about how much you can afford to generate a new enrollment. Now let me lead you deeper into a couple more layers of complexity of this topic. First, to keep your average marketing budget at approximately 10% of your gross, there\u2019s one other factor to keep in mind. How many free enrollments do you generate? How many referrals do you obtain? How many walk-ins? How many family add-ons? How many from demos? How many from birthday parties?<\/p>\n

    If you obtain half of your enrollments from sources such as these, then you could double how much you pay per new enrollment and still be within your target percentage of 10% of your total gross committed to advertising.<\/p>\n

    Example (based on example #2 of last month): Let\u2019s assume the school has an average lifetime student value of $4,000-plus. The owner spent $800 on paid advertising for each enrollment, but half of all enrollments were from free sources. The owner would still average 10%, or $400, per enrollment \u2014 even if his\/her student acquisition cost was $800 for paid advertising-generated traffic.<\/p>\n

    Second, let\u2019s compare costs \u201cAt the Margin\u201d with \u201cThe Average.\u201d If you spent $5,000 a month for advertising, then the next marginal expenditure is one more dollar, or $5,001. Often, in marketing, you may encounter \u201cdeclining marginal return.\u201d In other words, for each additional dollar you spend, you receive less and less return per dollar.<\/p>\n

    A school spends $0 on marketing and advertising in any given month. For that month, it obtains five new students as referrals and three as walk-<\/p>\n

    ins. Thus, it has acquired eight new students at $0 direct costs. If it then spends $1,000 in advertising and obtains two additional students, then it now has two more students at a marginal cost of $500 each. Its marginal cost per new student acquisition jumped from $0 to $500 immediately. Its average cost jumped from $0 to $200 per enrollment (10 new students, divided by the total cost of $1,000).<\/p>\n

    How much are you willing to pay at the margin? Ultimately, look at that question like this one: What is the most you would be willing to pay today to receive $4,000 during the next 33 months? Ultimately, at the margin, you should be willing to pay a relatively huge amount of money for one additional student.<\/p>\n

    All the information above depends upon the lifetime value of your students. This number includes all monies that students will pay your school, including down payments, exam fees, gross profit on retail items, monthly tuition payments and prepaid tuition.<\/p>\n

    Use the following formula to calculate easily an approximation of this number for your school. Divide your year\u2019s gross by the number of enrollments. For example, $500,000 gross divided by 250 enrollments equals $2,000 average value per student. If your numbers have been changing rapidly (especially if you are growing rapidly), then look at the totals of the last three years\u2019 numbers from that longer-term perspective.<\/p>\n

    Jeff Smith, Mile High Karate director of instruction, says you must take into account the total potential value of a student:<\/p>\n

    initial enrollment<\/p>\n

    plus Black Belt Club plus 2nd-Degree plus 3rd-Degree plus 4th-Degree plus retail plus exam fees. Then he compares that total to the total average<\/p>\n

    in his student body and continually works to move the average closer to the potential.<\/p>\n

    You accomplish that with greater retention and cash enrollments and renewals. You increase your lifetime student value with greater retention, higher tuition rate, retail sales and products, services to sell to your students.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Winners and Losers on the West Coast<\/h2>\n

    Next, I made quick stops in San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco doing small \u201cMini- Bootcamps\u201d with members and non-members alike. If you live in California and missed these, you missed what became a very valuable small group learning opportunity. Each participant left with a comprehensive marketing plan for targeting 20 or more new students in March.<\/p>\n

    The participants represented quite a range. The most successful school represented (in San Diego) was (no surprise here) a Peak Performers Group member who\u2019s had tremendous growth and the strongest highest average student value of anyone I met in the three cities. It became obvious right away in San Diego, then again in Los Angeles, that I could spot the Big Winners from the losers, or those who have just been \u201csliding along laterally,\u201d right away. No, it wasn\u2019t if they were wearing a suit or wearing a Rolex. The difference that was evident right away was one of focus. Just about everyone who attended was an accomplished martial artist. Many had 20, 30, or more years in operations.<\/p>\n

    \u201cLosers\u201d in the group tended to have two evident traits: First, their primary focus in talking to other participants prior to the \u201cMartial Arts Business & Marketing Mini-Bootcamp\u201d was predominantly on martial arts style, or on various ways they were modifying, developing, enhancing or expanding their curriculum. They talked about the \u201ctechnical aspects\u201d of their style, and then<\/p>\n

    planned to expand their small school by adding a different \u201cstyle\u201d or curriculum.<\/p>\n

    In contrast the \u201cWinners\u201d focused on new marketing ideas, better student service processes, and how to maximize their revenue per student and retention. They talked about their school objectives, not from the standpoint of technical curriculum, but from an orientation of \u201ctarget market\u201d success in attracting that market and their goals for growing their school.<\/p>\n

    Another sign of the \u201closers,\u201d and this is mostly of the \u201csliding along laterally\u201d or losing 10-20% this year, was in their lack of active participation in personal education. The lowest performing schools that had been open for a while had formerly been members of NAPMA, and perhaps other training sources as well. They had gradually stopping paying attention to the materials they were receiving. Possibly let their membership lapse. Usually stopped going to events like Quantum Leap and Extreme Success Academy. Ultimately, they had \u201creverted to the familiar\u201d and spent most of their time with \u201cmartial arts peers\u201d who had similar low expectations.<\/p>\n

    Fortunately, I believe for both groups, I opened their eyes. School owners who believe that 50- 100 students and charging $50-$125 a month for lessons is doing pretty good were awakened to a much broader world with much bigger opportunities. Really, it should be easy with all the resources that I give you in Maximum Impact (and especially through Peak Performers, Inner Circle, and Coaching) to run a school grossing $30,000 to $50,000 or more per month.<\/p>\n

    There are lots of examples of schools doing very well just because they pay attention and continue to expand their education (moving from Maxi-<\/p>\n

    mum Impact to Peak Performers, for instance). One success example we used at the last live event was of a school that moved from $17,000 a month to well over $110,000 a month in the last 18 months. I work with them monthly on coaching calls. They\u2019ve only implemented a few of the strategies that I\u2019ve taught them, but they do implement and have a positive belief system that it is possible.<\/p>\n

    Oh, and before I forget, the schools that are struggling have one other thing in common. They are surrounded by peers in the same situation. The best way to improve your results is through \u201cPeer Pressure\u201d to validate the potential for double, triple, or quadruple the results that you are having currently. That\u2019s why there really is no substitute for live events like Extreme Success Academy and Quantum Leap and for Peer Coaching Environments like Peak Performers and Inner Circle. I can tell you all day long what\u2019s possible. But to see others who are no smarter than you are achieving much better results is the ultimate proof that you can do it yourself.<\/p>\n

    For those who think that right now it\u2019s tough. We had my first Mile High Karate school (same location 30 years) enroll 36 new students ($397 down, $197 a month, 12 month enrollment) last month. One of our newest Mile High Karate schools generated 79 intros from a wide variety of mostly non-paid community outreach systems. Another generated 210 intros in February from one community outreach activity.<\/p>\n

    That having been said, I sincerely believe that with the exclusive arrangements we\u2019ve lined up with distribution companies for \u201cThe Karate Kid\u201d and \u201cThe Last Airbender,\u201d that this year may be a return to the absolute peak of our industry. Add to that what should be a steadily improving econom-<\/p>\n

    ic climate and the year is going to be HUGE for those who keep learning, who implement what we coach them on, and who really get things in gear.<\/p>\n

    This month I completed an interview with Cliff Lenderman for MAIA\u2019s version of \u201cSounds of Success.\u201d We discussed NAPMA, MAIA, Century, and the SuperShow\u2019s ongoing excellent working relationship. We also discussed the trend towards implementing MMA curriculum in professional schools. Clearly, NAPMA\u2019s live events are very different from the SuperShow. The SuperShow is a great event similar to the old NAPMA World Conferences. Our efforts (which to date have been very successful) are to bring a smaller team of very focused school owners together to be trained extensively in \u201cBest Practices.\u201d A Martial Arts trade show with a variety of \u201cBreak-Out\u201d sessions is very useful and we support those efforts. For our part we want a 9 a.m.\u2013midnight \u201croll up the sleeves and immediately go back and implement.\u201d Therefore, we have lots of stories now of leaving Quantum Leap or Extreme Success Academy and jumping from $17,000 a month to over $100,000, or jumping from parttime to $200,000 a year-plus net personal income. Designed to immediately improve your income. Our events are not designed for meeting the newest UFC stars or for focusing on your personal technical competency but on learning immediately implementable business and marketing practices and processes.<\/p>\n

    In the Los Angeles event we discussed the MMA\/ UFC boom pretty extensively. Several schools (grossing less than $100,000 a year) were teaching several different MMA-type curriculum and focusing on that trend. To see the complete discussion see the partial recording at www.NAPMABlog.com or at your NAPMA member Web site.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
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    \u201cMixed-Up Martial Arts\u201d Draws a Reaction<\/h2>\n

    irst\u2026more on \u201cMixed Up Martial Arts,\u201d the recent cover story of Martial Arts Professional magazine that has generated lots of controversy \u2014 as was obviously intended. I\u2019d love to have you share with me your feedback \u2014 in support, opposition or any other position relative to the basic premise. If you haven\u2019t read the article go to www.Martial- ArtsProfessional.com and let me know what you think about my opinions on the subject.<\/p>\n

    I received this today from Joe Lewis:<\/p>\n

    This (below) just came in on my Facebook page about the same article in Martial Arts Professional. I do not get the magazine and nor have I seen this controversial article you called me about today. Again, everything is taken out of context; no one in martial arts knows what I had to go through with the way the media was treating martial artists (especially the fighters) when I arrived back here from Okinawa in 1965. Many interviewers, both print and TV reporters, tried their best to hose me about this violence issue, but I was ready to fire back and point out their ignorance (none of them could give me an appropriate definition of violence), and also their lack of doing their homework any good reporter should always do in advance. The famous psychologist, Dr. Nathaniel Branden, was my Godfather and mentor \u2014 and we kicked ass!<\/p>\n

    Anyway, I am NOT the \u201cmoral conscience of the martial arts\u201d \u2014 to run the show and dictate everything to the rest of us (proper tradition, ethics codes, character development values, etc, etc.).<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ll remain a spectator and stick to the real fighting science and taking care of my family of black belts. Remember my leadership motto: \u201cReal leaders are not followed, they are accompanied.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Here\u2019s a good one for this surfacing issue:<\/p>\n

    \u201cA winner knows how much he still has to learn, even when considered an expert by others.<\/p>\n

    A loser wants to be considered an expert by others before he has learned enough to know how little he knows.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u2014 Sydney Harris<\/p>\n

    Joe Lewis, Former World Karate\/Kickbox Champion, USMC<\/p>\n

    Hi Joe,<\/p>\n

    I just got done reading a story from Martial Arts Professional magazine, \u201cLet\u2019s restore the dignity of a Black Belt.\u201d I can\u2018t agree more. When you and I served, we said \u201cno\u201d to violence. Now the news media is all over this MMA stuff. I have been in the martial arts since I was nine years old. I come from a good \u201cblood line,\u201d where a Black Belt is earned, not given. Now this crap, I have students in my dojo who want to leave to do MMA. I\u2019m a 2nd-Degree Black Belt with Shihan Funakoshi and Sensei Sevvatasi, and a 3rd-Dan with the JKF. I\u2019ve seen so many bad schools, and now good schools, changing the standards of excellence and the quality of a black belt rank. How sad.<\/p>\n

    Graydon Lewis<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s in reference to a quote from one of his previous emails that was included in a sidebar to the article (with his knowledge). Personally, I love the Sydney Harris quote. It goes right along with another disturbing trend in our industry \u2026 more about that later.<\/p>\n

    And, Robert Blum commented and shared a video:<\/p>\n

    I couldn\u2019t agree with the article more \u2014 this is what is taking place in higher income areas like mine because of MMA: http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/ watch?v=W8Cto9vIrt8 (take a look for yourself, it\u2019s either scary or comical depending upon how you look at it).<\/p>\n

    Actually, I\u2019m surprised that many martial arts school owners find the subject controversial. However, I was shocked and concerned to find out how many school owners seem to find it necessary to jump on this very unproductive bandwagon. In my experience with coaching school owners, I\u2019ve over and over taken schools from $12,000 to $17,000 a month to $35,000 to $50,000-plus Some in as little as 90 days; others over 9 to 15 months. Either way, the hidden truth of most of these quick turnarounds was the need to \u201cdeprogram\u201d them of convoluted systems and processes, as well as simplify their operation. Many suffered the delusion that the way to success was to keep laying on additional curriculum and classes.<\/p>\n

    This leads me to my next topic. While talking a few months ago to one of my early students (participant in the first \u201cUltimate Martial Arts Marketing Bootcamp), Lloyd Irvin, who at the time had a $7,000 a month school, and is now a $1,000,000-plus school, plus several other unrelated multi-million dollar businesses. He reminded me of several pieces of advice that I gave him when we first met.<\/p>\n

    The first\u2026however blunt and brutal was:<\/p>\n

    \u201cAny brain-dead idiot can run a $20,000-plus per month school.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Now, fortunately or otherwise, I might say it in a more polite way now. However, that sentiment is more true now than ever. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Jhoon Rhee Institute had nine, then 12 schools averaging more than that amount (30 years ago!) For many years \u2014 as early as 1983 \u2014 my schools as employee-owned schools all averaged more than that number. I remember one year (1991, I believe) that was $1,680,000, with five schools, all absentee owner-employee operated. To do that math for you: that\u2019s an average of $28,000 a month across five locations for the year. That was not an unusual year.<\/p>\n

    Now. There\u2019s lots of school owners doing way less than that number. My question is why?<\/p>\n

    I\u2019m convinced that there are several main reason.<\/p>\n

    First. Inappropriately low expectations.<\/p>\n

    Several school owners that I met in California just legitimately didn\u2019t know that it was possible to net $100,000 or more running a single martial arts school. Once your eyes are opened and you believe it\u2019s possible then, opportunities open up for you.<\/p>\n

    Second. Lack of personal education.<\/p>\n

    Many school owners think that their years of martial arts study entitle them to success. The unfortunate reality for them is that success in running a martial arts school is dependent more on knowledge of marketing, sales, service, and teaching methodology than it is on technical mastery. Some of the best champions in the martial arts would never be able to run a profitable martial arts school. Many of those same individuals are mediocre at best teachers.<\/p>\n

    That\u2019s something that\u2019s special about my teachers Jhoon Rhee and Jeff Smith. Take Grandmaster Smith. He was the #1 Ranked Point Fighter<\/p>\n

    in the World, the first PKA Light-Heavy Weight Kickboxing Champion. He won one of the early MMA competitions and fought and won the Heavy-Weight Title on the most watched kickboxing match in history (50,000,000-plus.) However, he\u2019s also been the Head Instructor and General Manager of the multi-million-dollar Jhoon Rhee Institute chain, then run his own multi-million dollar school chain, including individual branches grossing as much as $750,000 a year. He\u2019s learned to move from athlete to Master Teacher to Master Salesman, and then to Master Business Owner. Are you willing to put in the same \u201cpain and suffering\u201d on educating yourself as an educator, school administrator, and business owner as you were on your own physical training?<\/p>\n

    Third. False \u201cGurus.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Unfortunately many of those running around the martial arts industry giving advice haven\u2019t truly been very successful themselves running schools. Some last ran schools many years ago in a much different environment. Others run personality-based schools with some success, and then try to teach their methods to you.<\/p>\n

    I was having a conversation with several associates recently about this phenomenon. The comment was that I was responsible for most of the guys running around right now that fit the above description. I think a more appropriate, although simplistic, observation was that many came out of the Jhoon Rhee\/EFC circle in the 1980s and early 1990s. More recently, as I started coaching and offering exclusive bootcamps, a series of former clients had some success from my teaching (i.e.: $12,000 to $30,000 in a few months), then made the unfortunate conclusion that they had \u201carrived.\u201d They then started running around sharing their \u201cwisdom\u201d with the industry.<\/p>\n

    Remember the above quote?<\/p>\n

    \u201cA winner knows how much he still has<\/p>\n

    to learn, even when considered an expert by others.<\/p>\n

    A loser wants to be considered an expert by others, before he has learned enough to know how little he knows.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u2014 Sydney Harris<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s unfortunate for many in the industry who don\u2019t know who\u2019s real from who\u2019s not.<\/p>\n

    Here\u2019s a few questions for you to ask. 1. Where did this \u201cGuru\u201d get his or her knowledge, and do they openly and freely acknowledge their debt of gratitude? 2. Do they currently operate successful Martial Arts Schools? I say \u201cschools\u201d rather than \u201cschool,\u201d due to the fact that many who run a successful single school are relying on their own \u201cforce of personality\u201d more so than a system that works. 3. If not, how long has it been and what was their track record then? 4. Is their advice sufficient to take you to the highest levels of the industry, or are they limited in their own \u201cscope and capability.\u201d 5. How\u2019s their ROI? I\u2019ve always promised high-end coaching clients a minimum of a 10-to-1 return on investment. In most cases, they\u2019ve received 20-to-1 or more return on any money they\u2019ve invested with me. I\u2019ve recently seen a fairly high profile long-time guru in the industry directly and indirectly bashing me and bashing NAPMA. He doesn\u2019t explain that he, in fact, learned how to run a school mostly from me and Jeff Smith. He doesn\u2019t explain that he never ran a particularly successful school, and, frankly, didn\u2019t enjoy it much when he did. He doesn\u2019t explain that his advice is mostly tailored to \u201cbe what small martial arts school operators want to hear\u201d not what they need to hear to truly be successful. He doesn\u2019t explain that he always hated teaching kids, and longed for a return to an adult market that, frankly, never existed as he<\/p>\n

    imagines it. And finally, he doesn\u2019t explain that he\u2019s so distanced from running schools and the day-to-day operations of running a school that he\u2019s totally in the dark as to what\u2019s working today in the current market and environment.<\/p>\n

    In fact, there are several \u201cGurus\u201d coaching a \u201crun to MMA\u201d without truly understanding the market for traditional martial arts schools or the market for MMA. Is there a market for MMA schools (gyms)? You bet. Is it the right market for many or most traditional schools. No. Make sure you take advice from someone who understands the real forces at work in our industry.<\/p>\n

    And, to get back to point one: I freely acknowledge my \u201cDebt of Gratitude\u201d to teachers and mentors, such as: Jhoon Rhee, Nick Cokinos, Jeff Smith, and Ned Muffly. I acknowledge the incredible foundation laid for us by pioneers such as<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
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    Crisis Hits<\/h2>\n

    hen I say, \u201cCrisis Hits,\u201d I am not talking about hurricanes, earthquakes or any other recent natural disasters. I am referring to a recent and dangerous trend in our industry, however, that is not only risky for individual schools, but also I\u2019m afraid may just reawaken the staffs of state Attorneys\u2019 General offices around the U.S. (and their equivalent elsewhere).<\/p>\n

    What\u2019s that trend? Recently, several of our industry \u201cguru\u2019s\u201d focused on CASH PROGRAMS as the ultimate panacea for anemic martial arts school operations.<\/p>\n

    This overwhelming emphasis on cash threatens to wreak havoc on the industry, especially when it is combined with arguably \u201chard-core\u201d sales tactics and, often, disreputable or, at the very least, apathetic approaches to long-term customer service.<\/p>\n

    Please review with me the first example of the problem. I have spoken with many school owners recently, and some of them have aggressively adopted what I will characterize as the following:<\/p>\n

    Aggressive sales efforts focused on \u201ccashing out\u201d 100% of their existing students.<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Aggressive sales strategies to \u201ccash-out\u201d 100% of enrollments and renewals. \u2022 Disdain for billing tuition and billing companies. \u2022 Inadequate and\/or heavily \u201clabor-intensive\u201d marketing efforts with limited \u201cleverage.\u201d Often, these strategies are combined with a \u201cwhat-the-hell\u201d attitude, regarding student service. These school owners have also adopted the viewpoint that their students will inevitably become dropouts anyway; they\u2019re not able to stop dropouts, so why try.<\/p>\n

    Adopting all or several of these methods and attitudes often results in the following scenario. A school owner learns these new tools, implements them suddenly and asks for cash payments from all of his students.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s easy to predict what inevitably happens: the school owner doubles, sometimes, even triples his best month ever \u2014 nothing wrong with that as far as it goes. What happens next really wreaks havoc. First, without a very strong and effective marketing program, a school that has cashed out all its students, without big enrollment numbers, ultimately experiences serious trouble.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve seen a school owner learn these new systems. Then, cash out every student in his school and hit the malls with a clipboard and a serious head of steam for two or three months.<\/p>\n

    Thrilled with his huge cash flow, the school owner buys a Corvette or a Porsche and a Rolex or two, spending all the money on rapidly depreciating assets, such as jewelry, cars, vacations, highpriced restaurants or, even in the best case, his own \u201cMcMansion,\u201d which locks him into a big payment, creating an asset that is not liquid. In straightforward terms, he has blown the money, quickly and completely.<\/p>\n

    What happens next? Inevitably, his record cash results cannot be maintained, and the monthly bottom line becomes just average months with 20%, 50% and even 75% less revenue than previously. Now, \u201cMr. Cash-Out,\u201d the school owner, who has spent all the money, awakes one morning to realize a couple of horrible truths.<\/p>\n

    He has pissed off X number of students and his student body has decreased from 300 to 200 active or less.<\/p>\n

    He is cash-poor with a severely reduced cash<\/p>\n

    flow, and is on the brink of insolvency.<\/p>\n

    There are two schools of thought, concerning cash-outs, and each has its own rabid rank of supporters. Frankly, I don\u2019t endorse either; however, I am moving steadily toward the billing school of thought.<\/p>\n

    School of thought #1: Ask for cash. If your students pay you in full, then you have 100% of their tuitions.<\/p>\n

    School of thought #2: It\u2019s illegal, unethical and immoral to take the cash, so process your students\u2019 tuitions through a billing system.<\/p>\n

    Frankly, I like big cash deals. What I don\u2019t like is seeing school owners take hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, and then, through financial mismanagement or miscalculation, are forced to close their schools, which is an invitation for regulatory scrutiny.<\/p>\n

    Nick Cokinos, founder of Educational Funding Company, has preached the correct strategy for years, and that is utilizing a contingent-liability fund. Quite simply, you deposit all paid tuitions<\/p>\n

    for lessons that you haven\u2019t yet earned into savings accounts: liquid interest-bearing investments. You don\u2019t withdraw the money until you\u2019ve taught the lessons and earned it.<\/p>\n

    Example: A school owner accepts a three-year, paid-in-full tuition. He deposits one-sixth of the cash-out in his checking account as current income; however, he should really deposit only 1\/36th this month. Every month, he withdraws an amount equal to the lessons taught during that month (or would be taught if the student drops out) and deposits the amount in his checking account as earned income.<\/p>\n

    Too complicated? The alternative approach is just as valid:<\/p>\n

    Build your billing check to cover all of your monthly expenses.<\/p>\n

    When you take cash programs, invest the money personally to build wealth.<\/p>\n

    Create your lifestyle as your school and wealth grows \u2014 not from short-term bursts.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
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    Are You Ready to Commit to Success?<\/h2>\n

    \u2019m convinced that this year is going to be a great year for the Martial Arts Industry. More specifically for you, the fact that you are a NAPMA Member, and, frankly, opened your package and are reading this, means that you are really going to implement (more about that later) and grow.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s certainly true that the last 24 months, between the recession in general and the credit crisis, has been really rough on any and all small businesses. In some areas, unemployment skyrocketed, and in general, their was a general \u201cmalaise\u201d among consumers.<\/p>\n

    Now, the economy is creeping back. It\u2019s not roaring back yet, but that\u2019s on the way. Employment lags (not leads) the economic recovery, and while the housing market may not reach the previous \u201cbubble highs,\u201d it\u2019s obvious everywhere that the economy is rebounding.<\/p>\n

    In retrospect, I\u2019m sure it bottomed out and began rebounding long before President Obama tinkered with much or accelerated government overspending, however that\u2019s a topic for another time. The current reality is that consumer spending is back up; even the car companies are starting to show a profit again. My favorite, Apple, had their best first quarter ever, and their best quarter, excluding Christmas season, ever. And that was before iPad sold 500,000 units in a week. Even Martha Stewart on Fox Business was bragging about their sales and profits being way up in all channels, including at Macy\u2019s.<\/p>\n

    How\u2019s this year look? Well, I\u2019m hoping that The Karate Kid is a huge hit. Regardless, it\u2019s a great excuse for all member schools to pull out the checkbook and get out of bed a little earlier and do a huge amount of mar-<\/p>\n

    keting internally, in the community and in the media to fill your school.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ll share a little secret with you. The biggest part of my success with various movies going back to the original The Karate Kid (and, to Enter the Dragon and the Kung Fu television series (with the Jhoon Rhee Institute) is in having a great excuse to get my creative juices flowing, get my staff excited (and, out of bed), and to create excitement among my students. You may not need it \u2014 however, it\u2019s always good to have a reason to convince yourself and everyone around you that it\u2019s good timing for record enrollments, renewals, and grosses. It becomes a marvelous self-fulfilling prophecy.<\/p>\n

    Truthfully, I\u2019ve always worked to have a good excuse for huge renewals at least a couple of times per year. I\u2019ve looked for at least a quarterly reason to go \u201cballs to the wall\u201d (excuse the expression) on filling the school with new students. Maybe it\u2019s just me, but a key element of sales management always seems to be a good excuse for peak results and, something different to gain attention and focus on results.<\/p>\n

    What will guarantee your success? Well, I hate to keep banging the same drum, but, go back and read \u201cten things you must do to be successful.\u201d They include: price your tuition at $200-plus each month, fix your sales ratios, offer continually better service to your students from their perspective, and market, market, market to add 20-plus new students per month.<\/p>\n

    The difference is Implementation. I am continually amazed and flabbergasted by the number of people who pay lip service to a desire to be successful\u2026who then do little or nothing.. I\u2019m going to share with you today my<\/p>\n

    two favorite quotes. Each of which occupied page one or two of my day-planner for years. Both have to do with truly accomplishing things rather than learning, hoping, planning, expecting, or otherwise preparing for rather than achieving successful outcomes.<\/p>\n

    The first favorite:<\/p>\n

    \u201cWinners remember results, losers remember reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n

    That\u2019s a very important one to anchor in for yourself. I repeatedly talk to school owners who share with me all the reasons what I\u2019m suggesting won\u2019t work in their town, city, for their students, or with their style. They create a long list of reasons for everything that could go wrong, might go wrong, should go wrong. Geeezzzz! If they put 1\/10th of that energy into just going and doing it, they might accomplish something.<\/p>\n

    The next thing these same people do when asked about their stats or their past results is give me the LONG list of reasons that they did everything right and things didn\u2019t work out. The excuse du jour is, \u201cThe Economy.\u201d Everyone\u2019s unemployed, has no money, isn\u2019t willing to pay for lessons, and it goes on ad nauseum. Interesting that at the same time 500,000-plus \u201cearly adopters\u201d paid $500 and up for an iPad without knowing what they were going to use if for or even really what it would do.<\/p>\n

    Now, don\u2019t miss the point. If you are in downtown Detroit with 40% vacancy and 35% unemployment \u2014 then you may be right. Question is \u2014 why isn\u2019t your U-Haul packed and headed to areas with more opportunity?<\/p>\n

    The second quote is all about commitment. Are you truly committed to being a success as a martial arts school owner\/operator? Well, I\u2019ve got to remind you, wait and see always leads to failure. You have to be an active and committed participant in your own success. Unless you set a real goal and publically commit yourself to be in the<\/p>\n

    top 20% of our industry you are doomed to mediocrity, and frankly to struggling financially.<\/p>\n

    The quote is this:<\/p>\n

    \u201cUntil one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.<\/p>\n

    Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.<\/p>\n

    All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in ones favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe\u2019s couplets:<\/p>\n

    ‘Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it! Boldness has genius, magic, and power in it.’ “<\/p>\n

    \u2014 \u0007W.H. Murray, of the Scottish<\/p>\n

    Himalayan Expedition<\/p>\n

    Maybe, a final point worth making is about possibility and expectations. I met with school owners in San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco earlier this spring. Most of them had a very limited perspective about what\u2019s possible in their own industry.<\/p>\n

    I remember back \u2014 to probably 1986 or 1987, I\u2019m not sure exactly \u2014 Nick Cokinos launched the EFC Top 10 list (now, I believe it\u2018s called the EFC All Stars.) On the early list I remember having three or four of the top 10 schools on the list. Now the \u201cAll Stars\u201d list have often been controversial, with schools not wanting their numbers shared (either from embarrassment or hiding from the IRS, I guess). However, I\u2019m convinced it<\/p>\n

    was one of his best ideas ever. Suddenly, the real numbers of schools from all over the U.S. were right there in front of everyone. Whether it was me having several $15,000\u2014$25,000 a month (in EFC collections) schools or Keith Hafner having a $75,000 single school (or Will Maier, Greg Silva, etc.), it created immediate \u201csocial proof\u201d of what was possible. At conventions you could almost spot school owners pointing at individuals grossing double what they were grossing saying: \u201cgeez, that guy\u2019s not that bright, if he can do it I can do it.\u201d Now that\u2019s pretty powerful.<\/p>\n

    My group in California had mostly not had the benefits of Inner Circle, Peak Performers or Coaching. These $7,000\u2014$12,000 schools were pretty happy with their results, not realizing that others \u201cnot as smart as them\u201d in locations that were no better were netting more than they were grossing. And that others were running $35,000\u2014 $100,000 a month schools with their same style and similar clientele. That belief in what\u2019s possible is extremely valuable. It\u2019s why you\u2019ve got to surround yourself with people who are doing better than yourself.<\/p>\n

    A similar example is I engaged in an industry discussion board recently about MMA and school operations. A school operator in my home state of Oklahoma chipped in and bragged about running a very successful MMA school that was doing $15,000 a month. Well, I guess very successful depends upon your perspective. While in Atlanta I spoke with two different MMA\/BBJ school owners who were grossing over $100,000 a month (one from Miami, the other from Nashville or Memphis). One was open seven days a week, 24 hours a day. While in San Antonio, we visited a Krav Maga location with over 3,000 members.<\/p>\n

    Now, the $15,000 a month school thought they were setting the world on fire. Since they are not NAPMA members, they are not reading this newsletter, and really are only interacting with school owners who are, to quote Tom Hopkins, \u201cMore screwed up than they are,\u201d don\u2019t have an understanding of the six-figure income potential of their school. It\u2019s the same school owner who only wants free advice and won\u2019t invest to learn from those who have really been there, done that in our industry. Their loss, your gain.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
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    Manage Your Time, Live Your Life<\/h2>\n

    n a martial arts school operation, there are two major time-management problems that school owners encounter.<\/p>\n

    First: Deciding that their workday is from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., then spending their day with a variety of time-wasting activities. There are many important activities that should be accomplished during non-prime time hours.<\/p>\n

    Remember that during class hours if you are not teaching or personally interacting with students and parents, then you are misusing your time. These are typically the only hours when you can communicate with your students.<\/p>\n

    What should you do during non-class hours?<\/p>\n

    \u2022 External promotional and marketing activities: \u2022 Meeting with local elementary school administrators and teachers. \u2022 Meeting with local merchants to develop co-promotional opportunities. \u2022 Researching advertising and marketing opportunities. \u2022 Writing marketing letters to your old prospects. \u2022 Organizing your exam list and reviewing attendance records of your students. \u2022 Reviewing your inactive student list\u2014 and making a plan to reactivate those ex-students. \u2022 Updating your computer system and keeping your stats up to date. The main issue is to distinguish between primetime activities and non-prime time activities. All administrative duties should be accomplished only during non-prime time hours.<\/p>\n

    Second: Failing to manage time effectively on an hour-by-hour and minute-by-minute basis.<\/p>\n

    How do you manage your time effectively? Use an effective planning system. I prefer Franklin Planners. They are more expensive than some of the other systems, but, given the value of this system to your life, it is well worth the expense. When using the Franklin system, I plan many activities quarterly and monthly \u2014 more so than focusing on every quarter hour. If you keep your objectives clear, then it can be relatively easy to manage your evening hours.<\/p>\n

    Use an adequate school management software system to keep your intro appointments and prospects\u2019 stats under control. Currently, there are several fine systems on the market. Naturally, I prefer the system that I completely designed, Master Vision; however, I would be the first to admit that other systems have similar capabilities to organize your day effectively.<\/p>\n

    Prioritize appropriately. I highly recommend that you read First Things First by Steven Covey, or, at least, study this chapter in 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.<\/p>\n

    To summarize Covey\u2019s concepts, all activities fall into one of four quadrants:<\/p>\n

    1. Urgent and Important. 2. Not Urgent and Important. 3. Urgent and Not Important. 4. Not Urgent and Not Important. A martial arts school, during prime-time hours (4 p.m. to 8 p.m.) is full of quadrant-1 and -3 activities. On a minute-by-minute basis, the evening is full of ringing telephones, constant questions, classes that must begin and end on time, and the constant parade of important and unimportant urgencies.<\/p>\n

    For your evening to be effective, remember there are really only three important elements:<\/p>\n

    enrollments, retention and renewals. If an activity does not positively contribute to one of these elements, then it falls into the \u201cNot Important\u201d category.<\/p>\n

    Mediocre school operators fail to focus on those important areas, that are not urgent. Generally important, but not urgent areas include:<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Internal and external marketing efforts. \u2022 Student retention. \u2022 Renewal preparation. A note about students and your time: With few exceptions, students, of one or two types, can consume your time. Your AAA Black Belt Club, 5-days-per-week loyalists and your D-negative and disgruntled students. You must be careful not to devote too much prime time to students in either of these categories.<\/p>\n

    Your AAA students will spend time talking, and in your presence, just because they can\u2019t experience enough of your school and you. Your D-negative students often have a negative outlook of their lives, and just want to complain to anyone who will listen. In any conversation of this type, work on keeping the conversation short and on subject.<\/p>\n

    A few ways to accomplish this is don\u2019t sit down, don\u2019t go in your office \u2014 address the issues at hand quickly and directly, suggest scheduling a specific appointment time when it\u2019s appropriate for your schedule.<\/p>\n

    Third: By spending excess time on \u201chobby\u201d marital arts activities while rationalizing that you are working on your school business.<\/p>\n

    Fourth: Failing to structure your day effectively. To structure your day effectively, it\u2019s important<\/p>\n

    to determine how you personally function best, and then plan your activities during your own peak times of efficiency.<\/p>\n

    A few years ago there seemed to be this myth that successful school owners rose at dawn and were in their office by 8:00 am. This works quite well for some of my closest friends, but, for me, this has always been massively counter-productive.<\/p>\n

    All martial arts school operators must be at their absolute peak between the hours of 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. You must determine which of your creative hours are for planning and development, and also structure your days to hit your peak during prime-time hours.<\/p>\n

    For myself, I am mostly creative late at night. When most of my friends are climbing into bed, I am just starting. This article was probably written between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. I like to start my day mid-morning, take a break mid-day, and then hit school operations hard during prime time.<\/p>\n

    Depending upon what I need to accomplish, I will either take a break and go to a movie, or grab a quick bite to eat, and then work on my creative projects, either writing lesson plans, designing ad campaigns and writing.<\/p>\n

    For best time management, you can do much more work when no one is around to interrupt and the phones aren\u2019t ringing. If you are an early bird, then 5 or 6 a.m. might be best for you. Again, for me, my creative tasks are accomplished after 11 p.m. If I return your e-mail, then it may be at 2 or 3 a.m.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
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    \u201cPositioning\u201d Your Martial Arts School<\/h2>\n

    ears ago, I read a really interesting book, Positioning: the Battle for Your Mind. Now, some of the concepts presented conflict with the general direct-response position that I hold and propose throughout this column; however, a couple of concepts are worth revisiting.<\/p>\n

    What Are You Promoting?<\/p>\n

    The example used in the book (keep in mind that this book was published years ago) was about IBM\u2019s introduction of the personal computer (PC). You may be old enough to remember that when IBM introduced its first PC, there were quite a number of different makers pushing various systems. Apple had already made a splash with the Macintosh computer. The Osborn computer was big. Kaypro, Tandy, Commodore and others already had systems available, with competing operating systems and structures. The industry was fragmented, with no standards.<\/p>\n

    IBM could have introduced its new product by positioning it against its direct competitors \u2014 for example, why its product is better than Apple\u2019s or Tandy\u2019s; however, IBM did not choose that approach. Its management realized, quite appropriately, that battling over the very small number of hobbyists who already owned or were ready to buy a microcomputer was futile.<\/p>\n

    Instead, IBM took the tact of promoting why everyone should have a PC. IBM created a nonthreatening mascot of sorts (the Tramp of Charlie Chaplain fame), and began a series of ads that explained the value of a PC in the home or office \u2014 always without reference to their direct competitors or other manufacturers.<\/p>\n

    IBM\u2019s logic was that, if it promoted the virtues<\/p>\n

    of these machines, then IBM would gradually be recognized as the leader in the industry; and it would expand the number of people using computers rather than battle for market share.<\/p>\n

    Personally, I think this would be a very lousy approach for beer-makers or soft-drink manufacturers that are battling for market share in declining overall markets; however, for martial arts schools, this is, generally, a great approach.<\/p>\n

    Beginning in 1983 in Denver, I made an effort to emulate IBM\u2019s approach. My ads always touted the benefits of martial arts instruction, explained the benefits of our approach and never mentioned that any other business taught this content but us. During the years in Denver, if someone thought of martial arts lessons (especially for kids), then at least nine times in ten, they would think of us.<\/p>\n

    Do any of us think that we have impacted the market for kid\u2019s instruction as thoroughly as is possible? How about for adult lessons? I\u2019d rather fight to convince a higher and higher percentage of the population to consider our activity, rather than fight other schools for a percentage of a small market.<\/p>\n

    If my competitors do a great job, then our market will expand. If they are hucksters or just lousy teachers, then our market will suffer \u2014 and that will hurt everyone. Again, the early days of the personal computer industry provide a great parallel.<\/p>\n

    What Is Memorable about Your Business\/School?<\/p>\n

    If you plan to advertise and promote your business repetitiously for many years, then you should definitely be concerned about a number of details.<\/p>\n

    Your ads should have a consistent look and feel, so that they become recognizable and memorable. There should always be some constant pieces of<\/p>\n

    content \u2014 perhaps, the format of your school name or logo and, perhaps, a common tag line.<\/p>\n

    Your ads should have a consistent appeal to a specific audience. If you try to be all things to all people, then you\u2019ll be nothing to no one! I\u2019d rather be consistent to a target audience and become known for that niche than be spread across the board.<\/p>\n

    Your school should have an easy-to-remember name. Many schools use names that are not only difficult to remember, but also are downright un-<\/p>\n

    pronounceable by the general public. Be sure to choose a name that will be easy to remember and pronounce.<\/p>\n

    Years ago, combining these ideas, I chose the name Mile High Karate for my base in Denver, which is called \u201cThe Mile High City.\u201d This was somewhat common and, thus, easy to remember. At the time, I also felt that it helped to position my schools as the Denver martial arts schools.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Now is the Time to Hustle Like Never Before<\/h2>\n

    sincerely believe that we are at a marvelous \u201cInflection point\u201d in our industry. I\u2019ve seen this twice before. First in 1985, second in 1991. We combine two things right now that make the next 18 months considerably different than the last 18 months.<\/p>\n

    First, is the economic recovery. Since the runup to the presidential election, generally we\u2019ve been in one of the worst recessions in this century. That obviously makes it difficult for all businesses, especially those that rely on \u201cdiscretionary spending\u201d to get rolling. Although our market (kids\u2019 education) is somewhat recession resistant, still \u2014 it\u2019s made it difficult.<\/p>\n

    The economy isn\u2019t fully back, but consumer optimism is up, and overall consumer spending is coming back. Some areas such a real estate and employment are \u201clagging, not leading\u201d indicators, and it will be a long while until real estate returns to \u201cbubble highs\u201d (if ever, in inflation-adjusted terms). However, the economy is recovering and consumers are starting to spend, again. Some of Mile High Karate\u2019s record years were in the early Clinton administration as the economy recovered from the last \u201cbanking crisis\u201d (S&Ls), and the harsh recession that made Bush 1 a one-term president in favor of Clinton.<\/p>\n

    Second, is The Karate Kid. which changed the complexion of our entire industry. It moved the industry to 80% kids from 80% adults, and allowed for the type of pricing and structure that we use now. I\u2019m thrilled to see that the new The Karate Kid doubled expectations on opening (thanks in part to NAPMA\u2019s efforts to enlist the martial arts industry). The new movie is on track to hit or<\/p>\n

    exceed the revenue numbers of the original, even in inflation adjusted dollars (i.e., the original did $90,000,000, or $200,000,000 when adjusted for inflation).<\/p>\n

    With an opening weekend of $56\u201458 million and $113,000,000-plus gross box office in the first 10 days, and extremely positive word-of-mouth, I believe the movie and the huge marketing budget that Sony has invested is going to take us back to the original The Karate Kid boom. That was a time of 2,000- or 2,500-square-foot schools with 560\u2014650 active students, and with all marketing efforts working well due to a receptive audience.<\/p>\n

    You can\u2019t sit on the sidelines. You must be spending on direct mail (mail multiple \u201cGrabber Mailings\u201d to your prospect database), you must be in summer camps, day cares, churches (target 2,000\u20143,000 leads from these this summer), and theaters. You must be on TV and in newspaper inserts.<\/p>\n

    These are all things that I did in 1985, 1986, 1987 with huge results. However, I believe many (not all) of our schools will be at 500 active and $100,000-plus-plus-plus revenue by early or mid fall.<\/p>\n

    Now\u2019s The Time To Hustle Like Never Before. Now, let me take a deep breath and recognize a couple of things that may not be obvious.<\/p>\n

    First: A bunch of school owners are running around adding MMA Programs and other programs thinking that as a traditional stylists they must follow this trend to stay afloat. Oftentimes they rush to add curriculum or add programs without asking if there is an overwhelming demand for that program. Don\u2019t get me wrong \u2014<\/p>\n

    I do believe that there is a market for quality BJJ programs and for adult-oriented programs, including fitness-oriented MMA. However, I think it\u2019s a huge mistake to layer contradictory programs onto your school or adapt a curriculum \u201cbecause everyone else is doing it,\u201d rather than focusing on a market and pursuing it effectively.<\/p>\n

    Second: It\u2019s difficult, if not impossible, to be \u201call things to all people.\u201d Think of any brand that comes to mind. I\u2019ll throw a couple of examples. What\u2019s BMW? \u201cThe Ultimate Driving Machine,\u201d i.e.: sporty, responsive cars that are fun to drive. What\u2019s Apple? Quality, easy to use stuff. Certainly not the cheapest (I read that they have a 75%-plus market penetration of laptops priced at $1,000 and up).<\/p>\n

    Pick any other strong brand and see if they are trying to be all things to all people.<\/p>\n

    What should you do? Pick a market that you are competent and excited about servicing and focus all your efforts on that market. If you are excited about supporting and focusing on the \u201ckids and family market,\u201d you now have \u201cThe Karate Kid Era Part II,\u201d with a $200,000,000, two-hours and 20 minute \u201cInfomercial for Martial Arts Lessons.\u201d There are more than 10,000,000 people who will see The Karate Kid this summer. That\u2019s approximately 10 times the average viewing audience of a major UFC Pay-Per-View event, and probably up to five times the number that will see a UFC Pay-Per-View event this year.<\/p>\n

    Add that the movie is really a well-crafted infomercial for how fun martial arts lessons are (for the kids) and how valuable it is for personal discipline and respect (for the parents). It\u2019s pretty much impossible for a child five to 15 to leave the movie and not be interested in learning martial arts OR for the parents not to view martial arts as a valuable activity for their children.<\/p>\n

    Keep reading\u2026 To put my rants and enthusiasm for The Karate<\/p>\n

    Kid in perspective take a look at the following results:<\/p>\n

    Box Office History for Karate Kid Movies<\/p>\n

    Released Movie Name 1st Weekend US Gross<\/p>\n

    6\/22\/1984 The Karate Kid $5,031,753 $90,815,558<\/p>\n

    6\/20\/1986 The Karate Kid II $12,652,336 $115,103,979<\/p>\n

    6\/30\/1989 The Karate Kid III<\/p>\n

    $10,364,544 $38,793,278<\/p>\n

    8\/12\/1994 The Next Karate Kid<\/p>\n

    – $8,751,228<\/p>\n

    Totals $253,464,043<\/p>\n

    Averages $63,366,011<\/p>\n

    Total Lifetime Grosses<\/p>\n

    Domestic $107,130,239 94.4%<\/p>\n

    -plus Foreign $6,386,356 5.6%<\/p>\n

    = Worldwide $113,516,595<\/p>\n

    Domestic Summary<\/p>\n

    Opening Weekend: $55,665,805<\/p>\n

    #1 rank, 3,663 theaters, $15,197 average<\/p>\n

    % of Total Gross: 52.0%<\/p>\n

    Widest Release: 3,663 theaters<\/p>\n

    In Release: 10 days \/ 1.4 weeks<\/p>\n

    Through the weekend, we signed up 64 students for trial memberships (went into the weekend with 23 students).<\/p>\n

    I thought I would share our results here in Loveland. Through the weekend we signed up 64 students for trial memberships (went into the weekend with 23 students).We have already started converting them to regular memberships. Not bad for a smaller town. Last night, our dojang was nearly busting at the seams. For a brief moment or two I was a little worried because there was a line at the door waiting to get in. I started thinking I hadn\u2019t thought this<\/p>\n

    through enough (making room for everyone).<\/p>\n

    The demographics amaze me. It\u2019s a farm(ish)-type town, but we have had an extremely diverse group of people signing up and coming through the door. Ages 4\u201356, mostly women and children, but some men, and varying economic groups. Had a few Black Belts come to the table as well that have been out of it for a while wanting to return.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019m pretty happy with the results. I\u2019m expecting to keep about 40% of these new students, but I\u2019m going to give it my best effort to keep all of them.<\/p>\n

    We used the NAPMA information to get the results. It\u2019s a shame The Karate Kid, The A-Team and the The Last Air Bender are so close together. To varying degrees, they can all be good opportunities to bring in students.<\/p>\n

    Scott Granger, Managing Partner Korean Academy of Taekwondo North<\/p>\n

    There\u2019s an interesting trend, happening again throughout our industry.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve seen two types of martial artists with \u201cblinders on\u201d and \u201cfailure mechanism fully engaged\u201d arguing against reality.<\/p>\n

    The first type are the \u201cfalse gurus\u201d trying to slam me and NAPMA. They deny reality. Accuse us of making up numbers. Or, claim that they have just as much claim to The Karate Kid, and that they have put together a comparable promotional package \u2014 at a cheaper cost.<\/p>\n

    Now, let me make this clear: NO ONE ELSE walked you through the complete promotional opportunity A\u2013Z the way that we did. No one else had PROVEN through previous movie promotions starting with The Karate Kid I, II, III, and IV. I pity those who looked for cheap or who<\/p>\n

    thought one of the other self-proclaimed gurus had the secret.<\/p>\n

    Want to know the truth? I\u2019m expecting some Mile High Karate schools to set as many as 1,000 appointments for introductory lessons from The Karate Kid and related promotions. I\u2019ve seen others who thought they were doing a great job by passing out 250-1,000 flyers in and around the movie theater. Our Mile High Karate record to date was 262 appointments set in three days during the opening of the movie. In the first 10 days we had several schools who broke 350 appointments scheduled for introductory appointments.<\/p>\n

    Quantum Leap attendees, along with Inner Circle and Peak Performers members, received a complete outline to accomplish hundreds of introductory lesson appointments. If you missed out on this, then you really just didn\u2019t implement. Don\u2019t miss out on the insider track through Peak Performers, Inner Circle and the upcoming Extreme Success Academy.<\/p>\n

    To finish for now I\u2019ll leave you with this note. I\u2019m hoping that you were at \u201cQuantum Leap,\u201d and if not, at least watched the video of me discussing The Karate Kid I as well as the music business, and the poverty mindset. If not see the member website and watch it now.<\/p>\n

    Just wanted to say \u201cthank you\u201d for all you do for the industry and what I gain from it personally.<\/p>\n

    I know I\u2019m not the most vocal NAP- MA member but I still listen to as much as I can and implement as many ideas as I can. The audio from your special Quantum Leap presentation was very inspiring and prompted this message. I LOVED it!<\/p>\n

    You described my former approach to<\/p>\n

    the \u201cart\u201d of JKD to a tee!<\/p>\n

    I also wanted to commend you for the Brass Balls Factor you displayed in your recent \u201canti-MMA\u201d cover story. As usual you\u2019re correct and it was the best expression of my own thoughts I\u2019ve seen.<\/p>\n

    Down here in Miami (65% Hispan-<\/p>\n

    ic) you can imagine how MMA \u201cdominates.\u201d So I\u2019m strategically working on attracting the contrarian remainder in our community who think differently through our websites and direct mail reactivation efforts.<\/p>\n

    Keep Blastin\u2019 Dwight Woods<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    How To \u201cTurbo Charge\u201d Your Results<\/h2>\n

    he key components are simple.<\/p>\n

    Know what you want to accomplish. Learn the necessary skills. Then VIOLENTLY EXECUTE your plan. It\u2019s amazing to me how many people sit on their butt\u2014and then complain about how hard they are working.<\/p>\n

    TAKE ACTION! BE BUSY! MAKE IT HAPPEN!<\/p>\n

    What is that step? I hate to be a broken record on some subjects, but you must increase your prices; and, to do so, certain factors must be in place.<\/p>\n

    For example: After reviewing the revenues of one my coaching clients recently, I calculated that if he would just increase his down payment, then he\u2019d add $98,000 in revenue with the SAME number of enrollments.<\/p>\n

    Guess what happened? I spent three months banging on my drum before he did anything. He added $0.00 revenue.<\/p>\n

    Then, he finally \u201ctook the plunge.\u201d Now guess what happened?<\/p>\n

    His enrollment ratios (which is the percentage of prospects who arrived for introductory classes and were enrolled) INCREASED. Yes, at a higher price point, MORE prospective students enrolled. His staff (he has multiple locations) told him that my strategy made the enrollment conference much EASIER.<\/p>\n

    As they say in direct-response TV commercials \u2013 \u201dBut wait, there\u2019s more!\u201d<\/p>\n

    Before you think that he is an isolated example, please let me explain that more often than not I find this to be the case. The only limitation is in the minds of the owner, program director or whoever is running the school, not in the minds of<\/p>\n

    prospective students.<\/p>\n

    What should YOU charge? Obviously, it depends on multiple factors.<\/p>\n

    What\u2019s the most important factor? That would be creating a perception of value. You must present your program as being valuable \u2014 VERY valuable. Once you\u2019ve established that value, then it\u2019s only a matter of what I refer to as \u201cfishing in the right pond,\u201d i.e., marketing to families that are able to afford your tuition instead of those unable.<\/p>\n

    If I were to provide a blanket recommendation, then your tuition should be at least $149 per month for new enrollments. For an upgrade, I\u2019d like to see you bump the tuition a minimum of 50% from the enrollment price point, i.e., $225 or more.<\/p>\n

    I can almost hear the one or two \u201cDoubting Thomases\u201d now.<\/p>\n

    What are the typical responses of these \u201cdoubters?\u201d Two responses head the list.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI can\u2019t charge that much because my competition charges $X.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cMy students cannot afford that much.\u201d Frankly, my concern about your competition is exactly Zip, Zilch, NADA. Who cares what they are charging! If your prospects are making price comparisons, then it is due to one of two problems: Either you are not very impressive during your intros (review and revise your grooming, the appearance of your school, the content of your intro, etc.) or are you are failing to \u201cMarket in a Vacuum.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The \u201cMarket in a Vacuum\u201d concept is one that I have addressed before. It is basically what occurs when you rely on the Yellow Pages or some similar marketing resources for most of your students. They will be prone to make price comparisons. If<\/p>\n

    you are following my advice, however, then you won\u2019t experience this problem.<\/p>\n

    The other concern is typically a figment of YOUR imagination: \u201cThey can\u2019t afford it?\u201d Take a minute and observe and understand the spending habits of your students. Maybe you are located in a poverty-stricken area \u2014 in which case you should MOVE. Otherwise, I\u2019ll bet your students (and prospective students) are spending much bigger sums on many other purchases than what I suggest you charge.<\/p>\n

    A family recently explained that they couldn\u2019t afford their renewal since they had spent $12,000 on a Disney World vacation! A couple of weeks with the Mouse and $12,000 were gone! Compare<\/p>\n

    that to the lifetime value of martial arts training!<\/p>\n

    Just a bit of caution about your current students. Keep in mind that your current students have already been very solidly sold on what you are worth. You have \u201cpre-framed\u201d them to think of your lessons \u2014 no matter how much they love them \u2014 to be worth what you\u2019ve asked them to pay.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s difficult (not impossible, but difficult) to increase the price they pay to receive the same training that they are receiving now.<\/p>\n

    There is a strategy that will allow you to increase their tuitions as well, but I won\u2019t go into that now. We\u2019ve made those increases at Mile High Karate many times with HUGE financial results.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Who Is Our Competition?<\/h2>\n

    ‘ve addressed how shortsighted it is to focus on other martial arts schools as your competition. To help further your understanding, let me share with you several real-world observations.<\/p>\n

    Price is irrelevant when compared to what other schools charge. Starting in 1983, I moved into Denver and grew from zero to 1,500 students during a little more than 18 months, while charging between 50% and 100% more than the average tuition of other martial arts schools.<\/p>\n

    How was I able to do that? Obviously, there are many factors, but some of them are:<\/p>\n

    1. Predominantly \u201cMarketing in a Vacuum,\u201d i.e., creating the market for martial arts lessons and drawing them to me, rather than actively competing for individuals seeking martial arts lessons. Few of those students came from the Yellow Pages, the sign on the building or more traditional marketing methods. Almost all of them were generated by aggressively pursuing \u201csuspects\u201d that fit our profile and convincing them that martial arts instruction was valuable.<\/p>\n

    2. An early recognition that few prospects (or active students, for that matter) actively shop price. Clearly, many people who call the school or walk in the door ask about price; however, anyone even marginally skilled in telephone sales skills quickly makes that a non-issue.<\/p>\n

    3. A clear understanding that price is only important to most people in relationship to \u201cvalue.\u201d With any service like ours, the prospect has difficulty equating a value to what he or she is receiving. With a tangible product, customers are more likely to try to compute an expectation of the cost of materials and difficulty of manufacture.<\/p>\n

    Their only ability to assess the value of your training is your presentation of your program,<\/p>\n

    your facility, and, most importantly, your staff and you. They will judge value mostly on whether they like, respect and trust the people that they meet.<\/p>\n

    Next, they will judge value, according to the benefits of your program and the amount of \u201csocial proof\u201d that you provide to increase their believability of that outcome for them.<\/p>\n

    \u201cPrice determines perception of quality.\u201d As counter-intuitive as this may be, prospects that do shop schools will often choose the more expensive \u2014 knowing nothing else. The reason is that whichever school is most expensive must be the \u201cbest\u201d; and, frankly, most of us want the best products and services that we are able to afford, not the cheapest. Granted, there may be exceptions to that statement; however, just because you shop at Wal-Mart or Sam\u2019s Club doesn\u2019t mean you don\u2019t want the best. It just means you want the lowest price on a quality branded product.<\/p>\n

    Consumers have been taught the \u201cknee-jerk\u201d reaction, attributing price and known brands with quality \u2014 and \u201cinexpensive\u201d to being \u201ccheap.\u201d Quick: which do you emotionally want, a Porsche or Subaru sports car? How about a Rolex or Timex? The Timex or Subaru may have all of the features you want, and may be better.<\/p>\n

    In my case, I have several very expensive watches, but my 25-year-old Seiko with a battery keeps much better time. In fact, I have a $19 wall clock that keeps much better time than the Rolexes or the Brietling. I drive a 911 Twin Turbo, but could have bought a Subaru with nearly comparable performance for much less than half the cost.<\/p>\n

    Examples: For our household, we often purchase branded food items from Sam\u2019s, but not the cheapest \u201cgeneric\u201d or \u201cunknown\u201d products.<\/p>\n

    A service, such as martial arts training, is sell-<\/p>\n

    ing the unknown. Consumers are unable to judge quality in a systematic way; they\u2019re only able to judge based upon the factors in Item 3 above.<\/p>\n

    Our competition is other uses of time and money. Adults evaluating a program for themselves or parents considering one for their child more likely compare us, at the low end, to a fitness center or other sports activity. At the high end, they com-<\/p>\n

    pare us to a personal trainer, tutoring at Sylvan Learning Centers or even a child psychologist.<\/p>\n

    In reality, our mission should be to show the incredible benefits of martial arts instruction, charge \u201cpremium\u201d prices to make teaching martial arts for a living attractive and lucrative, and make martial arts instruction an endeavor that parents see as a \u201cmandatory\u201d activity for their kids.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Big Winners, Winners, and the Mediocre Majority<\/h2>\n

    Results from coaching clients tended to be in one of two groups:<\/p>\n

    Starting point of $12,000 a month or less. Typically would argue implementation (that won\u2019t work in my town, city, with my style, with my staff, with my students) or they would change things to the point of being unrecognizable, then do nothing until their credit card maxed and they bailed out.<\/p>\n

    Starting point of $13,000 to $20,000 a month. Typically would get to $30,000 to $50,000 QUICK. Quickest, 90 days; more typically, 7\u201410 months.<\/p>\n

    These results were accomplished from one coaching group teleconference a month, The Millionaire Skills Call monthly, a coaching members private website and discussion board and a 30-minute one-on-one monthly call. Coaching members were also invited to a live event twice a year for a day or two, typically with Mile High Karate school owners and staff. They were typically receiving a fax a few times per month about current priorities as well.<\/p>\n

    First, let\u2019s talk about those who failed in that process. The failures in any business tend to share commonalities.<\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s start with a couple of universal realities. The world generally is divided into 5% big winners, 15% winners and 80% in the mediocre (or<\/p>\n

    worse) majority. Using those numbers in a typical year, our industry will have 900 top-level schools, 2,700 good schools, and 14,400 mediocre or worse. In a typical year 3,600\u20144,500 will go out of business. Now, knowing our industry as I do, I think the 5% and 15% ratios are generous for the martial arts business. There\u2019s a relatively small number of school owners who are investing large sums of money and time in themselves and their school to make massive improvements. Most spend little or no time or money to improve their school or their financial results.<\/p>\n

    What are the commonalities of the losers? First and most common is that for 80% or more, much of the 15% spend the bulk of the time and money that they do spend on personal and professional improvement on technical skills. They fly to Brazil or China to train in their chosen art. They spend 10, 15, 20 or more hours per week on their personal training and on perfecting their personal athletic skills. Don\u2019t get me wrong: your technical knowledge is important. However, low-performing schools can\u2019t see beyond that to the skills that are truly necessary for their own professional growth.<\/p>\n

    Second, common at least among the 80% who achieve little or nothing is the tendency to discount professional skills and systems with erroneous excuses. They say things like \u201c\u2026 that\u2019s in a big city, it wouldn\u2019t work in my area. That\u2019s East Coast, that won\u2019t work in the Midwest. That\u2019s Tae Kwon Do, that wouldn\u2019t work for BJJ.\u201d You get the idea. They say that won\u2019t work with my students, in my area, with my style, with my staff and then do nothing.<\/p>\n

    Third, they want everything for free. Look at the free internet martial arts business discussion boards and Facebook groups. Many of the participants are looking for free advice and are unwilling to pay for quality training. It\u2019s trite but true, you get what you pay for. In the Internet world there\u2019s an often misquoted line that\u2019s \u201cInformation Wants to be Free.\u201d The concept has led to many failed business ventures and ultimately is a foundation for a media battle going on that\u2019s costing big media companies billions of dollars as things transform. You\u2019ve seen Steve Jobs and many others chip in on this conversation that the problem online is that free information is most often worth exactly that\u2026nothing. In a world of bloggers, how do you sort fact from fiction, value from rubbish?<\/p>\n

    The exact quote, by the way, was by Stewart Brand:<\/p>\n

    \u201cIn fall 1984, at the first Hackers\u2019 Conference, I said in one discussion session: \u2018On the one hand information wants to be expensive, because it\u2019s so valuable. The right information in the right place just changes your life. On the other hand, information wants to be free, because the cost of getting it out is getting lower and lower all the time. So you have these two fighting against each other\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Those who are unwilling to invest in their own education and in tools and systems to grow their business will be left to complain on the sidelines about all those who were willing to invest in their own growth and development.<\/p>\n

    Fourth, ultimately, most people fail to achieve much because they have a belief system about what they are capable of achieving. They limit themselves to that level. No matter how often they see others running $500,000 or $1,000,000<\/p>\n

    a year schools, they get stuck at $100,000 a year and can never rise above it because of the belief about themselves that they\u2019ve internalized and never changed.<\/p>\n

    In our own industry, there\u2019s a new group pitching a \u201cPlease Don\u2019t Sell Me Anything\u201d convention in the home of past NAPMA World Conferences, and selling their wares with the slogan, \u201cthere\u2019s nothing new in the business, and we\u2019ve got all of the old stuff, cheap,\u201d or something like that. Their event I believe should be retitled: \u201cLet\u2019s all go get drunk on the beach for \u2018old time\u2019s sake\u2019 and lament that we\u2019ve learned nothing new in the past 10 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Frankly, some of the biggest leaps I\u2019ve made in my career were when I was introduced to a new speaker or consultant through a live event during their 45-minute or 1-hour presentation then was offered an opportunity to study the topic more in depth. One that leaps to mind was Jonathan Mizel (an \u201cinternet marketing guru\u201d) who sold me a box of materials containing probably 30 hours of training, following a 45-minute presentation that I was impressed with, then a membership in his newsletter. I managed to meet him for lunch later, but took special care to read the entire archives of his newsletter website (two three-ring notebooks full of written material) so that I\u2019d be prepared to ask intelligent questions.<\/p>\n

    Frankly, if someone listens to me or anyone else for an hour or two, they\u2019ve been introduced to a topic, but are far from mastery. Imagine a new martial arts student attending a two-hour seminar on self-defense and thinking that they\u2019d learned the topic.<\/p>\n

    As for the \u201cthere\u2019s nothing new\u201d comment, that one\u2019s interesting. One the best direct response marketing books that you should read was written in 1923 by a gentleman by the name of Claude Hopkins. It\u2019s called Scientific Advertising. Another one, Oglivy on Advertising, was written in 1985.<\/p>\n

    So some of the major concepts that you should be using in your business were first articulated in 1923 or before. However, if you have not read those books and the many others on the topic, and applied them to a martial arts school through extensive testing and experimentation, then the concepts are new \u2014 to you. And frankly, to 99% of martial arts school owners as well.<\/p>\n

    At the other extreme, obviously there are new things happening in many areas. An easy example is with internet marketing that\u2019s clearly changing every month where there are LOTS of new things happening that you should know and that are useful to your business.<\/p>\n

    Honestly, one of the biggest impediments to martial artists is believing that teaching methods of 10, 20 or even 100 years ago were as good as it gets. In that area, learning and adding modern teaching methodology is essential to your growth, and is not available from anyone who\u2019s not currently working directly with hundreds or thousands of students. It\u2019s important to combine modern educational technology with constantly updated curriculum and structure to maximize both your student retention and the quality of their skills.<\/p>\n

    Another past guru in our industry ranted and raved recently about there being no \u201csecrets\u201d in our industry, noting that we\u2019d promised to reveal the \u201csecrets to success\u201d at a coming event. Well, I heard that one described recently to me by a knowledgeable expert this way: \u201cIt may not be a secret to you\u2026but if the student does not know it or understand it, then it\u2019s certainly a \u2018secret\u2019 to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Are there \u201csecrets\u201d to success? Well, there certainly are things that the top 1% of our industry know and apply that the other 99% haven\u2019t been taught or haven\u2019t applied properly. There are certainly \u201csubtle distinctions\u201d that are the difference between mediocrity and success. In a book I\u2019m reading right now, David Oglivy described a 19<\/p>\n

    times improvement in an advertisement from one change \u2014 that\u2019s 1900% improvement.<\/p>\n

    That having been said, how do you value advice? That one\u2019s difficult. I like to look at it as return on investment. I\u2019ve seen really BAD advice that was free cost school owners many thousands of dollars. Some \u201clesser gurus\u201d cost some school owners $100,000 or more in lost opportunity just this last summer with bad advice about how to handle The Karate Kid, The Last Airbender and others.<\/p>\n

    With my coaching clients, I\u2019ve always promised a \u201c10 X return on investment,\u201d or, in other words, for every $1,000 they spend, they could expect $10,000 back \u2014 IF AND ONLY IF they applied what I taught them. Anyway, most typically the advice from free Internet sites and the guys who charge you $29 to $100 a month for a \u201cbunch of stuff\u201d are really costing you thousands of dollars. In our case, we have many years of real world experience at the table teaching you how to be a true professional in running your business, if you choose to, and how to earn a solid six-figure income along the way.<\/p>\n

    Oh, and back to the point number two. Those coaching clients who went from $15,000 to $30,000 in 90 days or in nine months, and those who went to $50,000 or more. What were their commonalities? Well, mostly they IMPLE- MENTED. They took direction on faith and just went and immediately got going. They didn\u2019t look for reasons why it wouldn\u2019t work. They didn\u2019t let their employees get in the way. They took the ideas and immediately ran with them.<\/p>\n

    The specific implementation process that I gave everyone who got to $50,000 a month or more was as follows:<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Keep good statistics (for a monthly review with me). \u2022 Fix pricing (raise their prices). \u2022 Add an upgrade process (50% to 100% bump from enrollment monthly payment<\/p>\n

    with pre-pay and accelerated options). \u2022 Renewal blitz among existing students (this was often good for $100,000 to $250,000 in added revenue). \u2022 Review and fix (if necessary) enrollment process. \u2022 Add bigger down payment and bigger monthly payment to enrollment. \u2022 \u201cOpen the Floodgates\u201d to introductory process.<\/p>\n

    Along the way, these coaching clients learned more sophisticated marketing and advertising theory and strategies and applied them to their own business.<\/p>\n

    Suggested reading for you: Tested Advertising Methods; Caples. Oglivy on Advertising; Oglivy. My Life in Advertising and Scientific Advertising; Hopkins.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    A Great Experience<\/h2>\n

    n interesting and very important topic, \u201cAbundance Mentality,\u201d was addressed at a recent business event. That was why I hired Lee Milteer, professional speaker and trainer, to work with my Mile High Karate staff, franchise school owners and personal coaching clients, and provide you, our NAPMA members, with exclusive information on the subject of the \u201cMillionaire Mindset.\u201d<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s just amazing how many school owners think of money and other resources as being finite rather than infinite. In general, martial artists seem to suffer from several major hang-ups about money.<\/p>\n

    First, they think that there it is wrong to make money teaching the martial arts. To me, that\u2019s silly. Actually, it\u2019s no more inappropriate than a singer being paid for concerts and records or a racecar driver being paid for a driving career.<\/p>\n

    Second, school owners think there\u2019s a point at which their students are paying more than they should be paying. Clearly, they\u2019ve made three erroneous assumptions: 1) That charging what students are willing to pay might, in fact, be charging too much; 2) that charging more than other school owners are willing to charge for a similar service is inappropriate; and 3) that excluding some students who are unable to pay is somehow inappropriate.<\/p>\n

    Third, school owners think that being \u201cin it for the money\u201d is somehow at odds with being the best instructor and martial artist possible\u2014another strange and erroneous concept.<\/p>\n

    You must convince yourself that there is as much money and other resources available as you expect, need and request. Finances are not limited. We live in an affluent society; and there\u2019s no<\/p>\n

    reason why you should not to receive a share of that affluence.<\/p>\n

    Do me a quick favor and count how much cash you have in your wallet, money clip or wrapped around your credit cards with a rubber band. Go ahead; I\u2019ll wait.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019m willing to bet you have less than $500, most likely, less than $100. I have $2,132 in cash in my wallet (you know, that green paper money they still make.)<\/p>\n

    Now, let me ask you a few questions: If you have $32 in your wallet and I have $2,132 in mine, then who do you think will recognize opportunity faster? Who do you think will think in terms of \u201cthere\u2019s plenty\u201d first? Who do you think will panic quicker when the next little crisis hits?<\/p>\n

    If you want your school to be financially viable, then consider carrying more cash, and stop feeling broke when you pull your wallet from your pocket.<\/p>\n

    Make friends with people who make more money than you do \u2014 preferably much more money than you do.<\/p>\n

    Take a millionaire to lunch and ask how he or she thinks about his or her business.<\/p>\n

    Travel to places where wealth is abundant. Instead of taking the dirt-cheap trip to an outof-the-way place in Mexico, surrounded by the natives where you feel like a rich American, go where wealth accumulates.<\/p>\n

    Pop down to the dealership and take a Porsche 911 for a test drive, or the new Mercedes AMG SL. Well, I could continue, but I won\u2019t. I want to share a short conversation I had with Mark Victor Hansen, author of Chicken Soup for the Soul book dynasty. He told me during lunch that he asked Tony Robbins one time why he was mak-<\/p>\n

    ing hundreds of millions of dollars and Mark (at that time) was only making one- to two-million dollars a year.<\/p>\n

    Tony responded with questions: What\u2019s your \u201cmastermind\u201d group? Who are your professional and personal acquaintances?<\/p>\n

    When Mark said he spent time with others making approximately what he was currently earning, Tony replied, \u201cThat\u2019s why!\u201d Tony spends time with billionaires.<\/p>\n

    That should cause you to think!<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Don\u2019t Be a Loser. Rise to the Occasion<\/h2>\n

    \u2019m sick and tired of seeing good martial artists struggle financially, day to day.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s been frustrating in the past year to watch so many otherwise great people, accomplished martial artists, and sincere teachers struggle financially. At least 25% of the industry went out of business during this prolonged recession. Others just struggle along making working a day job while running their school at night or just sacrificing along the way and less running a martial arts school than they should (and often than they could doing something else altogether).<\/p>\n

    Now, don\u2019t get me wrong. The conversation among the \u201cconsultants\u201d is that \u201cyou can\u2019t fix losers,\u201d that some people just won\u2019t rise to the occasion. It\u2019s also that the population skews 5%, 15%, 80% with 5% big winners, 15% winners, and 80% who\u2019ll just do little or nothing. Frankly, nothing that I\u2019ve seen contradicts these bleak assessments of human nature. However, I\u2019ve also got to assume that you are a 5% type, or at least a top 20% in reality or in potential, or you wouldn\u2019t be reading this (and be a member of Peak Performer, Inner Circle or on that fast track). The 80% wouldn\u2019t bother.<\/p>\n

    Now, to point out what may already be obvious to you.<\/p>\n

    The transition to a winner as a martial arts school owner requires that you move from being an athlete (i.e., physically accomplished martial artist) to being that and an excellent teacher, to be that and an excellent teacher of teachers, to being that and an excellent leader and communicator of the values of martial arts training (some call that salesperson), to being that and an excellent promoter of the values of martial arts throughout your community (some call that marketer of martial arts). By the way, you also must master at some<\/p>\n

    level keeping track of your results (accounting and keeping stats), hiring and managing employees, and other administrative and management functions of your business along the way.<\/p>\n

    The vast majority of the 80% types will never move beyond athlete and teacher to mastering any of the other skills. Frankly, many never move beyond their own athletic development. Those types rebel against learning to be a \u201csalesperson\u201d and believe if you are a good enough martial artist or teacher of martial artists that you will get enough students by \u201cword of mouth.\u201d Both are failure mentalities that you must avoid at all costs.<\/p>\n

    Frankly, what you probably also know is this: The vast majority of your time and focus as a successful school operator must really be on two things.<\/p>\n

    First, have \u201cRAVING FANS\u201d among your own student body. Not just those who are developing quality techniques. Not just those who are learning and mastering your art. But, truly RAVING FANS who are developing the highest quality physical skills, in a fabulous environment, surrounded by people who they consider almost to be family, led by people who are truly a \u201cproduct of the product,\u201d who show them and teach them leadership skills, life skills and success skills. As an aside, it\u2019s difficult to teach people success skills if you don\u2019t have them yourself. It\u2019s why I\u2019ve always focused more on teaching my staff life skills than on having specific scripts for them to parrot in class.<\/p>\n

    Second, the majority of your time and effort, if (and only if) you are developing \u201cRaving Fans,\u201d has to be spent on marketing. You must be constantly thinking about and working on how do I get more and more new students into our school.<\/p>\n

    If you are developing \u201cRaving Fans\u201d and sharing life-changing skills with your students, then you must be a \u201cRaging Thunder Lizard Evangelist\u201d for your program and insist that your staff and senior students are as well.<\/p>\n

    Now on this point, there\u2019s a couple of issues. What marketing effort will you master? And, how many different ways can you implement to get new students? It\u2019s important to have a few things that you truly master to generate new students and it\u2019s important to always have a \u201cparthenon\u201d of marketing activities. In other words, 10 or more different ways you are attracting new students each and every month. Never rely on just one mechanism.<\/p>\n

    The broad categories for attracting new students might include:<\/p>\n

    1. Internal Promotional Activities. This is anything from Birthday Parties to Buddy Days designed to create either family add-ons (mom, dad, sister, brother, wife, husband) or referrals. I\u2019ve seen schools who master one or several mechanisms for referrals who can fill their school with only referral activities.<\/p>\n

    One friend has been fabulous at VIP enrollments, mostly generated by hosting each belt graduation as a big show. Having students invite their friends as witnesses and then asking them when they attend for contact information and then inviting back to an \u201copen house and introductory class\u201d a few days after the graduation.<\/p>\n

    Another friend (Steve Doyon) has done a fabulous job hosting a huge number of birthday parties at the school and using that as a mechanism to convert attendees to immediate introductory students and to add the rest to a fabulous follow-up sequence (mail, calls, email.) That converts a huge number anywhere from week one to month 24, or beyond.<\/p>\n

    2. Community Outreach Activities. This can range from School Talks (or my origi-<\/p>\n

    nal version, \u201cGym Teacher for the Day\u201d) to programs with area scouts, churches, day cares, etc. The marketing crowd calls this \u201chost-parasite\u201d relationships.<\/p>\n

    However, for our purposes, it\u2019s all about finding a crowd of YOUR prospective students and finding the best way(s) to introduce your school to that group. Back when I was running Kickboxing fitness programs, I worked with nail salons, tanning salons, and other businesses that attracted 18-to-35-year-old women (who cared about their appearance). For the kids market I target elementary schools, day cares, churches, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and other youth activities both non-profit and for-profit (think Chuck E. Cheese\u2019s to the local Catholic Community Center).<\/p>\n

    3. Advertising. This is anywhere you pay for media. It ranges from direct mail to targeted lists to newspaper advertising. I\u2019ve set out to master every facet of this and have driven huge volumes to my schools by newspaper advertising, newspaper inserts, direct mail, marriage mail (Val-Pak, Money Mailer, etc.), television \u2014 short form (30-second spots and long-form (infomercials) \u2014 and internet marketing (search engine optimization, site development, and pay-per-click).<\/p>\n

    4. Publicity. This is finding ways to attract television stations, radio stations and your local newspapers to feature your school or your students in stories. My teacher\/mentor Jhoon Rhee was perhaps our industry\u2019s master of this form of promotion. He was constantly on television and in the newspapers (the Washington Post, among others) gaining publicity for the Jhoon Rhee Institute. He also ended up using this form of promotion to be in front of HUGE audiences, such as on the Washington Mall during the fourth of July festivities. Another friend of mine, Chris Rappold, had over 500 articles on his school appear in area newspapers over the years. He paid for a PR rep but the features were free.<\/p>\n

    At different times and in different markets each advertising mechanism can be effective. Over the years I\u2019ve had from moderate to HUGE success with all of these.<\/p>\n

    Many in our industry during the past 10 years became convinced that advertising doesn\u2019t work. In that they are wrong. However, it is my opinion that you should develop your marketing efforts by FIRST mastering community outreach and second, mastering internal promotional efforts (which become useful only at 100 to 150 active students anyway).<\/p>\n

    To conclude on this subject, let me add a brief note about the Internet. Keep in mind that you\u2019ve got to think of the internet by it\u2019s sub components.<\/p>\n

    First, your website for your students. That\u2019s a resource that\u2019s different than selling video tapes of the curriculum, giving handouts to support your testing requirements and putting your calendar of events on a white board. That section of your website really is designed to help on the \u201cRaving Fans\u201d component.<\/p>\n

    Second, is the website for prospects? I\u2019ve rarely seen this done well. The site for prospects really has a VERY limited purpose. That purpose is to take a HIGH PERCENTAGE of visitors and convince them to share contact information with you (name, email, phone, mailing address), then to take a high percentage of those visitors and convince them to schedule a free or paid in-<\/p>\n

    troductory class with your school. Your purpose is the SAME as an info call. They need to know little or nothing about you, your school, your style, your schedule, your curriculum or your lineage, UNLESS that facilitates them giving you contact information and scheduling an introductory class.<\/p>\n

    Finally, the Internet is media: it has several components designed to drive clicks, that is, prospects clicking a link to arrive at your prospect website. You can drive clicks through search engine optimization and through pay-per-click advertising \u2014 in other words coming up on search results if when someone searches the proper key words.<\/p>\n

    These two options are the modern equivalent of the Yellow Pages, being found quickly when someone is looking for martial arts lessons. You can buy banners, articles, videos and other more traditional advertising methods to be in front of people who may be good prospects but are not really looking for you. Many traditional medial outlets are trying (and mostly failing) to get this to work now.<\/p>\n

    The search engine and pay-per-click marketing approaches are well proven on the internet \u2014 if there are adequate numbers of people looking for what you offer. The other more traditional advertising forms are yet to be proven on the internet but soon may work well, either normally online or through smart-phones or other mechanisms.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Recommendations to My Coaching Clients That You Can Use<\/h2>\n

    want to share with you a few of the recommendations that I have made to my coaching clients. They likely apply equally well to your situation.<\/p>\n

    First: Use a Billing Company Many of you use too MANY METHODS to chase pennies and ignore dollars.<\/p>\n

    If you are not using a billing company, then I recommend that you talk to Member Solutions and ASF. Both offer excellent software-billing integration and additional value-added services.<\/p>\n

    I especially like the birthday cards, membership cards, pass-a-friend program and other value-added services that ASF provide. I recommend both highly and always have.<\/p>\n

    The other choice is EasyPay. It is a great company. Call and ask for Rick Bell (tell him I sent you). EasyPay is simple and easy \u2014 less expensive than the others, but with fewer value-added services. The fourth and final option is EFC. I was their first client after they separated from the Jhoon Rhee Institute and a member of its board of directors from inception until a few years ago. Many clients like EFC.<\/p>\n

    My opinion is that EFC offers excellent networking and some valuable consulting of value; however, as a member of NAPMA, you would receive much higher quality and unfiltered information. EFC\u2019s billing services are not quite on par with ASF or Member Solutions. It\u2019s your choice, but you should use one of them, and not software alternatives that don\u2019t manage the process. I wholeheartedly endorse any of these four choices.<\/p>\n

    Second: Pricing, Programs and Contracts<\/p>\n

    Rule of Thumb: You should be grossing $200 to $300 per active student in your school.<\/p>\n

    There are three or more important points to learn from this \u201crule of thumb.\u201d<\/p>\n

    If you are not using membership agreements, with a minimum initial commitment of six months (preferably 12 months), then start doing so. If you have a problem of some sort with contracts, then look in the mirror, take a deep breath and realize you are running a business not a club.<\/p>\n

    Enrollment Pricing: My recommended MINI- MUM for new enrollments, which you should start now is $200 down and $149 per month, or a total of $349 to enroll and $149 per month for 12 months.<\/p>\n

    Upgrade Pricing: I recommend that your first upgrade occur two weeks to two months from the initial enrollment\u2014at a minimum. I recommend the following minimum upgrade pricing: $499 down and $229 per month.<\/p>\n

    What you title your upgrade program is your choice.<\/p>\n

    I used to call mine a Black Belt Club, which was a 36-month program (or shorter, if Black Belt was achieved in fewer than 36 months). My Master Club program led to a 2nd-Degree Black Belt.<\/p>\n

    My newer upgrade strategy is two levels or more that require the same amount of time, but with different (enhanced) services.<\/p>\n

    Master Club = 2nd Degree Black Belt: $249 per month.<\/p>\n

    Leadership = 2nd Degree Black Belt: $349 per month.<\/p>\n

    Leadership\/Coaching = 2nd Degree Black Belt: $997 per month.<\/p>\n

    Third: Expectations<\/p>\n

    Many of my coaching clients aspired to $25,000 to $30,000 a month. The current standard is $50,000 -plus per month in revenue. If you are struggling for small increases \u2014 or fighting the basic system \u2014 then it\u2019s time to adopt my strategy.<\/p>\n

    Fourth: The Mythology of Martial Arts.<\/p>\n

    Forget about how great you think your style is and your awesome name (especially if it includes words, such as \u201cdragon\u201d or the name of your otherwise unknown style).<\/p>\n

    Your business won\u2019t pay your bills if you think:<\/p>\n

    \u2022 That the market cares about your martial arts rank or martial arts r\u00e9sum\u00e9. \u2022 Your 10 or 20 years as a failing school has positioned you well for the future. \u2022 Going it alone or doing things your way is a great idea. During the last couple of months, there\u2019s been much time wasted on one-on-one calls with school owners with $7,000 to $15,000 schools who brag about how long they\u2019ve been in business, their ads, their knowledge or their great curricula.<\/p>\n

    Several of them \u2014 who haven\u2019t done much two or three months later \u2014 complain they need more of my time one-on-one.<\/p>\n

    Some of my favorite quotes: “Winners remember results\u2014losers remember reasons.” (Source unknown)<\/p>\n

    “Most people would rather have a good excuse than good results.” (I heard this one from Dan Kennedy, quoting someone else.)<\/p>\n

    \u201cBut when I said that nothing had been done I erred in one important matter. We had definitely committed ourselves and were halfway out of our ruts. We had put down our passage money\u2014 booked a sailing to Bombay. This may sound too simple, but is great in conse-<\/p>\n

    quence. Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, their providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one\u2019s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way. I learned a deep respect for one of Goethe\u2019s couplets:<\/p>\n

    ‘Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.<\/p>\n

    Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.’\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u0007W. H. Murray in The Scottish Himalaya Expedition, 1951.<\/p>\n

    The accurate Goethe quote is:<\/p>\n

    Then indecision brings its own delays,<\/p>\n

    And days are lost lamenting over lost days.<\/p>\n

    Are you in earnest? Seize this very minute.<\/p>\n

    What you can do, or dream you can do, begin it.<\/p>\n

    Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.<\/p>\n

    Fifth: Know Your Business Statistics!<\/p>\n

    You must gather and maintain your operational and business statistics, and know your current situation every week. Are you on-target to achieve your daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly goals? How many enrollments do you need per day, week and month to match your projections?<\/p>\n

    How many renewals\/upgrades do you need? What is your target student retention rate? What are your daily break-even cost and daily profit goal?<\/p>\n

    Many schools owners don\u2019t know their basic statistics, such as intros, conversion rates, upgrades, new monthly payments or contract amounts.<\/p>\n

    If I asked you, \u201cWhat are your totals for the month to date?\u201d Would you have to refer to a ledger or computer, or ask someone? If you do, then you have a problem.<\/p>\n

    Sixth: You Can\u2019t Do Anything Without New Students.<\/p>\n

    Your target must always be 20 or more new students per month \u2014 every month \u2014 or 240 or more new students every year, forever.<\/p>\n

    If you have plenty of cash flow, then educate yourself about copywriting, TV, radio and direct mail. Improve your marketing skills and spend more time on grassroots promotional efforts and internal marketing.<\/p>\n

    My personal record is 35 enrollments (12-month contracts, signed and down payments, collected by EFT) during one day, back-to-back.<\/p>\n

    I remember an otherwise intelligent school owner who joined my coaching program \u2014 with the intent of earning $60,000 to $90,000 a year in income, which is a reasonable goal, considering many school owners in my coaching program are able to earn similar amounts. During the first month in my coaching program, the new member sent me a barrage of emails, stating among other things:<\/p>\n

    \u201cI\u2019m not willing to do contracts\u201d and, \u201cI don\u2019t believe in \u2018upgrade or renewal\u2019 systems.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Geeezzz!!!! Why not just email me the following message? \u201cI have decided to take a permanent \u2018vow of<\/p>\n

    poverty.\u2019 I will only teach martial arts for the fun and fulfillment of working with students. I have absolutely NO expectation of making more than a meager income teaching martial arts, even though I\u2019ve devoted the majority of my life to learn and master this art.\u201d<\/p>\n

    It amazes me that otherwise intelligent human beings will decide to ignore intelligent business practices due to ignorance or the \u201cunscrupulous\u201d application of otherwise valid business systems by some operators.<\/p>\n

    If you remember nothing else, then please remember the two things that every intelligent and rich business owner in the martial arts industry knows:<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Student service and retention are essential for long-term success. \u2022 Aggressive renewal and upgrade systems account for 60-75% of all revenue of a successful school. You will greatly improve your understanding of some of the fundamentals of \u201chow martial arts millionaires create 75% of their incomes,\u201d but I encourage you to keep an open mind and approach your school\u2019s business practices with both \u201cenlightened self-interest\u201d and the highest levels of integrity.<\/p>\n

    Most school owners who join my coaching program generated an average of $15,000 to $17,000 in gross income per month; however, after eight to 12 months of working together, that average dramatically increased to $45,000 to $50,000 per month. Be aware that this three-fold increase is not magical; it requires your willingness to \u201cempty the cup\u201d and immediately apply intelligent, proven business systems to an otherwise quality program.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Wow, Extreme Success Academy!<\/h2>\n

    ust got back from San Diego. Wow, what a great event. Our surprise guest was \u201cBlast from the Past\u201d Andrew Wood. He was, as usual, fabulous on Saturday Night. The obvious difference between the \u201cwinners\u201d and \u201closers\u201d starts with showing up. Everyone at the event learned enough to add $10,000.00 or more to their monthly revenue (in some cases MUCH MORE) in the next 90 days, if they actually implement what they learn. Several members that I talked with have DOUBLED their revenue using what they learned at Extreme Success Academy last year in San Antonio! That in a serious recession \u2014 imagine what would have happened in \u201cboom times!\u201d<\/p>\n

    Please, Please, Give me Permission to FAIL!<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s just amazing to me how aggressively some people will argue with you when you are trying to help them be successful \u2014 they are liter-<\/p>\n

    ally arguing for failure. If you\u2019ve studied much of Tony Robbins\u2019 materials, he talks about \u201cmy delusion\u201d \u2014 meaning that he believes that his goals are achievable and that external events will help not hurt his progress. You can have the opposite delusion \u2014 that everything external is conspiring against you. Your belief system either way will conspire make sure you get what you expect.<\/p>\n

    It goes back to the great quote:<\/p>\n

    \u201cMost People Would Rather Have a<\/p>\n

    Good Excuse than Good Results.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Here\u2019s a recent e-mail I received (I won\u2019t share with you the name, for obvious reason).<\/p>\n

    \u201c\u2026 your numbers have a snowball\u2019s chance in hell down here. In case you haven\u2019t heard, Arizona has not only the second worst foreclosure rate in the country, but is now the second POOR- EST state in the union! Only Louisiana beat us for the top spot! Sometimes you remind me of Nero watching Rome burn. I know you are trying to help, but castigating me for not showing \u201cyour\u201d numbers is not only frustrating, but counterproductive.<\/p>\n

    \u201cThere are NO down payments because people can\u2019t\/won\u2019t pay them.<\/p>\n

    \u201cZero PIFs because nobody has that kind of money. Despite what we show them we have and can do, most simply walk down the street to the next little TKD hole-inthe-wall and sign up for $50\/month.<\/p>\n

    \u201c$99\/month is considered \u201cexpensive\u201d here in Tucson for martial arts\u2026especially with a contract which scares the crap out of people.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Anytime you say nobody can do something, you\u2019re wrong. Some can or will. If you say people won\u2019t pay something, you are probably just reviewing your belief system not the reality of the market.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ll share with you part of my response to the letter above, where I looked into Tucson\u2019s numbers in comparison to two Mile High Karate schools whose current numbers I had handy: It\u2019s easy to conclude that the \u201ceconomy sucks,\u201d and frankly, if you watch the news or listen to popular opinion, it\u2019s a reasonable conclusion. However, such \u201cexternalization of blame\u201d for results does nothing to improve your income or your overall results.<\/p>\n

    A consideration is the demographics of income issues. Approximately nationally: A person who is 30-plus years of age, with an education level of college or better, has an unemployment rate of less than 4.5%. That same person with a high school or less level of education, less than 30 years old, is close to 20%.<\/p>\n

    Therefore, targeting white collar, educated parents is vital for marketing success, both for income and employment purposes. Single, young adult males are the ABSOLUTE worst in the current environment as a market target.<\/p>\n

    As an economist by educational background (BA Economics, MBA), I always feel compelled to investigate and evaluate comments such as this to see if there is in fact a kernel of truth buried in it.<\/p>\n

    I dug around a little and went through the Bureau of Labor Statistic numbers and did a comparison against Mile High Karate Fresno, CA, and Mile High Karate Mission, Texas. BOTH are FLOOD- ED with traffic. If fact, the problem is too much Introductory traffic and slipping ratios due to volume.<\/p>\n

    Mission is coming on strong from a \u201cSMALL SCHOOL\u201d with less than 100 active students, to a strong school with the volume they are generat-<\/p>\n

    ing. That school enrolled nine new students just on Friday night. That puts them at 24 enrollments for the month to date.<\/p>\n

    Sascha Williams in Fresno is way up this year over last year, and is looking at a $500,000 year with a little continued momentum.<\/p>\n

    Both schools, by the way, are charging $400 as a down payment plus $197 per month for a 12-month enrollment. Masterclub Renewal is $750 down and $259 per month. Leadership Renewal is $1,000 down and $359 per month. Paid in full, that is approximately $13,500.<\/p>\n

    In comparing the Tucson area with those two schools, the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers are the following:<\/p>\n

    Income:<\/p>\n

    Tucson, Arizona: $40,870 Fresno, California: $40,460 Mission, Texas: $31,060 Unemployment:<\/p>\n

    Tucson, Arizona: 9.2% Fresno, California: 16.1% Mission, Texas: 12.3% It\u2019s easy to look externally for an excuse, but I\u2019d really suggest we fix your systems and processes from the inside out. What must you do?<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Target the RIGHT audience, those who are likely to both value your program and be willing and able to pay for it. \u2022 Market extensively throughout targeted areas in your community and draw from communities with the income and stability that you need for your school. \u2022 Then, continually upgrade the quality of your program to increase it\u2019s value to your students and prospective students.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    The Quickest Way to Kill a School<\/h2>\n

    t\u2019s a rather simple: The quickest way to kill a school is to become good at sales and marketing without mastering service and education.<\/p>\n

    Let me say that again, differently. If you are not an excellent teacher and motivator, then the absolute worst thing you can do is expose your school to a huge number of prospective students, so your community learns about how poor your school delivers this critical service.<\/p>\n

    Let me give you this example from a couple of other industry perspectives. Dan Kennedy is one of the many \u201cmarketing gurus\u201d that I\u2019ve studied. He shares a story about opening a new restaurant. After exploring all of the many advertising options \u2014 Val-Pak, money mailer, flyer, direct mail, etc. \u2014 the restaurant owners decided to print certificates, instead, good for a free meal (absolutely free \u2014 not two for one, no cost for drinks, etc.). These certificates were delivered to every home and office in the restaurant\u2019s immediate vicinity by hand, with a personal invitation to try the restaurant.<\/p>\n

    The restaurant was swamped with traffic during its first month, with very little revenue, because it gave away the lion\u2019s share of the meals. What do you think happened next? If this were as much of the story I knew, my first answer would probably be there is no business the second month, or thereafter, and the restaurant quickly closes. My second answer is that during the second month, it would be just as busy, with happily paying customers; and the restaurant\u2019s business quickly grows from there. What\u2019s the difference? By now it should be obvious: Good food and fast, friendly service.<\/p>\n

    If the restaurant had good food and fast-friendly service, then its expensive marketing effort was<\/p>\n

    well worth it. If not, then the management just proved to everyone in its neighborhood that the restaurant was not worth revisiting for a free meal or any other reasons.<\/p>\n

    How about another example: One of my executive staff members worked for a branded oilchange business for many years. Its absolute best strategy to grow a new location was the same as explained above. The company would distribute certificates widely that were good for a free oil change, with no strings attached.<\/p>\n

    Once many of its neighbors visited the location and were treated professionally and courteously with quality service, they were very likely to return again and again for service, but paying the standard rate. Again, this strategy would backfire quickly for a poorly run location.<\/p>\n

    What if the location was poorly maintained, with a grumpy staff that performed the service poorly and looked up a female customer\u2019s skirt while changing the oil? Well, the word would spread quickly, but not positively. The company would be ensured a tough launch, and have difficulty overcoming its bad reputation.<\/p>\n

    Our industry has experienced this situation often enough that many excellent martial artists, who are also excellent teachers and mentors to their students, are afraid of developing their marketing talent or sales skills for fear of becoming like those other \u201cshady operators.\u201d<\/p>\n

    In contrast, I would say that the two biggest sins in our industry are first, quality teachers who are afraid of or unwilling to learn to promote their school and grow their student base; and second, lousy martial artists and teachers who master the art of marketing and sales and, therefore, poison the experience of martial arts for their students.<\/p>\n

    No business ever thrived without mastering three key functions: marketing, sales and service delivery. Miss any one of these key areas and you are doomed to financial failure.<\/p>\n

    I highly recommend that you start with a top- to-bottom overview of your school. Forget, for the moment, your own mastery of your chosen art. It\u2019s not very relevant to your student\u2019s experience. Focus, instead, on every aspect of your service delivery, starting with the most important, and then reviewing all of the supporting areas. Start with your rapport with students and their parents, and<\/p>\n

    then look at your communications skills. Next, evaluate your ability to segment your curriculum properly for student mastery. Next, how are your classroom pacing and structure and your facilities, training, support equipment and curriculum support materials? How\u2019s the appearance of your key staff members and you?<\/p>\n

    After you\u2019ve reviewed all of these areas, it\u2019s time to master the marketing and sales functions, and then grow your student base dramatically.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Important Issues for Large Operators<\/h2>\n

    s your school expands, and you can no longer personally control every aspect of your school operation, there are several important issues that begin to arise that you may never have previously considered. The first of these that I\u2019d like to address is how to ensure control, as you develop strong Black Belts and strong staff members.<\/p>\n

    Once you expand to multiple locations or your single school increases to a large student body of 300 or more students, you will find it necessary to delegate much, or perhaps all, of the teaching to an employee. In a martial arts school, personal loyalty and respect for the instructor is an important component of your developmental process. Martial arts schools, especially more traditional schools, depend on a strong hierarchy and obedience to the instructor.<\/p>\n

    The same structure that helped you maintain order in the early stages of your growth can become a problem as you grow if not managed properly. Industry horror stories abound.<\/p>\n

    A common story is the development of a student, from White Belt through the coveted Black Belt. Next, you begin to teach him leadership skills, and allow him to teach more students. Often, this is in parallel with developing the student\u2019s athletic prowess, and he becomes a cornerstone of your school and a respected champion of the tournament circuit.<\/p>\n

    Once your confidence in this student\u2019s skills and leadership abilities has grown, you offer him a \u201ccareer\u201d position with you, and he begins to teach for you full-time. Gradually, he becomes the head instructor and teaches most of the classes, while you become increasingly focused on the sales, marketing and administrative aspects of your school.<\/p>\n

    Gradually, your students begin recognizing your Black Belt student as their primary teacher and mentor, and the teacher starts to take great pride in \u201chis\u201d students’ achievement.<\/p>\n

    What comes next is that this instructor often begins to hear from students that he should have his own school. Perhaps he marries and his wife continually complains that he should have his own school, and that he\u2019s not being paid enough; and, of course, that he is responsible for the success of the school, since all the owner does is sit in the office and talk to people all day.<\/p>\n

    Then one day, like a lighting bolt from the blue\u2026<\/p>\n

    Well, you can probably finish the story. I\u2019ve seen cases where your previously loyal Black Belt employee has moved across the street, and, in one case, actually announced at the monthly belt test that the students should join him across the street on Monday \u2014 perhaps, followed by letters and phone calls to solidify the solicitation of your clientele.<\/p>\n

    The question becomes, how do you protect yourself from such a disaster?<\/p>\n

    Well, there are many ways that school operators attempt to protect themselves. What doesn\u2019t work is always to be your students\u2019 primary contact and work aggressively to make sure you are always seen as the top athlete, teacher and main student contact. That approach is fine when you have as many as 100 or 150 students, but then you must delegate authority and let others take some responsibility.<\/p>\n

    What must happen, then, are several things. First, your school must be built on a formal hierarchy, with you visible at the top. It must always be clear that you are the senior person in your school and that all others report to you. This is<\/p>\n

    where larger organizations and affiliations often help to solidify everyone\u2019s relative position.<\/p>\n

    Second, before hiring anyone, it is important to have a clear understanding. That written understanding must include several points:<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Your enthusiasm about helping this budding martial arts instructor develop a substantial career in the martial arts. \u2022 Your willingness to help him grow in any way possible. \u2022 Your willingness to compensate continually his relative contribution to the financial outcome of your school. \u2022 His commitment to support now and always your school and you. \u2022 His understanding that it is unacceptable<\/p>\n

    ever to teach any of YOUR students outside of your school environment and, regardless of how the future unfolds, he will never solicit any of your students. \u2022 His understanding that it is acceptable for him to open a school in the future under your banner or independently, but he will not open it within a reasonable distance, so as not to compete with you, or you to compete with him. In conclusion, there are many landmines to avoid as your school grows. Developing your competition is certainly one that is important to control and monitor.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    We\u2019re in a REALLY Simple Business<\/h2>\n

    remember while working on the MBA (Master\u2019s in Business Administration) thinking about what a really simple business a martial arts school is in reality. During the program one class we were working on multivariate scheduling programs (how to program traffic lights in London or schedule flights for United Airlines) and then Pert Charts, Gantt Charts and stuff like that. The next class was all about \u201cManagerial Accounting,\u201d determining costs of a product by allocating overhead by Machine Hours and stuff like that.<\/p>\n

    A couple of things dawned on me then. First, we\u2019re in a really simple business. Second, many martial artists who struggle do so by over-complicating their business and confusing simplicity with a lack of sophistication \u2014 or, confusing complexity with substance.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s important to keep in mind with our business that there\u2019s really three primary drivers of your business: enrollments, renewal and student retention. If what you are working on during any given moment does not directly impact attracting new students, renewing existing students or keeping existing students for a longer period of time, then you are wasting time.<\/p>\n

    Take those three \u201cdrivers\u201d and overlay your tuition rate and structure and you have all of the key elements to increase (or decrease) your gross revenue.<\/p>\n

    In my efforts with consulting, I\u2019m often confronted with school owners who are busy confusing \u201cactivity with accomplishment,\u201d or who have over-complicated their life and their school by ignoring the basic premise above.<\/p>\n

    How in practice does this work? One way is to determine what curriculum you<\/p>\n

    are going to teach in your school and whether to add a piece of material. The first question is always, \u201cwill this encourage students to stay longer with our program or will it accelerate attrition?\u201d If you reasonably expect any piece of curriculum to improve your overall student retention, then consider it. Next, ask yourself if it can be used to enhance renewals. Often something new or different is a marvelous \u201chook\u201d for the renewal, for instance, \u201conce in leadership you also get to learn \u2018_______\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve made this mistake occasionally. Once was in adding too much BJJ for our Black Belts. The concept was enticing for them, but once they ended up with too much ground work, 85% dropped out. Another time was in explaining the actual \u201cknife-fighting\u201d meaning behind the stick work we were teaching. They enjoyed the stick movements \u2014 they were massively turned off thinking about it as a knife scenario.<\/p>\n

    For most people, the more realistic you make \u201cself-defense\u201d scenarios, they less enthusiasm they have for what they are learning. It\u2019s a reasonable human reaction to be turned off by knives, guns, injury and potentially being attacked.<\/p>\n

    Most important is that you are not your market. What you are excited to learn has little or nothing to do with what will be a nice addition to improve retention or to be an attractive addition to enhance renewals. Personally, I\u2019ve always enjoyed fighting. Tournament point fighting. Kickboxing. Full-Contact Karate. I\u2019ve always been aware enough to know that hitting at full-power or, for that matter, getting hit, is not what most (99.9%) of my student base wants.<\/p>\n

    Throughout the last 30 years I\u2019ve seen many, many cycles of adding curriculum (or pretend-<\/p>\n

    ing to do so) hoping to attract more students. The MMA trend recently is nothing new. I remember schools adding \u201cKung-Fu\u201d to their signs during the run of the Kung Fu TV show (and more recently during Kung Fu Panda.) When Tae Kwon Do showed up in the Olympics, schools promoted Tae Kwon Do (including many who actually taught Tae Kwon Do).<\/p>\n

    There are times when \u201cmedia trends\u201d lead to a BIG upsurge in all martial arts training. Certainly The Karate Kid in the 1980s was one of these. Kung-Fu and Enter the Dragon led to an upsurge in the 1970s. Then there are times when a specific type of training gets driven by the media. \u201cTae Bo with Billy\u201d\u2018s frequent infomercials drove huge interest for Cardio Kickboxing. Most of these efforts miss several important points.<\/p>\n

    One point is that you should first pick a \u201ctarget market\u201d and then decide what to offer that target market that it will be receptive to learning and paying a reasonable tuition rate to learn.<\/p>\n

    The next point is that in most cases, students who approach you do so from a point of near or total ignorance about martial arts. Never assume your level of knowledge about martial arts, styles, approaches when approaching a market. They may use a current \u201cbuzz word,\u201d but frankly, they almost never know really what they want. It\u2019s up to you to help them hone in on what they want to learn and why.<\/p>\n

    Third, evaluate each \u201cmedia trend\u201d and ask: \u201cIs this driving a surge of people looking to pay to<\/p>\n

    train in this particular art or style?\u201d I can tell you from experience that there was a HUGE surge in people looking for cardio kickboxing. There is not a surge of people looking to be the next UFC fighter.<\/p>\n

    You make HUGE headway in your school by focusing in on the three drivers and avoiding anything that distracts. The most successful schools that I see (at the \u201cbottom line\u201d) focus on one curriculum. They add to or enhance that curriculum based upon having more stuff to teach to entice renewals or to keep the program interesting for their students. They focus on their \u201cbread and butter\u201d and target creating $30,000, $50,000, $75,000 or more monthly TUITION from that one curriculum. They focus on constantly improving their student experience while expanding their reach into their immediate community.<\/p>\n

    If the focus is the adult audience they get better and better at attracting that target audience. If their focus in the kids market then they get better and better at attracting and keeping kids. Mostly successful schools do not try to attract ALL markets. You\u2019ll see very few huge schools with Tai Chi for the 50 and up crowd, MMA for the 20- 30 year old crowd and family-oriented life-skills for the under-12 crowd. One offsets the other. It would be like seeing a combination McDonald\u2019s, Morton\u2019s and Chili\u2019s. Different target audiences. Different branding. Different facilities. Different approaches.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Critical Success Skill: Build Immunity to Criticism<\/h2>\n

    ere\u2019s a business tip that you must learn, and learn well.<\/p>\n

    Recently, I \u201cGoogled\u201d my school name, Mile High Karate, on the Internet just to learn if anyone was misusing the name or stealing my content, which is considered \u201cintellectual property.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Can you believe that this happens? It sure does. Here\u2019s what I found.<\/p>\n

    There are schools that have copied the contents directly from my FreeKarate.com and MileHigh- Karate.com Websites, word for word! Often, the perpetrators are so blatant that they even use my name and our testimonials.<\/p>\n

    This is a very clear case of plagiarism. Keep in mind that you\u2019re allowed to copy concepts, but you are not allowed to duplicate\/steal the text or the pictures\/images.<\/p>\n

    I also found the comments of a person from Oregon who had posted his opinion at Defend.net in response to someone looking for a school in Colorado:<\/p>\n

    \u201cWhatever you do, and I\u2019m sure you won\u2019t, don\u2019t go to Mile High Karate,\u201d this person wrote. \u201cThere is a terrible chain down there that doesn\u2019t even proclaim to teach martial arts, but character building, and every single instructor is called a \u2018master.\u2019 I hate McDojos like these\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

    Jeez, what an idiot! You must always avoid the attempt to rebut people who make these kinds of pronouncements. What a whacked-out comment! Yes, my school\u2019s focus is character development<\/p>\n

    for kids \u2014 through quality martial arts training and the mental disciplines that are taught as part of that training.<\/p>\n

    My response to his comment about all the instructors at my schools calling themselves \u201cmaster\u201d is that, during the last 22 years, we\u2019ve developed a bunch of Black Belts, and we have a number of instructors 24 to 26 years of age who have been training with us since they were seven. To be referred to as \u201cmaster,\u201d they must first have achieved their 4th-Degree Black Belt, which requires an average training time of 12-plus years to attain.<\/p>\n

    I guess the word \u201cMcDojo\u201d is his attempt to slam both McDonald\u2019s\u00ae and Mile High Karate\u00ae in the same comment. There\u2019s a weird idea that anyone who runs multiple martial arts locations must have low-quality instruction. That is just not the case any more.<\/p>\n

    The important point is that to build your school to a professional level requires that you do two things:<\/p>\n

    1. Systematize and professionalize, which will create a more consistent student experience and a higher quality operation. 2. Ignore the idiots who don\u2019t understand why you are successful. Learn to build immunity to criticism. It\u2019s a critical success skill. When I was reading that idiotic Web posting, the following letter appeared in my e-mail:<\/p>\n

    Dear Mr. Oliver,<\/p>\n

    I recently purchased your Extraordinary Marketing Program with the audio CDs of your boot camp. Wow! I have<\/p>\n

    been searching for the path to take my school to the next level, and this is it! Everything I implemented that you recommend has produced successful results and it saves me the time of learning the hard way.<\/p>\n

    What I like best is how you speak about quality of life. You have given me the tools to have fewer students and make my school more manageable for my wife and me, and to be virtually the only staff members. At the same time, you have also given me the tools to generate optimum profits, so my wife and I may live a decent financial life of security, and, of course, have quality time outside of the martial arts school.<\/p>\n

    There are school owners and people who make negative remarks about what you do, and I wonder why these individuals mock what they do not understand. In following your work at numerous NAPMA conventions, you repeatedly mention the words, \u201cThere is an ethical component to all of this\u2026\u201d You certainly do promote that we, as martial art teachers, individuals and business owners, must render useful service worthy of exchange for our financial success.<\/p>\n

    I applaud your dignity and I thank you for helping me follow my dreams!<\/p>\n

    Daniel Rominski Olympic Karate Institute Rutherford, NJ<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Marketing your Martial Arts School: A Key Is Repetition<\/h2>\n

    eep in mind an advertising rule of thumb: Until you have exposed a prospect to your message at least seven times, he or she doesn\u2019t understand what you are trying to communicate. It often works in this manner: A mother in your target audience glances at your ad in a local newspaper. The headline is somewhat interesting; however, the phone rings, her kid spills his milk or one of 10,000 other potential distractions catch the mom\u2019s attention and she forgets your ad.<\/p>\n

    A postcard from your school is delivered to her family\u2019s mailbox. She glances at your postcard while she sorts the mail into two stacks. Pile A is personal correspondence, bills, etc., which she must keep. Pile B is junk mail and other non-requested materials that she typically throws in the trash. Your postcard is discarded too, but it has had a minor impact on her mind and some vague familiarity of having seen your ad before.<\/p>\n

    The neighbor pulls into the driveway and his five-year-old hops from the car, wearing his martial arts uniform and his equipment bag in tow. The mom sees the neighbor child and vaguely remembers a conversation with his mother about his great improvements in behavior since enrolling at a great local martial arts school.<\/p>\n

    Glancing through the local paper, she sees your ad again. This time it looks a little familiar. The headline seems targeted at her personally. She reads most of the body copy and decides to discuss the idea of martial arts lessons as a family. This is quickly forgotten when she must manage 10 other daily crises before her spouse arrives home after work.<\/p>\n

    A friend at the gym mentions that her child is<\/p>\n

    taking martial arts lessons, and loves it. She mentions a local school \u2014 it\u2019s a familiar name now.<\/p>\n

    Another letter from your school appears in her mailbox. This time, during her mail sorting, she saves your letter in the “A” pile. The letter is opened. She glances at the contents, and thinks it looks interesting. She decides to investigate this idea and the letter is attached to the refrigerator to be discussed later. Nothing happens.<\/p>\n

    The next-door neighbor\u2019s kid comes home again in his martial arts uniform. The child of the first mother expresses an interest in his friend\u2019s fun at martial arts classes. The neighbor kid gives them a pass, some information or invites them to visit the school.<\/p>\n

    The mother then finds your third promo letter in her mailbox. This time, the letter is placed by the phone. She calls your school that same day. If you\u2019ve trained a staff member to answer the phone professionally, then he or she schedules an appointment for the mother and her kid. They arrive for the introductory class and they enroll, assuming that you greet them well, teach a great intro, build rapport with the parent, present your program effectively and keep their attention.<\/p>\n

    Remember, when tracking your results try to determine not only why the prospect called today, but also how she learned about your school originally \u2014 and all of the materials that she has seen.<\/p>\n

    Whatever advertising or promotional medium that you choose to use, determine how to expose prospects to your message a minimum of three times and, preferably, seven to 10 times.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    A Dumb Statement!<\/h2>\n

    coaching client of mine had increased his revenues from $17,000 to more than $30,000 a month. The methods his used to grow his school are those he learned from a one- on-one consultation and attending a Boot Camp. He never attended any of our other mastermind sessions or took advantage of many other opportunities I provided. He then decided that once his gross doubled that there was nothing more to learn. He had learned \u201cone or two\u201d secrets and was done.<\/p>\n

    Dumb, real dumb. What could he have accomplished? For starters, he could have increased his revenues from $50,000 to $75,000 to $100,000 a month. Maybe he thought that he now knew everything I knew \u2014 frankly, he hadn\u2019t even scratched the surface. Maybe he thought he knew enough. It seems stupid to me to \u201cleave money on the table.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Frankly, many school owners hit revenue numbers that they otherwise thought were impossible, and then they lose perspective.<\/p>\n

    They suffer from one of two syndromes: The legend-in-their-own-mind syndrome: Suddenly, they\u2019ve decided that they know so much that they should be the \u201cguru\u201d and learn no more. That\u2019s a dangerous egotism that must be avoided at all costs.<\/p>\n

    The second syndrome is just as dangerous: They decide they\u2019ve \u201carrived,\u201d and know everything that they need to run and maintain their businesses. A successful business can never be static, and a successful business owner can never be satisfied with the status quo. I\u2019ve COMPLETELY reinvented my business at least every seven years, and I did so once again this spring. Once you stop evolving, you die. Our industry is constantly changing\u2014 and so should your preparations and expectations.<\/p>\n

    My own expectations have changed dramatically during the past 25 years. What would have seemed unbelievable gross revenue 13 years ago now seems a rather mundane NET profit this year, and the pace is accelerating.<\/p>\n

    Don\u2019t become comfortable or think that you have nothing more to learn.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    \u201cEntrepreneurial Seizures\u201d and Other E-myths<\/h2>\n

    erber in The E-Myth described that all businesses are started by a technician who one day had an \u201centrepreneurial seizure\u201d and went from being technician to business owner. He describes the phenomenon of new business owners who think that the technical aspect of their business is going to encompass the vast majority of their business who are discouraged and dismayed to discover that they now have to wear multiple \u201chats.\u201d They suddenly discover that they must be the head of HR (Human Resources,) Marketing Director, Sales Manager, CFO (Chief Financial Officer,) and on and on all of which has little or nothing to do with baking cakes, repairing cars, or even training in martial arts.<\/p>\n

    In our case I like to make it a little simpler. 90-95% of our time as a school owner is focused on three outcomes: 1.) New Student Enrollments; 2.) Student Retention; 3.) Renewals or Upgrades. If you are considering doing anything in your ask first if it will help you get more students, keep them longer, or move them into higher (and, more expensive programs).<\/p>\n

    That having been said, it\u2019s important to recognize that you as the owner (and, any and all full-time staff) will likely spend as much time focused on marketing efforts as on teaching. The way I teach staff in my schools is this: From early in the morning until 3 or 4 p.m. is almost 100% focused on external marketing activities. From 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. (Monday through Friday) is time for classes, which means opportunity to interact personally with existing students and prospective students. You now focus on personal rapport with students looking for opportunities to student ser-<\/p>\n

    vice (retention), for goals focus and student interaction for long-term achievement (renewals), and for introductory classes, enrollment conferences, family add-ons and generating referrals.<\/p>\n

    So to summarize a couple of things before moving on:<\/p>\n

    1. Mistakes that BROKE school owners make:<\/p>\n

    A. Spending more time on personal mar-<\/p>\n

    tial arts training and on technical training than on learning and training on sales, marketing and advertising. B. Delegating sales and marketing (hiring<\/p>\n

    a \u201cProgram Director\u201d more below) C. Deciding that they are \u201cNot a Sales Per-<\/p>\n

    son\u201d and therefore not learning communication and sales skills. D. Showing up at the school at 4:00 or 5:00<\/p>\n

    p.m. and thinking that the appropriate workday is 4:00 until 8:00 or 9:00 p.m.). Working only 16 to 20 hours per week. E. Implementing only one or two things a<\/p>\n

    month to attract new students. Ironically, it\u2019s true that most school owners would rather sit in their business broke and slowly (or, quickly) going out of business rather than leave the school and go find new students. You\u2019ve got to be willing to get out into your community and connect with people and organizations that can help you fill your school.<\/p>\n

    2. Traits of successful school owner: A. They treat their school as a full-time, lucra-<\/p>\n

    tive career. They set their alarm, get out of bed and go to work promoting their business.<\/p>\n

    B. They understand that a martial arts school<\/p>\n

    is as much about marketing, sales, and customer service as it is about athleticism or martial arts proficiency. C. They extensively invest in their own educa-<\/p>\n

    tion in each of the key areas of their business including: Sales, marketing, teaching methodology, hiring\/training\/supervising employees, and personal goal setting and motivation among others. D. They network with other successful martial<\/p>\n

    arts school owners and avoid hanging out with unsuccessful school owners. E. They keep track of all of the key \u201cstatistics\u201d<\/p>\n

    to monitor their business. Admittedly, neither list is extremely comprehensive, but you get the basic idea.<\/p>\n

    Now, back to the \u201cProgram Director\u201d comment. I\u2019ve seen very few single or multi-school owners who are the full-time head instructor for 20 to 40 classes per week in their school. One of the first staff positions that they tend to fill is first a part-time, then a full-time head instructor. It\u2019s really a bad idea in most cases to first hire someone to “take care of sales.\u201d First, you should master each and every function of your business before hiring someone else to do it for you. You must be on top of the key skills in order to teach them or to delegate them.<\/p>\n

    With school owners that I work with most<\/p>\n

    that are grossing $10,000 or under are teaching most of the time. Most that are grossing $20,000 to $50,000 a month are focusing on marketing, selling and customer service primarily. Most over $50,000 a month or with multiple locations spend their time training and supervising staff rather than doing the teaching or selling themselves. That having been said, I\u2019ve seen schools up to $100,000 a month where the owner handles most, even all of the sales processes (enrollments and renewals).<\/p>\n

    Anyway, to conclude it\u2019s vital that you be constantly investing in your own training and development in all aspects of your business operation. Likely you need to focus first on marketing and sales as a primary study.<\/p>\n

    Next, you need to realize that you are ultimately in a selling and marketing business. You\u2019ll need to invest more training and time in implementation on those functions than you\u2019ve invested already in your martial arts training and development. Most instructors think nothing of training seven to 10 hours a week on their own physical skills but, fail to invest an equal amount of time on improving their career and income.<\/p>\n

    Move into the top 20%, then the top 5%, and ultimately into the top 1% by developing your business, teaching, sales and marketing skills every day.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Focus Your Marketing Dollars on a Specific Target Audience<\/h2>\n

    remember a long talk I had with Bill Clark, followed by similar conversations with Lloyd Irvin and Jeff Smith. We all basically agreed on the following.<\/p>\n

    My conversation with Master Clark was focused on the misadventures of many schools that should be marketing benefits to specific markets. Your school must be clearly in a category and your marketing dollars focused on a specific target market.<\/p>\n

    Master Clark\u2019s Black Belt Academies and my Mile High Karate schools might be described as \u201cSylvan Learning Centers with martial arts.\u201d He\u2019s incorporated a kids development program and I\u2019ve created our \u201cBuilding Successful Kids\u201d program and an extensive character development and leadership program for kids and families.<\/p>\n

    Both of us have claimed a territory and developed a clear image of what we do. Our focus is on kids, families and character development, not on MMA events (though, truth be told, we\u2019ve both practiced and taught mixed martial arts since<\/p>\n

    the 1970s).<\/p>\n

    At the other end of the spectrum are BJJ schools and MMA schools that are clearly and unabashedly targeting the young adult male market. They satisfy that specific market\u2019s expectations for vigorous workouts and a broad-based curriculum. They teach high-quality MMA and charge $200 a month and more.<\/p>\n

    The commonality of schools doing very well is based on several factors. Clearly, one of those factors is deciding whom you are targeting and, in essence, \u201cthe side of the industry you\u2019ve chosen,\u201d and then being very clear about your position and very focused on your market.<\/p>\n

    Many other school owners should clearly think about one of my favorite lines from an otherwise forgettable movie (The Stepfather). \u201cWait a minute, who am I here?\u201d Those who fail, try to be all things to all people. Those who succeed focus on being very good at what a segment of the market wants to learn.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Marketing Your Martial Arts School: Media and Promotional Activities<\/h2>\n

    ere are a few questions that will help you decide where to spend your dollars, time and energy on marketing, advertising or promotional efforts.<\/p>\n

    Is the marketing campaign or promotion targeted specifically for your school? (This question addresses geography.)<\/p>\n

    Does a demo or ad attract too many people who are not qualified prospects for my school, or is it targeted directly to your neighborhood? (Addressing people.)<\/p>\n

    Are the people who will see the demo or read the ad your exact target prospects? (Addressing income.) You can spend your time doing demos at high schools, but I\u2019d rather present demos to K\u20134 children any day. Make sure you aren\u2019t sending flyers to retirement homes and expecting enrollments!<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve wasted plenty of time doing demos and after-school programs in academic schools with low-income children or advertising to or mailing to low-income households. I\u2019m all for making a contribution to the community; however, a better alternative is to grow your school to 500 students and gross $50,000-plus per month, and then donate 5% or 10% to scholarships.<\/p>\n

    Focus and Responsiveness<\/p>\n

    Will the audience pay attention to your ad? Is the publication where your ad runs a free newspaper that lands in mailboxes or driveways unsolicited, and remains unread or a subscription periodical that your audience is more likely to read and see your ad?<\/p>\n

    Are you on the sidelines during a demo or promotional activity, hoping someone will talk with<\/p>\n

    you or are you the main event?<\/p>\n

    Is your presentation \u201claser-focused?\u201d Too many school owners think, \u201cThere will be people of all ages and types in the audience, so I will create a generic presentation [letter, ad, demo], so it applies to everyone.\u201d Big mistake! Trying to be everything to everyone is being nothing to no one.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s much better to \u201crifle shot\u201d your advertising that is very appealing to 5% or 15% of your general audience, and ignore the majority. During your demo, highlight one aspect of your program targeted to the most likely prospects in the audience. Don\u2019t present so many points that no one will remember any of them; instead, always focus on one target market at a time.<\/p>\n

    Entertainment, Education and Persuasion<\/p>\n

    Trying to entertain your audience is a huge temptation in demos, presentations and advertising. Entertainment is always interesting; however, it doesn\u2019t persuade the audience to participate.<\/p>\n

    Example: When I saw the acclaimed stage show Riverdance, I had great seats, enjoyed the show and was amazed at the choreography, lighting and talent. It was a wonderful night of entertainment; however, personally, it did nothing to inspire me to learn Irish dancing. Now, the theater was charging $35 to $75 per seat, and 2,500- plus seats (the theater\u2019s capacity) were sold \u2014 six times a week.<\/p>\n

    I know why they were doing the show and it had nothing to do with motivating audience members to become dance students. Don\u2019t imitate the theater and show\u2019s methods unless you can do $125,000 at the gate per night.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s great to educate your audience about the value of participating in your activity, why they should participate and what they will experience as students. Again, think in terms of targeting your audience, and teaching them the benefits of participating in your program.<\/p>\n

    The education that you provide must be about \u201cwhat\u2019s in it for them\u201d \u2014 and not about you, your<\/p>\n

    style, its history, why it\u2019s better than other styles, etc. They just don\u2019t care about any of that stuff.<\/p>\n

    Students generally don\u2019t enroll in your school because of a history lesson, your style or the prestige of your grandmaster. They enroll because they expect some benefit and believe that you\u2019ll be concerned and capable enough to provide that benefit.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Capturing the \u201cSlight Edge\u201d<\/h2>\n

    ‘d like to share an important \u201csuccess secret\u201d understood by Bill Gates, Donald Trump and most all self-made millionaires and billionaires. First, though, a little personal background is necessary. During recent months, I\u2019ve been to four major marketing, management or Internet-marketing boot camps or multi-day seminars. Total cost? Much more than $10,000, not including travel, hotels, meals and rental cars.<\/p>\n

    Additionally, I just ordered approximately $1,100 in audio CD programs, books or reference materials related to my business and personal growth.<\/p>\n

    Now, during the past 27 years, I\u2019ve done plenty of reading and studying, and spent much time in formal and informal management, teaching, sales, marketing and human relations education. In addition to my MBA degree, I\u2019ve spent thousands of hours learning about how to run a business and teach people effectively.<\/p>\n

    The truth is I have so much information that I leave some of the seminars I\u2019ve attended emptyhanded. That\u2019s because there was nothing left for me to buy. Like other multi-million-dollar entrepreneurs in my same situation, we already owned all of the content \u2014 and want more.<\/p>\n

    Why, then, would I still invest in education and development at this elite level? That\u2019s the success secret. It\u2019s called the \u201cSlight Edge.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Another example: Years ago, I remember sitting in rapt attention as Joe Lewis explained the minute details of his renowned side kick. At that time, I had the best kicks of those with whom I trained and, frankly, I knew quite a bit about how to execute a side kick. That wasn\u2019t just my opinion. World champions Jeff Smith<\/p>\n

    and John Chung and many others whose opinions I respected also shared that opinion.<\/p>\n

    Why did I pay such close attention to Joe Lewis? Because he had one of the most powerful side kicks ever. He had developed subtle distinctions about his side kick and how he executed it that was way beyond my understanding of that technique. It was fascinating to try to enter his mind and determine how he thought and felt about kicking.<\/p>\n

    The school owners (and other small business owners) who fail or achieve just slightly beyond mediocrity will consider a book, CD, seminar or other learning opportunity as content they\u2019ve heard or read previously. Those who are very successful will look for the subtle distinctions in those materials or renew their commitment to gain new knowledge by studying the material.<\/p>\n

    Every month, I talk with school owners who gross $8,000 a month or less and also school owners who gross $2 million or more a year. Frankly, it\u2019s not that the guys doing millions know 10 or 20 times more than the small school owners. It\u2019s that they\u2019ve learned some subtle distinctions that helped them move to dramatically higher levels, and they\u2019ve continued to remain open to and seek new material.<\/p>\n

    Don\u2019t ever look at an issue of Mastering the Martial Arts Business magazine, your monthly NAPMA member packages or my Extraordinary Marketing materials and say, \u201cI\u2019ve heard that before.\u201d Instead say, \u201cWhat\u2019s the subtle distinctions that I can discover that will give me a huge leap towards success? What\u2019s in these materials that I may already know, but I\u2019m not implementing effectively?\u201d<\/p>\n

    Learn new material every month; internalize content that you\u2019ve heard, but perhaps not mastered; and gain subtle distinctions to propel you to new heights and motivate you to even<\/p>\n

    stronger implementation. You\u2019ll certainly benefit from the financial results!<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Want Massive Profits? Implement a \u201cDrip\u201d System!<\/h2>\n

    was listening today to one of Tony Robbins\u2019 Power Talk CDs today. Something he said struck a chord for me in relation to what I see every day in our industry. To paraphrase, he said someone asked him what the difference was between when he was broke and now. He said that the primary difference between when he was broke and now was a sense of urgency and positive expectations. Basically, what he was describing is a level of Entrepreneurial Urgency that\u2019s driven by a belief in the potential results. If you expect to fail it\u2019s easy to adopt a \u201cwhy bother\u201d attitude.<\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s take just one example of this statement applied to martial arts schools. An example that I\u2019ve repeated several times is the story of a chiropractor who added on average 35 new patients every month. When asked what to do to add 35 new patients per month his response was that he didn\u2019t know anything to do to add 35 new patients, but he did know 35 things that would add one new patient or more.<\/p>\n

    I can\u2019t tell you how many school owners I\u2019ve talked to who really just don\u2019t do much to build their school. I\u2019ll ask them month after month what they did in the past month to promote their school and they\u2019ll name one or two things. Ask them for progress since last month and they have a list of excuses for why they haven\u2019t started implementing the new marketing strategies they discussed the previous month. Month after month goes by and they get little or nothing accomplished.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s important to make sure you ALWAYS have that Entrepreneurial Urgency that Robbins talks about. Always, always, always implement aggressively and immediately.<\/p>\n

    A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.<\/p>\n

    \u2014 George S. Patton<\/p>\n

    Frankly, most people are losers. They look for reasons to justify their failure rather than find success.<\/p>\n

    All populations sort themselves into the top 5% (big winners), the top 20% (winners), and the bottom 80% (don\u2019t do much, look for excuses).<\/p>\n

    The BIGGEST difference between the top 5% and the bottom 80%? Implementation with a sense of URGENCY. It\u2019s got to be done now, not next week.<\/p>\n

    To use Zig Ziglar\u2019s line \u2014 losers wait for all the lights to be green before heading across town.<\/p>\n

    If you just set your alarm, got up, and got out and talked to people one-on-one OUTSIDE of your school every day for five hours, you\u2019d practically be guaranteed to make $250,000 or more NET in the coming year. Better still would be a school with 500 kids \u2014 100 in programs, 20 enrolled ALSO \u2014 10 or 15 times in the coming year.<\/p>\n

    Will you take action? I don\u2019t know. Frankly, it\u2019s up to you.<\/p>\n

    We\u2019ve given you EVERY tool you need (and a bunch more than you need). However, if you think, ponder, worry, try to understand everything 100%, you\u2019ll get to next year at the same place or worse.<\/p>\n

    Go IMPLEMENT. Add 100 students to your school. Renew them to leadership programs. That\u2019s good for $300,000 to $500,000 with nothing else.<\/p>\n

    For example.<\/p>\n

    \u2022 100 new students x $397 down payment = $39,700 \u2022 100 new students x $150 per month = $15,000 (monthly) \u2022 50 x $500-plus down payments on renewals = $25,000 \u2022 50 x $100-plus increase in monthly payment on upgrades = $5,000 per month. \u2022 10 paid-in-full renewals = $13,500 x 100 = $135,000 Total: $39,700 plus $180,000 plus $25,000 -plus $60,000 plus $135,000 = $519,400.<\/p>\n

    The bottom line? It\u2019s worth your time to set your alarm clock, get your staff out of bed and HIT THE GROUND running EVERY day on marketing.<\/p>\n

    How do you get started? Frankly, every month we are giving you lots of tools. Each Maximum Impact Teleconference will give you a bunch of great ideas \u2014 never miss a call.<\/p>\n

    Internal Promotions to Create Family Add-ons and Referrals.<\/p>\n

    The best way to get family add-ons? Assumptive. Stock up on uniforms. Give siblings a uniform and tell them it\u2019s their day to join a sister or brother. Nothing beats talking to them one-onon, just giving them a uniform, and having them jump in class.<\/p>\n

    Referrals. Consistently the BEST way to get referrals is really from two main sources:<\/p>\n

    1. Hosting events in the school that\u2019s easy to invite friends to attend. These include (but are certainly not limited to):<\/p>\n

    A. Birthday parties. B. Pizza parties C. Big belt graduation with friends invited<\/p>\n

    to witness<\/p>\n

    D. Board breaking day E. Buddy days of all sorts F. Movie nights The KEY in all of these is getting permission slips and\/or name, address, phone and email and following up 24 or more times in the coming 10 months. They may not enroll this week but may in three, five or seven months.<\/p>\n

    2. Connecting through organizations that they participate in to do a class or demo. These include but certainly are not limited to:<\/p>\n

    A. Boy Scout troop B. Girl Scout troop C. Day care D. Elementary or Middle School E. Sports team: soccer, baseball, football,<\/p>\n

    hockey, cheerleading F. Dance or gymnastics school G. Service organization such as Jaycees,<\/p>\n

    Kiwanis, etc. H. Company functions or, items like \u201cPay-<\/p>\n

    roll Stuffers\u201d for employees (Free Month Certificate sent in payroll or company newsletter) See the new NAPMA Referral Program for a complete A-Z Outline for one such fabulous internal promotional program.<\/p>\n

    Remember, once you collect a lead, follow up, forever. Direct mail is a key. See below.<\/p>\n

    Suspects into Prospects (\u201cFarming\u201d)<\/p>\n

    Find extremely targeted lists of \u201csuspects\u201d and work that list consistently and repetitiously.<\/p>\n

    Examples:<\/p>\n

    \u2022 School directory \u2014 local school with excellent demographics; \u2022 Purchased list \u2014 income, $75,000-plus; kids, 4-12; owns home; geographically targeted. Step 1. Letter or Postcard #1, #2, #3, #4 (within six weeks)<\/p>\n

    Step 2. \u201cDrip System\u201d* Monthly Mailer \u2014 Send forever.<\/p>\n

    Prospects into Intros<\/p>\n

    Example: Attended a birthday party, afterschool, demo, etc.<\/p>\n

    Step 1. Letter or postcard with telephone follow-up.<\/p>\n

    Step 2. Mailer #2, #3, #4 within six weeks. Step 3. \u201cDrip System\u201d Monthly Mailer \u2014 Send forever.<\/p>\n

    Step 4. January, May, September: Mailer #1, #2, #3 weekly plus telephone follow-up.<\/p>\n

    Lost Intros into Enrollments<\/p>\n

    Example: Came to First Intro, never came back. Cancelled when called.<\/p>\n

    Step 1. Follow-up letter with lots of testimonials.<\/p>\n

    Step 2. \u201cPrice Drop Offer,\u201d i.e., one month free or three months, $99; or 2-for-1 offer.<\/p>\n

    Step 3. Telephone call follow-up to \u201cprice drop offer.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Step 4. \u201cDrip System\u201d (Monthly Mailer) \u2014 Send forever.<\/p>\n

    Step 5. (January, May, September) \u2014 Mailer #1, #2, #3 weekly plus telephone follow-up.<\/p>\n

    Drop Outs into Reactivations<\/p>\n

    Step 1. (Week 1) \u2014 \u201cMissed you in class\u201d call from Asst. Instructor.<\/p>\n

    Step 2. (Week 2) \u2014 \u201cMissed you in class\u201d call from Asst. Instructor.<\/p>\n

    Step 3. (Week 3) \u2014 \u201cMissed you in class\u201d call from Head Instructor.<\/p>\n

    Step 4. (Week 3) \u2014 Personal letter from Instructor: \u201cMiss You in Class.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Step 5. (Week 4) \u2014 Personal letter from Program Director.<\/p>\n

    Step 6. (Week 4) \u2014 Personal call from Program Director.<\/p>\n

    Step 7. (Monthly) \u2014 \u201cDrip System\u201d mailer. Step 8. (January, May, August) \u2014 Mailer #1, #2, #3 weekly.<\/p>\n

    Reactivation Class \u2014 call everyone past 24 months<\/p>\n

    * \u201cDrip System\u201d continuing to follow-up on a \u201csuspect,\u201d \u201cprospect,\u201d \u201clost intro\u201d or \u201cdrop-out\u201d on a very regular basis monthly or more in peak seasons.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    The Good Old Days That Never Were!<\/h2>\n

    aybe you, like me, remember the \u201cgood old days,\u201d when \u201ctrue\u201d martial arts training was the rule, not the exception, and you had to be \u201cdedicated\u201d and have incredible \u201cperseverance\u201d to learn the martial arts.<\/p>\n

    I remember my first or second lesson \u2014 and the joys of free-sparring as a White Belt. Now, I know that I\u2019m dating myself a bit, but this occurred before safety pads. Our only padding was a baseball groin cup that we wore. Groin kicks were rampant as well as supporting-leg sweeps on tile floors. Oh, and you could \u2014 by accident, of course \u2014 be hit or hit your sparring partner in the face at full power!<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s an interesting commentary for those of us who have been training since the 1960s or 1970s. If you haven\u2019t been around that long, then just take my word for it: You had to be either nuts or stupid to continue training in the martial arts during those \u201cgood old days.\u201d When I think about what I accepted as \u201cnormal,\u201d I am just absolutely amazed that any of us lived through it all.<\/p>\n

    An example: I remember speaking with Allen Steen at a Jhoon Rhee reunion event in Washington, D.C. Allen is the \u201cFather of Texas Karate\u201d and the man primarily responsible for spreading the martial arts throughout the southwestern U.S. I talked with him about his former tournament in Dallas, which was one of my early competition experiences.<\/p>\n

    With Allen, I laughingly recalled the rules. This particular event was one of the early tournaments to use the then-new Jhoon Rhee Saf-T- Pads. In those rules, supporting leg sweeps were legal and you had three seconds to score on an opponent once he hit the ground. Head gear wasn\u2019t<\/p>\n

    required \u2014 in fact, I\u2019m not sure anyone had heard of the concept \u2014 and the tournament was conducted on a concrete floor!<\/p>\n

    Oh, did I mention it was \u201cfull-contact?\u201d If you knocked your opponent out, then you won \u2014 including, I might add, if the floor knocked him out during a sweep.<\/p>\n

    Allen laughed and said. \u201cYeah, we had fortytwo ambulance calls that day!\u201d You know, if I hadn\u2019t been so young and enthusiastic, I would have rethought participating in that event \u2014 or in the many other wacky activities.<\/p>\n

    I remember one of my instructors, Gran Moulder, a 2nd-Degree Black Belt at the time with the Jhoon Rhee Institute. Now, I\u2019m not saying that Gran was wound \u201ctoo tight,\u201d but he was one of those Marines who enjoyed Vietnam a little too much.<\/p>\n

    After two or three tours of crawling through the Vietcong caves with a bowie knife and staking bodies at night to set ambushes, the Marines decided he probably shouldn\u2019t go back. Instead, they sent him to Tulsa to abuse my classmates and me.<\/p>\n

    I remember fondly the knife-defense demonstrations we did when I was 13 or 14. With that very same bowie knife that Gran had used to hunt the Vietcong in Vietnam, I would be the attacker and he the defender. Soon, the knife would come streaking past my testicles, and then come slashing across my throat. Looking back, I\u2019m not sure which one I cringe about more!<\/p>\n

    These memories were brought back vividly several years ago while sitting with Jhoon Rhee and Bruce Lee\u2019s widow, Linda Lee. Another old-time martial artist was doing a knife-defense demo just like the ones I did many years ago. He ended up slashing the throat of his assistant!<\/p>\n

    Oh, the \u201cgood old days.\u201d Comparing now versus then, I am absolutely sure about a few things.<\/p>\n

    First, if you were to watch the old films of or had been there to see the champions of the 1960s or 1970s, then it\u2019s apparent that today\u2019s fighters could run rings around them, in any arena.<\/p>\n

    Second, if you were to look at the average quality of a Black Belt then versus today, then you\u2019d see that my Black Belts are now much better.<\/p>\n

    Don\u2019t even try to compare student retention. Of the hundreds of students that came through our schools in Tulsa, I was the only one from the time I started to ever earn a Black Belt. Everyone else dropped out, usually at Gold or Green Belt.<\/p>\n

    Finally, I\u2019m not sure how I survived, but I do know that the craziness never helped anyone achieve mastery at any higher level.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Focus Your Attention on These Issues<\/h2>\n

    Sales M<\/p>\n

    any instructors and school owners think that sales is a dirty word, and openly rebel against learning effective sales or closing methods. Unfortunately, there\u2019s also been a group, during the last couple of years, which basically teaches only \u201chigh pressure\u201d sales techniques and thinks that they are the end-all and be-all of running a profitable school.<\/p>\n

    The reality is a little different. You cannot be a successful business owner without mastering marketing and selling methods that are appropriate to your business. You must also know \u201cgeneric,\u201d or general, sales and marketing knowledge. You must be aware of how other businesses, especially similar businesses, sell and market.<\/p>\n

    Dan Kennedy says you are committing \u201cmarketing incest\u201d when you only learn sales and marketing from your industry. Just because a method is an industry norm doesn\u2019t mean that it\u2019s the right or only way of doing business. At a minimum, you should watch how chiropractors, dentists, dance schools and many similar businesses market and sell themselves. I can almost guarantee you will learn something.<\/p>\n

    That having been said, long-term success in our business is about customer service, long-term student retention and quality referrals.<\/p>\n

    You must be a well-respected educational institution and be highly regarded by other businesses in your area, by educators, doctors and other opinion leaders.<\/p>\n

    Mastering sales methodology without focus on customer service and satisfaction will allow you to<\/p>\n

    suck plenty of money from your community during the short run, but ensure mediocrity or selfdestruction in the long run.<\/p>\n

    Quality Student Service<\/p>\n

    Many of the quality and service problems that martial arts schools experience are due to the industry being greatly personality-based, which is combined with teaching curriculum in a way that has not been reviewed and structured by educators rather than athletes. Many schools with which I\u2019ve worked have curriculum structures and content that are guaranteed to cause most students to fail, rather than succeed.<\/p>\n

    One of my top priorities in my personal learning during the 1980s was pedagogy and curriculum design. I hired a Ph.D. educator, buried myself in the research and went to work on curriculum structure and \u201cchunking\u201d that made sense and was repeatable.<\/p>\n

    While it\u2019s always important to have an instructor who is personable and charismatic, much in student development can be addressed by teaching the right thing at the right time, and in scientifically designing your system and structure to match the current educational methodologies.<\/p>\n

    The next area is creating systems that improve student perception of interest and concern.<\/p>\n

    Studies have been conducted on why people stop patronizing businesses. The leading factor again and again is NOT dissatisfaction with the quality of service received. The leading factor cited is \u201cperceived apathy.\u201d What are YOU doing to make sure your students know that you believe they are valuable and you are paying attention? Do you do that systematically or irregularly? Do students \u201cfall through the cracks\u201d?<\/p>\n

    The TREMENDOUS improvement to the bottom line that can be achieved with only small improvements in long-term customer loyalty has also been scientifically studied and validated. Remember, you spend the most to acquire new students. If it costs $500 or more to enroll a new student, then would it be worth similar investments in additional recognition to improve long-term retention?<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve seen a very small number of schools do this very well. Most do not do it very well. The \u201csales-is-the-only-thing\u201d trend in our industry leads school owners to believe that student service doesn\u2019t matter. That is a tremendous disservice to everyone involved.<\/p>\n

    Back to Basics<\/p>\n

    Recently, I\u2019ve seen much industry press coverage about \u201cBig Schools\u201d that I would not consider successful. Keep in mind that there are ALWAYS two factors that must be in place at any performance level to be considered successful.<\/p>\n

    First: Profit.<\/p>\n

    It doesn\u2019t matter what your gross revenues are unless you keep a reasonable percentage for the bottom line. Don\u2019t be seduced by a bigger-is-better mentality. (Study the numbers below carefully. They are based on a 2,000- to 3,000-square-foot location with two full-time staff, one or both of<\/p>\n

    which could be the school owner\/operator.)<\/p>\n

    Second: Sustainability.<\/p>\n

    One-month numbers may be impressive, but I\u2019d rather see a big billing check that MINIMALLY covers 100% of your fixed monthly expenses and DOUBLE that number regularly in total gross.<\/p>\n

    Definitions of Success:<\/p>\n

    (Based on monthly average gross revenues for a 2,000- to 3,000-square-foot martial arts school) \u2022 Outstanding: $75,000 and more \u2022 Successful: $50,000 to $74,000 \u2022 Foundational: $30,000 to $49,000 \u2022 Breakeven to Marginal: $18,000 to $29,000 \u2022 Imperiled (on the brink of financial disaster): $17,900 or less Mile High Karate standing records for performance:<\/p>\n

    \u2022 One-month enrollments: 77 (Littleton, CO) \u2022 One-month renewals: 53 (Lakewood, CO) \u2022 One-month cash: $123,000 (Arvada, CO) \u2022 One-day cash: $33,233 (Aurora, Arvada, Lakewood and Littleton, Colorado have achieved similar numbers.)<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    In Marketing, What\u2019s Old is New Again<\/h2>\n

    hat\u2019s new? In the coming things really are a lot different when it comes to marketing your martial arts school \u2014 but, really no different than they ever were. OK, I know that\u2019s contradictory, but let me explain.<\/p>\n

    In marketing, all of the rage right now is \u201cSocial Media.\u201d Consultants and pundits are running around claiming the way of the new world is to \u201chave a conversation\u201d with your customers. The interesting thing about that is that everything old is new again. Really, in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s the important elements to running a school (and really just about any retail or service business) was to \u201chave a conversation with your customers.\u201d Honestly, for most service or retail businesses, no one had to create the internet or Facebook\u00ae, LinkedIn\u00ae, Ping\u00ae or whatever, to have a conversation with their customer.<\/p>\n

    Maybe if you are selling Doritos\u00ae, Pepsi\u00ae, Tide\u00ae or are some other product company, creating a direct channel of communications with your customers without relying on the big retailers or whoever is selling your stuff is probably useful. However, in our case, you should be having a personal conversation with your student and their family a couple of times per week.<\/p>\n

    There is, after all, a lesson there. The product that we have is more about the rapport you create with your students. It\u2019s about you knowing as much as possible about them. It\u2019s about creating a story and personality for your school that they enjoy and appreciate. It\u2019s even about expanding your reach with your students so that they want to share your story with their friends and family members.<\/p>\n

    Now, don\u2019t get me wrong.<\/p>\n

    There\u2019s a bunch of NEW stuff you have to know when it comes to media, marketing, contacting prospective customers, etc. There may even be a few new opportunities and tools to stay in better touch with your current customers. However, I will caution you rounding up all of your students in a public forum and networking them together with your staff and senior students can be downright dangerous. Keep in mind that anything online is ultimately public. That means that your disgruntled former employees as well as competitors down the street can find your students and friends online if you are sloppy enough to round them up in a public forum.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019m going to be sharing with you each month everything that\u2019s new now that you need to be doing online and in various media. There\u2019s a bunch of stuff you have to be leery of when it comes to social media and discussion forums. You also have to be eternally vigilant about defending your reputation and managing your \u201cratings\u201d at Google\u00ae, Yelp\u00ae, Yahoo\u00ae, Bing\u00ae, the BBB\u00ae and the many other online ratings services where anyone can anonymously slam your school or your character.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019d suggest that you start with a couple of \u201cvanity\u201d searches for your name and your school\u2019s name in Google, Google Maps, Yahoo, Bing and Yelp. See if anyone has rated your school. Take the time to rate yourself a five-star. Get your staff and enthusiastic students to give you a five-star rating. Keep an eye on each of these regularly. Obviously you want to have great student service. However, there\u2019s little you can do about a competitor or a single disgruntled student, parent or staff member posting one or many negative ratings. In most cases if you get a bunch of positive ratings it will wash out the negative. Most of the various ratings<\/p>\n

    are posted in chronological order. Therefore, the more recent drowns out the past.<\/p>\n

    Keep an eye out next month as we discuss Facebook, the BBB, and the many online ratings and how to position your school properly in each.<\/p>\n

    Finally, one of my favorite quotes. This one by Bruce Lee \u2014 that frankly applies not only to your curriculum but to your martial arts school business development:<\/p>\n

    In JKD, one does not accumulate, but eliminate. It is not daily increase, but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity.<\/p>\n

    Before I studied the art, a punch to me was just like a punch, a kick just like a kick. After I learned the art, a punch was no longer a punch, a kick no longer a kick. Now that I\u2019ve understood the art, a punch is just like a punch, a kick just like a kick. The height of cultivation is really nothing special. It is merely simplicity; the ability to express the utmost with the minimum. It is the halfway cultivation that leads to ornamentation. Jeet Kune-Do is basically a sophisticated fighting style stripped to its essentials.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Making Direct Mail Work for You, Part 1<\/h2>\n

    here are two types of mailing lists that you can buy, \u201ccompiled lists\u201d and \u201cresponse lists.\u201d<\/p>\n

    A compiled list is what most martial arts schools that have had success with direct mail tend to use, including myself. A compiled list is typically organized from publicly available data. For instance, a compiled list would be one with an organized \u201csort\u201d of recipients, such as:<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Individuals within a 3-mile radius. \u2022 Individuals who own their homes. \u2022 Children three to 12 years of age in households. \u2022 Individuals with incomes of $50,000- plus yearly. There are many list brokers, but I typically buy lists from InfoUSA, such as those with the sample sort above. They are the largest supplier in the industry for these types of mailing lists. For information, visit InfoUSA.com. Other sources exist that may be as good or better, such as Donnelly.<\/p>\n

    A response list is a list of individuals who have responded to an offer \u2014 either as a prospect or customer. For instance, you can buy the list of subscribers to Black Belt magazine or the names of purchasers of any TV infomercial products.<\/p>\n

    Another example is the list of purchasers of Billy Blanks\u2019 Tae Bo\u2122 DVDs to promote your fitness-kickboxing program. Additionally, you could have bought the \u201chot list\u201d of purchasers of the last 30 or 60 days (i.e., those that are \u201chot to trot\u201d to start the new program).<\/p>\n

    The advantage of a response list is that you know the individuals on the list will likely be \u201cresponsive\u201d to a similarly targeted offer. The dis-<\/p>\n

    advantage for martial arts school owners is that most of these lists are generated from a national or international audience, and, therefore, may only include a limited number or responses within a reasonable radius of your school.<\/p>\n

    Additionally, the list brokers typically require you to buy a minimum of 5,000 names at a considerably higher cost per name than a compiled list.<\/p>\n

    You can overcome these challenges by working cooperatively with similar local businesses. For example, if a parent is willing to spend money for her child to be tutored at Sylvan Learning Centers\u00ae, then she is likely responsive to other personal-development offers for her child.<\/p>\n

    There are many thousands of lists available for purchase. You can search for them through Standard Rate and Data Service (SRDS). You can subscribe to its lists, or search online at its Website; however, SRDS\u2019s lists are rather expensive, so your best option is probably to visit any major library. Ask any librarian in the reference area for Standard Rate and Data, and then plan to spend several hours there.<\/p>\n

    After what I\u2019ve explained above, it\u2019s very important not to forget a simple and powerful fact: The best list of all is your school\u2019s lead list of people who have expressed an interest in your school by providing contact information on your Web site, calling you on the phone, registering for a special seminar, attending a demo, accompanying a friend to a graduation or taking an intro lesson without enrolling.<\/p>\n

    Your highest priority of the various grassroots marketing efforts that you undertake should be to build your mailing list of interested prospects<\/p>\n

    and to make sure you\u2019re in front of them when they are ready to \u201ctake the plunge\u201d and enroll.<\/p>\n

    That\u2019s the group that you definitely want to<\/p>\n

    \u201cdrip on,\u201d with a never-ending series of monthly mailings, and, perhaps, even more frequently during peak seasons.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Making Direct Mail Work for You, Part 2<\/h2>\n

    uring part one, I recommended that the best lists come from your leads or prospects.<\/p>\n

    What Determines Response?<\/p>\n

    Your response from any mailing is will be directly affected by the following: 1. The list. If you mail to the wrong target audience, then you can\u2019t expect many responses.<\/p>\n

    2. Your direct mail piece being opened. The biggest direct mail hurdle is your piece being placed in the A pile, or the mail that is considered important enough to be opened. You can help to make sure your piece is opened with copy on the envelope (i.e., teaser copy, headlines, testimonials, etc.).<\/p>\n

    3. The headline. If the headline and first sentence of your letter or piece fails to motivate recipients to continue to read, then the letter is a waste of time.<\/p>\n

    4. The offer. The offer must be both compelling and time-sensitive, using an expiration date, limited time only and any other perceived urgency to respond.<\/p>\n

    Thinking about Response<\/p>\n

    A successful direct-mail campaign is all about \u201cROI\u201d (Return On Investment), not Percentage Response Rate. Instead of being concerned about the percentage of responses you are likely to receive or a low-percentage return, focus on your return on investment.<\/p>\n

    For example, your average student value is $2,000 (i.e., how much the average student will spend at your school during his or her lifetime as a student). If you decide to place a Val-Pak ad that cost $320, then your ROI is 600% if just one student enrolls.<\/p>\n

    That\u2019s a much different way of looking at the<\/p>\n

    value of advertising: 10,000 direct mail pieces may only generate two calls and one enrollment (i.e., a 0.12% response), but your ROI is 600%.<\/p>\n

    Almost all martial arts school owners don\u2019t understand two distinctions about the use of direct mail.<\/p>\n

    1. The best way to increase your gross revenue and net income is to learn and implement the methods that result in a higher average student value. You must determine how to ask for larger down payments, higher monthly payments, more expensive upgrades \u2014 and, of course, student retention.<\/p>\n

    2. How much you can feel good about spending advertising dollars is in direct proportion to your average student value. Increasing that student value increases your options to fill your school.<\/p>\n

    I recommend two programs that will help you learn how to use direct mail more effectively.<\/p>\n

    1. Dan Kennedy\u2019s \u201cCopywriting Seminar in a Box.\u201d This is a huge program that covers the topic of writing letters and ads more effectively than any others I\u2019ve seen. You can find it at Kennedy- Copy.com.<\/p>\n

    2. Dan Kennedy also offers an excellent introductory program for direct mail follow-up. You can access his \u201cMagnetic Marketing\u201d program.<\/p>\n

    There are many excellent books on this subject. I recommend Ted Nicholas, Joe Sugarman, Gary Halbert and John Carlton. Joe Sugarman also wrote an excellent book on infomercials.<\/p>\n

    Other Suppliers<\/p>\n

    I regularly use a variety of suppliers for various activities. For postcards, I use Get Members. Visit GetMembers.com. It provides comprehensive services: design, purchase of the compiled list, print-<\/p>\n

    ing, assembly\/preparation, postage and fulfillment. The other is 1800postcards.com, which offers qual-<\/p>\n

    ity full-color printing, but not mailing services.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    As One Martial Artist to Another, Let\u2019s Talk Frankly About Money: Part 1<\/h2>\n

    know what you may be thinking, \u201cIs it really possible to make a big income or even be rich in the martial arts industry?\u201d<\/p>\n

    I\u2019m no different than you. When I graduated from Georgetown University, I put together a business plan and showed it to my first instructors (Gran Moulder and Bob Olinghouse \u2014 both Jhoon Rhee Black Belts from the Alan Steen-Pat Burleson lineage). I was 22 and excited about moving from Washington, D.C., to Denver, Colorado, to open my first school.<\/p>\n

    I asked Gran for his feedback on my business plan. (At the time, he was president and owner of a family business, Moulder-Oldham Janitorial Supply. Bob, my other instructor, even worked for him for a while.) I mistakenly thought that as a \u201creal\u201d business person\/business owner he might give me some useful ideas.<\/p>\n

    When I asked his opinion he was very helpful! You know what he said? \u201cYou can go to Denver and \u2018play at Karate\u2019 for a while, and then find a real job.\u201d Obviously, very helpful feedback about my career objectives! This wasn\u2019t the first time I had heard the \u201cHow-do-you-expect-to make-aliving-doing-martial-arts\u201d line, but this time I was informed, and prepared enough to ignore it and just execute my plan.<\/p>\n

    By the way, a few years later Gran came to visit me in Denver. I had a new Corvette and a huge house on the side of a mountain overlooking Denver. I had 1,500-plus active students in five locations. I made him \u201ceat crow,\u201d although I felt bad about it later when I learned that his family business in a \u201creal industry\u201d had folded.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s unfortunately ingrained in many of us that<\/p>\n

    we\u2019ve chosen an industry where the love of what we do trumps the fact that we\u2019ll probably never make much money doing it.<\/p>\n

    Many martial artists have never been able to move past this early, negative \u201cprogramming.\u201d It may have been drilled into you by teachers, parents, siblings, friends, and even your wife or girlfriend that it\u2019s just not possible to make a comparable or better living than the \u201cprofessionals\u201d (doctor, dentist, lawyer, etc.) in your family or circle of friends.<\/p>\n

    Now, I\u2019m sure I don\u2019t have to tell you there are many people who have become rich as martial artists, and within martial arts. I\u2019m sure you don\u2019t think that Chuck Norris, Jackie Chan, Jean Claude Van Damme or Steven Seagal have \u201csuffered for their art\u201d \u2014 financially. (I asked Chuck once while at his ranch in Texas whether all the fortune was worth all the fame \u2014 predictably he said, \u201cI\u2019ve been rich and I\u2019ve been poor. Rich is better.\u201d)<\/p>\n

    Certainly, those examples don\u2019t help us much, unless we\u2019re planning to start acting lessons, so let\u2019s look at some other examples within martial arts. You may not know them \u2014 I do \u2014 but I can certainly tell you that Nick Cokinos, founder of Educational Funding Company, and Master Alex Reed, founder of ASF International, are both incredibly wealthy. Nick drives a new convertible Rolls Royce and has a huge amount of real estate and stock investments. Master Reed lives full-time on a cruise ship \u2014 and bought another home on the Palm, a man-made Island in Dubai!<\/p>\n

    Another example certainly is my friend Mike Dillard who owns Century Martial Arts Supply \u2014 and a considerably amount of commercial real estate in Oklahoma City.<\/p>\n

    I could continue, but your response is predictable, \u201cOK, I can become rich as a martial artist, but can I, running martial arts schools?\u201d Well frankly, I believe, in many ways, that is an easier, more predictable and practical route.<\/p>\n

    How do you really become rich running martial arts schools?<\/p>\n

    There are names in the industry you would know \u2014 and, probably more that you wouldn\u2019t know \u2014 that have run single locations or small multi-location chains effectively. There are others who have run bigger organizations: Danny \u201cTiger\u201d Schulmann, Master Bill Clark and myself. These are individuals who have mastered multiple-school operations and became rich running martial arts schools and teaching instructors how to teach and how to manage their martial arts schools. You probably know one or more of these names and there are others. I\u2019m sure you would agree that they\u2019ve achieved high income and wealth from running martial arts schools.<\/p>\n

    I can teach you how to do the same thing. Our Regional Developer program gives you the opportunity to become the equivalent of \u201cTiger Schulmann\u201d in New York, Bill Clark in Jacksonville or Stephen Oliver in Denver. It provides proven systems for large school operations without the headaches of a large staff and without spending $100,000 to $200,000 to open each school from your personal resources.<\/p>\n

    OK, maybe you acknowledge that you can definitely make plenty of money from a multipleschool operation, but maybe you only want to teach and work with students on a daily basis. Is it really possible to run a single school and make a LARGE income?<\/p>\n

    Certainly it\u2019s very possible. I could list some of our school owners who, by following systems, focusing on priorities and managing their expenses, make very good incomes from single schools. You probably haven\u2019t heard of them, however, since they\u2019re not in the public eye seeking exposure. By the way, there are many anonymous rich people in the martial arts industry; you just don\u2019t know them.<\/p>\n

    Some that you may know include Keith Hafner, my friend in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I could give you Keith\u2019s full background, but let me give you just a little \u201csnippet.\u201d A few years ago, he built his \u201cdream house,\u201d which is in the range of 8,500 square feet on a beautiful treed lot, with a builtin swimming pool, Jacuzzis, workout room and built-in, massive stereo system throughout the entire house.<\/p>\n

    He runs a school that does approximately $100,000 a month in gross revenues with a 50% net for many years now and still does every enrollment and renewal himself (with his son teaching the majority of the classes). There are many examples like that.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    As One Martial Artist to Another, Let\u2019s Talk Frankly About Money, Part 2<\/h2>\n

    teve Doyon, my friend in Connecticut, is another anonymous, wealthy martial arts school owner that you probably don\u2019t know. He runs a $1,000,000 per year single-school operation. I could continue about single schools that are generating huge grosses, but also many that may not gross as much, but are running high net profits with proper controls and systems in place.<\/p>\n

    There are many schools with which I\u2019ve personally worked that are about to grow to $10,000 or more per month net profit. Even in my case, my one remaining \u201ccorporate school\u201d had a net profit last year of more than $90,000, AFTER paying two full-time Black Belts, running it for more than $100,000 and with almost no involvement from me. (I actually visited the school about seven times last year, did none of the teaching and none of the sales, and, frankly, none of the \u201cgrassroots\u2019 or on-site marketing either.)<\/p>\n

    In addition to the fact that many of us have been taught that you \u201ccan\u2019t make money teaching martial arts,\u201d many of us have also been taught that even if you can, you shouldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019d like to share another story with you. Many years ago, Tom Callos, a close friend of mine (who was working with Jhoon Rhee to put together the book Bruce Lee and I) called me about going to the \u201cBruce Lee Auction.\u201d Linda Lee (now Linda Lee Caldwell) had decided to auction much of Bruce Lee\u2019s stuff, and Tom, Ernie Reyes and several of my friends planned to attend.<\/p>\n

    Tom urged me to attend with him. I was interested at the time and asked him to forward me the auction catalogue. After looking through<\/p>\n

    the catalogue, something caught my attention. It was a beautifully hand-written goals statement by Bruce Lee.<\/p>\n

    It said:<\/p>\n

    \u201cMy Definite Chief Aim:<\/p>\n

    I, Bruce Lee, will be the highest paid Oriental superstar in the United States. In return I will give the most exciting performances and render the best of quality in the capacity of an actor.<\/p>\n

    Starting in 1970, I will achieve world fame and from then onward till the end of 1980, I will have in my possession $10,000,000.<\/p>\n

    Then I will live the way I please and achieve inner harmony and peace.\u201d<\/p>\n

    (Signed) Bruce Lee, January 1969.<\/p>\n

    That piqued my interest. Why did it interest me? I\u2019m a big fan of Think and Grow Rich as well as much of the success literature. I know how important and powerful goal setting and clarity of purpose can be to achieve success. I was thrilled to see this representation of clarity of focus that Bruce Lee had created for himself (coincidentally, during the year I started in martial arts).<\/p>\n

    I was thinking seriously about attending the auction to buy that one piece. About that time, I talked to Jhoon Rhee and told him about the auction and the letter. He said, \u201cYes, I know that one. I was with him when he wrote it in Los Angeles. He was very excited about it, and we talked at length about how he would grow his career and achieve financial wealth.\u201d<\/p>\n

    I don\u2019t remember why now, but I didn\u2019t board the plane. Planet Hollywood bought it for $35,000. I\u2019m not sure I would have been willing to pay that much at that time for a piece of paper written by Bruce Lee, but I certainly regret it now. You can see a color copy with a photo of Bruce in sunglasses, which is usually framed and displayed near the front door of just about every Planet Hollywood.<\/p>\n

    Why do I share this with you? So many martial artists are hung up on the \u201chistory of what they do\u201d and ignore what it takes to be rich.<\/p>\n

    Ask yourself now. When you are in your 60s or 70s, what will be more important to you? The physical specifics of what you taught or the fact that you helped thousands of students achieve tremendous results in their lives, while you earned a great living, providing for yourself and your family and creating wealth to retire comfortably with whatever toys you desire and knowing that your children are well provided?<\/p>\n

    Think about it for a second. Bruce Lee was perhaps the most accomplished and the most forwardthinking martial artist of his generation. He had no trouble with charging $250 an hour for private lessons (during the 1960s!); driving his new Porsche around LA at high speed (scaring Jhoon Rhee among others \u2014 something that I\u2019ve also done in my Porsche Turbo, by the way, while Jhoon Rhee<\/p>\n

    screamed, \u201cyou drive like Bruce Lee\u201d); or setting a goal of $10,000,000 CASH in the bank.<\/p>\n

    Prior to receiving his acting break, Bruce was conspiring with Jhoon Rhee to open a chain of schools in the San Francisco-Oakland area. They shared ideas about advertising, marketing, pricing and business strategy. He regularly sent Chuck Norris and other martial arts schools\u2019 advertising to Jhoon Rhee, and then set their strategies for the best marketing practices!<\/p>\n

    Here\u2019s a serious question for you: Do you REALLY want to be financially successful?<\/p>\n

    To accomplish financial success, you must realize that you must focus on what the market will pay and a system and process that will deliver it most effectively to the most people.<\/p>\n

    With Mile High Karate, we know that there is a huge market for happy, successful well-behaved kids. We know that parents will pay just about any amount of money to protect their child from negative peer pressure and give them the tools that they need to be successful.<\/p>\n

    We also understand that the market is not clamoring for any particular style or methodology, but is enthusiastic about the \u201coutcome\u201d that we\u2019ve created for our students. Your long-term career move may be to affiliate with us and leverage a true \u201cnational brand,\u201d with systems in place to teach what students and parents want to learn (and are willing to pay handsomely to learn).<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    As One Martial Artist to Another, Let\u2019s Talk Frankly About Money, Part 3<\/h2>\n

    ile High Karate has created a system that is easy to implement and creates a VERY high quality student physically, mentally and emotionally; and, frankly, more importantly, we\u2019ve created a marketing process that will flood your school with students who want what you teach. We\u2019ve created systems to help you provide the highest possible service with the minimum of headaches and the maximum profitability.<\/p>\n

    Look in any career area. Is the number one box office draw at the movies star the most accomplished and technically skilled actor or is he or she skilled, charismatic and marketed well?<\/p>\n

    How about music. Were Madonna or Britney (and whoever is now taking their place) the most accomplished and technically skilled vocalists or have they just tapped into the \u201cpulse\u201d of what the public wants and been properly packaged and marketed? Surely, there are opera stars or other classical singers with better technical skills in an area that the market doesn\u2019t want.<\/p>\n

    Do you think Dr. Phil is the most capable psychologist or was he just a genius at packaging and marketing what the public wanted?<\/p>\n

    Does he do much more good than the psychologists who aren\u2019t willing to market themselves?<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ll bet there\u2019s a bunch of Harvard-trained \u201ctraditionalist\u201d psychologists upset about him \u201ccommercializing\u201d psychology.<\/p>\n

    That\u2019s right, they don\u2019t understand either. It\u2019s not about being right; it\u2019s about capturing the public\u2019s imagination and creating a powerful brand that satisfies their needs. Dr. Phil will have<\/p>\n

    a much more powerful influence on the MIL- LIONS of people who learn from him than the trickle of patients the pissed-off guys will help during their careers.<\/p>\n

    Now, before you become self-righteous and think that I\u2019m talking about diluting the arts and \u201cselling out\u201d on quality, let me share with you a quote from Paul McCartney: \u201cSomebody said to me, \u2018The Beatles were anti-materialistic.\u2019 That\u2019s a huge myth. John Lennon and I literally used to sit down and say, \u2018Now, let\u2019s write a swimming pool.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

    Now, that\u2019s a quote from the most covered band of all time, which is still one of the most popular and profitable bands ever \u2014 more than 30 years after they disbanded. There\u2019s even a Cirque Du Soleil show of all Beatles songs. Regarding Paul McCartney, if you don\u2019t know, he\u2019s considered the most successful pop composer of all time. In the Guinness Book of World Records, he is cited for the most records sold, most number one records (shared) and the largest paid audience for a concert (350,000-plus people, 1989 in Brazil).<\/p>\n

    If Lennon\/McCartney can become the most respected songwriting team in history by focusing not just on the \u201cpurity of their craft\u201d but also on \u201clet\u2019s write a swimming pool,\u201d then don\u2019t you think you should give yourself the right to be rich doing what you love and creating great results for your students.<\/p>\n

    In closing? It\u2019s amazing to me that so many people (including and maybe especially many in the martial arts industry) ignore that great quote of Zig Ziglar\u2019s:<\/p>\n

    \u201c\u0007You have to BE and DO before you can<\/p>\n

    HAVE.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Don\u2019t misunderstand me; I\u2019m all about skipping as many rungs as possible to leap to the top of the ladder of success, but there are many basics that must be addressed to reach the top rung and stay there. Ultimately, your long-term success is all about character. You must combine a thirst for knowledge and a willingness to implement aggressively and try new things.<\/p>\n

    I seem to have recently been \u201csurrounded\u201d by two types of losers, who will always remain losers until they reorient their worldview.<\/p>\n

    Type #1: \u201cWin a Little Bit and Quit.\u201d I\u2019ve seen multiple school owners recently implement a couple of ideas. Their GROSSES jump $10,000 to $12,000 per month; their nets jump $5,000 to $7,000 a month, and then just quit. They\u2019ve decided that this new (rather mediocre) status quo is everything they ever wanted and more.<\/p>\n

    Certainly, it\u2019s great to move from near insolvency to a $75,000- to $120,000-a-year income, but achieving that goal first is much easier than maintaining it month after month, year after year. Second, the habits and actions that a school owner learns when almost insolvent don\u2019t support him well to the next level of success and, often, after an immediate flush of success, come back<\/p>\n

    to haunt him. Finally, the next step is achieving these results through others \u2014 consistently. That\u2019s MUCH harder than it looks and has some ups and downs.<\/p>\n

    Type #2: The \u201cMagic Pixie Dust\u201d crowd. They lament, \u201cGee, this is too hard; I must work too many hours. Why can\u2019t you just do it for me and send me the deposits while I sit on my couch and watch American Idol?\u201d<\/p>\n

    Some people watch my business from afar and conclude that they can take a few ideas and essentially \u2014 overnight \u2014 run their businesses by remote control. Interestingly, the ones who seem to \u201cwhine the most\u201d are the 25- to 35-year-old crowd; its members have barely started their careers!<\/p>\n

    Frankly, the reality is that most \u201covernight\u201d successes that I have ever known worked, learned, experimented and thought about their business 24\/7 for many years before being recognized as an overnight success.<\/p>\n

    I can teach you to progress from a $50,000-ayear income to a $125,000-a-year income \u2014 then to double that to $300,000-plus, then to double that again to $600,000, but only if you are willing to KEEP growing \u2014 and to work hard. Remember, the skills and thinking that took you to your current level of success are different from the skills and mindset that will move you to the next level.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    A Reveal of Ten Mistakes You Might Be Making<\/h2>\n

    oby and I just returned from the Financial Power Summit in Dallas, Texas. I\u2019m honored to be joined on this tour by Grandmaster Y.K. Kim, Master Kirk Pelt and Master Keith Winkle. Other than the fact the my entire family ended up sick on the days before the event, myself included, and I ended up putting on my game face with a serious virus, the event was fabulous.<\/p>\n

    My intent was to play the audio of the calls and review the websites during the event. Toby hyperventilated on that one \u2014 sure I was going to offend everyone before the session even got going. I\u2019m not sure I have the numbers exactly right, but on the calls, it was something like 20 calls placed, 17 \u201cno\u201d answers and 3 answered. Two of those three ended up chasing down a \u201crat hole,\u201d discussing the merits of their various styles and programs and not asking for a name, number, and appointment. Embarrassing. I explained that these are among other things that I\u2019ve tracked for years when information calls come into our schools.<\/p>\n

    I can tell you definitively that moms call about lessons for their kids mostly between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., Monday through Thursday. I can also tell you based upon outbound calls from NAPMA headquarters to schools that most schools do not answer their phones before 4:00 p.m. Therefore<\/p>\n

    most information calls go to voicemail. Either the Mom does not leave a message, or a game of phone tag ensues. Many times they\u2019ve lost interest or gotten distracted by the time they are contacted \u2014 if they ever are, in fact, contacted.<\/p>\n

    I will tell you also that the Websites were absolutely scary. A couple were mediocre. The rest were just horrible. They missed key points that I\u2019ve been teaching members for years. They mostly spent a ton of time talking about their style and their biography. I irritated a few in the seminar by pointing out that no one cares. A mother doesn\u2019t want to read about Kenpo, Tae Kwon Do, MMA or any other iteration. She wants to hear about benefits, feedback from other parents and have an easy way to learn more.<\/p>\n

    In most every case they made no effort to capture information. Just about everyone confuses stuff that may be useful for their current students with information for prospective students. At the very least you want a clear path for prospects to learn about benefits of your school and to raise their hand to learn more.<\/p>\n

    I walked through with one NAPMA member looking at her Website. My comment was first: Who are your students? Answer. Mostly kids (60 percent kids, 40 percent adults). About half of the adults came in with their kids. If that\u2019s true then my point was to look at your Website from the perspective of a \u201csoccer mom\u201d of a seven-year-old girl. What does that mom think about the patch with a knife and sword? How about the photo of two kids sparring with one kicking the other in the knee. How about a listing of various styles and types of martial arts.<\/p>\n

    Well, you get the picture. You\u2019ve got to look at it from the perspective of your prospective student who knows little about martial arts, but is looking to start lessons. Look at it from the perspective of a parent. Look at it from the perspective of an adult prospective student. Forget your preconceptions and look at it from the standpoint of a new prospect.<\/p>\n

    Another observation from the event. About half of the people in the room were from schools in the $5,000 per month range or less. The other half was in the $20,000 to $40,000 per month range. Several of the participants were ATA Schools, Premier Schools or Mile High Karate schools. They were all in the top level of schools from a standpoint of revenue, understanding of systems, quality Website, etc. In fact, I told one of them (not a Mile High guy) that the areas where he was screwing up were the areas where he was resisting what his organization was telling him to do, clinging to a variety of irrelevant curriculum and maintaining a \u201cshadow\u201d Website that didn\u2019t follow the parent organization\u2019s recommendations. One of the other \u201csharp\u201d participants was Howard Nixon \u2014 a long-time Maximum Impact member \u2014 who frankly should be and, probably soon will be, a Peak Performers Member.<\/p>\n

    As usual, those who made the effort to hog time, tell everyone about their great ideas and argue simple points, were the school owners doing $5,000 or less per month. I was unusually diplomatic (for me) but, frankly, it gets annoying listening to failing school owners share their secrets of failure. These failing school owners are clear that the success skills shared won\u2019t work in their community, with their students, with their style (as if any of that matters).<\/p>\n

    The school owners in the room doing the best \u2014 the top 10% guys \u2014 were sitting on the edge of their seat, taking notes \u2014 in some cases brought an audio or video recorder \u2014 and asked specific,<\/p>\n

    directed questions to have an action plan. I\u2019d certainly like to express appreciation to the members who attended and contributed\u2026thank you.<\/p>\n

    After the seminar, I took the time to do more thorough evaluations with several Maximum Impact members \u2014 as you know, that\u2019s unusual as I mostly personally coach our Inner Circle members, who range from $30,000 to $100,000 or more per month.<\/p>\n

    In one case for a school doing $4,500 to $5,000 per month, it didn\u2019t take long to find the problem areas.<\/p>\n

    The quick list: 1. No organized Info Call, Introductory Class, or Enrollment Process. 2. No contracts, strictly month-to-month. 3. Not outsourcing or automating billing. Having students bring checks in month for payment. 4. A poorly-designed tuition structure, with no down payment to get started. 5. An average monthly student value of $100 or less, rather than where it should be of $250\u2014$300 per month. 6. No Renewal Program (aka Upgrade). 7. Complicated curriculum structure (multiple programs, multiple styles, confusing structure). 8. A predisposition about what their students and prospective students will and won\u2019t do. 9. A focus on teaching physical skills rather than \u201clife-skills.\u201d 10. A near total reliance on \u201cword of mouth\u201d for new students, without a real referral system. I don\u2019t have the space to go into all of these items here. I will tell you that members who have poor results focus primarily on learning new curriculum \u201cstuff\u201d from the materials that we share and don\u2019t really pay attention on the monthly telecoaching calls and fail to study the material in your<\/p>\n

    monthly \u201cMaximum Impact\u201d package. Developing teaching skills is vital, and you must have a focused approach to generating new students and creating maximum student value. To really thrive, focus on fabulous student service. Make sure you have clear and effective sales processes in place for prospective students and for renewals, and keep your pipeline filled with new students.<\/p>\n

    On the billing side, I\u2019ll tell you that I don\u2019t have a \u201cdog in this hunt.\u201d What you must do is require that all payments be automatic through EFT or credit card. You can automate that with software applications or you can hire a billing company. Don\u2019t be \u201cpenny wise and pound foolish\u201d on stuff like this. Hire an accounting firm, payroll service firm and automate or outsource your billing.<\/p>\n

    I will leave you with one thought. There\u2019s no excuse for having fewer than 100 students grossing less than $20,000 a month. Every school I\u2019ve ever opened was at 100 or more students in the<\/p>\n

    first six weeks. If you are running a small school full-time, make a decision and add 100 students in the next 60 to 90 days. It\u2019s completely doable.<\/p>\n

    You may spend 20, 30 or even 40 hours a week \u201cbeating the bushes\u201d for new students. I will tell you that working HARD is a hell of a lot better than being lazy and broke. Frankly, you may have to really work hard on your marketing to build momentum, but it\u2019s a lot easier to keep a school rolling than to get it there in the first place.<\/p>\n

    Another point that many miss is that no matter how many \u201creferral systems\u201d you have in place, it\u2019s really tough to grow from within when you have a small student body. You\u2019ve got to jumpstart things with community outreach and advertising. In the early days, most of what I accomplished was through pure manual labor. It\u2019s easier to spend a big stack of money to fill your school, but, really, it\u2019s just about making a decision and getting to work.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    7 Steps to a Flood of Introductory Traffic<\/h2>\n

    just returned from a couple of days in our school in Fresno, California. It was a great experience. Lots of fabulous students. A motivated and energized staff. Monthly new records being hit. And overall great momentum in the coming year. They are FLOODED with introductory traffic. Most of what I was working on was improving ratios that have slipped due to volume and renewal ratios.<\/p>\n

    In working with them \u2014 with a target of really being a million-dollar-a-year school by the end of the year \u2014 I reviewed our standard approach to going from mediocre to fantastic.<\/p>\n

    First step. Fix your teaching and curriculum. Take a look at your monthly retention rate. Get your monthly dropout rate to less than 3% of your active students. If it\u2019s 5% or above you\u2019ve got to figure out where the problem lies. If you have a problem it really boils down to the quality of your teaching (and teachers) or the structure of your curriculum. Lots of schools have a really lousy curriculum. It\u2019s important to chunk it down appropriately. It\u2019s important not to teach too much stuff too early.<\/p>\n

    To improve your retention take a look at a couple of important considerations.<\/p>\n

    1. The first few months really are only about getting the student committed to Black Belt and beyond. Keep it fun and help them have success. If they feel successful, feel like they can master your art, then it\u2019s much easier for them to picture training to Black Belt and beyond.<\/p>\n

    2. Make sure there is REGULAR PROG- RESS. Students should advance to a new belt every two or three months. They should be able to earn stripes on their belt and other rewards every four to eight lessons. Keep in mind that I\u2019m not<\/p>\n

    talking about only your Little Ninjas\u00ae or children\u2019s program. Adults need regular progress as well. Look at the typical four-year college. You have at minimum a mid-term and a final each semester \u2014 therefore you move forward to new curricula at least two or three times per year and have progress updates at least every two months \u2014 usually more often.<\/p>\n

    3. Make sure you hire staff who are more concerned about their students than themselves. Great athletes rarely make great coaches. Many of us make the mistake of hiring staff based upon physical talent. That\u2019s nice, but really empathy and sincere concern for your students is more important.<\/p>\n

    4. Keep track. What gets measured gets done. Pay close attention to who\u2019s gradually attending less regularly. Always know who\u2019s been gone for a week and go on a massive effort to get them back (phone calls, letters, etc.). Track your one week, two week, three week inactives. Know your average monthly dropout rate (percentage of students who drop out each month based on your total active count).<\/p>\n

    Ultimately student retention is more about rapport and sincere concern for your students and less about the content of your classes. If you like your students, know who they are, their names, details about them, their goals and needs, then they will like you and know you are sincere.<\/p>\n

    Second step. Fix your tuition rate. You should be charging $150\u2014$250 per month for new students. Then you must have a Black Belt Program and Master Club and Leadership Levels. Typically you can have these upgrade programs where their tuition can increase by 50% to 100% or more. I typically have an option that\u2019s double and an option that\u2019s a 50% increase.<\/p>\n

    Again, we\u2019ve seen schools who don\u2019t use contracts. I believe your initial enrollment should be six to 12 months, and your upgrade should take them to Black Belt or beyond.<\/p>\n

    Broken record on this: IT DOESN\u2019T MAT- TER what your competition is charging. You can be double anyone else in town \u2014 if you are marketing properly \u2014 and it won\u2019t make any difference. My studies show that less than 5% of prospective students ever shop other schools. Frankly, most schools are so bad that if you have a quality teacher, structure and proper focus for your students, then it won\u2019t make any difference anyway. Much of what we teach is \u201cMarketing in a Vacuum.\u201d They should be deciding if they like what you offer or not. Then they\u2019ll decide if they can afford it or not. Your real competition is other discretionary spending, other sports activities and other developmental activities.<\/p>\n

    Third step. Fix your RATIOS. Get your contact (info call or lead call)-to-appointment ratio right: 70% or 80% introductory to enrollment ratio in place.<\/p>\n

    Fourth Step. Fill your pipeline. Flood your school with new prospective students. There are MANY ways to do this, but I\u2019ll tell you it\u2019s SIMPLE. Perhaps not EASY, but it\u2019s SIMPLE. You\u2019ve got to work hard. Beat the bushes. Get out in the community. Network with students. But it\u2019s SIMPLE.<\/p>\n

    Back to Fresno; they\u2019ve generated 248 LEADS (contact with name, address, phone, email that\u2019s expressed interest) in the last two weeks. They\u2019ve scheduled 148 appointments and have enrolled 14 of them so far, and are on track for 40 enrollments this month at $400 down and $197 a month on a 12-month contract. There are many ways to fill your pipeline. Most take time, money or both. In their case, they\u2019ve been making a bunch of appointments at carnivals, fairs and other community events. EVERY<\/p>\n

    member school should be working on public relations, community outreach, internal events and advertising every month. You really must plan on spending the vast majority of your time out in your community finding prospective students until you get to 250 or so active students. You\u2019ve got to continually beat the bushes and fill your pipeline.<\/p>\n

    Want to REALLY fill your school? Pull the trigger and get the Japan Relief flyers out to 50,000-plus people in your community next week. Then make sure you are hitting the Kung Fu Panda 2 promotions in the theaters and in your school \u2014 a 100% effort. Each could be worth 50 or more new students. But you must IMPLE- MENT VIOLENTLY.<\/p>\n

    Fifth Step. Once you\u2019ve flooded your sales pipeline with prospects, go back to step three and fix your ratios \u2014 again. With volume, things start getting sloppy. You\u2019ve got to step back and fix those ratios. Keep them tight, even with 100-plus introductory classes per month.<\/p>\n

    Sixth Step. Really review your new student (White and Gold Belt) classes and make sure they are fabulous. Make sure no one is getting lost in the shuffle. Make sure they all feel a lot of rapport with you and your school and staff.<\/p>\n

    Seventh Step. Take a look at your upgrade ratios. I want to target 75% of your new enrollments ending up in your next level in the first four months. Our target is 50% of new enrollments renewed in the first two months, 50% of those left renewed within the next two months.<\/p>\n

    You may need to reframe your perspective on this. The best way to improve your retention is to improve your renewal ratios. If they don\u2019t renew they are going to drop out. If you renew them early when they are ready, your ratios will improve.<\/p>\n

    An important note: It\u2019s essential to renew them when they are ready. If they don\u2019t renew when they are ready they may never renew. Jeff Smith\u2019s analogy is that it\u2019s like buying a watermelon. You<\/p>\n

    thump them to see if they are ripe. Once ripe, it\u2019s time to renew. From there on they die on the vine and rot. You NEVER enroll someone for a year and wait until the end of the year. Frankly, in the<\/p>\n

    early months of their lessons is when you must prep them for long-term follow-through. If you don\u2019t do it then, it will likely never happen<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Keep It Simple and Focus on What\u2019s Important<\/h2>\n

    t the most basic level, all businesses are simple. Management guru Peter Drucker said, \u201cThe purpose of all businesses is to create and keep a customer.\u201d I\u2019ve expanded that for our staff just slightly to three points of daily focus: enrollments, renewals (or upgrades) and retention.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s useful to keep it simple and focus on what\u2019s important. Obviously, each of these points can be expanded infinitely; however, what you must do every day is to focus on each of these areas: What can we do today to enroll more new students? What can we do today to retain students longer? What can we do today to renew more students into our upgrade programs?<\/p>\n

    From a time management standpoint, start the day with a blank legal pad and a brainstorming session (often with just yourself) on attracting new students. What internal and external promotional activities can you implement to add more students? What can you do immediately (today) to create leads, expand intros and improve enrollment ratios? With what groups or organizations should you be working to promote your school? Who must you know to grow your school? What labor-intensive activities can you do today to fill your school? What additional advertising or marketing efforts<\/p>\n

    should you be undertaking to grow your school? Are you spending enough? Are you being smart about your advertising and promotions?<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve witnessed many school owners who\u2019d rather sit and bemoan their lack of new students than to take action to find more students. Even on the most limited budget, you can still hit the streets, pick up the phone and meet individuals and groups who may be interested in your school. Make sure that every day you are doing something to find new students.<\/p>\n

    Next, during \u201cprime-time\u201d be careful on what you focus. Minute-by-minute, you must be taking the most productive actions possible. For each class, ask yourself (and your staff) these questions:<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Who\u2019s in class who won\u2019t be back if I don\u2019t take action to fix them? \u2022 Who\u2019s in class that can be renewed? \u2022 Who\u2019s in class that could help us with enrollments? Everyone has had the experience of reaching the end of the evening without adding a new student or renewing anyone. Guard against that every day. Focus on making sure that you are maximizing results in every class with every method possible.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Have You Reached \u201cBlack Belt\u201d Rank in Business?<\/h2>\n

    just returned from our second \u201cFinancial Power\u201d seminar where NAPMA has teamed with AMS to give an industry appreciation and support seminar tour. Y.K. Kim and I have teamed up for the first time for an event series such as this. (He and I have been friends since meeting through Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee in the 1980s.)<\/p>\n

    After the event, Grandmaster Kim, Kirk Pelt, Keith Winkle and I were discussing the New York\/New Jersey event and the participants of the event. The topic came up about the level of results that many of the school owners were having (many schools under $10,000) per month and the backwards way that many had structured their curriculum, their tuition and their marketing approach. Someone, I forget who, said that it\u2019s amazing given how much information is available to school owners and the huge advances that have been made by the top school owners in the past 20 years. After some discussion I pointed out that our industry \u201cturns over\u201d every 4 to 5 years \u2014 in other words, 20\u201425% of all schools go out of business each year. Therefore, the general knowledge of the industry doesn\u2019t date back to the 1960s, but really is on average only a year or two.<\/p>\n

    In terms of your martial arts school, most owners are only green or blue belts. They don\u2019t know what they don\u2019t know. Actually, that\u2019s giving most too much credit. Most school owners (probably the bottom 80%, certainly at least the bottom 50%) DO NOT seek out teachers and training on how to run their business more effectively. In a similar vein I heard a stat recently that said 80% of sales people have never read even one sales book. The head of a HUGE insurance company said the dif-<\/p>\n

    ference between his mediocre sales people and his top 10% was just reading two books per month. The unfortunate reality is that most people are ignorant by choice. They then blame circumstances for their failure rather than looking in a mirror.<\/p>\n

    In fact, the number one complaint that we get from members is that they don\u2019t have time to read all of the stuff we send them. In reality if you allotted 30 minutes a day to your own training, you\u2019d go through all of our material plus an additional book or two each month. It\u2019s simple. Surely you should allot 30 minutes or an hour a day to improving your CAREER? Make sure you commit right now to being in the top 20%, then top 5%, then top 3% of our industry. More on that later.<\/p>\n

    Anyway, back to the seminar. There continue to be common themes among failing school owners. I point them out again here. (By the way, I\u2019ll also share some common traits of successful owners.) The failures do a couple of things.<\/p>\n

    First, they tell us their best source of enrollments is \u201cword of mouth,\u201d aka, code for waiting and hoping. They say that in seriousness, but when asked what referral strategies and systems they have in place, you get a blank expression. To be successful you must \u201cdo more stuff.\u201d Frankly, you should be actively working on internal referral strategies (pizza parties, birthday parties, events tied to belt graduations, self-defense days, movie nights, etc.) and working on community outreach activities with churches, day cares, sports leagues, businesses, schools, etc. \u2014 and advertising regularly. If you\u2019re not doing 10 or 15 things each and every month to attract new students, then you are missing the boat.<\/p>\n

    Second, and keep in mind this was the NYC metropolitan area, they charge way too little. You really should be at least in the $125\u2014$150 range for your lessons. I\u2019d prefer closer to $200 or more for new enrollments. In almost any town or city, charging less than $100 is crazy.<\/p>\n

    Third, program structure. Most schools are making their initial enrollment too complicated. Many still shy away from contracts or offer \u201cmonth-to-month\u201d options. For many years (starting in 1983) I offered a 12-month and an 18-month enrollment option. I\u2019ve seen successful schools that offer 6-month enrollments and others that offer 12-month initial enrollments. But don\u2019t make it too complicated. One school I talked to offered month-to-month, 3 months, 6 months and 9 months as options. Too complicated.<\/p>\n

    Fourth, no upgrade system. Many schools STILL just enroll students on a monthly tuition forever (i.e., until they drop out). Others enroll them for 6 months or 12 months and then just do a new contract. You must have a RENEWAL system in place to help your students set their goal to Black Belt and beyond. It\u2019s imperative for them to see that vision and buy into the idea of \u201cgraduating\u201d to Black Belt and then to 2nd- and 3rd- Degree Black Belt.<\/p>\n

    You also need to have some upgrade system. What I mean by that is a mechanism to move them to pay more than you charged at the initial enrollment. There are several ways to do that, but I\u2019ll leave it at you can move them to Black Belt Club, Master Club, or Leadership at higher monthly or per lesson tuitions, or you can have \u201cadd-on\u201d options such as demo team, weapons classes, etc. The objective is to add 25%, 50% or more to the tuition being paid.<\/p>\n

    Fifth, EVERYONE thinks they teach great classes, have great curriculum and have great student retention. MOST are fooling themselves. The best indicator is your monthly dropout or<\/p>\n

    quit rate. If you are losing more than 3% you have room for improvement. So if you have 100 students and are losing more than three per month, you can get to work figuring out how to fix your student retention levels.<\/p>\n

    The most likely suspect in all cases for fixing the curriculum is to simplify your first-year curriculum (especially the first four or five months). Chunk it down into more \u201cbite-size\u201d pieces. Push things like free sparring into the second year of your curriculum.<\/p>\n

    Make your first few months about setting a goal to be a Black Belt and beyond. Make the first year about making sure they get so anchored to your school that they are still there in year two.<\/p>\n

    You only create fabulous students by having them stick with you for two, three, four or more years. The second thing to look at and really the biggest problem is RAPPORT. Most students ultimately drop out because of only one of two things. They are confused early on and get frustrated. Or they don\u2019t feel like part of the family. In your school the biggest problem is \u201cperceived apathy.\u201d In other words, if they like you, like your staff, have friends in their class and feel like they\u2019ll be missed, then they are much less likely to ever drop out.<\/p>\n

    To wrap up on this discussion, let\u2019s talk about a reality of human nature and of our society in general. In the United States the top 20% of income earners (household income) are at $90,000 or more annual income. The top 5% are at $150,000 or more. The top 3% are at $200,000 or more.<\/p>\n

    Where do you want to be in your career? Our target for my Inner Circle members is to make sure they are all in the top 3% or even top 1%. We want each and every one to have a PER- SONAL income of $200,000 or better (often much better).<\/p>\n

    Our target for my Peak Performers is to make sure that each are in the top 5%, to make sure<\/p>\n

    they are in the $150,000 or more income range in short order.<\/p>\n

    Finally, our target for ALL NAPMA Maximum Impact members is at MINIMUM to be in the top 20% \u2014 to be at $90,000 or more personal income. We\u2019re not talking about school gross but are talking about how much you keep after expenses.<\/p>\n

    Make a determination about where you want to be. Is it in the top 20%, the top 5% or the top<\/p>\n

    3% or better? I\u2019ve personally taken many school owners on the journey from struggling to the top 3% or 1% of the industry. Others I\u2019ve moved from being a top 20% school to a top 3% school in six or seven months. If you are ready to take the next step forward for your business then we should talk and get a game plan to radically grow your school \u2014 now.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Every 7 Years \u2026 or We\u2019ve Been Spoiled<\/h2>\n

    n the heat of the media feeding frenzy about the economy, there is an underlying lesson. It\u2019s typical for the economy to cycle up and down during a seven-year more or less cycle. Many forget the shocks to the system right after 9\/11. Most of you don\u2019t remember the \u201cCarter years\u201d of disaster, or the downturn during the late 1980s that was very similar (over-built office space, retail and housing and the savings and loan bailout).<\/p>\n

    While many school owners may have managed to survive or even thrive during the economic growth of the Clinton and Bush administrations, the real question about the strength of your underlying business is how you do when the mediocre majority are suffering or closing businesses.<\/p>\n

    In my book, Everything I Wish I Knew When I Was 22, I write about two items of interest to many of you.<\/p>\n

    One item of interest was \u201cThings Are Never as Bad as They Seem.\u201d Human nature and the financial markets that reflect human nature tend toward euphoria or depression\u2026not much in between. It\u2019s really like being \u201cbi-polar,\u201d without the drugs.<\/p>\n

    Anyway, the stock market tends to overreact to bad news. You and your staff may also tend to overreact to a slowdown and having to struggle or at least work harder than you think you should. Make sure you step back and make an objective and optimistic assessment of where you are in your business and what needs to happen to move forward.<\/p>\n

    You must work to shield yourself from all of the real and exaggerated bad news, and stay focused on success. Make sure you also put more time and effort into your staff. Some will bail, looking for safer havens with bigger companies (although, obviously, that\u2019s a fool\u2019s mission).<\/p>\n

    The second item of interest is keeping failure in mind. Most of the famous and successful entrepreneurs that you read about suffered many financial ups and downs. Ray Kroc of McDonalds and Tom Monihan of Dominos Pizza were both broke and nearly threw in the towel during their early years (and, at least, in Domino\u2019s case later as well, when Monihan had to return and take back the reins). Jhoon Rhee, Jeff Smith, other friends of mine and I have all experienced ups and downs, although we may appear to be eternally successful from your point of view. Stories of bankruptcies, divorce, staffing problems and scandal brought on by careless staff are endless among the successful \u201cicons.\u201d Often, you just don\u2019t hear that side of their stories.<\/p>\n

    In Jhoon Rhee\u2019s case, Jeff Smith moved from Texas with a group of his friends (Pat Worley, Gary Hestilow, Larry Carnahan and others), when many of Jhoon Rhee\u2019s staff members left with little or no notice. I had the same experience during the 1980s, and the S&L crisis. What seems like a crisis at the time often is for the best; however the financial and emotional struggle isn\u2019t much fun.<\/p>\n

    If you\u2019re feeling anxious or are struggling, then you\u2019re not alone. There are many of us, however, who have \u201cbeen there, done that\u201d supporting you through NAPMA. We can help you not only survive, but also thrive in the current economy.<\/p>\n

    As a final note, there\u2019s an additional situation that could sabotage your success that you should fix before it becomes an issue. It\u2019s the \u201cAm- I-good-enough?\u201d syndrome. In fact, the theme in John Graden\u2019s excellent book, The Imposter Syndrome, is that many people, even as they are experiencing success, sabotage themselves, thinking<\/p>\n

    that success is not real or earned. They are afraid that, at any moment, they may be \u201cdiscovered.\u201d Don\u2019t fall victim yourself. Add your visualization<\/p>\n

    exercises. Set goals. Have positive expectancy and move forward undeterred.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Some Thoughts about Style, Part 1<\/h2>\n

    et me share a story about style and my thinking in having a consistent style throughout all Mile High Karate schools. You may know that both Jeff Smith and I studied with Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee, who\u2019s known as the father of American Tae Kwon Do. He invented musical forms and safety equipment, opening the way for every aspect of current sport karate \u2014 from the NASKA circuit to professional kickboxing.<\/p>\n

    Bruce Lee and my instructor Jhoon Rhee were close friends. They trained together and stayed at each other\u2019s homes; and Bruce even arranged a Hong Kong movie deal for Jhoon Rhee. Jhoon Rhee taught Bruce to do a powerful side kick, and Bruce taught him to think with more flexibility about styles and the nature of martial arts.<\/p>\n

    Jhoon Rhee insists that I met Bruce Lee while testing in the early 1970s \u2014 however, I\u2019m not sure he\u2019s right. Regardless, I probably wouldn\u2019t remember. Unfortunately, Bruce Lee died in Hong Kong when I was 13. Prior to that he was recognized in martial arts circles, but certainly hadn\u2019t achieved \u201csuperstar\u201d status in the United States. Frankly, among the martial arts community of the 1960s and early 1970s, he was not a popular figure. Only innovators, such as Jhoon Rhee, Jeff Smith, Chuck Norris and Joe Lewis, befriended him and supported his ideas.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve spoken at length about Bruce Lee with Jhoon Rhee and others who were friends and associates of his, including Jeff Smith, Chuck Norris and Fred Degerberg, and with Linda and Brandon Lee.<\/p>\n

    While reading Jhoon Rhee\u2019s fascinating book, Bruce Lee and I, I was reminded of many things that martial artists then and now do to screw up<\/p>\n

    their thinking about their arts, careers and longterm objectives.<\/p>\n

    Interestingly, with Bruce Lee and many others that have achieved such exulted status, the general belief about who they were, what they believed and what was true is often different. Chuck Norris and Jhoon Rhee shared with me many stories that debunk popular beliefs.<\/p>\n

    Anyway, much of the way martial arts is taught today can be traced to the influences of Bruce Lee and Jhoon Rhee as well as famous fighters, such as Chuck Norris, Jeff Smith, etc.<\/p>\n

    A Bruce Lee quote that encapsulates part of the shift in thinking of people like Jhoon Rhee (and me) is:<\/p>\n

    \u201cBefore I studied the arts, a punch to me was just like a punch, a kick just like a kick. After I learned the arts, a punch was no longer a punch, a kick no longer a kick.<\/p>\n

    \u201cNow that I\u2019ve understood the arts, a punch is just a punch, a kick just a kick.”<\/p>\n

    The height of cultivation is really nothing special. It is merely simplicity, the ability to express the utmost with the minimum. It is the halfway cultivation that leads to ornamentation.\u201c<\/p>\n

    Maybe it\u2019s due to the fact that I\u2019ve been at this since 1969 \u201439-plus years and trained directly with Jeff Smith and Jhoon Rhee \u2014 that I came to understand this quote fully 20 or so years ago.<\/p>\n

    However, I still don\u2019t understand many of the martial artists and school owners I meet and coach.<\/p>\n

    Personally, I have trouble identifying with school owners and Black Belts who want to introduce themselves by identifying with their narrow \u201cstylistic\u201d designation.<\/p>\n

    They say, for example, \u201cI\u2019m a Japanese stylist (BJJ, Kenpo, etc.). How will Mile High Karate work for me? My curriculum is Kenpo. How can I teach your curriculum?\u201d<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve had to shake my head in bewilderment at several school owners for whom Mile High Karate was their most exciting possible career option because they were hung up on being a Goju or Kung Fu stylist\u2026or whatever.<\/p>\n

    As you begin training, any good teacher will drill into you lineage, loyalty to style and association and appreciation for the \u201cintricacy\u201d of what you are learning. Clearly, we do the same for our beginner students at Mile High Karate.<\/p>\n

    As you progress in your learning and achieve levels of mastery, however, you must learn that what served you as a beginning or intermediate student handicaps you during your later growth.<\/p>\n

    Back to Bruce\u2019s quote: \u201cNow that I\u2019ve understood the art\u2026. a punch is just a punch and a kick is just a kick.\u201d What does that mean?<\/p>\n

    First, to grow in your career, you must move beyond the detail and see both the simplicity and the \u201cbig picture.\u201d You must arrive at the \u201cWhy\u201d of what we do, not the minutiae of the \u201cWhat.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Why do we teach martial arts? Well, anyone who has thought even a little bit about it realizes that there are several reasons or target outcomes for our students.<\/p>\n

    Do you really care that they master the minutiae of one specific style or art? Isn\u2019t it more important that they accomplish the following:<\/p>\n

    Complete \u201cSelf-Mastery\u201d \u2014 The ability to set and achieve goals, and to achieve positive outcomes. Isn\u2019t true personal accomplishment in all areas the highest value of martial arts training? If so, then isn\u2019t that neutral of some arbitrarily designated \u201cstyle?\u201d<\/p>\n

    Highly effective and appropriate self-defense skills \u2014 The ability to avoid an attacker, physically or verbally, and to protect yourself and your family in any situation.<\/p>\n

    Health and fitness \u2014 To achieve a high level of athletic prowess and maintain the highest level of health and fitness, you must encourage not only a fitness lifestyle, but also a peak fitness level.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s important to think about this to move beyond self-limiting beliefs about what you are teaching and why.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Some Thoughts about Style, Part 2<\/h2>\n

    gain, back to the Bruce Lee book and a quote from Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee:<\/p>\n

    \u201cMartial Arts is 99 percent philosophy and 1 percent action.<\/p>\n

    Martial Arts without philosophy is merely street fighting.\u201d<\/p>\n

    What does this really mean? Well, what we are teaching is much more about developing a way of thinking about life and human interactions. It\u2019s about really teaching success skills and a philosophy of personal responsibility and accountability and much less about more effective ways of kicking and punching.<\/p>\n

    Isn\u2019t developing Black Belts with unshakable character and a positive can-do spirit really the most important thing? Isn\u2019t it really more important that the highest percentage of your students follow through to that point?<\/p>\n

    The specifics of a form or a set of movements is really irrelevant to our objective, other than as a process to achieve self-mastery.<\/p>\n

    You must realize the level of thinking and understanding that brought you to where you are will not serve you well as you grow into the future. It\u2019s necessary to move past these narrow definitions and limiting associations to grow your career and your art to the next level.<\/p>\n

    Now back to the question. Our purpose in the Mile High Karate curriculum is first and foremost highly effective personal development for our students. We complement that with teaching both a very high quality blend of \u201cAmericanized\u201d martial arts that not only includes Tae Kwon Do forms and kickboxing-derived sparring combinations AND Kali, Escrima, BJJ, traditional martial arts weapons and a variety<\/p>\n

    of forms and movements from many styles.<\/p>\n

    Our system is extremely strong, since it have been developed during many years to be excellent for student retention and to facilitate renewals as well as to create truly excellent Black Belt students.<\/p>\n

    As our system evolves, it benefits from the huge base of experience that instructors like you bring to the Mile High Karate organization.<\/p>\n

    Jeff Smith and I have incorporated a wide range of \u201cstyles\u201d and types of martial arts into the system and we will continue to evolve our curriculum with your input and contribution.<\/p>\n

    Do you have to abandon what you\u2019ve learned or stop learning and advancing in your arts?<\/p>\n

    Absolutely not, in fact, your mastery in complementary skills brings enormous strength to Mile High Karate.<\/p>\n

    We expect our advanced Black Belts to be truly masters of the martial arts (not of any one limited style or method).<\/p>\n

    Do I have to teach the Mile High Karate system to my students?<\/p>\n

    The answer is yes \u2014 most of the time. We clearly want all of the Mile High Karate schools to teach the same core curriculum.<\/p>\n

    Keep in mind: We have a very clear and methodical system in place to convert your current students gradually and to thrill them with the new material and skills.<\/p>\n

    We have spent hundreds of hours designing the transition process, so that you keep your current students, renew a bunch of them and excite about all the new stuff they\u2019ll have an opportunity to learn.<\/p>\n

    Having all schools on the same core curriculum accomplishes several things.<\/p>\n

    First, as we stake out our target niche of the number one school for \u201cCharacter Development for Kids and Families.\u201d We require a consistent curriculum that, in fact, accomplishes that result in the absolutely best way possible. Many schools SELL \u201cself-esteem\u201d and \u201ccharacter development\u201d; our system not only sells it, but also truly and consistently DELIVERS it!<\/p>\n

    Second, to really create a STRONG NA- TIONAL BRAND, the schools all must have the same look and feel and the same teaching systems and methods. This is very much to your benefit. Our strong national brand will enhance the value of your business and will make you the #1 choice for prospective students in your territory.<\/p>\n

    Third, to continue to be highly effective at instructor and staff training AND, even to allow you to become an absentee owner someday if you wish (or to sell your school for real monetary value), then your operations must be truly \u201csystematized.\u201d This includes teaching systems, curriculum and student retention processes.<\/p>\n

    Fourth, to create a powerful system, where locally, regionally and internationally, all of our schools can get together for big events (intramural tournaments and seminars) and Black Belt tests. In each region, we certainly want to \u201cclump\u201d schools \u2014 each with protected territories to ben-<\/p>\n

    efit from the massive synergies that I experienced in Denver for 30-plus years and that we experienced with the Jhoon Rhee Institute, as well.<\/p>\n

    Fifth, a really important component of making you rich from your chosen profession is to have the curriculum work with retention and upgrade systems. We have this down to a science and, frankly, this is one place that will really grow your income.<\/p>\n

    All of our curriculum systems are designed to keep students training and excite them massively for the new renewal of upgrade.<\/p>\n

    Sixth, and this is really important, we\u2019ve already created a wide array of support systems that create consistency and help students learn quickly. These systems help them reach their maximum potential, while minimizing your one-on-one time needed with any student.<\/p>\n

    Powerful technical advances, such as a student\u2019s ability to enter their password at MileHighKarate.com and then download their next bit of curriculum onto their video iPod to watch anywhere, to download the paperwork needed for their next testing, or listen to a teleconference about how to really dedicate themselves to maximum results.<\/p>\n

    The support systems are in place and work great!<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Some Thoughts about Style, Part 3<\/h2>\n

    inally, we\u2019ve designed a system that minimizes your staffing needs, while maximizing your income, and that makes students better faster. We\u2019ve honed down the class structure, so that you don\u2019t need a huge number of instructors (or a high payroll!) to support a big and very profitable school.<\/p>\n

    OK, back to the \u201cmost of the time.\u201d What\u2019s that about?<\/p>\n

    In your school, you\u2019ll always have need for \u201cexciting, extra material.\u201d In Denver, we\u2019ve taught stuff from Ninjutsu to Samauri Sword to Aikido and an incredible amount of other material that\u2019s not formally in the curriculum, but is exciting and new.<\/p>\n

    Your leadership students, Black Belts and demo teams all need to learn new and exciting things.<\/p>\n

    There\u2019s room throughout the system for lots of additional material to be taught at special leadership classes, Black Belt seminars and as special modules that students can enjoy to keep classes fresh.<\/p>\n

    Your students will benefit from a huge team of quality Master Instructors and have a very powerful curriculum to make sure that we are all proud of every first-, second-, third-degree and higher Black Belt who is allowed to hang diplomas and claim association with you.<\/p>\n

    To reiterate, you\u2019ll be working with former World Champion Jeff Smith and all of our senior Master Instructors. Your skills and mastery will strengthen our system and expand everyone\u2019s capabilities!<\/p>\n

    There\u2019s something else that you must consider that is a very important personal success principle.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe can\u2019t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u2014Albert Einstein.<\/p>\n

    Ask yourself now: Are you completely happy with where you are in your life and your career?<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s rather clear, isn\u2019t it that if you were, then you wouldn\u2019t be exploring a positive career change with Mile High Karate?<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s important to realize that if you keep doing what you\u2019ve done, then you\u2019ll keep getting the same results.<\/p>\n

    This concept is important for your next step in career growth.<\/p>\n

    As a child and a young adult, we learn many valuable lessons.<\/p>\n

    They serve us well at that point in our development\u2026however, unless abandoned at some point, they handicap us.<\/p>\n

    Imagine the lesson as a child, \u201cDon\u2019t Talk to Strangers.\u201d Now, move that lesson forward as an adult in any sales, teaching or leadership position (such as running a martial arts school). The \u201cDon\u2019t Talk to Strangers\u201d lesson, while protecting the child, handicaps the adult.<\/p>\n

    There are many examples of this. Unfortunately, most martial arts school owners and teachers are stuck in lessons that served them well as students, but handicap them as a career school owner\/operator.<\/p>\n

    Narrow definitions of your \u201cstyle\u201d and a close affiliation with the lineage of your teachers and association were valuable to you in the past. Just as a child is taught lessons that later handicap them, your past affiliations and ways of thinking about your style and system may handicap your future career growth and development. They clearly will prevent you from becoming rich in the martial arts.<\/p>\n

    What about your association or affiliation? I know well the many fine martial arts associations and narrowly defined styles.<\/p>\n

    The question is: Does your past affiliation support your future career goals?<\/p>\n

    Do you think that the organization that you are involved in can help you create industry-leading business results and help support the long-term wealth development that can be your potential?<\/p>\n

    Does it create a truly national brand identification that will help you attract and keep students?<\/p>\n

    Do you look around at your industry events and see a bunch of \u201cMartial Arts Millionaires?\u201d If you are hanging around with the Holiday Inn or Motel 6 crowd rather than the Four Seasons crowd, then you are in the wrong place to truly achieve wealth.<\/p>\n

    If you think about your situation clearly, then you will clearly understand that continuing what you\u2019ve always done won\u2019t help you get where you want to go.<\/p>\n

    Unfortunately, most associations support that middle ground that Bruce Lee described \u2014 complicating the art and supporting outdated beliefs about style and lineage.<\/p>\n

    Back to his quote: \u201cIt is the halfway cultivation that leads to ornamentation.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Your current associations are, unfortunately, not run by professional educators and business people who understand effective marketing, sales and business methods that support state-of-theart curriculum structure and teaching methods.<\/p>\n

    Do they really encourage and support truly<\/p>\n

    high performance? Unfortunately, more often than not they actually encourage or even insist upon mediocrity. Clearly, making an amazing living teaching martial arts is not on their radar screens or encouraged.<\/p>\n

    Unfortunately, the martial arts associations tend to insist upon curriculum and systems that don\u2019t work in professional school environments.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s really not their fault. The leaders at the top have never run a chain of highly profitable schools.<\/p>\n

    They\u2019ve never really had to evaluate their organization relative to supporting a very profitable professional school.<\/p>\n

    In all cases \u2014 no one is there to take care of all of the business and legal processes and to take them completely off your hands.<\/p>\n

    In all cases \u2014 industry leading marketing systems don\u2019t exist to support your growth.<\/p>\n

    In all cases \u2014 the vast majority of schools are either abject failures financially or are part-time sidelines for their owners.<\/p>\n

    We\u2019re different. We\u2019ve created a completely integrated marketing, sales, business and teaching system. The Mile High Karate system not only produces students that are better than those under these old systems \u2014 but also creates financially successful martial artists.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Don\u2019t Make These Stupid Mistakes in Your School!<\/h2>\n

    tepping over dollars to pick up pennies \u2014 and other stupid mistakes that school owners make.<\/p>\n

    To follow-up from last month, I\u2019ve been talking to a bunch of school owners one-on-one. I notice those least likely to succeed are really TIMID in being willing to take chances and invest in their own education and development. Those who end up being BIG winners invest first in their own business knowledge and into ideas and systems that will allow their school to grow in the short- and long-term.<\/p>\n

    After talking with many members in the last 90 days, I\u2019ve noticed that many really don\u2019t \u201cGET\u201d what the new NAPMA is all about.<\/p>\n

    First of all our \u201cpoint of entry\u201d for new members is Maximum Impact. We do have MANY old \u201clegacy members\u201d who are essentially still on the OLD memberships, but we\u2019ve decided to bring new members in at Maximum Impact (previously called NAPMA Squared) only. Why is that? Well, we\u2019ve found without the monthly telecoaching and without the MUCH higher level content about tuition structure, understanding Internet and direct response marketing, and without the high-level sales training provided only through Maximum Impact (or above), school owners really get stuck at a LOW level with little understanding about what they are missing.<\/p>\n

    If you are one of those members who\u2019s been around forever but aren\u2019t getting the second Maximum Impact mailing each month and aren\u2019t participating in our monthly telecoaching calls (and have access to the Maximum Impact Member NAPMA member site), then you should call<\/p>\n

    Bob Dunne right away and make sure that you are upgraded. Call Bob Dunne at NAPMA Headquarters at 720-256-0208, ext. 202. If you have questions about your membership, be sure and ask him.<\/p>\n

    In addition to that mastermind effect, they benefit from PERSONAL coaching every month. Each month they talk with an EXPERT (myself or Toby) to focus in on their problems and opportunities in growing their school. These coaching sessions added to the mastermind effect have proven VERY effective in helping school owners GROW quickly. The value often lies in expert help in nailing down the list of priorities to the top two or three action items to be immediately accomplished. At other times it lies in having someone \u201cLooking over your shoulder\u201d to hold you accountable for IMMEDIATE ACTION. Other times it\u2019s just valuable from the standpoint of having a few questions answered immediately to get traction on immediate implementation.<\/p>\n

    The next level is my Inner Circle team. The<\/p>\n

    MINIMUM threshold for consideration for membership for Inner Circle is $30,000 per month in revenue. We have schools in the Inner Circle that gross $400,000 a year \u2014 and others that likely will do $2 million this year. It\u2019s the cr\u00e8me of the cream.<\/p>\n

    My personal objective is for EVERY NAPMA Maximum Impact member to be in at least the top 20% of the martial arts industry. That means no less than $90,0000 a year in NET INCOME from their school. My personal target for Peak Performers is that each school be in the top 5% \u2014 which is a NET INCOME of $150,000 or more. My personal target for the Inner Circle is for each and every one to be in the top 3% or our industry with personal incomes from their school of at least $20,000. I\u2019ve been lucky for the past 28 years to mostly only associate with the top 1% of our industry.<\/p>\n

    I was lucky enough (then focused enough) to associate myself with ONLY the big winners in our industry. Trust me. They aren\u2019t smarter than you are or more capable. They do think differently than most about their business. That I can teach you. They also have a ROBUST understanding of each element of their business. Not just martial arts curriculum, but truly each element from marketing and sales to student retention and educational psychology. Some have been self-taught; most were lucky enough to find the right mentor early on. In my case that was Jhoon Rhee, Nick Cokinos and Jeff Smith.<\/p>\n

    The benefit you have as a member, which is expanded DRAMATICALLY in Inner Circle or Peak Performers, is that you have me teaching you both the necessary skills and acting as a personal mentor to move you to levels greater than you ever thought possible.<\/p>\n

    Since the first leg of our national seminar tour I\u2019ve been doing several one-on-one calls with school owners. I\u2019ve heard a lot of excuses for fail-<\/p>\n

    As a final note, I\u2019d suggest you review the special report I did a few months ago entitled the \u201c10 Things You Must Do to Thrive.\u201d If you don\u2019t have it, ask Bob when you call and we\u2019ll resend it to you. You really must take a look at your results and make sure that you are running your school in a profitable manner.<\/p>\n

    Rules of Thumb? 1. Total monthly gross divided by total active students = $200 (or more). This is the average value per active student in your school. The failing schools I\u2019ve talked to tend to be under $100. Our Inner Circle and Peak Performers tend to be $200 or more.<\/p>\n

    In other words, if you have 200 active students you should be grossing $40,000 or more per month.<\/p>\n

    2. Active students. \u201cCritical mass\u201d really<\/p>\n

    doesn\u2019t kick in until you are at 100 active. Every school I ever opened from scratch was at 100 in the first 4 to 6 weeks. If you are below 100, you really must \u201ckick-start\u201d things and break the lowend barrier as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n

    3. There\u2019s magic in 300. I\u2019d rather, in most cases, see a school with 300 active grossing $75,000 to $100,000 a month than see a higher active count with a lower revenue per student. Once you break 300 it\u2019s harder to keep track of everyone and to maintain strong student retention numbers. It certainly can be done. However, there\u2019s a line where you REALLY need to be organized. I\u2019ve seen schools with 750 students grossing $75,000 and schools with 250 students grossing the same amount but with MUCH higher net profits. Your goal is to have a HIGH net, not just to be bigger for the sake of being bigger.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Opinions About Running Your Martial Arts School\u2026Everyone\u2019s Got One!<\/h2>\n

    sking someone\u2019s opinion killed many great ideas.<\/p>\n

    Ideas are proven or unproven by aggressive implementation. Whenever you have a \u201cbrilliant\u201d idea that doesn\u2019t cost much and won\u2019t require hundred\u2019s of hours \u2014 JUST DO IT! If it works great \u2014 tell your mentors, consultants, peers and friends. If it fails \u2014 well, either tune it or at the very least \u2014 don\u2019t tell anyone!<\/p>\n

    More great success was killed by second guessing every idea \u2014 running through the gauntlet of other people\u2019s opinions \u2014 and by attempting to be perfect.<\/p>\n

    I have two regular roles: one as a coach and mentor to my Mile High Karate Regional Developers and franchisees and NAPMA members; the other, as a coach and mentor to my personal coaching and Millionaire Wealth group members. In that role, I must constantly remind myself to give guidance, and be a catalyst for action. I\u2019m constantly concerned not to shoot any potentially good idea just because \u201cI\u2019ve tried that before and it didn\u2019t work.\u201d Frankly, it may not have worked for me, due to poor implementation or even different market circumstances.<\/p>\n

    As a manager \u2014 improve your skills to enhance and bring clarity to the ideas of your employees \u2014 without squashing their initiative and enthusiasm.<\/p>\n

    Recently, I\u2019ve become quite good at this response: \u201cGee, I don\u2019t know if that will work or not \u2014 but, if you really think it will, then why don\u2019t you try it, and let us know what happens!\u201d<\/p>\n

    Often accompanied by: \u201cA couple of things that might help are _________, _________, _________, and _________.\u201d<\/p>\n

    And: \u201cMy friend, _________, has had some real success with something like that \u2014 let\u2019s call him\/her on the phone and brainstorm the idea a little.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Remember: No matter how skillful you are at advertising \u2014 you will only know if it is a good ad, once the phones start to ring (after spending money to place it!).<\/p>\n

    No matter how great an educator you are \u2014 your students\u2019 results are the only indicators of the quality of your methods.<\/p>\n

    RESULTS prove whether any idea was a good or bad one. No amount of armchair quarterbacking will make any difference.<\/p>\n

    Another General Patton quote: \u201cNever tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do, and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.\u201d<\/p>\n

    ALSO, REFRAME your worldview! Often, we listen to good ideas and are unable to HEAR them because they conflict with our predisposition.<\/p>\n

    If you hear an idea that doesn\u2019t seem to make sense \u2014 try stepping into that person\u2019s \u201cframe of reference\u201d for a few minutes and determine why it makes sense to them. You may find a real gem \u2014 and create some flexibility in your thinking, as well.<\/p>\n

    Some \u201cAction Quotes\u201d for you:<\/p>\n

    George S. Patton: “A good plan implemented today is better than a perfect plan implemented tomorrow.”<\/p>\n

    Rosalynn Carter: “A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don\u2019t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.”<\/p>\n

    Kahlil Gibran: “A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitely more than much knowledge that is idle.”<\/p>\n

    Mahatma Gandhi: “A man is the sum of his actions, of what he has done, of what he can do. Nothing else.”<\/p>\n

    Baltasar Gracian: “A wise person does at once,<\/p>\n

    what a fool does at last. Both do the same thing, only at different times.”<\/p>\n

    Turkish proverb: “Abundance is from activity.” Immanuel Kant: “Act as if the maxim of your action were to become, through your will, a general natural law.”<\/p>\n

    William James: “Act as if what you do makes a difference.”<\/p>\n

    A few more reading suggestions: Reframing Organizations by Bolman and Deal, Executive EQ by Robert Cooper and Ayman Sawaf and The Loyalty Effect by Federick Reichheld.<\/p>\n

    \u201c\u0007There are men in the ranks who\u2019ll stay in<\/p>\n

    the ranks. Why? I\u2019ll tell you why \u2014 Simply because they don\u2019t have the ability to get things done.\u201d I<\/p>\n

    remember many years ago, it was an EFC Board Meeting and small seminar, frankly I don\u2019t remember where. I do remember it was an early event attended by Tom Callos, Buzz Durkin and Tim and Dave Kovar, perhaps their first Board meeting.<\/p>\n

    I remember those of us more senior laughing while Nick had them each stand in line and come up front and repeat the line above:<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    There are men in the ranks who\u2019ll stay in the ranks<\/h2>\n

    I\u2019ll tell you why: simply because they don\u2019t have the ability to get things done.\u201d One at a time, over and over. Now, I wasn\u2019t one of the newbies being \u201cindoctrinated,\u201d but the phrase and the event have stuck in my mind for what\u2019s probably now 15 years. The same quote in different guises has popped up in each environment that I\u2019ve been in. While at a Dan Kennedy event as one of his \u201cPlatinum Members,\u201d I heard him describe our group of his top members (the top 10 of about 25,000 clients) as not being doers but \u201cdoners.\u201d In reality the Platinum group often implemented within minutes, not days, of hitting upon a new idea. Members of the group (myself included) often were on their BlackBerry during the meeting, giving directions for new strategies or on the phone during each break, to the point that Dan loudly boycotted phones, BlackBerrys, iPhones and laptops from all meetings.<\/p>\n

    As I\u2019ve continued to talk one-on-one with various members and seminar attendees, I\u2019ve recognized a huge gap between knowledge and implementation \u2014 in other words, between \u201cknowing\u201d and \u201cdoing.\u201d<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve been pondering where the gap lies, reviewing NAPMA\u2019s content, our website, the various packages we deliver, the CDs, the DVDs, etc. Racking my mind to figure out why so many school owners don\u2019t do what they\u2019ve been taught. Why they don\u2019t implement the incredibly valuable content that we provide each month. Frankly, many of those I\u2019ve talked to don\u2019t even seem to know the basic concepts that seem to me to have been repeated over and over to the point of massive redundancy.<\/p>\n

    After many sleepless nights, conversations with 117 school owners, conversations with my personal top 10 school owners in our industry (Jeff Smith, Bill Clark, Keith Hafner, Greg Moody, Buzz Durkin and several others) and an extensive discussion with my NAPMA Inner Circle members about how to fix this obvious problem, finally something became extremely clear to me.<\/p>\n

    In our day-to-day lives and as instructors we know what it takes to develop a student to their highest level. Clearly we know that it\u2019s not enough to give them a book and a DVD and tell them to show up for testing without any personal lessons in the interim.<\/p>\n

    As a teacher we know that there are a series of necessary elements for a student to achieve at their highest level. You know as well as I do the key elements, but let me outline them here anyway.<\/p>\n

    The key elements are: A concerned teacher who not only explains and demonstrates the various techniques but who also monitors and gives real-time feedback. The most valuable aspect of a quality teacher lies not in sharing knowledge. That can be done in a book, CD, DVD or online. The value is in providing encouragement, support, clarification and feedback.<\/p>\n

    The next key element is in \u201csocial proof.\u201d As a student it\u2019s incredibly valuable to be surrounded with others \u2014 some ahead of you, others behind \u2014 that are mastering the same skills and are available for practice and implementation. To have partners for drills and grappling or sparring partners for free-style practice.<\/p>\n

    Another element is that of \u201cpositive peer pressure\u201d \u2014 the benefit of training with a team of people who help to hold you accountable to your own commitment. Someone to look forward to training with and someone who will push you to new heights.<\/p>\n

    As I started to think in these terms it became clear to me why so many schools that are surrounded by information really haven\u2019t had much \u201cefficacy\u201d in implementing what they\u2019ve been taught.<\/p>\n

    Thinking back to my own development it\u2019s clear that I\u2019ve always had the three elements in each area of my own development. I\u2019ve always had a quality Master Teacher who encouraged me, gave me continuous feedback and was available to look over my shoulder and answer questions. Those included Jhoon Rhee, Nick Cokinos, Jeff Smith, Dan Kennedy and others. But in each case I had direct access to and direct feedback from a \u201cMaster Teacher.\u201d<\/p>\n

    I also have always been surrounded with<\/p>\n

    HIGH-QUALITY fellow students, whether that was through the EFC Board of Directors, the NASKA Board of Directors, Jhoon Rhee\u2019s Inner Circle, Dan Kennedy\u2019s Platinum Group or my top 1% circle of Jeff Smith and my friends in the industry. I\u2019ve always been surrounded with peers who were moving along the same path and who were mutually supportive.<\/p>\n

    Finally, these circles of friends became both a mastermind team and a source of accountability.<\/p>\n

    After putting together the pieces it has become clear to me why most school owners are not having the kind of results that I\u2019ve seen over and over with coaching clients, my Peak Performers and Inner Circle Members, and with my Mile High Karate Franchise owners.<\/p>\n

    School owners such as yourself are overwhelmed with information but often lack \u201cefficacy\u201d \u2014 lack implementation. The difference between access to knowledge and effective implementation that creates massive wealth and improves lifestyle turns out to be personal teaching\/coaching along with a mastermind\/peer group. That\u2019s what we\u2019re providing to Peak Performers, which makes a HUGE difference in results and implementation. I\u2019d love to set aside some time to talk with you one-on-one about your growth and development. If you\u2019d like to take some time and have an implementation outline then go to: www.PrivateCoaciungSession. com. Watch this excerpt from a recent \u201cFinancial Power Summit\u201d seminar. Next take some time to read my book Everything I Wish I Knew When I Was 22 (free digital copy at the site above and in your member website or physically available from Amazon.com or BN.com). Finally, complete the evaluation form on the website and fax to 1-800- 795-0583. Bob Dunne will give you a call and we\u2019ll schedule a one-on-one evaluation where I\u2019ll give you an action-implementation plan.<\/p>\n

    Let me leave you with just one other thought. Too many school owners teach self-esteem, con-<\/p>\n

    fidence and motivation but frankly lack it themselves. What we really want to be teaching \u2014 and personally developing \u2014 is Positive Self-Efficacy.<\/p>\n

    Here\u2019s a quick definition of \u201cPositive Self- Efficacy\u201d<\/p>\n

    Perceived self-efficacy is defined as people\u2019s beliefs about their capabilities to produce designated levels of performance that exercise influence over events that affect their lives. Self-efficacy beliefs determine how people feel, think, motivate themselves and behave. Such beliefs produce these diverse effects through four major processes. They include cognitive, motivational, affective and selection processes.<\/p>\n

    A strong sense of efficacy enhances human accomplishment and personal well-being in many ways. People with high assurance in their capabilities approach difficult tasks as challenges to be mastered rather than as threats to be avoided. Such an efficacious outlook fosters intrinsic interest and deep engrossment in activities. They set themselves challenging goals and maintain strong commitment to them. They heighten and sustain their efforts in the face of failure. They quickly<\/p>\n

    recover their sense of efficacy after failures or setbacks. They attribute failure to insufficient effort or deficient knowledge and skills which are acquirable. They approach threatening situations with assurance that they can exercise control over them. Such an efficacious outlook produces personal accomplishments, reduces stress and lowers vulnerability to depression.<\/p>\n

    In contrast, people who doubt their capabilities shy away from difficult tasks, which they view as personal threats. They have low aspirations and weak commitment to the goals they choose to pursue. When faced with difficult tasks, they dwell on their personal deficiencies, on the obstacles they will encounter, and all kinds of adverse outcomes rather than concentrate on how to perform successfully. They slacken their efforts and give up quickly in the face of difficulties. They are slow to recover their sense of efficacy following failure or setbacks. Because they view insufficient performance as deficient aptitude, it does not require much failure for them to lose faith in their capabilities. They fall easy victim to stress and depression.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Powerful Commonalities in Our Differences<\/h2>\n

    n the last 30 days, I\u2019ve completed extensive interviews with the Inner Circle Members who are setting the world on fire with huge single schools, powerful multi-school operations and everything in between. From traditional Tang Soo Do to massive adult MMA programs they\u2019re the top 5% of the industry and the top 5% of income levels among all professions in the United States and around the world.<\/p>\n

    I also completed interviews with our $1,000,000 mission of Mile High Karate schools. The number one school in Australia, the number one school in New Zealand, and schools ranging from Fresno to Sterling, VA, all of whom are on a mission (and, on track for $1,000,000 results in the coming year).<\/p>\n

    Next, I interviewed a bunch of \u201cold farts.\u201d Well, OK, that\u2019s not fair, but if they are even a day older than I am, then it makes me feel good at this stage! Anyway, all old friends but none who have been thriving in the martial arts business for less than 25 years \u2014 some much longer. Sharing freely their lessons learned along the way. This group includes one school that enrolls only four students per month while maintaining 380 active students at $200 a month average tuition per student, and another with 11 personally-owned locations and a chain of close to 30 licensed locations.<\/p>\n

    OK, yes, I\u2019ve been busy, busy, busy prepping fabulous content to share with you in the coming months. Great content for our Maximum Impact, Peak Performers and Inner Circle Members.<\/p>\n

    Across all of these conversations there are vast differences \u2014 but, still, powerful commonalities.<\/p>\n

    As for differences, they range from schools running huge numbers in the adult female fitness\/ martial arts market to schools that focus primarily<\/p>\n

    on Little Ninjas through early elementary. There are million-dollar operations that teach adult men MMA and host live events on the side, and school that only accept families.<\/p>\n

    The differences are ONLY important to you for recognition of the proper model, marketing, teaching, tuition structure can achieve STEL- LAR results no matter what your target market or base curriculum.<\/p>\n

    The similarities are much more profound for you to study and implement in your school.<\/p>\n

    What\u2019s common among the top 5% in each arena?<\/p>\n

    Well, the first thing is, and I hate to say it out loud again, but really, the most important thing is \u201cYour Personal Belief System.\u201d This is true in general about your own success, and more specifically about a range of more narrow pieces of your business. The successful school owners first really BELIEVED it was possible then behaved as if they were already there.<\/p>\n

    In EVERY case their success and their ability to believe in their own abilities came through having a PERSONAL MENTOR who helped them develop their school \u2014 sometimes that was their martial arts instructor \u2014 but, usually it wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

    In all cases the success stories came through personal guidance from a financially successful coach on how to operate their school. For some it was me. For others it was Jhoon Rhee, Jeff Smith, Nick Cokinos or Richard Reid. Others grew up in highly successful schools and learned from success \u2014 as I\u2019m sure you would guess \u2014 most did not grow up in a financially successful school. Most struggled for months or years until connecting with me as a coach or some other capable mentor.<\/p>\n

    The next aspect was in having a \u201cSuccess Peer<\/p>\n

    Group.\u201d A personal \u201cMaster-Mind\u201d and support team of like-minded, positive individuals who contributed to each other\u2019s success. It\u2019s important to note that in all cases these were other martial artists on a common quest for a quality and profitable martial arts school; a group of other business people unrelated to our profession is sometimes helpful and sometimes confusing. Sharing ideas with other high-performing, high-income people is always valuable.<\/p>\n

    However, for QUICK results, have a peer group of profitable martial arts school owners to share with on a regular basis.<\/p>\n

    The next commonality among all of these individual was a SINCERE desire to help their students. A focus on retention, quality teaching, and long-term service to their community. They ALL teach very high quality martial arts from anyone\u2019s perspective. The quality of Black Belts among this group are ALSO in the top 5% of the martial arts industry. However, they focus on the student first and recognize that acceptance and enthusiasm must come before quality athletic skills.<\/p>\n

    Now, I don\u2019t want to gloss over this point. With the veterans of the industry the vast majority of our conversation is almost always about quality service and sincere interest in students. To grow a young school quickly it\u2019s necessary that you become fabulous at internal marketing, community outreach and advertising. However, some veterans have such high quality and long-term retention that they have no need to think about marketing at all to maintain a $250,000 to $500,000 per year<\/p>\n

    income. Incredible? Try running with the above mentioned 380 students in a community of less than 8,000 with fewer than five new students a month. That\u2019s life-long student devotion.<\/p>\n

    You\u2019ll hear in the interviews the sincere and deeply held belief that devotion to students trumps direct financial considerations. Trumps \u201cstylistic purity.\u201d Trumps everything else. You don\u2019t get there overnight. Frankly, you certainly don\u2019t get there by hiring the best \u201cathletes\u201d as teachers. By having the students spar early. By having the highest quality Gold or Green Belts.<\/p>\n

    You do get there by long-term devotion to the culture of your staff, your Black Belts and your senior students. It\u2019s constant vigilance of the language you use and of the decisions you make on a minute by minute basis in interacting with your students, their families, and your community.<\/p>\n

    To be fair, this is harder to achieve in multischool chains than in a single school owner-operator operation. It\u2019s harder to achieve with 1,000 students than with 200 or 300, but doable and ESSENTIAL in all cases.<\/p>\n

    Clearly there are more commonalities among the top 5% that I\u2019ve covered here, but I\u2019ll leave you with one other thought to consider. All of the successful school owners moved from being an athlete to a \u201cMaster Teacher.\u201d They then understood that a thorough understanding of key business concepts are essential. Most looked to someone like myself to help them master marketing. They then focused on managing sales, managing service then on developing and training staff.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Stepping Over Dollars to Pick Up Pennies<\/h2>\n

    ometimes, it\u2019s amazing to me what concerns school owners of small and barely profitable schools. There\u2019s a big difference between the way that successful school owners think about issues big and small versus how failing school owners think about the issues in their businesses.<\/p>\n

    When speaking at an industry event, I was inundated with comments and questions from small school owners that belied two common problems:<\/p>\n

    \u2022 A lack of an abundance mentality. \u2022 A focus on saving pennies, rather than earning dollars.<\/p>\n

    First: Most school owners have expectations that are much too low for their businesses, and lack faith in their abilities to achieve at a high level.<\/p>\n

    They ask how to run their schools more effectively, while working full-time jobs in other careers. Rather than looking at the real potential of their businesses, they try to coordinate their day jobs to support their lifestyle needs, with working at their schools 40 hours a week.<\/p>\n

    While they are struggling with two jobs, other schools are thriving.<\/p>\n

    Just this month, three of my close friends\u2019 schools grossed more than $100,000 in a single month. They are spread across the country and have different programs, curriculum and strategies for attracting new students, and much different personalities. These school owners, however, are not just surviving \u2014 they are thriving.<\/p>\n

    It is important that school owners make the decision that they will not just survive, but thrive in their schools. School owners who are running their schools on a part-time basis must decide to thrive, and then \u201cjump off the cliff\u201d and run their schools on a professional, full-time basis.<\/p>\n

    Second: Saving pennies, rather than earning dollars, works in two specific ways.<\/p>\n

    A. School owners try to do everything themselves, rather than delegating critical support tasks. School owners go through their daily routine looking for small, incremental gains in their businesses and hoping to save a few dollars here and there.<\/p>\n

    School owners who are grossing $5,000, $7,500, $11,000 or $13,000 a month patiently explain how they are saving a dollar to two per payment, by doing their billing in-house, rather than contracting with a service provider. They explain that they do all of their payroll and bookkeeping, instead of paying $60 or $70 per month that a service firm, such as Paychex or ADP, would charge.<\/p>\n

    Focusing on tasks such as billing, payroll or accounting and taxes expends valuable time that could better be spent on the important elements of growing a school.<\/p>\n

    Every school owner must master three key elements and effectively attend to them every day.<\/p>\n

    1. Marketing to generate new students. 2. Sales \u2014 enrollment and renewal or upgrade processes. 3. Motivational teaching. The owner\u2019s main role is marketing his school, and then monitoring for quality student service, everything else is secondary.<\/p>\n

    B. School owners fail to invest in crucial points for growth.<\/p>\n

    Every school owner must spare no expense on two items:<\/p>\n

    1. His or her education, as a martial arts businessperson. 2. Marketing and advertising his or her school.<\/p>\n

    Owners of small schools often patiently explain to me how attending a worthwhile seminar is just not in their budgets. They are not willing to spend $1,500 to $5,000 on their education\u2014even if they might learn enough to add 10 or 20 times in revenues, compared to their educational investments. Often, I see even a more perverse spin on this phenomenon: martial artists will spend huge amounts of money on curriculum-oriented training to develop their athletic talents, but fail to see the value of business education to support their schools\u2019 growth.<\/p>\n

    The most frustrating aspect of attempting to teach school owners about marketing is their lack of willingness to invest effectively in the growth of their schools. Proven concepts, with a 3-to-1, 5-to-1 or even 10-to-1 return-on-investment, are ignored or derided as too expensive or ineffective. Smaller school owners often combine unrealistic<\/p>\n

    expectations with a lack of willingness to invest effectively.<\/p>\n

    In conclusion, we are in a wonderful business. The more students we have and the more effectively we develop our students, the more income we will earn. Financially successful school owners are impacting high numbers of students in a very positive way.<\/p>\n

    To grow your school, you must believe in the opportunity provided by your school, and be willing to invest in both your education as well as marketing your school.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s essential that you make a clear decision to believe that you can make a great living running your school. Once you make that decision, seek the best mentors, coaches and mastermind teams available. Money spent on productive success coaching will multiply itself tenfold or more.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Prepare to Review Your Year<\/h2>\n

    s the year is coming to an end, it\u2019s important to review this year objectively, look at your ratios and study important operating numbers.<\/p>\n

    Review these specific numbers: \u2022 Your student retention rate (i.e., quit rate). \u2022 Total average monthly dropouts (number) divided by total average monthly active (a percentage). \u2022 Each month, quarter and yearly average. How do you evaluate? First, did your number improve this year? Second, what\u2019s a reasonable target? Some schools have dropout rates as low as 1\u20132% per month. Most schools (and most are very bad) probably average 7\u20139% per month. If you\u2019re at 7% you are average, then 4% or less is quite good; 2% or less is VERY good.<\/p>\n

    Sales Ratios: Percentage from Inquiry to Enrollment.<\/p>\n

    Review your basic numbers, such as info calls\/ walk-ins, intros and enrollments. What\u2019s your ratio from first contact to intro? What\u2019s your ratio from intro to enrollment? Again, look at each quarter and yearly averages and determine what are you doing well and what needs to be fixed.<\/p>\n

    If you don\u2019t enroll at least one-half of prospects that have contacted you, then it\u2019s a real problem. What\u2019s good? 75%\u201380%. There are many ways to improve this ratio, but focus on building rapport with everyone and benefits, not features.<\/p>\n

    Enrollment Volume<\/p>\n

    If you aren\u2019t enrolling enough people per month, then it could be because of your ratios<\/p>\n

    above, or it could be just inadequate volume. The solution depends on your objectives. Mile High Karate schools\u2019 targets are an average of 20 new students per month. That could be the right number for you; but if you have a 20,000-square-foot super school, then that\u2019s not enough. If you have a small school, then it might be more than you need.<\/p>\n

    Average Student Value<\/p>\n

    When you compute this average, make sure you compare \u201capples to apples.\u201d For example, the average monthly gross revenue divided by the average total monthly active. The Mile High Karate schools\u2019 target is $300 per month on average. Most of my coaching clients hit $200 or more per month within 12 to 18 months. That doesn\u2019t mean that your monthly tuition is that amount, but the average per students is the total of down payments, paid-in-fulls, accelerated tuition, retail sales and monthly tuition.<\/p>\n

    Once you\u2019ve reviewed all of these numbers you should be able to decide what to do next to grow your school.<\/p>\n

    Profit and Loss Review<\/p>\n

    Hopefully, you have complete up-to-date financial statements. For the end of the year, you should review all of your expenses relative to your revenue.<\/p>\n

    \u2022 The ratio for your major expenses: \u2022 Rent: 12-15% of gross revenue. \u2022 Payroll: 25-33% of gross revenue. \u2022 Advertising: 12-15% of gross revenue. The following factors contribute to a martial arts school being operated incorrectly.<\/p>\n

    Overpaying for facilities: Don\u2019t pay for too many square feet; instead, I recommend a better and<\/p>\n

    more highly visible location with less space, if necessary.<\/p>\n

    Hiring too many people, but not paying the good ones enough. You should be looking for high performers and pay them well as a percentage of gross revenue (10-12%).<\/p>\n

    Not advertising effectively: An industry myth has been that advertising doesn\u2019t work. In fact, with realistic expectations, many media can work very well. If you err, then err towards being more promotional and aggressive in your marketing efforts than you would otherwise if your student retention, quality and pricing are properly in line.<\/p>\n

    Finally, Review Pricing<\/p>\n

    Make sure that you \u201cknow your stuff,\u201d are a walking \u201cproduct of the product,\u201d your student service is the highest possible and your facilities and staff are first rate. Then, review your pricing.<\/p>\n

    Just about everyone under-prices and is too timid about tuition rates.<\/p>\n

    Remember that you are likely not in the business of operating a martial arts school as a charity. If you are, then this doesn\u2019t apply to you. If you are in the business of operating a martial arts<\/p>\n

    school to make a living for yourself, provide for your family and offer your community a quality service for many years, then you have absolutely no responsibility to make sure everyone that walks through your front door can afford your service.<\/p>\n

    If you don\u2019t price your lessons so some people can\u2019t afford them, then you are leaving too much money \u201con the table.\u201d Review what you are charging for new enrollments, upgrade or renewal programs and your Black Belts. The beginning of the year is an excellent time to raise your prices.<\/p>\n

    I hate to dictate, and certainly it may vary, based on where you are located; however, for a new student, you should be in the $150\u2013$250 per month range. You should also have some level of \u201cupgrade\u201d programs available at no less than $250 per month. I\u2019ve seen schools with programs that run anywhere from $250 to $1,000 a month (for some type of special private, individualized executive program).<\/p>\n

    Now, if you don\u2019t think that anyone will pay those types of rates, then I highly recommend that you go participate in a presentation at Sylvan Learning Centers\u00ae to see what they are charging.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Lessons Learned from Apple\u2019s Steve Jobs<\/h2>\n

    s I write this, five days past deadline, the breaking news is of the death of Steve Jobs on the day following Tim Cook\u2019s first turn at handling new product release with the iPhone 4S, among other things. In retrospect, there\u2019s much to learn from Steve Job\u2019s career and the incredible results he accomplished at Apple computer. As you may know, I\u2019ve spent hundreds, if not thousands, of hours studying the biographies and autobiographies of successful entrepreneurs over the years, and impatiently await delivery to my Kindle app on my iPad of the first authorized biography of Steve Jobs, written with his cooperation and blessing. I\u2019ve absorbed at least 20 books separately about Jobs and Bill Gates. Both have a fascinating story and incredible genius.<\/p>\n

    In Jobs’ case, there are many lessons applicable to you as a martial arts school operator.<\/p>\n

    Let me start with a story that was reported in a recent feature in Fortune Magazine. The story goes like this:<\/p>\n

    At Apple, Jobs personally assisted in selecting each vice president (there are approximately 70 at Apple). With each new vice president he\u2019d sit down and share a brief story.<\/p>\n

    \u201cSomewhere between janitor and CEO there becomes a point where excuses don\u2019t matter and all that counts is results. You see, if the janitor who cleans my office fails to empty the trash for a couple of days, it\u2019s acceptable if he says, \u2018the locks were changed and no one gave me the keys, so I couldn\u2019t empty it.\u2019 However, at some point no one cares about excuses, only that you got it done. That point is at vice president.\u201c<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s about a culture of total accountability and personal responsibility. At Apple, under Jobs,<\/p>\n

    there was always ultimately the \u201cperson in charge\u201d of each product or project. Someone to ultimately take the credit or the blame for success or failure.<\/p>\n

    Another story was about the release of \u201cMobile Me.\u201d After the rather shaky release and frustrating performance of that product, Jobs had a tense meeting with the team and immediately fired the \u201cperson in charge,\u201d and transferred or fired just about everyone on the team. The joke was that no one at Apple took the elevator because Steve used the elevator and they were afraid they\u2019d end up fired somewhere between the fifth to the first floor.<\/p>\n

    On a different note, there\u2019s a quote that I like:<\/p>\n

    Genius is the ability to reduce the complicated to the simple. \u2014 C. W. Ceran<\/p>\n

    Ultimately the product design genius was not in creating products with better technical specs or a level of complication. It is the genius of taking complicated machines and making them extremely simple to use. The ultimate genius of the Mac, iPhone, iPad, and iPod are in simplification of the interface. Of the bravery to leave out features if necessary to insure ease of operations.<\/p>\n

    So, what are the lessons of Jobs to martial arts Schools?<\/p>\n

    Well, first is recognizing what the market wants \u2014 not what the technical people think are important. Our industry is mostly populated with individuals who take the technical specifications of what they teach extremely seriously. They believe that by teaching a more effective form of self-defense or by having a more impressive lineage, that students will flock to their door. Unfortunately for the purists among us, the market \u2014 the prospective students \u2014 don\u2019t know and don\u2019t care about those technical details.<\/p>\n

    Jobs was a genius in ultimately figuring out what his customers would want to do with his \u201cgadgets\u201d and then designing them so that it was intuitively obvious. The proof of that concept is the fact that my three-year-old can use both my iPhone and iPad like an expert. He hasn\u2019t figured out how to use the DVD player in his room, but can expertly stream Netflix from my iPad and find and play \u201cAngry Birds,\u201d among other things, on my iPhone.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s difficult to remember now, but Jobs was ridiculed and second-guessed on many of what turned out to be his greatest accomplishments. His perfectionism and a flamboyant management style led him to be fired from the company he founded. Ultimately, Apple floundered and was near bankruptcy when Apple bought his company, NeXT, in order to turn its operating system into the next generation Mac operating system. Even upon returning the to the company his first new Mac in purple, green and other neon colors was laughed at by most. Then, all of the \u201cRetail Experts\u201d predicted pending disaster for the Apple Stores, which have turned out to have the highest average sales per square foot of any major retail chain by a huge margin.<\/p>\n

    Clearly, Jobs was often dismissed or sneered at by other technical companies. His emphasis on simplicity of use was lost on the many who were looking just at faster processor speeds, more ram or more complicated software. His total disdain for the opinions of his peers and maniacal focus on simplicity and elegance of design obviously served him well, as well as all of us who are fans of their products.<\/p>\n

    Anyway, back to books about Jobs. One of my favorites of the early books was entertainingly titled Accidental Millionaire\u201d which was a wellresearched and well-written book that was fatally misdirected. His premise was that Jobs was the \u201caccidental millionaire\u201d because he was \u201cjust\u201d the<\/p>\n

    marketing guy that rode on Wozniak\u2019s coattails. (Steve Wozniak was the technical genius who created the Apple 1 and Apple 2.) The book was a fascinating look at the \u201ctake-no-prisoners\u201d side of Steve\u2019s management style. The author misread his genius at design and his perfectionism for customer-centered outcomes. Ultimately, anyone who achieves at his level has, at least in the early years, far more detractors than fans, and many more predicting failure than success.<\/p>\n

    A phrase coined by an early member of the Mac team, Guy Kawasaki, is one that I love. Kawasaki was a \u201cMac Evangelist.\u201d He described his job and that of Steve Job\u2019s as being the creation of \u201cRaging Thunder Lizard Evangelists.\u201d<\/p>\n

    There are several large companies that have created cult followings. A great book I read entitled, The Culting of Brands, discussed this effect with Harley Davidson, Porsche, BMW and Apple, among others, who have turned their customers into \u201cevangelists\u201d for their products. Steve Jobs\u2019 genius was in creating such an emotional connection with his company that customers resembled \u201cCult Members\u201d It\u2019s hard to imagine any customer of Dell, HP or Toshiba computers to be a \u201cRaging Thunderlizard Evangelist.\u201d<\/p>\n

    A final point, and we could go on and on with his accomplishments, is that ultimately Steve Jobs was the greatest salesperson in high tech. A comparable in recent memory might be Lee Iacocca, who ultimately rescued Chrysler on the strength of his ability to sell the product. Or Dave Thomas of Wendy\u2019s. By all accounts, Tim Cook is a supremely competent successor to Steve Jobs as CEO. He\u2019s an operations genius. But the contrast was evident at his first presentation as CEO. In earlier years Job\u2019s charisma was dubbed the \u201cSteve Jobs Reality Distortion Field.\u201d For dubbing as \u201cInsanely Great,\u201d products with technical specs often not as good as the rival machine from IBM or Compaq. However, they were \u201cInsanely Great\u201d<\/p>\n

    because his genius was in reducing the complicated to the simple, while giving his customers what they wanted and ignoring what they themselves predicted they\u2019d want.<\/p>\n

    The ultimate key to success for your school is<\/p>\n

    to become a genius at selling your school while providing a product that creates \u201cRaging Thunder Lizard Evangelists.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Rest in peace.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Go Fast, Turn Left<\/h2>\n

    or years now I\u2019ve been saying that I wanted to attend a racing school. I\u2019ve always enjoyed driving fast, but I \u201cgot the bug\u201d to do it because of two unrelated events. The first was when I bought my first Porsche 911. It was a 1990 C-4 (in Porsche-speak that means all-wheel drive).<\/p>\n

    When I bought the car, the dealership invited me to a Porsche Club \u201cDay at the Track\u201d the following week. It was a great opportunity to drive your car, with a \u201ccoach\u201d as a passenger. The coach showed me the best way to take the curves and when to shift, break, etc. After a few laps, I drove and the coach provided feedback. It was a great time.<\/p>\n

    It wasn\u2019t long afterward that I started hitting the Internet marketing seminar circuit and met Corey Rudl. He was one of the preeminent Internet marketing gurus, and I learned that he was on the race circuit and the rookie of the year. I spoke with him at length, and peppered him with questions \u2014 not about Internet marketing, but the racing circuit and the details of participating.<\/p>\n

    It took me a few months, but I finally found information on the circuit and the race school, and made reservations for the training program. As luck would have it, the date was during the week of my daughter\u2019s birth. Obviously, I chose not to attend race school, but the idea remained in the back of my mind; but, several years later, I still hadn\u2019t rescheduled to attend the school.<\/p>\n

    I finally had the opportunity to attend racing school when my wife gave me a certificate for Christmas. The certificate was good for programs held around the county, but upon reviewing its Website, Hampstead Racetrack in Miami had scheduled a school-racing session during the same<\/p>\n

    weekend as a NAPMA seminar scheduled in Miami and only a few days before I was scheduled to travel to NAPMA\u2019s offices in Clearwater, Florida. I called Toby to ask if he wanted come with me; halfway through my questions, I received an immediate yes.<\/p>\n

    What happened next probably should have been expected, but we thought we understood the directions, so we left the airport hotel on Friday near rush hour. We immediately missed the highway and were heading south on Highway 1 with bumper-to-bumper traffic.<\/p>\n

    The drive to the racetrack was frustrating to say the least. I kept turning the map at different angles trying to determine the best way to cut across to the highway. Toby kept screwing around with the GPS on his cell phone trying to find a better way. Anytime we had a break in traffic, I chided Toby to accelerate \u2014 explaining that the right pedal is the gas and the middle pedal is the break and that he should make a little more effort to move faster on the way to the racetrack.<\/p>\n

    We finally decided to enter a Wendy\u2019s drivethrough lane and ask directions. The woman at the window explained that she lived in Hampstead and that she drove home every day on Highway 1. We asked how to reach the racetrack from the highway, and she patiently explained that she drives Highway 1. Toby tried again, \u201cHow would we drive there by the highway?\u201d She patiently explained that she doesn\u2019t go that way, while I pounded my head on the dash of Toby\u2019s Lexus.<\/p>\n

    We next asked a cab driver, who very nicely drove us in a complete circle, becoming even more lost. Anyway, after all of that we arrived at the racetrack (after calling its office in South Carolina and the track). That was after about two hours of me chiding Toby about being unable to accelerate properly and playing with his new GPS cell phone toy.<\/p>\n

    When we arrived, we watched as our racing class left in full-gear to drive the track. We nicely asked the folks in charge if we could reschedule, drive later, stand in for the next idiots who were lost and didn\u2019t show up \u2014 and heard a very polite, \u201cNo, No, No.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Anyway, we bought Mario Andretti racing caps (and \u201cRace Chick\u201d caps for my wife and daughter), took pictures by the cars and talked with the staff. An hour or so later one of the staff asked us if we\u2019d be OK with driving the \u201cMario Andretti\u201d rather than \u201cJeff Gordon\u201d cars? Well\u2026 yeah! Even though I was told that I couldn\u2019t reserve Indy cars when I scheduled the race class, Toby and I were able to drive them instead of the NASCAR-style cars.<\/p>\n

    By approximately 6:30, we had changed into our race suits, took photos with the cars, and then were taken to a classroom by the track for race school. Racing school was entertaining. We suited up, walked across the track and sat at classroom-style tables for instructions (and I may be embellishing slightly).<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe will push you off. When you reach the orange cone, release the clutch and hit the gas. You will then follow the driver ahead of you and Go Fast \u2014 Turn Left. When you\u2019ve hit your laps, you\u2019ll pull into the pit. When you see the cone, hit the brakes (make sure you know where they are when you sit in the cars, since you\u2019ll only use them once), and push the shift lever into neutral. You\u2019ll do six laps, pull into the pit, and then we\u2019ll give you some feedback \u2014 you\u2019ll then repeat the process.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Now, let me make sure we are clear on this. They were inserting us into 200-mile-per-hour, 600-HP go-carts, with a big brick wall on the right and a grassy center, with buildings, cars, pits, etc. The total instructions were basically \u201cGo Fast \u2014 Turn Left.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Anyway, we put big paper \u201ccondoms\u201d on our head, and donned helmets. We were \u201cshoehorned into the cars,\u201d and then they attached the steering wheel. What happened next was, well, \u201cGo Fast, Turn Left.\u201d After six laps, with a death grip on the steering wheel, I was concentrating intently on the car ahead of me trying not to look at the concrete wall. We hit the pits. I received tremendous feedback: \u201cYou\u2019re doing great; you might think of going a little faster and staying closer to your lead car \u2014 OK, go.\u201d<\/p>\n

    While you are in the car you have little or no sense of how fast you are moving. There\u2019s no speedometer, only one gear and no tach. You focus on the driver ahead of you and \u201cgo fast, turn left.\u201d Well, when we were done, we received our track times, with lap speeds and maximum speed on each track.<\/p>\n

    Now, I had bitched about what a wimp Toby was in his Lexus while we were lost on the way to the track for more than two hours. Anyway, we received our printouts and Toby beat my best time by 30 MPH. My comment\u2026\u201cS***, I\u2019ve traveled faster than that in my Porsche, with an ice tea in my left hand, cell phone in my right and driving with my left knee up the mountain!!!\u201d Maybe a slight exaggeration, but not far off, as anyone who\u2019s ever ridden with me in the Rocky Mountains will attest. (Jhoon Rhee has ridden with me, yelling, \u201cYou drive like Bruce Lee!!!\u201d)<\/p>\n

    Toby, for his part, was gracious. Well, actually no. He kept both of our track times, threatening to copy and publish the data on the NAPMA website. He harassed me unmercifully until we drove across<\/p>\n

    \u201cAlligator Alley\u201d in his Lexus later that night \u2014 at 10 MPH LESS THAN the speed limit. Anyway, is there a moral to my story? Well, I guess we could analyze personality types. Toby, \u201cthe speed demon,\u201d was in the relatively safe environment of the track in a high performance racecar. Me, the nut case, was on a mountain curve in the Rocky Mountains in my Porsche. I\u2019m not sure what that means and probably isn\u2019t very useful for us anyway.<\/p>\n

    There is another moral to the story. There is one crucial difference between the very highest performers and those who sabotage themselves along the way:<\/p>\n

    \u201cFailure to launch,\u201d or thinking they are missing a critical secret, or need to know one more thing to be successful.<\/p>\n

    Much of being very successful in business is that sometimes \u201cGo Fast, Turn Left\u201d is enough. Don\u2019t over-analyze everything. Don\u2019t assume that there is a \u201cmagic pill.\u201d Do gain every slight<\/p>\n

    edge. Do learn everything possible \u2014 but go fast, NOW. Implement.<\/p>\n

    I once heard a motivational speaker (I think it was Zig Ziglar or Denis Waitley) explain that successful people don\u2019t wait for every light to be green before driving across town. Successful businesspeople don\u2019t wait to know everything before starting. While you must \u201cbegin with the end in mind,\u201d you must pull the trigger and start, even if you don\u2019t know all the answers. You can always tune and tweak along the way.<\/p>\n

    Now, don\u2019t misunderstand me. You can always learn more. You can always make anything you do better. The winners operate on an important principle of \u201cthe slight edge.\u201d They are always learning and investing in themselves; however, the winners don\u2019t wait to know all the answers before they start. They remember that \u201cGo Fast \u2014 Turn Left\u201d may be enough to start in a 200-MPH race car \u2014 or growing a $1 million-plus business.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    A Special Report on Tuition Pricing<\/h2>\n

    Confidential for NAPMA Members Only A<\/p>\n

    fter talking with several hundred school owners, it\u2019s obvious many still are unclear of true best practices. There are many elements that seem missing from most schools. Additionally, school owners are often timid in their tuition structure.<\/p>\n

    There are clear commonalities among the schools who are highly profitable. One of these is in creating high value per student. This is true regardless of the target market: Adult Males, Adult Females, \u201cLittle Ninjas,\u201d Children and Families.<\/p>\n

    The high value per student factor is demonstrated in just a couple of simple examples:<\/p>\n

    Inner Circle Member Sean Harvey, Bermuda<\/p>\n

    Where broke school owners charge $65 to $95 a month for some a \u201cFitness Class\u201d or Cardio Kickboxing, Sean has taken the principles that I\u2019ve taught him and truly created a robust personal development program from his \u201cFitness Kickboxing\u201d\u00ae Program. Some even commit financial suicide by selling \u201cpunch cards\u201d for 10, 25, or 50 sessions.<\/p>\n

    Now, in Sean\u2019s case, we\u2019ve worked together to create his \u201c360 program\u201d (watch for the interview with him coming up, and conversations directly with him at our upcoming Peak Performers Meetings). Sean\u2019s charging an enrollment of $297 a month for his program. He also now has an \u201cUpgrade Level\u201d at $497 per month. Next up will be his top upgrade, at $997 per month. I\u2019m guessing he\u2019ll be a $1,000,000 a year school from that program alone with just a little more efficiency in the next 12-18 months.<\/p>\n

    Inner Circle Member Robert Blum, Fishkill, New York<\/p>\n

    Robert\u2019s another excellent case study. In about 24 months we\u2019ve walked him from $6,000 a month, more or less, to the mid $40\u2019s. Overall, if you take his active count and divide into his average gross revenue, then he\u2019s at about $200 per month average revenue. Now, if you subtract 40\u201350 \u201clegacy members\u201d and look at members in the past 18 months, then he\u2019s closer to an average of $225 average revenue per student.<\/p>\n

    Some other examples. In interviews with my old friends Keith Hafner and Buzz Durkin (who I\u2019ve been pestering for years about their pricing, by the way), both have VERY HIGHLY PROFITABLE schools averaging in the $60,000 to $70,000 a month range with a SMALL number of new enrollments each month. Both are charging $200 a month for new enrollments.<\/p>\n

    Inner Circle Members Eric Williams and Hai Nguyen of Elite MMA<\/p>\n

    They\u2019ve been running a $1,000,000 a year MMA school in Houston. Although that may seem like a big number, to me, they\u2019re a work in progress. They have about 650 adult men training mostly in fairly traditional BJJ classes. At 650 active, I\u2019m determined they should be at least at $120,000 a month in tuition only from that program, or $1,400,000-plus \u2014 an additional $400,000 ADDITIONAL PURE NET PROFIT. It\u2019s one serious point of developmental focus that I have for them as we work directly together to continue developing their very high quality school.<\/p>\n

    What are Commonalities Among BROKE School Owners?<\/p>\n

    The thing that I\u2019ve found by talking with several hundred school owners is that the broke school owners are typically under $125 per month for new enrollments. They use a variety of excuses for their low rates. What excuses? Well, make sure you\u2019re not using one of these:<\/p>\n

    Excuse 1. Everyone else in my area is charging $_______, and I\u2019m already, a.) more expensive than anyone else; b.) nearly the most expensive); or, c.) more than a lot of schools in my area.<\/p>\n

    As an aside, if you get more than 5% of your prospective students \u201cshopping around,\u201d then you have a marketing problem, NOT a pricing or sales problem. We\u2019ve solved that problem for all of our Inner Circle Members and Peak Performers members. You\u2019ll hear some of those solutions with our various interviews with them coming up or at the Peak Performers meetings.<\/p>\n

    Back to 1983 when I opened my Mile High Karate Schools \u2014 opening 5 schools in 18 months and growing to 1,500 students in about 24 months \u2014 what\u2019s often not discussed is that I was charging at least 50% more than the NEXT HIGHEST school, including some that had been established for 10, 15 or 20 years. I ended up quickly with AT LEAST 10 times more students than the next largest school in the state, charging first 50% more than the next highest school and pretty quickly double then next highest.<\/p>\n

    Excuse 2. \u201cThe Economy.\u201d Another example I\u2019ll give is former Peak Performers member and current Mile High Karate Franchisee Sascha Williams about how he\u2019s doing in Fresno, California. Now, Fresno is arguably the worst hit city, in the worst hit state in the United States.<\/p>\n

    Mile High Karate Owner-Operator Sascha and Renee Williams<\/p>\n

    His results have been for the last 24 months.<\/p>\n

    He\u2019s gone from around $17,000 a month to consistently in the low to mid $40\u2019s. I\u2019ve worked with him to become effective at generating 200 to 250 Intro appointments each and every month this year so far. Now, he\u2019s got two problems. One, so much traffic that it\u2019s difficult to give personal focus and to handle the volume. His second problem is that he is flooded with a variety of broke people (out of work, migrant farm labor, etc.) and has to sort through a bunch that are a bad fit before finding enough who are a good fit to pay $397 down and $197 per month for lessons.<\/p>\n

    By the way, I\u2019m determined that Sascha and Renee Williams will be an $1,000,000 school in the next 12 to 18 months. They\u2019ve got LOTS of volume. They\u2019re billings are over $30,000, and as they figure out time management to get their renewal ratios on track then the gross will double almost overnight.<\/p>\n

    Excuse 3. You can\u2019t charge that much in my area because\u2026<\/p>\n

    1. (Really, I heard this from school owners in Beverly Hills and other rich areas of LA and in Manhattan among other areas): The income in my area is too high and my prospective students are too smart to pay that much. (Yes, I know\u2026I laughed, too.) 2. People in my area are too broke to pay that much. 3. \u201cNO ONE\u201d will pay that much for: A. \u201cLittle Ninja\u2019s\u201d B. Krav Maga C. Cardio Kickboxing D. Add any other style. See excuse #2 explanation and excuse #1. I\u2019m reminded also of a seminar\/consulting session that I had with West Coast Tae Kwon Do (Ernie Reyes, Sr., Tony Thompson and their dynamic team) years ago. They explained their extremely low tuition rate by patiently explaining that in their area (Silicone Valley) that the cost of<\/p>\n

    living was so high that people couldn\u2019t pay more than $75 a month for martial arts lessons.<\/p>\n

    Another Commonality of Broke School Owners is the absence of a REAL Renewal Process. Now, we use two terms: Renewal and Upgrade.<\/p>\n

    Let me define them in the following way: A. \u201cRenewal Process\u201d is a system in the first few months of a new student\u2019s enrollment where you educate them about your process and timeline to train to Black Belt and beyond. A process where you make them \u201cQualify\u201d for the honor of being accepted to train while helping them really make a serious commitment to train to Black Belt and beyond.<\/p>\n

    B. \u201cUpgrade\u201d is a system to have a higher level program that has higher level of value than the initial enrollment level. That can range from a more robust Black Belt Program and Leadership Program to a variety of Private Lesson packages or, advanced competition team or demonstration team.<\/p>\n

    Now, after discussing all of the above what are my recommendations?<\/p>\n

    The first is that all schools should have a \u201cBasic\u201d or \u201cOrientation Program\u201d that\u2019s 6 to 12 months. And, then a \u201cNational Black Belt Program\u201d and, a \u201cLeadership Program\u201d (aka GOLD Team \u2014 Guidance On Leadership Training).<\/p>\n

    How much should those programs be? Well, at the LOWER end a minimum of:<\/p>\n

    $200 Enrollment -plus $149 = $349 to get started. Monthly: $149 per month.<\/p>\n

    As I\u2019ve mentioned before, we have Inner Circle members who range from $169 to $297 monthly as their basic enrollment. The standard Mile High Karate new enrollment tuition is $249 per month.<\/p>\n

    How about the \u201cUpgrade\u201d Tuition? My \u201cRule of Thumb\u201d is that you can have the lower level upgrade (Black Belt Program) at about a 50% tuition bump. In other words, if you were at $149 you can go to $249 for National Black Belt Program. If you were at $225 then you could go to<\/p>\n

    $335 more or less.<\/p>\n

    At the higher level upgrade (Leadership or \u201cGOLD TEAM) you can go to double the initial enrollment tuition. In other words from $149 to $297 more or less or, from $225 to $449 more or less.<\/p>\n

    Again to be clear: At a FLOOR I\u2019d recommend: Enrollment: $349 to enroll. $149 per month (X 6 months or X 12 months). Renewal: National Black Belt Club \u2014 $449 to renew. $249 per month (typically X 36 months); Leadership Program (Guidance on Leadership) \u2014 $597 to renew. $297 per month.<\/p>\n

    Clearly, with the examples given above, I believe that REALLY you should go to work on your program and teaching quality and then be at $200 or more for new enrollments and implement renewal programs from $397 up to $997 or more per month.<\/p>\n

    That\u2019s clearly a primary focus in Inner Circle and Peak Performers on creating the highest quality program with HUGE perceived value.<\/p>\n

    As a final note: My current project for about 20 of our newest Peak Performers members is a \u201cRENEW- AL BLITZ.\u201d I\u2019m expecting many of them to do $75,000 to $350,000 in extra revenue in two months by implementing their new upgrade program.<\/p>\n

    With each school it\u2019s a little different because we have to personally review what you have already presented to the students. Once we \u201cget in the mind\u201d of your current students and review what you\u2019ve previously done \u2014 then we can create the \u201cRenewal Blitz\u201d strategy. It insures increased<\/p>\n

    commitment from all of your students and a big chunk that enthusiastically move to a higher level<\/p>\n

    tuition and a more robust commitment to your program.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Lessons You Can Learn from Jhoon Rhee<\/h2>\n

    esson 1: An early realization that commercial success was necessary. Jhoon Rhee (as well as Bruce Lee) was openly reviled by many in the martial arts community, both for their innovation and their commercialism. I recall debates in Black Belt magazine articles in the 1960s: one being \u201cThe Case against Commercialism\u201d and another referring to Jhoon Rhee as the Piped Piper of Korean Karate.<\/p>\n

    Allow me to clarify one point. You might have the idea that Bruce Lee was anti-commercial. Actually, the opposite is true. Bruce Lee was sending Jhoon Rhee advertising from Chuck Norris and others for karate schools and was very interested in the business aspects of martial arts.<\/p>\n

    Bruce Lee decided, however, that his path to wealth was acting, while Jhoon Rhee decided that his was operating martial arts schools.<\/p>\n

    Clearly, neither Bruce Lee nor Jhoon Rhee had hang-ups about whether they should be making money from martial arts. Jhoon Rhee said to me, first, it\u2019s impossible to accomplish much of anything without financial resources. Second, if you are providing a great service, then you deserve to be well compensated.<\/p>\n

    Lesson 2: The Mastermind effect. I can tell you from personal experience that Jhoon Rhee\u2019s did not associate with schools operators who were failing and making excuses.<\/p>\n

    Other than Bruce Lee, Rhee was associating with a large group of congressmen and senators and smart and wealthy people, ranging from Jack Anderson to Tony Robbins. He brought Nick Cokinos (EFC founder) into the martial arts business (as well as Jeff Smith, myself and others).<\/p>\n

    He was constantly seeking those who could contribute to his goals and support his vision.<\/p>\n

    Think Muhammad Ali, Zig Ziglar, the coach of the Washington Redskins and many others. He affiliated with the VERY top school owners he could find in the country and openly shared ideas with them (Chuck Norris schools among others).<\/p>\n

    Lesson 3: Immunity from criticism. Jhoon Rhee introduced many innovations. Overlooked may be his early ability to run successful commercial schools, with quality marketing and effective sales processes, while teaching many thousands of students. Next, he associated with rebels, such as Bruce Lee. Grandmaster Rhee surrounded himself with successful Americans (breaking out of the Korean community).<\/p>\n

    Next, he invented and promoted foam safety equipment. He helped launch full-contact kickboxing, invented musical forms and even had his team wear \u201ccolor\u201d uniforms (red).<\/p>\n

    Some portion of the martial arts community considered him a \u201csell-out\u201d or just a \u201cself- promoter.\u201d Safety equipment, rather than being universally embraced, was controversial. Traditionalists proclaimed it would destroy technique. Tournament promoters claimed it would make competition more dangerous. Many refused to use it.<\/p>\n

    Musical forms, which dominate today, were derided as destroying traditional forms. He managed to persevere, ignore the critics and keep his eyes on his goals.<\/p>\n

    Lesson 4: Having the resources to produce incredibly high quality students. At the same time that Grandmaster Rhee\u2019s school had a huge percentage of the world-ranked kick-boxers on staff and the current and future World Forms Champions (John Chung and then Charlie Lee), other Washington, D.C. areas schools called Jhoon Rhee a \u201cBelt Factory.\u201d In reality, Jhoon Rhee\u2019s schools<\/p>\n

    had a very high (for the era) graduation rate to Black Belt.<\/p>\n

    The Black Belts were rigorously screened. Not only were children required to have physical mastery, but also good grades and behavior. The quality of the students across seven, nine and then 12 schools was incredibly HIGH. Far from \u201cselling out,\u201d the Jhoon Rhee schools produced many of today\u2019s industry leaders.<\/p>\n

    That would have been impossible unless two full-time instructors per location were able to make good livings (during the 1970s) by running a martial arts school. (I was making a $30,000 base plus commissions, equaling approximately 10% of the gross, while a full-time student at Georgetown University in 1980.)<\/p>\n

    Lesson 5: Jhoon Rhee relentlessly sought experts to help him grow his business. In the pre-NAPMA days, he sought publicity experts (hiring a fulltime PR guy AND Sugar Ray Leonard\u2019s publicist). He pulled Nick Cokinos from the dance industry and relentlessly looked for experts in sales, marketing, teaching, management, and even franchising, to help him grow his organization.<\/p>\n

    Lesson 6: Relentless Promotions. As a staff member of Jhoon Rhee\u2019s organization (and a full-time college student), I was annoyed by the constant parade of promotions: A HUGE demo at the 4th of July celebration on the Washington Mall each year; classes taught to the FBI; presentations at elementary schools, high schools and colleges; and a parade of classes taught to everyone from local police officers to Congressmen.<\/p>\n

    Jhoon Rhee was relentless in finding ways to introduce the public to Tae Kwon Do (and specifically to \u201cJhoon Rhee Karate\u201d). It was a total, never-ending quest to fill the schools and, there-<\/p>\n

    fore, improve the gross and staff salaries and \u201cspin-off\u201d resources for other purposes. He discusses Muhammad Ali as being a very good promoter \u2014 and Jhoon Rhee learned from him and many others how to promote himself. By the way, Grandmaster Rhee was able to convince Muhammad Ali to mention his name in front of 50 million TV viewers and join him in front of millions of fans during their tour of Korea.<\/p>\n

    Lesson 7: Goals Orientation. Jeff Smith and I were talking with Grandmaster Rhee during a recent late night (12 midnight his time!). He reminded me, \u201cWhen you were 10 years old, you told me you would go to Denver and open Jhoon Rhee Karate schools.\u201d It\u2019s interesting that he remembers and was impressed.<\/p>\n

    Truth is that when I was 10, I said I wanted to open Jhoon Rhee schools. I was about 18 when the idea of doing it in Denver bubbled to the surface; however, the fact that he remembers shows how rarely we set serious goals and follow through. To be successful, you first must make a decision; you can call it setting a target or being goal-oriented. You must decide that there will be no excuses and you will make it happen.<\/p>\n

    What should you learn from Jhoon Rhee? At the least, you should know that it\u2019s okay to make money and grow your school. You should also know that commercialism does not imply \u201cselling out\u201d and that the more resources you have the better you can make your students. Next, you need to spare no expense associating with a quality mastermind team and developing knowledge (and hiring experts) to shorten your own learning curve. Finally, you must be tireless in promoting your school, and make sure that you have the tools and resources to do that effectively.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    An Interesting Question from a NAPMA Member<\/h2>\n

    his question is from a Maximum Impact member who should be in Inner Circle. He teaches more than 300 students and grosses more than $50,000 a month after just 4 years in business. He asks, \u201cHow do you charge $300-plus for Leadership Programs? I currently charge $225 per month.\u201d<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s an interesting question. I\u2019ve heard it many times. Among the EFC board members, I used to be asked two questions: \u201cHow do you convince someone to write a check for $12,000\u2013$20,000 for karate lessons?\u201d or Jose\u2019s question: \u201cHow do you charge so much?\u201d<\/p>\n

    Well, my friend, Keith Hafner, could parrot me now without a moment\u2019s hesitation, my answer was always the same, \u201cAsk.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Now I know that\u2019s overly simplistic. The first hurdle most school owners must make, whether it\u2019s asking for higher down payments, big paid-infulls, or higher payments for leadership or other programs, is to \u201cgrow a pair.\u201d Now, I don\u2019t want that to sound overly crude, but really it\u2019s mostly a matter of being willing to ask.<\/p>\n

    Ask expectantly. Ask congruently. Ask sincerely. Ask confidently\u2026practice it in the mirror first, and be willing to hear a few no\u2019s before you are good at it.<\/p>\n

    After that I think the answer is a little more complicated. What I tend to find is that most school owners don\u2019t provide great service and have created a curriculum centered on their personal \u201chobby,\u201d rather than truly what students need or want to learn.<\/p>\n

    When my coaching client, Miko Peled, was with me in Denver for two days during a consulting day and \u201cbehind the scenes\u201d tour, his observation, not mine, was that what he most learned (contrary to expectations) was about the depth and quality of the character and personal development curriculum that we\u2019ve developed.<\/p>\n

    He observed that EVERYONE: staff, franchise owners, instructors and senior staff were polite, great people, professionally groomed and sincerely happy to be working with students and growing their schools. It\u2019s really important to implement your own \u201cNo Assholes Rule\u201d (Pick up the book by the same name) \u2014 and to make sure that everyone in your environment (including all the senior-ranked students) are walking, talking and breathing \u201cProducts of the Product.\u201d It\u2019s easy for parents or students to justify the tuition if they are surrounded by people \u201cwho are what they want to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve had the debate from time to time with Dan Kennedy. He says that selling doesn\u2019t have to be \u201ccongruent,\u201d using the example of not having to do manual labor while traveling around the country doing exactly that. My experience, in our environment, has always been the opposite. I\u2019ve always been a BIG believer in the \u201cEverything- Counts\u201d philosophy.<\/p>\n

    Do you want to \u201csell success?\u201d Well, make sure you and all of your associates and staff are successful. Do you want to sell a high priced leadership program? Make sure you and your staff and associates all exhibit impeccable leadership skills.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    What\u2019s your \u201cCircus Celebrity\u201d?<\/h2>\n

    s may be your situation, now that I have children there are many events and situations that I would have been oblivious to before. For instance, it\u2019s a family necessity to hit the circus when it\u2019s in town. I had the experience once again last week. Now, my kids are ages 10 and 3. My enjoyment of the circus comes in most part of watching their reactions and involvement \u2014 as, I would suspect, is true of most parents.<\/p>\n

    Now, I\u2019ll tell you in the past 10 years I\u2019ve ended up at the circus a bunch of times, but, at the latest, I was most impressed by Barnum & Bailey\u2019s business operations.<\/p>\n

    First, if you haven\u2019t been there, then let me explain that it\u2019s an incredible traveling retail operation that also happens to have a show going on with characters that mimic the various stuffed animals and flying men and ejecting cannon. It\u2019s a marvel that a toy store more elaborate than found at the local Target or Wal-Mart can be transported from town to town, with at least as much care and feeding as the elephants and tigers.<\/p>\n

    Second, Jodi was extremely frustrated at this event that we merely had front row seats (at times able to reach out and touch the elephants and other performers), and not, as promised, in the \u201cCircus Celebrity\u201d section (which included a significant boost in the ticket price). Now, what\u2019s Circus Celebrity? It\u2019s when you are not only in the front row (highest ticket price in the house), but additionally, are included in the show. In the past, that entailed a special gift bag and being loaded at midpoint into a vehicle to be pulled around the floor alongside the performers for a portion of the show while waving to the audience. This time it was merely seated from benches surrounding the<\/p>\n

    rings and being able to watch the horses up close, rather than merely being a spectator from the sidelines.<\/p>\n

    Third, the staff was extremely well trained. A lovely woman who was selling some sort of Frisbee-like device made a point of stopping and patiently explaining to my daughter that the stuffed elephant she had purchased was, in fact, the newborn elephant of one of the performing animals \u2014 and that her name was April. She took the time to tell her a little about the real life baby elephant, including how old it was this week and some interesting details about it.<\/p>\n

    Next, the guy selling the shaved ice took a few extra moments to let Jodi know that the toy that my 3-year-old was swinging rather wildly was guaranteed for life and gave her a little brochure that explained the policy and included a toll-free telephone number.<\/p>\n

    Later during the show, several clowns stopped by to do photos with the kids, and the guy throwing Frisbees during intermission took a moment and autographed one and threw it to my daughter, who had been watching with fascination for several minutes.<\/p>\n

    All of these were \u201cnice touches,\u201d none designed to immediately sell anything. All sure to make\/ help\/nudge a return visit next time around and possibly even a few more toys into the bag before the trip home.<\/p>\n

    In watching the logistics, performances, and interactions, there certainly are many takeaways that could apply to our businesses.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ll point out a couple and encourage you to be hyper-aware of all well-run businesses for experiences that can give you new ideas or nudge you further towards excellence.<\/p>\n

    First, let\u2019s take the \u201cCircus Celebrity\u201d thing. It\u2019s a brilliant idea. Providing an slightly different, and better, experience with a bump in revenue. In a weak economy, many businesses have looked for ways to improve their average customer value and to have a top tier that disproportionately contributes to the bottom line. Look around you for many examples. When I check in at the airline I\u2019m offered a seat with more legroom or a business-class seat that moves me through security more quickly \u2014 all for just $50 more. Just about every company now has some sort of expensive ($500\u2013$1,500) VIP experience often including the ability to meet the band or spend some time backstage.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s certainly true that not everyone will spring for the more expensive experience. However, research shows that a portion of any group will pay more to receive a more interesting or valuable experience (often that\u2019s 20% or so).<\/p>\n

    Another takeaway is in staff training. Now, I don\u2019t know how many employees the circus has that travels with them, but I\u2019m always impressed when time and effort has been expended on making sure the lowest rungs of the employees have been trained in how to interact with customers.<\/p>\n

    For most shows, parts, etc., the person schlepping around selling lemonade, popcorn or whatever, receives training mostly in how to strap on the carrier and keep track of the money. With the circus, they had clearly trained the staff on the history and story behind most \u2014 perhaps all \u2014 of the toys they sell. Behind the various performing animals. And, behind ways to make customers feel better about their purchases and more comfortable and personal with the various performers and support personnel. That impression was reinforced over and over. While at another toy booth the staff member suggested one of their bigger carrying packs and helped me organize the various stuff I was juggling into one of their bags, and<\/p>\n

    added another smaller bag to help keep some photos dry before we left into the rain. Small touch, but noticeable.<\/p>\n

    I was reminded of Disney (by the way, that\u2019s high compliment to Barnum & Bailey), who require the folks who sweep the parking lot and the sidewalks to take a multi-day course in \u201cDisney Traditions\u201d to understand the significance of the various characters and company history. They then train them thoroughly on everything from bus time schedules and routes and the layout of the park, to be able to give directions. Finally they train them that there\u2019s no such thing as \u201cI don\u2019t know\u201d when interacting with a guest. They have hidden phones within reach throughout the parks and stern directions to find out the answer when asked just about any question by a guest.<\/p>\n

    To continue with the Disney example, I remember being in the park and stumbling across a 7- or 8-year old child crying who had obviously misplaced his parents. Jodi walked the child up to the concession stand and mentioned to the kid behind the counter that the child seemed lost.<\/p>\n

    Now, the staffer was probably 18 or so with 12 or 15 customers in line. He initially looked flustered, perhaps even annoyed. However, he pretty quickly picked up the hidden phone to ask what he should do and immediately become 100% focused on the child. The register was handed off to someone else. He became totally focused on reassuring the lost boy.<\/p>\n

    Almost immediately four or five other employees descended to both reassure and entertain the child, while immediately launching an all-out \u201cman-hunt\u201d for the lost parents. I\u2019m not sure what specifically the voice on the other end of the magical phone told the 18-year-old \u201ccast member,\u201d but it\u2019s pretty clear that it included \u201cdrop everything,\u201d and \u201cyour priority without exception is protect and reunite that child with its parents.\u201d Again, that\u2019s impressive training and even more impres-<\/p>\n

    sive support systems for the college kid in charge.<\/p>\n

    Now I ask you, is each of your staff, even your volunteer assistants and your Black Belts, trained to help and support every student and every parent? I\u2019ve seen examples on both sides. One school where every Black Belt (staff or not) greeted each White Belt and their parent by name. Where<\/p>\n

    any concern was immediately addressed and each point of confusion clarified. Where the school was a family and each new member greeted warmly. Other schools where the owner was the only one who paid attention, and occasionally where he or she preferred adulation over mentorship.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

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    What If There Was A Recession But You Didn\u2019t Attend?<\/h2>\n

    An exclusive discussion with Dan Kennedy and Stephen Oliver F<\/p>\n

    or those who don\u2019t know, Dan Kennedy is a multi-millionaire serial entrepreneur; author of 11 bestselling business books \u2014 including one co-authored by Stephen Oliver: NO BS Wealth for Entrepreneurs and two new ones we\u2019ll discuss here; a popular speaker who has often appeared on programs with a wide variety of legendary entrepreneurs, including Donald Trump, Jim McCann (1-800-Flowers), Debbi Fields (Mrs. Fields Cookies) and even Gene Simmons (KISS) as well as leading business speakers Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy and Tom Hopkins; and, through his newsletters and networks of consultants and coaches, directly influences more than one million business owners a year \u2014 including countless martial arts school owners. I have been relying on Dan for strategic business and marketing advice since 1996; and I have been a member of his most elite Platinum private client group for several years.<\/p>\n

    While at a Platinum meeting in beautiful Cleveland, Ohio, I sat down with Dan to discuss the economy, business, money and even politics. Here is the result:<\/p>\n

    Stephen Oliver: Let\u2019s start right out with the so-called elephant in the room, the economy, and the dreaded \u201cR\u201d word. Economists are arguing over technicalities. The news media has had us deep in a recession for months. People do seem troubled by gas and grocery prices. What\u2019s your take on it all?<\/p>\n

    Dan Kennedy: First, you always have to tem-<\/p>\n

    per what people say with objective reality. For example, if you listened to all their weeping and wailing about gas prices, you\u2019d presume everybody had their cars up on blocks, huddled in their homes as if in caves.<\/p>\n

    But the recent Memorial Day weekend had only a 1% reduction in people driving 50 miles or farther from home according to AAA. There is no doubt that there are segments of the population severely affected \u2026 others slightly affected \u2026 some unaffected by this very specific inflation of gas and groceries.<\/p>\n

    In big-ticket spending, the inevitable hitting of the wall with using appreciating home equity as an ATM has whacked big, dumb, slow to adapt companies like Home Depot and Lowe\u2019s. Cities and businesses dependent on summer vacation dollars may be hurt this year.<\/p>\n

    So I am not a \u201crecession denier.\u201d However, it\u2019s also important to look at all this in full context. For example, as we\u2019re doing this, we\u2019re in the fourth straight week with declines in jobless claims \u2014 less people each week filing for unemployment. The stock market still reflects a fairly optimistic analysis of the overall economy. Real estate is not, as media reports, in an across the board collapse.<\/p>\n

    In the Cleveland area, where I have one of my homes, foreclosure numbers are roughly 25% to 30% higher than normal, putting the area in the top five markets in the U.S. for foreclosure problems, but luxury home sales are healthy, and even more telling, commercial real estate transactions were up, and there\u2019s more new investment in significant development in and around the city<\/p>\n

    than any time in the past seven years. In short, saying \u201crecession\u201d is a big, fat, over-broad, oversimplified generalization. There are plenty of consumers, plenty of investors and plenty of business owners spending plenty of money \u2014 and that\u2019s one of the things I want to talk about, related to one of my new books.<\/p>\n

    Further, there\u2019s no profit in buying into this concept of a giant black cloud of doom descending over the entire land \u2014 and every business owner must constantly be asking himself \u201cwhere\u2019s the PROFIT in that?\u201d \u2014 with regard to his own thinking, his own analysis and his own actions.<\/p>\n

    Stephen Oliver: Before we get to the practical cures, if you will, let\u2019s talk a little more about this thought process. How should businesspeople manage their own thinking about the economy?<\/p>\n

    Dan Kennedy: “We’re coming up on a presidential election year, during which well over a half-billion dollars has been spent, and between candidates, parties, and independent groups called 527-c\u2019s \u2014 for which I write some ad and direct-mail copy \u2014 another billion dollars will be spent, most of it aimed at convincing voters that we are in crisis here, there and everywhere.<\/p>\n

    One side cries \u201ccrisis and change.\u201d The other side threatens, \u201cCrisis requires steady, experienced hand.\u201d Either way, everybody\u2019s selling crisis. There\u2019s also a profound media bias, even what I call \u2018media mental illness\u2019, a very unbalanced emphasis, excessively reporting bad news, nearly ignoring good news.<\/p>\n

    On CNN, you get good economic news only in the little type crawl across the bottom of the screen. You actually have to go to Fox Financial News or CNBC or the Wall Street Journal to get a fully balanced presentation and, of course, most people don\u2019t. So the gloom \u2018n\u2019 doom sales machine is cranked up on high. To quote one of the success authorities I studied very early, Earl Nightingale, \u201cwe become what we think about most.\u201d So<\/p>\n

    if you DON\u2019T actually MANAGE your thinking about this \u2026 if you let yourself accept the mainstream media\u2019s and politicians\u2019 selling of crisis, if you think about it, regurgitate it in conversation with others, hang out with others regurgitating it to you \u2026 you\u2019ll undoubtedly find yourself upside down in it, shit up to your ankles!<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s up to you to seek out better, more complete information. And, incidentally, to turn around and provide that information to your customers (or clients or patients). You\u2019d better be what I call a \u201cgood news merchant\u201d yourself, influencing your customers\u2019 thinking about this \u2014 yours may very well be the only such voice they hear. And being that lone voice of reason and encouragement can be very magnetic.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019m sure that you, Stephen, have been telling your martial arts school owners this and in the student newsletter and other tools you provide them, doing this for them. There\u2019s a thing called the Consumer Confidence Index, a measurement of consumers\u2019 attitudes that at least somewhat predicts their near-future spending. Every business owner needs to be actively working at positively influencing his consumers\u2019 confidence.<\/p>\n

    But beyond that, here\u2019s how true entrepreneurs think about this: it is a set of circumstances, of changes in the marketplace, to have foreseen and prepared for, now to respond to, in which there is enormous opportunity \u2014 and REDUCED competition pursuing that opportunity diminished by fear, indecision, emotional paralysis, resentment toward the need to adapt, and in many cases, lack of agility.<\/p>\n

    This is a good time to be grabbing market share, acquiring new students, marketing aggressively. There is always a \u201cset of circumstances\u201d and there are always winners and losers. A lot of business owners do well only in a generous economy. But a lot of other business owners get their traction, outpace their competition, and create their great-<\/p>\n

    est wealth during economic times widely regarded by others as \u201cpoor.\u201d To complain about there being circumstances or changing circumstances is to complain about there being weather.<\/p>\n

    As an investor, I don\u2019t worry a lot over a company\u2019s dip in stock price at a time like this, because that reflects the mass public\u2019s foolish acceptance of recession as a universal reality, as a completely dark time. I look for companies where insiders are buying up more stock at bargain prices and the company is expanding, growing, and launching new initiatives. In a recession, everything goes on sale. Stock in very good companies. Real estate in very good areas. \u201cEyeballs\u201d for advertisers and marketers \u2014 less people sending out direct-mail means less clutter in my customers\u2019 mailboxes means more space and better opportunity to gain their attention and interest for me. Less pages of advertising in the magazines or newspapers my customers read, lower rate negotiated and more attention for me. When others cower, you want to be bold, aggressive, and opportunistic.<\/p>\n

    Stephen Oliver: Okay, let\u2019s talk about being opportunistic. What are the big opportunities you are emphasizing for business owners right now?<\/p>\n

    Dan Kennedy: There are two big topics I\u2019m spending a lot of time talking about with my clients, coaching members, and readers right now, reflected in my two: No B.S. Guide to Ruthless Management of People and Profits and No B.S. Guide to Marketing to the Affluent \u2014 as they say, available now at a bookstore near you or amazon. com, BN.com and so on. One topic is using this sea-change from generous, indulgent economy to grumpy, demanding one as motivation and mandate to re-assess your business inside out, and get smarter and tougher and more diligent about managing for maximum profit. And it is my contention that most businesses \u2014 including those in your industry, martial arts schools, could suffer a 25% drop in gross revenues but simultaneously<\/p>\n

    enjoy a 25% improvement in net profits, employing the from a-to-z ruthless management strategies in my book.<\/p>\n

    Also, most businesses could suffer a 25% drop in response to advertising and marketing, a 25% \u201cdrying up\u201d if you will of prospective new students coming their way, but simultaneously create a 25% increase in conversions, in converting new prospects to students. In fact, one of the chapters in my management book is titled \u201cHow to Profit From The Age Of Mass Incompetence And Coming Monster Recession.\u201d As you can see, this is a very timely new book. Second is the grand and glorious, newly developing opportunity to re-direct a business to attracting, serving and securing more affluent students \u2014 the subject of my new marketing to the affluent book. So, the hot words are: re-assess, re-tool and re-direct.<\/p>\n

    Stephen Oliver: Sounds like a lot of unpleasant work \u2014 who wants to do all that re-assessing and re-tooling and re-directing?<\/p>\n

    Dan Kennedy: Hardly anybody!!! \u2014 which is why there\u2019s such abundant, exciting opportunity for the few who do. You know, I started in business myself during a real recession \u2014 that makes where we are now look like a light summer breeze in comparison to Katrina. Thanks to Jimmy Carter, we had the reality of double-digit base interest and unemployment rates and inflation \u2026 all more than double the current numbers, high gas prices and gas rationing, a credit crunch \u2026 and a widespread emotional malaise as well. It wasn\u2019t pretty. For most. But I prospered. And I got to work with quite a few agile entrepreneurs who did. I have absolute understanding that the best time to speed up and gain position is when others are riding the brakes.<\/p>\n

    But you\u2019re 1000% right: most people long for the ability to get their business arranged a certain way and then never have to tinker with it again. But success in business doesn\u2019t work that way. I\u2019d<\/p>\n

    love for that to happen with my houses too. One of our homes is just 6 or 7 years old. Re-paint the deck; next replace the deck. Carla wants to put a new floor in the kitchen. Paint this. Change that. Why, oh why, oh why, can\u2019t it all just be left alone?<\/p>\n

    Well, even if you want to, you can\u2019t. Style changes, tastes change, furnishings wear out, water tanks wear out, garage doors wear out.<\/p>\n

    Look, in business, the surest path to mediocrity, to disappointments in income and wealth short-term and long-term, to losing disinterested customers (client\/patients) to others\u2019 seductions is denial, is resentment or procrastination over the need for constant change. That\u2019s why being a part of groups like yours, being coached, being in your Coaching, Inner Circle, Peak Performers teams coming to brain-exchange events like your Extreme Success Academy or Ultimate Martial Arts Marketing Boot Camp is so critically important at all times but treble important in particularly challenging times. You have to see the need for change as exciting opportunity, not as burden. You have to be mentally agile.<\/p>\n

    Especially now, but really at any time. Stephen Oliver: Then let\u2019s move on to: change. And let\u2019s start with the second topic you raised, marketing to the affluent. Why should my martial arts school owners be eager to learn about and do this?<\/p>\n

    Dan Kennedy: Without delving into the kind of statistical and in-depth detail that I\u2019ve assembled and presented in the book, let me paint a broad strokes answer. Domestically, here in the<\/p>\n

    U.S., all the real spending growth is toward the top. The middle class is shrinking, with one-third moving down, but two-thirds moving up. That two-thirds is literally a new class of \u201cmiddleclass millionaires.\u201d These mass-affluents\u2019 buying behavior has also served to motivate more status spending by the affluent.<\/p>\n

    Across the three groups \u2014 mass-affluent, affluent, ultra-affluent \u2014 there has never been more discretionary income and more spending on a broader and more diverse range of premium, premium-priced goods and services including newly invented categories.<\/p>\n

    Further, there is convergence and overlap with the biggest part of the boomer population hitting their peak discretionary and non-necessity spending years, spurred on by very different attitudes about both retirement and spending than the previous generation. Anyone who has the sense that money is tight, consumer spending restricted, and prosperity not rampant is simply deluded, paying attention to the wrong information. Essentially, there\u2019s a gigantic growth industry, an unprecedented boom underway, getting rich by selling to the rich, near-rich, soon-to-be-rich. Many business owners\u2019 knee-jerk reaction to this is either to deny it because it is not their personal experience or to feel it is not what their business is about or that these exceptionally valuable students are somehow beyond their reach.<\/p>\n

    Well, ignorance is forgivable and fixable, but as comedian Ron White says: you can\u2019t fix stupid. My No B.S. Marketing to the Affluent book gets all that b.s. out of the way, so you can focus on opportunities instead of excuses. If that sounds harsh, it\u2019s supposed to. Earlier I said that THE question is always: where\u2019s the profit in that? There\u2019s never profit in making the lists of why we can\u2019t do something, why we can\u2019t capitalize on emerging opportunities. Making such lists is low-grade, low-pay work. Any idiot can do it. If you want<\/p>\n

    high pay \u2014 especially at times when a lot of business owners are taking pay cuts \u2014 you have to do more high pay work. And certainly, finding ways to follow the money, to appeal to and attract more affluent, willing to spend students is such work. Making excuses, sucking your thumb is not.<\/p>\n

    So, the basic facts: 22% of the U.S. households own 55% of the earned income. The spending power is concentrated with 1 out of 5. Stephen, your martial arts school owner has three basic choices: one, promote himself to anybody and everybody, taking whatever he gets\u2026statistically ensuring he\u2019ll get more of the 4 out of 5\u2019s than the 1 out of 5\u2019s and risking getting none of the 1 out of 5\u2019s. Dumb.<\/p>\n

    Two, he can \u2014 out of ignorance, denial, fear, low self-esteem, sloth \u2014 actually focus on the 4 out of 5\u2019s. Dumber. Incidentally, the overwhelming majority of the competition is at the bottom, broad base, not toward the top of the economic power pyramid. Wal-Mart does just fine there, and recently has had a renewal of growth, of same store year-to-year growth, and is undoubtedly helped by recession, so I bought Wal-Mart stock in the $40\u2019s. And again in the low $50\u2019s. And if I can, if it drops there anytime soon, I\u2019ll buy more. But do you really want to be butting heads with Wal- Mart and every other large and small competitor vying for customers for whom price is a major factor in buying decisions? Only if you can offer and deliver THE lowest prices while making satisfactory profits. Otherwise, there\u2019s no benefit in offering the almost-lowest prices. Or three, re-tooling any and every aspect of your business you must, in order to target market to, appeal to, attract, not just satisfy but thrill, and grow with more affluent customers\u2026for whom price is a non-factor\u2026and who are least and last affected by recession. My two new books, combined, in concert, can help you successfully act on the third option.<\/p>\n

    Under normal conditions, only 10% of con-<\/p>\n

    sumers always buy by price, their decisions governed by price \u2014 because they have no option. This group is largely made up of \u201cworking poor,\u201d low-wage working people with more mouths to feed than they can afford food for. Nothing wrong with them as people. A lot to admire \u2014 except the choices they make that keep them poor. But no good reason to have them or, worse, seek them out as customers. Yet, strangely, most business owners focus 90% of their energy on price even while only 10% of the customers decide based on price. In recession, this percentage may jump as much as 3 times, to 30%. However, there are 20% who make most buying decisions with little weight given to price or cheapest price and 5% who never consider price. In the middle, people who consider price in context and only buy by price in absence of other persuasive information. That top 5% is admittedly considerably more difficult to get to and satisfy, but infinitely and disproportionately more valuable. The 20% is a little more difficult to get but also considerably more valuable. So, picking up rocks from your driveway is easy and cheap to do but rocks have value only in giant bulk. Mining diamonds actually uses the same skills as picking up rocks applied differently, with admittedly the difficulties of traveling beyond your driveway, investing in mining equipment, etc., but each little diamond you find is worth more than ten tons of rocks. What\u2019s important to face up to is that you choose the business you\u2019re in. Rocks. Diamonds. Up to you. If you feel you\u2019re working too hard to make a living, have no leverage, aren\u2019t gaining and may even, now, be losing ground, I\u2019ll safely wager you\u2019re in the rocks business. Ultimately, all suffering and all prosperity, self-inflicted.<\/p>\n

    Stephen Oliver: But, Dan, the question that pops, what about the recession? Surely this isn\u2019t the best time to be re-directing my martial arts school owners at selling to an emerging affluent market \u2014 that\u2019s what people will think. That the<\/p>\n

    timing is bad. Better to think about this when \u201cthings get better.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Dan Kennedy: 1000% wrong. To be brief, if there is a protracted recession, across a wide swath, or in segments; either way, I\u2019ll prefer investing as much of my resources as possible in selling to those least and last affected by recession. And a number of business owners are already quickly finding themselves in deep and worsening financial trouble by not being agile about this, by continuing to waste their resources selling to people with dwindling resources, easily and quickly affected by a rise in the price of gas and Starbucks, and easily and quickly scared silly. There\u2019s no better time, and it is arguably an urgent time to move to where the money is in the hands of confident spenders.<\/p>\n

    I think my No B.S. Marketing to the Affluent book is URGENT reading for most business owners. There is a fundamental path to progress, all progress, that looks like this: Step 1: Awareness, Step 2: Decision, Step 3: Resources, Step 4: Action.<\/p>\n

    In the No B.S. Marketing to the Affluent book, I provide a whole new, thoroughly documented and truly fascinating new awareness of the massaffluent, middle class millionaires, affluent and ultra-affluent populations, their psyches, their buying criteria and behavior, who they are, what they buy, why they buy, how they buy \u2014 plus an even broader awareness of why and how money moves from person to person and place to place.<\/p>\n

    Step 2 \u2014 I guide you in making informed decisions about how you can best connect your business (products\/services\/practice) to the best segment of this affluent market for you. And I get you convinced, confident and motivated to do so.<\/p>\n

    Step 3 \u2014 I hand you the resources. For example, specific instructions for finding and directly reaching out to the best affluent students for you, in your area. For example, a detailed,<\/p>\n

    diagrammed, step-by-step \u201caffluent entrapment system\u201d for your marketing.<\/p>\n

    Step 4 is then up to you. This can quickly change your fortunes. It can rescue you from and immunize you to recession. It can convert an ordinary business providing ordinary income to an extraordinary business providing exceptional income, spinning off extraordinary wealth. Within this context, incidentally, are very specific \u2018price strategies\u2019 that have led to huge income breakthroughs. It\u2019s all illustrated with real-life examples. And the book comes with an audio CD inside featuring highlights from my Price\/Profit\/ Power Seminar, which cost $995.00 to attend, and was recently attended by more than 600 people.<\/p>\n

    But to zero in: your key to changing your income for the better, even at a time when peers\u2019 and competitors\u2019 incomes are changing for the worse, is: changing the \u201cwho\u201d you are deliberately attracting to do business with.<\/p>\n

    And further, Stephen, you want your coaching clients to consider equity, not just income. Income is what you make and take home today. Equity is the actual value of your business, represented in a number of ways, including its sustainability; its resistance to ups and downs, even to recession. In its ultimate exit-strategy value. Well, the value of your business is actually the aggregate total of the value of each of your students. Amass low value, financially weak, fickle, easily discouraged customers; own a low value, fragile business.<\/p>\n

    Stephen Oliver: Seems hard to argue with all that. You make a convincing case. But people are still thinking: sounds great, but deliberately marketing to the affluent must be different and difficult. So, just how different is it, marketing to the affluent?<\/p>\n

    Dan Kennedy: It IS different. First of all, there are profound \u2014 and in most ways, beneficial \u2014 psychological differences. These people think differently. That\u2019s why they are affluent.<\/p>\n

    So you have to be in sync, you have to connect with the way they think, with what appeals to them emotionally. You also have to acknowledge different hurdles; they are more thoughtful, critical, and in some ways, skeptical buyers, more demanding customers. Fair, because they are a lot more valuable. So you have to be customer focused, not product focused to an even greater degree. I devote about half the book, about 200 of its 400-plus pages to just who are these people? Where did they come from? How do they buy, why do they buy? Even specific behaviors in different buying categories, such as health, investments, for grandkids, for pets, even business-to-business. Second, there are process differences. While direct marketing fundamentals, systems and system structures don\u2019t change, application does.<\/p>\n

    In the book I diagram and describe a complete marketing system as a template, from lead generation through to the sale and post-sale relationship, and it will be familiar to most of your coaching clients But within the familiar structure, there are significant modifications unique to the buying behavior of the affluent. There are certain known prerequisites before an affluent buyer will act, that must be understood and met. In the book, I support these with considerable research data and actual case histories.<\/p>\n

    I would quickly point out that ANY and EV- ERY business can be \u201ctweaked\u201d or, if need be, reinvented to successfully meet these prerequisites so as to appeal to and attract affluent clientele.<\/p>\n

    Third, and last that I\u2019ll mention now, is the issue of finding them, knowing where they are, so you can directly and efficiently reach out to them. The information about that in the book affects both offline and online marketing and media choices. In short, Stephen, your coaching clients can cross-breed everything you provide them with my \u201cMarketing To The Affluent\u201d strategies and systems, and they\u2019ll find it all completely com-<\/p>\n

    patible. Further, it will open new doors for them, to better and less price (fee) sensitive students, a better business, even a better business life almost immediately. This is a way to take all of your most effective tools and techniques and apply them more profitably, something akin to taking superior farming practices and genetically improved seeds and applying them to more fertile ground. Why wouldn\u2019t you want to do that? Now, not later or someday?<\/p>\n

    Stephen Oliver: Okay, way back when, in this discussion, you said you were working with your clients on two big areas \u2014 this one, attracting more affluent customers, but also a second, managing for profit. And in that book title, you use the word \u201cruthless,\u201d which has to rattle some people right off the bat. So, what\u2019s that all about?<\/p>\n

    Dan Kennedy: It connects two ways. First, affluent students are less tolerant of unsatisfactory, even unimpressive sales and service practices. Second, the recently generous, forgiving economy, tolerant, even indulgent of sloppy sales and service practices, has turned grumpy, irritable, intolerant and punishing. Maybe as it should. And very frankly, a lot of business owners have been making their way across the lake every day satisfactorily in very leaky boats. Those days are over. There are going to be a lot of fatalities, large and small, of poorly run businesses. There\u2019s also going to be a golden age for those businesses that provide startto-finish and continuing exceptional experiences. As to the word \u201cruthless\u201d, that\u2019s to telegraph that this is NOT a warm \u2018n\u2019 fuzzy book with happy stories about such customer experiences, the equal of a smiley-face sticker. The shelves are full of those books. Fun to read. Maybe inspiring. But now what? Ruthless management is mandated by ruthless times. This is about setting and enforcing standards that yield the best customer (client\/patient) experiences and the best attainable profits, by micro-managing the profit impact of every job, every<\/p>\n

    employee and every step in the marketing, sales, delivery and service aspects of the business. It is about creating a winning Program and that having everybody get with The Program \u2014 or get gone. I call this book, first of all, the permission slip business owners have been waiting for, to manage their people and their businesses for maximum profit \u2014 without anxiety, guilt or squeamishness. It\u2019s a liberating and empowering book. Then it has very specific, in-depth how-to strategies. I\u2019m told people laugh out loud reading it, because of its unbelievably blunt and candid, and to some, outrageous and radical revelations. I\u2019m glad people have fun with it. I put some very pointed, original cartoons in it for that very reason. But make no mistake; this is a very serious manifesto for serious business owners in serious times.<\/p>\n

    Stephen Oliver: I\u2019ve, of course, read the book \u2014 several times, and I was struck by three things I\u2019d like you to talk about, that I would call: process improvement, people improvement and profit improvement. Let\u2019s touch on each one.<\/p>\n

    Dan Kennedy: Stephen, that\u2019s a good way of putting it. It all starts with accurate measurement of what\u2019s really happening versus having or establishing standards for what\u2019s supposed to be happening. For three or four years, I was on a speaking tour, at seminars with 10,000 to as many as 35,000 people in the audiences, and I frequently followed \u2014 and got to know \u2014 General Norm Schwarzkopf. A line I wrote down from him is: shined shoes save lives. What he means is, being undisciplined, casual, sloppy about seemingly little things inevitably permeates to affect all things, and on the business battlefield where we operate just as on the actual battlefield, it\u2019ll get you killed in tough times. So, you need standards for everything. And everybody. Number of rings before phone is answered. Number of referrals per student 90 days, a certain \u201cunder\u201d triggering a series of pre-planned actions. Etc. Etc. In other words,<\/p>\n

    you have to measure to manage, and what you can\u2019t or aren\u2019t measuring, you can\u2019t be managing. Face it. Get real about it. That\u2019s foundational to all three opportunities for improvement.<\/p>\n

    So, as an example, let\u2019s take the sales process, which I write about extensively in the Ruthless Management book. I have a client with this process: leads are generated by advertising; leads are moved to the setting of appointments; salespeople make presentations at those appointments; some buy, many don\u2019t. There are lots of things to be measured here. Conversions of visitors to the website to requests for information; percentage of those sent info setting appointments; percentage of those setting then keeping appointments; and, of course, percentage buying vs. not buying. And there are many variables that can be worked on, to try and improve each of those results.<\/p>\n

    If, for example, the percentage of appointments kept is 72% when they speak with Betty when they call in, but only 64% if they speak with Helen, we either find out what Betty\u2019s saying or doing differently than Helen and keep training and coaching Helen until she gets her efficacy up to Betty\u2019s, or we get Helen off the darn phones. We definitely measure both in real time, day to day; don\u2019t keep the results a secret. If there\u2019s a script getting Betty the 72%, we insist that it be memorized, practiced and used by Helen \u2026 we \u201cmystery shop\u201d and record her calls \u2026 and if she won\u2019t get with The Program within a reasonable probation period, we fire her.<\/p>\n

    But here\u2019s a big, hidden opportunity found in this business. The non-buyers, left to the salespeople for follow-up, were nearly worthless; fewer than 5% came back and bought within 60 days. Mostly because the salespeople believed them worthless and wouldn\u2019t do \u2014 and lied about doing \u2014 the prescribed follow-up, let alone working earnestly on finding ways to improve the result.<\/p>\n

    Taking that away from the salespeople and im-<\/p>\n

    plementing a series of three follow-up letters over six weeks, we got 16% back to buy. That\u2019s a gain of 11 buyers per 100 sales presentations. That\u2019s big. This company had been doing \u201cjust fine\u201d tolerating the 5% when 16% was available during the generous economy. They can\u2019t afford it during the turned-grumpy-and-intolerant economy, they shouldn\u2019t tolerate it at all.<\/p>\n

    So, that\u2019s process improvement. The Helen- Betty situation might be resolved by process improvement, a better script, training, better supervision. Or it might require people improvement.<\/p>\n

    Now, given the 5% to 16% improvement created, this business can actually afford a dip in first presentation sales that might be caused by a price increase. Let\u2019s play. As example, if their salespeople average 20% sold, plus 5% after the fact, at $1,000.00 each, that\u2019s $25,000.00 per 100 people getting presentations\u2026if at a 50% profit: $12,500.00 profit.<\/p>\n

    If I raise the price to $1,500.00 (thus DOU- BLING the profit from $500.00 to $1,000.00) \u2026 the percentage buying at presentation drops from 20% to 15%, and that 16% drops to 9%, I\u2019m at 24% vs. the old 25% (down only 1%) \u2026 24 x $1,500.00 gross, $36,000.00 instead of $25,000.00, and more importantly $24,000.00 profit vs. $12,500.00 profit. That\u2019s profit improvement.<\/p>\n

    And, by the way, contrary to common fear, price increases do not necessarily cause significant drops in sales made. Then we can go back around the horn, to try to improve the at-presentation sales with better scripts, new answers to price objections, new financing options, sales training and\/or new and better salespeople. And, of course, we could combine all this with deliberately seeking more affluent buyers. That\u2019s what my Ruthless Management book is all about. In short, squeezing a lot more good juice out of each orange you have, so even if, temporarily, your tree produces fewer oranges \u2014 the recession effect \u2014 you still get more juice, not less.<\/p>\n

    And please don\u2019t say: that example doesn\u2019t apply to me because \u2014 because whatever. I don\u2019t use that business model. I don\u2019t have salespeople. Yada yada. You just have to be smarter than that. The principles apply everywhere. And ruthless management starts with ruthlessly managing yourself.<\/p>\n

    Stephen Oliver: We\u2019ve been plugging your book, but I know you have blatant and crass commercial messages\u2026<\/p>\n

    Dan Kennedy: I\u2019m willing to sing for my supper \u2014 but I want my supper. And I think I\u2019ve done a lot of singing here, don\u2019t you? So. First, the books; they are available at Amazon.com, BN.com, Barnes & Noble and other booksellers and free info about the entire No B.S. book series is perpetually updated at NoBSBooks.com. If you want bulk quantity discounts, if you\u2019re buying dozens or hundreds of copies, try 1-800-CEO- BOOKS, or your local Barnes & Noble store has a corporate\/business discount program. Both books have audio CDs included right inside, plus online resources at websites provided in the books.<\/p>\n

    Second, your members (readers\/students) can get a terrific free gift collection of other recessionbusting resources of mine including three webinars, my Income Explosion Guide, two months of my No B.S. Marketing Letter, and more, all FREE at NAPMA.com\/DanKennedy. These are resources that can be of immediate and dramatic help.<\/p>\n

    It is my firm belief, based not on \u201cpositive thinking\u201d but on experience \u2014 mine and countless clients, that attending and being adversely affected by the economic storms of the moment, and likely well into or through this year, is OP- TIONAL. The antidote is: awareness, decision, resources and bold action. These two books are, I think, the timeliest I\u2019ve ever written. And, thanks for the opportunity to shamelessly push them on your coaching clients.<\/p>\n

    Stephen Oliver: Dan, any closing thoughts? Dan Kennedy: Kate Hepburn said: old age<\/p>\n

    isn\u2019t for sissies. The older I get, the more I appreciate the remark. Business success, especially in difficult economic times, isn\u2019t for sissies either. This is a time to ruthlessly hold yourself, your every process, every employee, entire business and its profits accountable. To have a zero tolerance approach to anything or anyone depressing profits.<\/p>\n

    This is also a time for new thinking, new approaches, new initiatives, and bold action. And this is a time when it is more important than ever to be cautious of toxic influences of relentlessly negative pessimists, cry-babies, complainers as well as media mouths and politicians magnifying crisis and gloom for their own purposes \u2014 and to seek out and associate in every way possible with tough-minded, creative, innovative, forwardthinking people in your field, leaders of your field, as well as qualified, credible advisors outside your specific field who keep you focused on opportunity. That\u2019s why participating in everything<\/p>\n

    you offer, Stephen, is so important at this time. Frankly, the tendency, the temptation thoughtlessly given into by so many is to cut back on that which should never be cut back on, drop out of what should never be dropped out of, to isolate. Whatever small savings comes of it, the true cost is infinitely higher. Conservation has its place, but never as substitute for investment.<\/p>\n

    Stephen Oliver: If you missed our Maximum Impact Bonus Teleconference with Dan Kennedy, then you need to make sure you visit your member Web site and listen to it in full. Either download the MP3 or listen to it online.<\/p>\n

    We are RAPIDLY expanding your Maximum Impact (and Peak Performers) websites. Make sure you visit weekly and take advantages of the growing base of resources located there, including 25 celebrity interviews now available exclusively to Maximum Impact, Peak Performers and Inner Circle members.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Would you rather be the Apple Store or Wal-Mart?<\/h2>\n

    here are those running around the industry teaching you how to be the martial arts school equivalent of Wal-Mart. Now for some that\u2019s most comfortable and, I\u2019d never claim that Wal-Mart themselves don\u2019t have a profitable business model.<\/p>\n

    However, I freely admit that I am most interested in developing \u2014 and, teaching school owners to develop the equivalent of the Apple Store rather than Wal-Mart or similar. Additionally, we are in a VERY different business from the discounters. They rely on paper-thin margins and the ability to \u201cmake it up in volume.\u201d I would argue that we rarely have that opportunity. It\u2019s either be premium or, broke. There\u2019s little in between.<\/p>\n

    Now, first let me explain. Among all retail chains in the United States Apple is #1 by a widemargin in revenue per square foot. The Apple Stores are #1 by a wide margin in retail sales per foot at: $5,626, running a distant second is Tiffany\u2019s at $2,974 per square feet. On down the list is Best Buy at $831 per square foot.<\/p>\n

    The other thing to keep in mind is that Apple across all of their products has a MUCH higher gross profit than any of their competitors:<\/p>\n

    In Mobile Phones: Obviously there are many reasons for Apple\u2019s success. Clearly you can summarize it by having a high end product with pricing far above industry norms.<\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s look at two options for your school. Very real options that I\u2019ve seen in practice with various schools that I\u2019ve evaluated.<\/p>\n

    See Option 1 chart on following page. Now at first glance which option is easier to<\/p>\n

    achieve. Which option is a better financial outcome for you? Which option is easier to manage and maintain?<\/p>\n

    Now, often when I talk with schools and recommend a price point they respond \u201cthere\u2019s no way I could charge that,\u201d or \u201cno one would pay that much.\u201d The reality is the barrier is mostly in your ability to believe the opportunity and to act upon it. The secondary challenge is that you must create a perception of value from your program.<\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s take a look at how the revenue and expense structure looks like for the Option 2 (see below):<\/p>\n

    Just to sum up this line of thinking. First, It\u2019s much easier to run a highly profitable martial arts school with \u201cpremium pricing\u201d models than with a low price model.<\/p>\n

    Second, If you are encountering too many prospective students who object to your current tuition price ask yourself two questions:<\/p>\n

    1. Are you REALLY showing the value of your program to prospective students? Review your advertising, your introductory process, the look and feel of your school, the look and feel of your staff (or, yourself) and the level of \u201cproof\u201d that you are providing for the positive outcomes of your program. 2. Are you \u201cfishing from the wrong pond.\u201d Too many schools just accept whoever walks through their door rather than actively seeking their ideal student. You are looking for students that can and will pay the tuition that you are expecting to charge and that will train with you for the long-term. Another thought, if you currently have a school<\/p>\n

    full of broke people \u2014 focus on sources OTHER THAN REFERRALS (Word of Mouth) to fill your school.<\/p>\n

    I certainly hope that you will review the value<\/p>\n

    Option 1. Wal-Mart School<\/p>\n

    Ranking to Top 20 U.S. Chains by Highest Retail Sales per Square Foot<\/p>\n

    Average Revenue Per Student:<\/p>\n

    Company Sales (000) Store Avg Size Sales\/ Sq Ft<\/p>\n

    Apple 14,199 327 7,886 5,626 Tiffany & Co. 2,984 232 4,408 2,974 Coach 3,529 723 2,790 1,820 lululemon athletes 632 138 2,877 1,233 Gamestop 9,327 6,582 1,400 1,009 Costco Wholesales 81,352 580 145,000 998 Signet Jewelers 3,417 1,857 1,927 955 Polo Ralph Lauren 2,661 3711 7,6291 904 Whole Foods Market 9,8541 308 37,900 867 Best Buy 47,925 4,186 3,899 831 Zale Jewelers 1,654 1,17322 1,71822 742 Walgreens 70,809 7,715 13,778 672 CVS Caremark 58,236 7. 266 12,206 666 Limited Brands 8,592 2,951 4,447 653 Sam\u2019s Club3 51,256 609 33,410 632 Aeropostale 2,211 1,042 3,682 595 J Crew 1,184 337 6,028 593 BJ\u2019s Wholesale 11,137 190 108,995 537 Urban Outfitters 1,782 392 8,950 532 Guess? 1,082 484 4,529 510<\/p>\n

    Option 2. Apple Store<\/p>\n

    Results include trailing 4-quarter retail sales (company-operated store, outlets, kiosks and shop-in-sop); excludes e-commerce, catalog, franchise, licensed, wholesale, memberships and financial services revenue. All store and sales per sq. dt, data is based In \u201cgross\u201d square feet. 1 \u2014 Doesn\u2019t include 553 concession shop-in-shops which range from 300 to 6,000 sq. ft. 2 \u2014 Doesn\u2019t include 673 Piercing Pagoda wgucg aver 188 sq. ft. 3 \u2014 Sam\u2019s Club is a subsidiary of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.<\/p>\n

    and quality of your martial arts program. Continually improve every element of your student experience and, the increase your tuition rates accordingly.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Lessons from Top-Performing Schools<\/h2>\n

    just returned from our fabulous Inner Circle and Peak Performers\u2019 meetings at Disney World in Orlando. We have a great team of school owners working on growing their schools and moving the industry ever higher. Between the fabulous content at their quarterly meetings and their monthly one-on-one coaching, many of these school owners are likely to double or better their revenues this year.<\/p>\n

    The lessons of the top performers, which, frankly, I\u2019ve discussed many times here and in various NAPMA and coaching materials, include:<\/p>\n

    The \u201cParthenon\u201d Principle with your marketing. Have \u201clots of stuff\u201d going on and focus on results. Most school owners just don\u2019t do enough stuff. They miss having enough different things going on to feed enough new students into their school each and every month. (Our Inner Circle members are generating 20-50 new students per month in most cases.)<\/p>\n

    What are some of the things you should be doing? Well, starting with stuff that\u2019s relatively inexpensive:<\/p>\n

    Rack cards. (300-500) Cost less than $2 per box \u2014 possibly even less than $1.<\/p>\n

    You can get the cards printed through NAP- MA\u2019s own Print on Demand Systems, and there are various suppliers that we link from your member website.<\/p>\n

    Lawn Signs, aka \u201cBandit Signs.\u201d Put these lowcost signs out on the major streets in your area \u2014 they work. They aren\u2019t going to flood your school, but, if you distribute 20-30 every week, they will work. Again, look in our online \u201cPrint on Demand\u201d options at your member site: www. NAPMA.com<\/p>\n

    Door Hangers and Flyers. These work just fine<\/p>\n

    if you distribute A LOT of them. It\u2019s got to be thousands distributed each month \u2014 preferably directly into prospects hands or, at the minimum, door to door. Big companies, such as Dominos, does great with these, and I\u2019ve enrolled 100\u2019s of students over the years from this by distributing huge numbers.<\/p>\n

    Flyer\/Ad Cards distributed through targeted, high volume retailers in your area.<\/p>\n

    Community Outreach activities: Classes taught at Local Day Care facilities with Permission Slips and extensive follow-up.<\/p>\n

    Classes taught at Summer Camps with Permission Slips and extensive follow-up.<\/p>\n

    Classes taught at Gym Classes and after-school enrichment programs with Permission Slips.<\/p>\n

    Booths set up at: Home and Garden Shows. Mall Shows Regional Fairs and Carnivals. Internal Referral Events and Activities: Birthday Parties (with permission slips and extensive follow-up)<\/p>\n

    Pizza Parties. Obviously, this list is just a start. I haven\u2019t touched on media such as television, radio, newspaper. Cold direct mail from targeted lists to \u201cmarriage mail,\u201d such as Val-Pak or Money Mailer.<\/p>\n

    The question is, are you doing 10, 15, 20 or more things EVERY month to generate new students? If not, why not? Failures sit at their desk and bemoan their financial situation. Winners get out and hustle.<\/p>\n

    Continuous Follow-up. Most schools fail to follow up consistently and frequently enough with \u201cleads\u201d \u2014 with those individuals who have shown some interest: attended a birthday party or buddy<\/p>\n

    day, registered at a fair or in a lead box, attended an introductory class that didn\u2019t enroll, etc. Just because someone doesn\u2019t enroll today does not mean that May or August isn\u2019t the right time for them. You must follow-up EXTENSIVELY. Certainly, one thing you should do is take the Kickin\u2019 Newsletter that we provide each month, personalize it a little for your school events, etc., and mail to all prospects and dropouts. This should be just one step each and every month. You should be following up with direct mail, email, telemarketing, text messaging, and broadcast voicemail. We\u2019ll teach you each piece and provide the various suppliers. See your member site at NAPMA.com.<\/p>\n

    High Value per Student. The schools that are doing the best financially look for high average student value. There are many ways to compute that. Two that I like and really pay attention to on a regular basis are these:<\/p>\n

    Total Active Student Count Divided into Total Revenue:<\/p>\n

    For example, if a school has 300 active and is grossing $45,000, that would mean that the average value would be $150. The top schools are now averaging $200-$300 average revenue per student. It\u2019s really tough to make a living with that average less than $150. You really should be targeting $200 or more.<\/p>\n

    Total Revenue Divided by Total New Enrollments.<\/p>\n

    For example, if a school averages $45,000 a month and averages 20 enrollments per month, then the average would be $2,250. This is an important number as well. Top schools can end up<\/p>\n

    in the $5,000 and up range. It dramatically affects your ability to market your school effectively. For instance, if the average student in your school spends $5,000, then you would think nothing of spending $500 to $750 to get a new student. However, if they spend on average $500, then it\u2019s tough to spend much, if anything, to generate a new student.<\/p>\n

    You improve your average student value in a variety of ways. A strong \u201cUpgrade\u201d process into Black Belt Club and Leadership is imperative. Bigger down payments and bigger monthly payments make a difference. Fixing your dropout rate is imperative. The difference between 4% per month dropping out and 2% per month dropping out is huge. Literally it\u2019s the difference between needing 10 new students and 20 new students a month to stay even at 500 students.<\/p>\n

    High Personal Expectations. In part, the difference between the winners and losers is in personal expectations. Your results are to a great extent a self-fulfilling prophesy. You become what your expect to become. If you think that this business is \u201ctough,\u201d then you make it that way. If you expect a six-figure or better income, then you rise to that occasion.<\/p>\n

    Constant Learning. To be a winner you must constantly invest in your own learning and growth. Failures are cheap about this. Winners invest more than anyone else thinks is reasonable on Mastermind events, seminars, books, CDs and DVDs, consultants, etc. Invest in yourself as your first priority.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    The 1% or the 99%?<\/h2>\n

    esterday I picked my Harley up from the local dealership. It\u2019s unfortunately been collecting dust sitting in my garage for most of the past 12 months. After a replaced tire, new brakes, a complete service and, installation of a \u201ctrickle charger\u201d much needed I jumped on and was heading to Evergreen.<\/p>\n

    While sitting at a light I noticed a big oval sticker on a beat-up Suburu. It stated simply \u201c99%.\u201d For the next few minutes it caught my attention and with the wind in my hair, well actually the wind on my full-face helmet, eye shield and sun glasses\u2026. But anyway I thought about having that sticker on my car and the mindset that goes with it. Not, don\u2019t get offended\u2026I know that many very good people are on salary, earn hourly wages, or pursue careers without really planning on great financial rewards. That certainly includes police, firefighters, school teachers and many others.<\/p>\n

    However, as I pondered it I was reminded of about 50 school owners that I\u2019ve talked to in the past six months who have convinced themselves of their own PERMANENT and IRREVERS- ABLE failure. Many are a negative reflection of the old Henry Ford quote \u201cWhether you think you can, or you think you can\u2019t, you\u2019re right.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Back to the 1%-99% debate. Many of the school owner\u2019s who have mediocre results \u2014 not those who are abject failures \u2014 but, those who achieve far less than possible \u2014 I find almost universally they suffer from \u201climited expectations.\u201d Expectations of always being in the 99%, expectations of choosing a mediocre income or lifestyle by virtue of pursuing Martial Arts as a career or, in reflection to the incomes of their friends, family, or fellow school owner\u2019s.<\/p>\n

    What\u2019s the threshold to be in the 1% of income<\/p>\n

    earners in the United States? Well, it fluctuates a little year to year but it\u2019s around $350,000 a year (or, around $30,000 in Net Personal Income per month.)<\/p>\n

    As an aside, I\u2019ll freely admit that I have a different perspective than most any school owner. Since I was 20 I\u2019ve been fortunate to be surrounded almost exclusively with the top 1% of our industry. Early on my immediate peers didn\u2019t necessarily fit that category but, I was in close proximity to Jhoon Rhee, Jeff Smith, and Nick Cokinos. Then with school owners such as Bill Clark. By my early 20\u2019s my immediate peers, while usually school owner\u2019s financially behind where I was, were in the top 1%. Since I\u2019ve made a conscious effort to surround myself with friends and peers who only fit in that category. I\u2019ve also made a conscious effort to work with school owners to move them into the top 20% ($90,000 or $7,500 a month,) then the top 5% ($165,000 or $13,750 a month) then to the top 1% ($350,000 or $30,000 a month.) What do you need to do to be a top 1% school owner?<\/p>\n

    Well, with a single school usually it looks something like this:<\/p>\n

    Monthly Breakdown: Students: 300 Monthly Revenue Per Student: $200 Gross: (300 X $200) $60,000 Rent: $5,000 Payroll: $12,000 Marketing: $9,000 Other: $4,000 Net Income: $30,000 You could get to $200 Average revenue per student with numbers such as:<\/p>\n

    Enrollment.<\/p>\n

    12 months. $279 to Enroll $179 Per month X 11 Renewal: Black Belt Club: $479 to Enroll, $279 Per Month X 36 or, Leadership Program: $679 to Enroll, $379 Per Month X 36 Average Monthly ATTRITION (Drop-Outs:) 3% Average New Enrollments to Stay at 300 Active: 10 Now these numbers aren\u2019t written in stone. You could have 20 enrollments per month with 6% attrition to be at 300 active. The overall revenue per student will vary with a couple of things. A HUGE variable is your renewal conversion rate the higher \u2014 obviously the better.<\/p>\n

    Next, certainly Pre-Paid enrollments and renewals positively impact your overall gross revenue in reverse proportion to your attrition rate. The higher your dropout rate the more impact pre-paid tuitions have. The exception to that generalization is that fact that obviously a pre-paid program has an advantage of keeping students training at times. If they hit a \u201croad-bump\u201d in their finances. If the program is pre-paid they don\u2019t consider dropping out of lessons to make their budge work.<\/p>\n

    But, back to the overall conversation. One reason that Americans really don\u2019t respond well to the \u201cTax the Rich\u201d argument is that underneath it all we hope to end up in that category. In fact it\u2019s shown that at any time 50% or more of those who fit in that category are NEW to the top 1% moving from lower or MUCH lower income levels. There continues to be tremendous income mobility in the U.S. and in much of the developed world. The current \u201cBuffet Rule\u201d argument really isn\u2019t about \u201ctaxing the rich\u201d at all. It\u2019s misleadingly about \u201ccapital gains\u201d tax rates.<\/p>\n

    If you don\u2019t follow the current argument, it\u2019s about whether Capital Gains should be taxed as normal income. The reality is that it\u2019s about money that was taxed at the personal rate when earned (often a the highest possible rate) then SAVED. Saved either by putting it into savings, into real estate, or more often into private or public investments in companies. That can be through Bonds (loans) or Stocks (Equity.) Then once a gain (or, loss) is realized the gain on that money is then taxed. Historically taxed at a lower rate that \u201cEarned Income\u201d to encourage investment in companies or real estate. Those investments (savings) are necessary to keep the economy growing.<\/p>\n

    That\u2019s an aside from this conversation. Question 1. How are your expectations about what\u2019s possible in the Martial Arts Industry? Is it possible to earn $30,000 or more net through running a single or multi-school martial arts school operation? Yes, absolutely. I\u2019ve done it for close to 30 years. I\u2019ve been surrounded by mentors, peers, and friends at that level for 33 years. If you don\u2019t believe it, you\u2019re missing the evidence and frankly hanging out with the wrong people.<\/p>\n

    Question 2. Do you REALLY want to be financially successful? Often this is an issue of can you achieve high levels without losing what you love about the art and without working 100 hours per week. It\u2019s certainly possible however, it\u2019s not possible without personal motivation and a strong work-ethic.<\/p>\n

    Question 3. Do you set yearly, quarterly, and monthly goals for yourself. Before you hit the next threshold do you set a new higher bar for yourself? If you currently make $5,000 a month personally $30,000 or $50,000 may seem completely out of reach and out of sight.<\/p>\n

    You always want to set goals that are \u201cjust out of reach but not out of sight.\u201d Just make sure you don\u2019t hit a point where you become \u201ccomfortable.\u201d Unfortunately, there\u2019s no such thing as a \u201cPla-<\/p>\n

    teau.\u201d It goes back to Ray Kroc\u2019s favorite quote: \u201cIf you\u2019re green you\u2019re growing, as soon as you are ripe you start to rot.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Unfortunately I\u2019ve seen many school owner\u2019s who\u2019s growth resembles a \u201cBell-Curve\u201d they grow at a rapid pace. Exceed their personal ex-<\/p>\n

    pectations. Plateau for awhile, then fall apart. It\u2019s incredibly easy to \u201cshoot yourself in the foot\u201d by assuming that you\u2019ve \u201cmade it\u201d and not seeing the next peak to climb.<\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s make you VERY successful this year!<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    The Inner Circle and Peak Performers Invade West Point<\/h2>\n

    just came back from our incredible Peak Performers and Inner Circle meetings at West Point. Our setting was in the historic Thayer Hotel that sits on the grounds of the United States Military Academy at West Point. We were overlooking the majestic Hudson River. The University is actually located at the point on the Hudson that became a strategic choke-point against the British army during the revolutionary war, our meeting room overlooked that area of the Hudson made famous in part by Benedict Arnold \u2014 Hero turned Traitor at that spot in time and place.<\/p>\n

    Our meetings obviously were inspired not only by the excellence of that institution \u2014 but also by the excellence of our many Inner Circle members hitting new personal records (and, in many cases new Industry Records) and the Peak Performers hitting new records in the chase to move to the Inner Circle team ($500,000 and up single schools and Multi-Million Dollar Multi-School Chains.)<\/p>\n

    Clearly, the lessons of West Point include \u201cInternal Locus of Control,\u201d taking 100% personal responsibility for your outcomes with no excuses allowed. One of the early lessons of a Cadet include is that are only three allowable responses to any question: \u201cYes Sir,\u201d \u201cNo Sir,\u201d \u201cNo Excuses, Sir,\u201d or, \u201cI Don\u2019t Understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

    There\u2019s never an opportunity to blame your classmate or teacher for a failure to perform on your part. It\u2019s an important lesson that 99% of the world has never learned. The top 1% know that their outcomes are 100% their responsibility, no matter what roadblocks, challenges, or interferences lie in the way.<\/p>\n

    Another lesson in general terms is just the requirement for EXCELLENCE in everything. Raising your game in everything from timeliness to your personal appearance. On that note, I\u2019d like to point out another recent observation about the world in general and our industry in specific.<\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s talk about this first as \u201cTime Integrity.\u201d I\u2019ve noticed that those struggling the most have the hardest time showing up on time to anything.<\/p>\n

    There may be notable exceptions visible in our culture. I\u2019m told Bill Clinton, Sean Parker (Napster, Facebook) and Axel Rose were never on time to anything. But, generally, if you can\u2019t show up for appointments on time, whether with someone else or with yourself \u2014 it\u2019s hard to believe that you\u2019ll be on top of many other \u201cdetails\u201d either. In the context of business meetings, or new student introductory classes, being 5 minutes, 10 minutes or more late is a clear sign of disrespect for the other person\u2019s time.<\/p>\n

    For myself, I only do face-to-face meetings or telephone conversations by appointment. I don\u2019t use voicemail and don\u2019t play phone tag. I have someone else (or, from time to time fax, text or email) set up appointments for me for a fixed length of time. I expect to be prepared and expect the other person to be prepared. For phone appointments, if the other person is more than five minutes late I consider them a no-show and go on to something else.<\/p>\n

    In the context of \u201cCoaching,\u201d our policy is that if you let us know 48 hours or more ahead of time that you\u2019re not going to be able to make it, then we\u2019ll reschedule. We don\u2019t reschedule if you\u2019re a no-show without notice.<\/p>\n

    This may seem to some like a trivial point, however, I guarantee the staff and cadets at West Point would disagree. At West Point, being ontime is always is a VERY Big Deal. Another key to this concept is what I\u2019ll call \u201cMoral Authority.\u201d The underpinnings are simple, the results stark. We\u2019ve all heard that children or students do not so much become what they are taught through words, but what they are taught through observation. The same is true of your staff.<\/p>\n

    If you expect them to start classes on-time and end them on time. To show up for private lessons. To be there for introductory classes and start them on-time. To not leave students standing at a locked door waiting for their perpetually late teacher. Then you accomplish that through first having the moral authority to hold them accountable.<\/p>\n

    What do I mean by that? Well, if you schedule meetings with your staff, either one-on-one or as a group, and are perpetually late, then you look like (and are) a hypocrite when complaining about or punishing your staff for being late. No matter what you say or what rewards or punishments you hand out, they\u2019ll be no better than you are at any behavior. The boss can\u2019t be sloppy and expect and sharp staff. Unfortunately, the converse doesn\u2019t always work. You can model the best behavior, but that doesn\u2019t insure that your staff will rise to the occasion.<\/p>\n

    Continuous training, unexpected rewards, occasional punishments and better screening preemployment are all necessary to have the correct behavior from your staff.<\/p>\n

    And, with younger staff, unfortunately they\u2019ve rarely been exposed to a quality work environment, and therefore don\u2019t know really what should be expected of them. If anything they\u2019ve been imbued with laziness and sloppiness. You have to spend extensive time training them to be excellent.<\/p>\n

    For my own operation for 25 years we had the \u201cdrink policy\u201d for meetings.<\/p>\n

    If you were late for the start of the meeting \u2014 and, late included 30 seconds late \u2014 a list was waiting for you of what all the participants wanted to drink. Most recently it was the Starbucks list \u2014 really added up. Later, we added the Branch Manager and No-Show policy which was, Branch Managers when late, bought lunch. No-Shows, regardless of position, bought lunch (via payroll deduction). I always figured that if they couldn\u2019t be on time for a meeting with the boss, how could I possibly be comfortable that they would show up on time for classes or other appointments.<\/p>\n

    For myself, I was only late once in 25 years. Turned out to be for an Intramural Tournament with about 750 participants. Everything was running like clockwork without me \u2014 but, my policy, my responsibility. As owner\/head honcho I could easily have ignored the policy or made an excuse. Instead, I spent $500-plus on Pizza Delivery for all staff and volunteers and made a BIG DEAL about falling subject to my own policy.<\/p>\n

    It bought credibility and compliance for years after that and ensured that no one was going to brand me a \u2018hypocrite\u201d for exempting myself (something our politicians really should learn).<\/p>\n

    An article from the Harvard Business Review that I just sent to our Peak Performers and Inner Circle members are the \u201cThe Real Leadership Lessons of Steve Jobs.\u201d A somewhat hippie-ish college dropout and the graduates from West Point may seem at polar opposites \u2014 but, I bet there are more internal operational similarities than differences. In fact, the many stories about Apple could be of the Delta Force headquarters or other Top Level military operation. The vigorousness of controls and the excellence expected are no different.<\/p>\n

    The bullet points from the author are:<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Focus \u2022 Simplify \u2022 Take Responsibility End to End<\/p>\n

    \u2022 When Behind Leapfrog \u2022 Put Product before Profits \u2022 Don\u2019t be a slave to Focus Groups \u2022 Bend Reality \u2022 Impute \u2022 Push for Perfection \u2022 Tolerate only \u201cA\u201d Players \u2022 Engage Face to Face \u2022 Know Both the Big Picture and the Details \u2022 Combine the Humanities and the Sciences \u2022 Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish From the book Inside Apple, there\u2019s discussion about how at Apple \u2014 unlike most big companies \u2014 for each task or project there\u2019s always a Person In Charge. Someone who ultimately bears the responsibility or the blame for each task and each project. Someone who for all the world to see is in charge of having the outcome tasked with no excuses.<\/p>\n

    Another article I read and shared with Peak Performers and Inner Circle discussed how Jobs, when CEO, would meet with each and every new Vice President. He\u2019d tell them a story that was more or less this. He\u2019d say that on the way from janitor to CEO there\u2019s a point where excuses don\u2019t count. Results are all that matter. If the janitor doesn\u2019t clean my office for a few days and is asked why, it\u2019s okay if he says the locks were changed and no one gave me the new key. Along the way there comes a time when excuses are irrelevant. Where reasons are irrelevant. Where results are all that matter. That point is at your position \u2014 at Vice President \u2014 you no longer have the option of having anyone care about the reason that our task didn\u2019t get accomplished. There\u2019s only results.<\/p>\n

    Sound\u2019s an awful lot like \u201cYes, Sir,\u201d \u201cNo, Sir\u201d, \u201cNo Excuses, Sir.\u201d Doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

    I\u2019d recommend a quick read \u2014 the new book by Colin Powell It Worked for Me. In it his checklist<\/p>\n

    for a new assistant sounds incredibly similar to the Steve Jobs discussion with new Vice Presidents of Apple. He also tells a humorous story about \u201ctime integrity\u201d at the White House. About personally being locked out of a Cabinet Meeting when he, as Secretary of State, was running late after taking an emergency phone call. He talked with glee about Karl Rove being occasionally locked out of meetings \u2014 having not been present at the designated start time. Sounds a lot like my drink policy.<\/p>\n

    Something clear from our Inner Circle members (and, my Mile High Karate Franchisees) is that the top schools have now started to Master the Marketing Skills that I\u2019ve been teaching. Many can open the flow of new students as easily as a water faucet \u2014 flooding themselves with new students if they wish, or slowing down the flow to work on sales and operational systems.<\/p>\n

    One idea is something I did very successfully many years ago was discussed at the AMS Convention as E-Cards (or Enrollment Cards). It\u2019s the concept of basically creating a \u201cVIP\u201d pass that can be sold by individuals and organizations. They keep the money, you get an intro. I\u2019ve used this as what I call our \u201cChildren\u2019s Hospital\u201d flyers (Tim Kovar used as their \u201cTeen Center\u201d fundraiser). It\u2019s a $49 or $29 certificate good for five weeks of lessons, a uniform, a semi-private class and a private personal evaluation with the instructor (or some similar bundle \u2014 free CD, DVD, Bag Gloves, Jump Rope, Tee-Shirt, whatever).<\/p>\n

    In 1999, I used the idea as a $9.97 donation to Chuck Norris\u2019s Kick Drugs out of America. With packages of passes bundled like raffle tickets (these can be printed incredibly inexpensively). AMS\u2019s version is a $10.70 certificate that students are allowed to sell as a summer job or as a fundraiser for their demo team or other internal group.<\/p>\n

    The concept WORKS fabulously. One of our Inner Circle Members sold 150 in January and had a 400% increase in one location just from that con-<\/p>\n

    cept (along with me fixing his tuition structure).<\/p>\n

    Anyway. Coming up next is the Ultimate Martial Arts Marketing Boot Camp. Having an adequate number of new students is essential to your financial success. At each stage, figuring how to automate. How to move from labor to buying media. Moving from doing it yourself to getting your staff training and capable are all key issues. At the Ultimate Martial Arts Marketing Boot Camp we have ONE Key Objective.<\/p>\n

    To create the Marketing Plan that will add 100 Active Paying Enrolled Students to each school in September\/October.<\/p>\n

    To have the marketing plan to not only make a huge jump for early fall, but to be able to do that over and over again.<\/p>\n

    Your other choice is to register for the boot camp alone. The registration is $4,997, although there are early registration and member discounts \u2014 learn more (www.MartialArtsBootcamp.com) The Boot Camp is a \u201cCan\u2019t Miss Experience.\u201d I haven\u2019t done one for several years \u2014 this one will be a complete update with what\u2019s working RIGHT NOW.<\/p>\n

    was on my way to the airport last Thursday. Somehow I had ended up with a \u201ccrack of dawn\u201d flight from Denver to D.C. National Airport. I was headed to D.C. to fulfill a promised day of consulting with Carol Middleton at Krav Maga DC.<\/p>\n

    Anyway, it was an up at 4 a.m. and leave for the airport at 5 a.m. for a 7 a.m. flight type of day \u2014 keeping in mind that I\u2019m REALLY not a morning person, and, frankly, had stayed up until 1 or 1:30 a.m. reading, so I was \u201con fumes.\u201d Along I-70 in my 911 Turbo, I decided to check my rearview mirror, and, there with lights spinning, was one of \u201cDenver\u2019s Finest\u201d trying to get my attention.<\/p>\n

    Sure enough as I checked my speed \u2014 I was doing 20 mph-plus over the limit. It was 76 or 77 in a 55.<\/p>\n

    What happened next? Well, before I go there, I was reminded of a conversation many years ago. I was on my way to an outdoor concert in Aspen with my friend Howie. We were in my new Mercedes 560 SEC, and somehow ended up in a discussion about cars, clothes, watches and other \u201csocial indicators.\u201d I was proud of my new car; he was moderately disinterested.<\/p>\n

    Howie was a good friend who just happened to also be a Kung Fu Master Instructor and student of Chinese Medicine, Lion Dances. He was a non-materialistic type of guy (at least where martial arts were concerned) who taught all of his Kung-Fu classes for free. He was totally not interested in any and all possible martial arts school sales and marketing advice that I might share. Which means at alternative turns he was a great one for me to hang out with recreationally while occasionally exasperating.<\/p>\n

    Anyway, I was explaining a study that I had seen that drivers of luxury cars were sort of a \u201cdress-for-success\u201d for surviving in traffic. The study said that Mercedes-Benz drivers received deference in traffic. That other drivers were less likely to honk at luxury vehicles. They\u2019re more likely to allow the drivers into traffic. And, generally, that luxury car drivers receive deference in many situations.<\/p>\n

    Howie, argued the opposite point. That either he didn\u2019t believe it to be true, or, that if true, shouldn\u2019t be true. Rather undiplomatically I argued that \u201cshould\u201d doesn\u2019t have much to do with the real world. Ultimately, to prove my point, when we arrived I pulled up to the person directing traffic. There was a big sign saying \u201cparking full, do not enter\u201d who was directing all traffic in the opposite direction. I said something to the effect of \u201cwe\u2019re going up there\u201d pointing past the sign. He quickly moved the sign and said, \u201cyes, sir.\u201d While Howie was shaking his head, I pulled up to the front entrance and parked within 15 feet of the entrance rather than a mile a way.<\/p>\n

    Anyway, back to being pulled over in my Porsche.<\/p>\n

    The nice police officer knocked on my window and said something to the effect of \u201cnice car, but can you please hold it down a little?\u201d Then waved me on. Now, I have two cars that I drive semiregularly in addition to my Harley (which I rarely ride.) I have the Volvo XC-90 \u201cSoccer Mom Mobile\u201d that holds five kids and two adults in a pinch and the Porsche 911 Turbo.<\/p>\n

    Those who know me are clear that I have rather a \u201cLead Foot.\u201d I can share a LONG list of stories about speeding past police officers in the Porsche, only to have them wave, and occasionally suggest<\/p>\n

    with a smile that I should slow down. However, in the Volvo, any time I\u2019m going even a little over the speed limit I get pulled over.<\/p>\n

    There\u2019s a similar story in Chuck Norris\u2019s bio. He talks about being broke and being ticketed repeatedly in his beat-up old Chevy. Then, years later, being stopped in his Mercedes and being waved on with only a \u201cslow it down, OK, Chuck?\u201d Sure, it helps to be famous, but, the story likely would be similar for most people.<\/p>\n

    Really, like it or not, \u201cSocial Indicators\u201d are real. What you wear. What you drive. How you carry yourself all have an impact on how people react with you. In most cases you\u2019re treated better when you drive up in a Mercedes, wearing<\/p>\n

    Don\u2019t over-do this simple point. It\u2019s one thing to look successful and well groomed. Quite another to look like the newest RAP star. In our environment, as I stated in the last newsletter, conservative in appearance is always better (successful, but conservative.)<\/p>\n

    Anyway, I made my flight and had a great time in Washington, D.C. I spent Thursday night and Friday during the day with Carol and Al and with their staff. I\u2019m sure that we covered enough ground to add $1,000,000 to their school if they implement aggressively. Just in the next 90 days they should do an extra $120,000 or more. Mostly we worked on moving the Krav School from a \u201cfitness center\u201d format to a real education environment. Sincerely, there\u2019s little difference in structure between Adult Men training in MMA, BJJ, Muay Thai, or Krav, and Adult Women in Cardio Kickboxing, and typical kid\u2019s programs in the macro structure and business opportunities.<\/p>\n

    Next, I spent some time at our Mile High Karate training center run by Chief Operations Officer Jeff Smith. He and I then attended a Jhoon Rhee Institute 50th Anniversary Celebration. It was a gathering of former World Champions, including Charlie Lee, John Chung, Helen Chung,<\/p>\n

    Jeff Smith and Gordon Franks, as well as former national champions, including Michael Coles and Larry Carnahan. I started with the Jhoon Rhee Institute 43 years ago.<\/p>\n

    Jeff was the most senior person in the room (other than Jhoon Rhee himself) who started training with \u201cJRI\u201d 47 years ago. The tables were ordered in a non-too-politically correct way. Old Farts in the front two rows \u2014 Charlie Lee and I who both began training in 1969 were in the second row, only preempted by the Rhee Family (none of whom were born when Charlie and I started lessons in 1969).<\/p>\n

    It was followed by the finals show for Dennis Brown\u2019s Capital Classics where Dennis recognized Jhoon Rhee and all of us there for the event. Dennis, as always, ran a fantastic event. I\u2019m continually amazed at the increasing quality of competition. The 14- to 17-year-olds especially are \u201coff the charts\u201d in forms, musical forms, weapons and demonstration teams. I had a friendly argument with Joe Corley: he continually laments the \u201cgood old days\u201d of fighting. I reminded him that \u201cThe Good Old Days, Never Were.\u201d Raymond Daniels and gang would run circles around Chuck Norris, Pat Burleson or Joe Lewis from the 1960\u2019s. Now, I\u2019m sure those guys would have \u201crisen to the occasion,\u201d but as in anything else the arts have moved forward at light speed.<\/p>\n

    Joe followed with his usual admonition that I should promote a national tournament again. I followed with my usual: \u201cwhen hell freezes over.\u201d The NASKA Circuit continues to improve, an, the promoters really are unsung heros. They do a heroic job for trivial compensation.<\/p>\n

    Continue a fine martial arts tradition\u2026 . Let\u2019s see if you can guess? Porsche 911, Red Mercedes SL, Gold Rolls Royce Corniche. What well-known martial artist drove (in that order) those three cars?<\/p>\n

    Do you know?<\/p>\n

    Well, for those \u201cAnti-Materialistic\u201d JKD Community Types \u2014 the answer is none other than Bruce Lee. Actually, I misstated a little. While in LA he purchased a Porsche. When he moved to Hong Kong he purchased a used Red Mercedes SL. And, when he signed the contract for \u201cEnter the Dragon,\u201d he ordered both a Gold Rolls Royce that didn\u2019t get delivered until after his untimely death, and he sent a letter to Steve McQueen gloating that he was paid more for \u201cEnter the Dragon\u201d that McQueen\u2019s check for his latest movie. (McQueen responded by sending an autographed photo signed \u201cto my biggest fan.\u201d)<\/p>\n

    There\u2019s a great story that I heard on YouTube with Pat Johnson, and I believe also read in the Steve McQueen Biography, of Bruce Lee considering buying a Porsche. One version of the story is that he asked McQueen about buying a Porsche like his, McQueen offered to take Bruce for a \u201ctest ride\u201d through Mulholland Drive. Now, for a little back story if you don\u2019t know\u2026Steve McQueen studied martial arts seriously with both Bruce Lee and then through referral from Bruce, with Chuck Norris when Bruce moved to Hong Kong. He also had in his background EXTENSIVE experience as a legitimate race car driver.<\/p>\n

    That having been said, apparently the test drive that McQueen gave Bruce mostly consisted of Bruce curled up in a ball under the dash of the passenger seat threatening to beat McQueen if he didn\u2019t stop. McQueen obviously did a full-out high-speed run in the Porsche that Bruce Lee apparently didn\u2019t appreciate, although he did turn around and buy a Porsche.<\/p>\n

    The next part of the story is, I\u2019ve been delighted to have Jhoon Rhee hanging on for dear life many times screaming \u201cYou Drive Like Bruce Lee\u201d in the mountains around Evergreen, Colorado, in my various 911\u2019s over the years. Apparently, Bruce had returned the favor from McQueen by terrorizing, among others, Jhoon Rhee, in his Porsche around LA.<\/p>\n

    Strangely, many martial artists are adamant about not being \u201cMaterialistic\u201d and even STILL rail against \u201cCommercialism.\u201d I used to have a collection of every Black Belt Magazine and Karate Illustrated along with some others from around 1960 to 1975. As I look through many of those old magazines it becomes pretty obvious. The martial artists who railed against \u201ccommercialism\u201d mostly are names lost in the sands of time. The reviled martial artists gleefully expanding commercial schools or pursuing martial arts as a professional career are the LEGENDS of the industry now. Certainly names such as Chuck Norris, Bruce Lee, Jhoon Rhee, Ed Parker and others fit into that category.<\/p>\n

    I was recently talking with a Jeet Kune Do Instructor who\u2019s worked with me on building his business. He lamented how behind the JKD community seemed to be and even admitted to resisting running his school in a way to earn a substantial income. He was shocked as he read Jhoon Rhee\u2019s book Bruce Lee and I, which include a series of letters between Jhoon Rhee and Bruce Lee. The conversations often centered around how to get more students, what advertising Chuck Norris or other successful school owners were using, and other ways of marketing the martial arts business.<\/p>\n

    Clearly, Bruce Lee, that paragon of Martial Arts, (and, the person who still outsells anyone else on the cover of Black Belt Magazine 40 years after his death), was very interested in becoming a millionaire through martial arts. As an Instructor he was charging as much a $1,000 an hour (in the 1960\u2019s) for teaching privately in his back yard (or, on the set for McQueen and others.)<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve been proud to carry on Bruce Lee\u2019s tradition with now, my third 911, but much more importantly, as an avid proponent of spreading the message of martial arts throughout the world. If you focus on that old quote by Zig Ziglar, \u201cYou can have anything in life you want, if you help enough<\/p>\n

    other people get what they want,\u201d you\u2019ll be both rich and wealthy. The satisfaction that I derive by the life-changing impact that we have for your students FAR outweighs any and all financial considerations \u2014 but, as the late Steve Covey was fond of saying, \u201cNo Margin, No Mission.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The money must follow from numbers of students and quality of service or it\u2019s impossible to continue spreading the art and positively impact our communities. You pursue increasingly higher levels of service to your students then expanding your student body \u2014 money follows it doesn\u2019t lead.<\/p>\n

    Expect No Gratitude and You\u2019ll Never Be Disappointed<\/p>\n

    I got the latest MA Success in the mail today and enjoyed reading the cover story on a former employee of mine who\u2019s running a school that he bought from me. He was a student of Don Southerton, and then an employee of Don\u2019s. After Don moved to Denver to work with me, he followed and worked directly for me as an instructor, then eventually as a branch manager.<\/p>\n

    Anyway, back to the article. In the article there\u2019s a section entitled \u201cTurn Recruitment Into a Science.\u201d In it it\u2019s made to sound as if he and his staff searched high and low for a marketing system that would work \u2014 trying fairs, carnivals and other things until he had a personal realization that working with local elementary schools was a great feeder program. In reality, when he moved to Denver, I had more introductory traffic than any school that I\u2019ve seen before or since. I\u2019d personally stepped in to run one of my branches and<\/p>\n

    relaunch an after-school enrichment program that I had first created back in the late 1980\u2019s as a hybrid of something that I had put together merged with an idea that we had put together.<\/p>\n

    Pretty much the first month that he had moved out to Denver I was literally \u201cDrinking from a Firehose.\u201d It was in the first couple of months that I was hitting months where I was doing numbers like 36 enrollments in one day (on regular oneyear contracts), and 76 enrollments in a month. That location had exploded from about 100 active to 350-plus in about 9 months. Frankly, I was exhausted, but clearly the new program and process had been proven to work.<\/p>\n

    In that article it describes his school as $1,500,000 per year, with 600 active and 21,000 square feet.<\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s do a little analysis on those numbers. Let\u2019s say first that it translates into $120,000 gross per month with 600 active. If those numbers are accurate then it means an average of $200 per month per student. That\u2019s about right, as he\u2019s modeled the pricing structure that I set up many years ago and have continued to tweak. For our Inner Circle and Peak Performers we want a MINIMUM of $200 average revenue per student, per month. Frankly, I\u2019d like to get most of them to $300 per month \u2014 I\u2019m still working on that one.<\/p>\n

    The next part is the 21,000 square feet. Now, I\u2018m not sure exactly what he\u2019s paying now for that space, which was formerly a \u201cSound Track\u201d store. Rents in that area are running around $12- $14 per square foot. The real estate listing says that the NNN\u2019s run $4.17 per foot. So, to multiply it out, that\u2019s maybe $16 per square foot in rent, times 21,000 square feet. Therefore, around $335,000 per year, or $28,000 per month. Probably add to that $2,000-plus in utility bills and you have a fixed facility overhead of around $30,000 a month. That puts the rent at around 25% of gross.<\/p>\n

    That\u2019s about 10% higher than I\u2019d like to see it \u2014 or, $12,000 more than I\u2019d recommend.<\/p>\n

    Looking at facilities in a different way, Tim Kovar and I came up with a number years ago \u2014 actually I think Tim came up with the number, I\u2019m not sure. Anyway, it\u2019s seven square feet per active student. With the above numbers that would translate into 4,200 square feet. At the same rental rates that ends up at $5,600 per month plus maybe $400 in utilities. Therefore, $6,000 rather than $30,000. Or, a $24,000 a month or $288,000 per year difference (all of which would go directly to net profit).<\/p>\n

    Now, my numbers may not be exactly right, but they are pretty close. Some may think that\u2019s too little square footage, but I think it\u2019s about right 4,500 to 5,000 would be about right. Many years ago one of my schools was about 2,500 square feet with around 600 active. That\u2019s definitely \u201ctoo tight\u201d, but any time I\u2019ve gone much over that seven square foot ratio, the net plummeted. Just remember: \u201cBigger ISN\u2019T Always Better.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The Kovar\u2019s at one time had a 13,000-foot school in Sacramento. I recall Tim referring to their monthly marketing efforts as \u201cFeeding the Beast.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Be careful what you wish for \u2014 you may get it! As a final note. It\u2019s been a rough couple of months. Another close friend and Martial Artist passed recently. Terry Bryan, who\u2019s been a friend since the early 1980\u2019s when I helped him model what I\u2019d accomplished in Denver in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was a high-ranking leader among Traditional Okinawan Martial Arts, and recently had moved towards coaching and consulting on real estate investments. If you\u2019ve attended any of our big live events, Terry was often featured as a speaker, and, in reality, was a HUGE support<\/p>\n

    on the behind the scenes operations.<\/p>\n

    I attended Terry Bryan\u2019s funeral in San Antonio. I was happy to see also Shawn Harvey and Penny Pitassi along with many of Terry\u2019s former and current students there for the funeral. Terry, as you may know, had been fighting cancer for years. In the past 12 months he\u2019d been fighting diligently a losing battle. He\u2019ll be remembered by many. We\u2019ll be happy to feature an \u201cAttitude of Gratitude\u201d article in Mastering the Martial Arts Business magazine this fall written by adopted student Penny Pitassi.<\/p>\n

    As a personal note, I used to be someone who avoided any and all funerals with the excuse that my friend\/family member was gone. A book that I studied that had an impact was the leadership book by Rudy Guiliani. In it he had a chapter entitled: \u201cWeddings Optional, Funerals Mandatory.\u201d That had a positive impact on my thinking, and I\u2019d never trade the opportunity to have been there for Steve and Terry\u2019s friends and family in a time of their (and, my) grief.<\/p>\n

    A call out to you? We are looking for additional subjects for our \u201cAttitude of Gratitude\u201d columns by students with a personal story to share. If you\u2019ve experienced a mentorship relationship with one of the key leaders in the industry, living or passed, we\u2019d welcome your contribution. See past features for format and tone.<\/p>\n

    To Close: Humbly, I\u2019d suggest that you review a couple of valuable books. One would be my Everything I Wish I Knew When I Was 22 book, available free on your member website. The other would be the success classic: Think and Grow Rich.<\/p>\n

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    \u201cAdding 100 Students\u00aein 6 Weeks\u201d?<\/h2>\n

    hat was the theme of the Ultimate Martial Arts Marketing Bootcamp just held in Golden, Colorado. Each participant certainly left with a marketing plan good for at least that many new students for Backto-School.<\/p>\n

    The Question is not about the plan \u2014 I gave them the \u201cStrategy,\u201d i.e., Big picture overview and the \u201cTactics\u201d \u2014 specifically what to do first, second, third. There\u2019s no question that they all have a plan good for 100 or more new students QUICK. The BIG unanswered question is whether they will be timid, or whether they will EXECUTE. The Ultimate Secret to success is that you must have THREE components: An understanding of Strategy, a clear step-by-step plan (the Tactics), and must JUST GO DO IT. Many don\u2019t just \u201cdo it\u201d because of a lack of training or the lack of a detailed plan. However, everyone at the Bootcamp left with both completely under control.<\/p>\n

    Some feedback from the event:<\/p>\n

    These are MUST attend events. I get to hit a \u201creset\u201d button. This means: I get to see where I\u2019m at objectively \u2026 away from the business, \u201csee\u201d my industry\u2019s potential both in service to the students and the bottom line, and get guidance to move in that direction. All this in a fun and exciting environment!!<\/p>\n

    For those NAPMA members that didn\u2019t attend the Marketing Boot Camp, you missed out on 5 things:<\/p>\n

    1) What marketing works in our industry (and the effectiveness we expect),<\/p>\n

    2) An AWESOME (overwhelming) explanation on Internet Marketing and the tools available,<\/p>\n

    3) A Marketing Plan (ACTION STEPS \u2014 no excuses) to do in the next 90 days for 100 students, 4) Networking (mastermind principle) with the top tier martial arts school owners (Top 5% \u2014 highest grossing), and<\/p>\n

    5) Learning from Master Oliver (the MASTER at marketing schools \u2014 consistently proving his methodology WORKS!). On a side note, we had a chance to meet with all the other school owners at Master Oliver\u2019s house.<\/p>\n

    For those driving your numbers to qualify for the Inner Circle, you missed a chance to problem solve any issues\/ challenges and make them OPPOR- TUNITIES (some topics covered staff training\/development, compensation, multiple location issues, software, billing companies, adult introductory\u2026and MORE) with the top performers in the industry (mastermind principle). Then, Master Oliver would give his opinion and recommendation based on his experience. Additional BONUS! Master Milroy and Master Smith also included their wealth of knowledge the last day to make this a truly MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE! P.S. Master Smith\u2019s Saturday morning workout gave us a WEALTH of knowledge in the Colorado air!! Don\u2019t miss the next one\u2026 CUSTOMER SERVICE through the eyes of DISNEY!!<\/p>\n

    Geoffrey A. Cielo, King Tiger Martial Arts, Inc., www.kingtigermartialarts. comm Virginia Beach, Virginia<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve come to several of Stephen Oliver\u2019s Marketing Bootcamps over the years and this one was as valuable as ever. Some people think these are all about how you can pocket tons more money from your school, and there\u2019s no question you can do so if that\u2019s your aim. But the reason I keep coming back is I always find ways to create more value for my students. I learn new ways to improve the quality of my curriculum and programs, which in turn improves my students\u2019 training experience and helps keep them more motivated and successful as martial artists. And when my students are more successful, my school is naturally more successful.<\/p>\n

    Time and money well spent for any school owner who doesn\u2019t mind working hard for the benefit of his or her students, but wants to know how to also work smart.<\/p>\n

    Eric Sbarge, Peaceful Dragon, www.thepeacefuldragon.com<\/p>\n

    This was an awesome event. It was great to be in a room with the top school owners sharing ideas and expanding my perception of what my school\u2019s potential is. I left with a solid marketing plan for<\/p>\n

    my \u2018Back to School Season\u2019, that I am confident will get me 100 new members. I also left with a bunch of new friends that are some of the most successful school owners in the country that I have heard about, but had not had the pleasure of meeting thus far. Thanks for putting together such an awesome event! Cant wait for the next one.<\/p>\n

    Chris Brough, Elite Martial Arts Academy<\/p>\n

    Hi! I am very thankful to be here. A lot of things I still knowing but to be surrounded by such highly successful school owners and coaches makes me creative. Made an 10 step implementation process which I will work on and I am sure that will change a lot and solve some problems I have. Master Smith has taken a big part of helping me this morning by taking time to talk to me in a kind of private training. Many many thanks Sir, learned a lot!!!<\/p>\n

    Oliver Drexler, www.drexler-ma.de<\/p>\n

    There\u2019s more at: www.martialartsbootcamp.com\/feedback\/ We recorded the event (other than, of course, the individual team workshops and \u201cbehind closed doors\u201d Inner Circle Conversations. Call the office \u2014 talk to Bob Dunne: 720-256-0208 Ext. 202 to learn how to get the complete recordings.<\/p>\n

    The difference between sharing information with people and really seeing HUGE Success mostly comes down to two components. One- On-One Coaching to insure clarity on all the small details and to encourage implementation \u2014 and, a regular Class-Room Environment of Peers.<\/p>\n

    Both elements give \u201cSocial Proof\u201d of the achievement of others in similar circumstances. Both elements also include mentorship to encour-<\/p>\n

    age action. The success of a martial arts school vs. receiving the \u201cself-defense DVD of the month\u201d comes down to those two elements.<\/p>\n

    The success of school owners in implementing information shared is the same. What we\u2019ve done with our Peak Performers team and Inner Circle team is to full form the circumstances for huge success. No amount of dumping CDs and DVDs on someone\u2019s desk creates success without implementation.<\/p>\n

    Then we split into small \u201cteams\u201d of 6 to 10 each \u2014 led by $1,000,000 school owners. Those teams each came up with their own \u201c100 students in 6 weeks\u201d marketing plans. They came up with budgets ranging from $2,000 to $15,000, and in each case, were instructed to have the \u201cworst case scenario number\u201d equal 100 new students (best case, obviously 150-200 or more).<\/p>\n

    One of the attendees, an Inner Circle Member (Dave Moss in Northern Virginia), enrolled 50 new students in the week following the Bootcamp \u2014 and hasn\u2019t implemented the \u201cnew marketing plan yet!\u201d<\/p>\n

    Implementation comes with on-going support from a Mentor and a Peer Group.<\/p>\n

    Our next big event for Peak Performers and Inner Circle is coming up quickly at Disney Anaheim. We\u2019re both going to be exploring High<\/p>\n

    Level Service at Disney and sharing implementation results in the 90 days since the Marketing Bootcamp. It\u2019s going to be an exciting event.<\/p>\n

    Actually, I left directly from the Bootcamp for a Sunday-Sunday marathon Disneyland trip with my 11-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son. I\u2019ll talk more about some of the Disney lessons useful for School Owner\u2019s next month \u2014 needless to say I\u2019m continually amazed about how such a BIG organization can have so many of the details right.<\/p>\n

    Good Things Come to Those Who Wait \u2014 BUT, Only What\u2019s Left Behind By Those Who Hustle\u2026.<\/p>\n

    In the same vein I was frustrated in talking one-on-one with one of our Peak Performers. I\u2019d laid out the strategy and tactics for scooping up a HUGE stack of cash and for boosting his monthly revenue by at least 50%, but, five months later he just hadn\u2019t IMPLEMENTED. He was lamenting his HUGE amount of debt ($20,000) and his cash-flow strain.<\/p>\n

    Although I was calm, in reality I wanted to reach through the phone and hit him upside the head. I get emotionally distraught when school owners I\u2019m working with refuse to pick up $100,000 to $1,000,000 or more from failure to TAKE ACTION. Unfortunately I take it personally, makes me physically nauseous.<\/p>\n

    The Scenario:<\/p>\n

    He has a nice little school operating at around $20,000 a month. He\u2019s a VERY sharp guy who by now should be at $50,000-plus To convert over his school to the new \u201cUpgrade\u201d program I\u2019d walked through implementing a new leadership program. The numbers:<\/p>\n

    Active Count \u2014<\/p>\n

    Eligible to be Upgraded: 135 Likely Number of \u201cUpgrades\u201d with a Renewal Blitz:<\/p>\n

    Low: 65 (50%)<\/p>\n

    High: 95 (75%) The financial results would be: 15 Renewals Paid in Full at $7,000 = $105,000.00 CASH 50 Renewals at $100 Bump in Payment = $5,000 additional Payments. Cash Left over after paying his \u201chuge\u201d per-<\/p>\n

    sonal debt: $85,000 Anyway, for six months now I\u2019ve just been trying to get him to \u201cLAUNCH.\u201d He continues to second guess everything. Another school owner I\u2019m working with literally LEFT $1,000,000 on the table last year just by being \u201cTIMID.\u201d Some justify timidity by being \u201canalytic\u201d or, \u201cthinking through all of the steps\u201d or, \u201cwaiting until the time is right.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Ultimately though \u2014 again it\u2019s. 1. Have the Strategy. 2. Know the Tactics. 3. IMPLEMENT. I\u2019m fond of quoting Patton \u2014 who famously said something to the effect of \u201cA good plan violently implemented today is better than a perfect plan next week.<\/p>\n

    Even better is Arnold in one of his movies: \u201cDo it Now, Think About it Later.\u201d<\/p>\n

    In many cases I\u2019m convinced failure to implement is ultimately a \u201cSelf-Esteem\u201d problem. Although in most cases if you told these school owner\u2019s that they suffer from low self-esteem they\u2019d laugh and tell you about all of their accomplishments in Martial Arts. However, \u201cSelf- Esteem,\u201d or better a sense of \u201cSelf-Efficacy\u201d is situational. You can personally be the best fighter in the World. You can have taught several \u201cWorld Champions.\u201d And, still not have high esteem about your value as an educator. You can easily project to your students your own sense of your value based upon what you paid for lessons 10 or 20 years ago \u2014 or, based upon your \u201cscientific\u201d polling of the \u201ccompetition\u201d in your city.<\/p>\n

    I just had to shake my head and laugh when one of our more successful Inner Circle members relayed a story where my principle had finally sunk into him.<\/p>\n

    Basically, I\u2019ve railed on everyone to value who they are and what they teach at a higher level. Frequently when it comes to private lessons I\u2019ve pointed out what the value of YOUR Time has to be.<\/p>\n

    For instance: If you hope to run a $30,000 a month school, then every hour you personally invest has to be worth at least $187.50. That\u2019s $30,000 \/ 4 Weeks = $7,500 per week. Then $75,000 \/ 40 = $187.50 per hour.<\/p>\n

    If you hope to run a $60,000 a month school each hour must be worth $375.00. Anyway you get the idea.<\/p>\n

    Anyway, back to the story. I\u2019d told everyone in the meeting that all the anti-materialistic stuff is humorous. That I\u2019d come across the story of Bruce Lee teaching privates in his back yard (before he was rich or famous) at $1,000 an hour to the likes of Steve McQueen and James Coburn. My Inner Circle member relayed his story about how it had finally \u201csunk in\u201d to him. He had been teaching regular privates to a student referred by Chuck Norris who was flying privately from Dallas to Houston to train. The student had mentioned how much it was costing for the plan to wait for him at the airport for the lesson. You might see already that the cost of the commute was probably at least $4,000. Our instructor who was himself running a business doing in excess of $1,500,000 was charging $100 an hour.<\/p>\n

    So for every private lesson \u2014 he was losing a huge amount of money given the value of his personal time. The student was spending at least 40 times that amount just commuting! If he was targeting a $2,000,000 a year business then that means his time must be worth $1,000 an hour. ($2,000,000 \/ 50 = $40,000. $40,000 \/ 40 = $1,000.) That\u2019s Bruce Lee\u2019s number from 1969.<\/p>\n

    By the way Inflation adjusted $1,000 in 1969 is $6,356 today.<\/p>\n

    See I shake my head in wonderment. My parents were paying around $90 a month for me to train back in 1977. The basic tuition at the Jhoon Rhee Institute in 1981 started at $300 for three months. Inflation adjusted again the $90 a month is $348.98 today. The $300 is $748.49 today.<\/p>\n

    Why many in our industry got their pricing stuck in the 1970\u2019s or 1980\u2019s is a mystery to me. Probably it goes back to one of two things. It\u2019s either \u201cselfesteem,\u201d just being afraid to charge what our programs really is worth, or, it\u2019s modeling the wrong businesses. Many either look to the big fitness chains to try and figure out what they should charge or they call around to the other schools in their area to be \u201cin the middle\u201d of the competition. The \u201cin the middle\u201d idea is really a mistake. If you\u2019re NOT the cheapest then the next position (and, better position) to stake out is be the best. Ultimately what your prospective students want anyway is the best instruction \u2014 that they can afford. They don\u2019t want cheapest.<\/p>\n

    Back to another conversation that made me want to smack him upside the head through the phone. A different coaching client many years ago. Said to me when asked about results: \u201cWell, I\u2019m frustrated that I seem to be stuck at $12,000 a month \u2014 but, I\u2019m excited that I\u2019m lining up a lot of personal training clients at $80 an hour.\u201d<\/p>\n

    My response? Hey, pull out a calculator. Have it handy? Do me a favor. Take the $12,000 and divide by 4 weeks then divide by 40 hours a week. What do you come up with?<\/p>\n

    Obviously the calculation is $75.00. If you are trading your time on an hourly basis for $75 or $80 an hour then it\u2019s OBVIOUS why you\u2019re stuck.<\/p>\n

    Now, all this arguably works differently if you have no overhead. If you are running a school with a fixed monthly rent payment, utilities, phones, payroll, and marketing expenses. Then you\u2019ve got<\/p>\n

    to make sure the hourly rate that you would accept for your time factors in all of those items. It\u2019s also why I don\u2019t like the 50\/50 split with another instructor teaching privates in your school.<\/p>\n

    Now if you were like Bruce Lee. Teaching in your back yard. Then the cost per hour that you charge could be a direct reflection of what you hoped to earn.<\/p>\n

    For instance, Bruce\u2019s $6,356 (in today\u2019s dollars) translates into about $12,000,000 a year (in today\u2019s dollars). If you go back to some of the goals statements that he made and his net-worth goals. That\u2019s not too far off. Obviously he didn\u2019t expect to be able to teach 40 hours per week of privates at that level, and chose to pursue movies as a more likely route to achieve his rather lofty goals.<\/p>\n

    The Golden Anniversary<\/p>\n

    The Jhoon Rhee Institute\u2019s fiftieth anniversary was recently celebrated in Washington, D.C. I was happy to attend as one of the most senior people there. My associate and instructor (in NAPMA and Mile High Karate) Grandmaster Jeff Smith was the most senior person there (celebrating 47 years-plus) \u2014 other than, of course Great Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee himself. Charlie Lee who like myself started with the Jhoon Rhee Institute in 1969 and received his Black Belt in 1978 commented that the room was filled with World Champions.<\/p>\n

    In opposite areas Jeff Smith was in his opinion (and, mine) the best Kickboxer who ever lived. John Chung was in his opinion (and, mine) the finest traditional Tae Kwon Do competitor who ever lived. Other Champions included Charlie (World & National Forms Champion), Gordon Franks (PKA World Champion), Helen Chung (Forms Champion), along with Larry Carnahan (Fighting Champion and now President of the NASKA Circuit and Michael Coles (PKA U.S. Kick-Boxing Champion).<\/p>\n

    The Jhoon Rhee Institute was the hub of MANY school operations innovations over the years led by Jhoon Rhee with Jeff Smith, including protective sparring gear (Saf-T-Gear), Musical Forms, Modernized (think kickboxing\/MMA) curriculum going back to the 70\u2019s, and key innovations in teaching, marketing and high quality school operations. The list of leaders in the industry that came from that hub is endless certainly to include Nick Cokinos, Ned Muffley (EFC), Pat Worley, John Worley, Pat Burleson, Allen Steen, Jeff Smith, myself and MANY others.<\/p>\n

    Congratulations, Grandmaster Rhee, for your key role in professionalizing the Martial Arts in the 1960\u2019s until now, and for the 100\u2019s of 1,000\u2019s of students that you\u2019ve impacted over 50 years. Thank you to Francis Pineda for organizing this surprise celebration and to Dennis Brown for hosting it at the 30 year anniversary of his Capital Classics.<\/p>\n

    Think and Grow Rich<\/p>\n

    If you haven\u2019t read the book Think and Grow Rich then you really must pick it up. If you read it years ago, now\u2019s the time to pick it back up and really study it. Think and Grow Rich teaches the KEY Principles necessary for Your continued growth and I\u2019d like to chat with you about those principles.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve chatted with a number of top 5% schools and top 10% over the last couple of weeks.<\/p>\n

    A couple of the one\u2019s who I\u2019ve chatted with this week have said something to the effect of \u201cshow me how you can help me. I\u2019m already doing $80,000 a month!?\u201d<\/p>\n

    Really, it\u2019s a great and appropriate question. I was just discussing that with my VERY old friend (we\u2019ve been friends for a long time now, and frankly, yes, he\u2019s older than dirt) Cmdr. Ned.<\/p>\n

    We were discussing my unique skill in the martial arts industry. My comment was that over the past few years that I\u2019ve really become outstanding<\/p>\n

    at taking an $80,000 a month school and showing them how to get to $120,000 and, more importantly how to have it be and ADDITIONAL $35,000 a month pure NET Profit. There\u2019s really no one else around who knows how to do that.<\/p>\n

    He interrupted me and pointed out that in his opinion it was really my strength going back at least to the early 1980\u2019s\u2026.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve never really been the ideal person to run a single school. For my own schools for 25 years I was either the \u201cstart-up\u201d guy flooding a new school with 250 or 300 new students in the first four or five months, or the \u201cturn-around\u201d guy flooding a poorly-performing school with new students and fixing the underlying systems.<\/p>\n

    I was uniquely adept at marketing Martial Arts Schools all the way back to 1982 or 1983. Ultimately my combination of academic study, networking with the very top-level people, and practical \u201crubber meets the road\u201d experience with lots of employees, big marketing budgets and experts of all strips leads me to where I\u2019ve arrived.<\/p>\n

    Another old friend, Don Southerton, and I were talking yesterday. He was a founding member of the EFC Board of Directors and a very successful large chain school operator in the 1980\u2019s and 1990\u2019s. He\u2019s more recently moved into high level consulting (with CEO\u2019s of Fortune 100 companies in many cases) for companies ranging from Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors, number four ranked global carmaker and KIA to Golfsmith International, the world\u2018s largest specialty golf retailers, on their International Business Development. While in Denver he often \u201coffices\u201d at my home office \u2014 working my deck at 7,800 ft. elevation with a spectacular mountain view.<\/p>\n

    He had been listening into conversations that I was having with several MAUI members who are preparing to attend the Bootcamp, and, one who was \u201craking me over the coals\u201d a little.<\/p>\n

    He pointed out that NOBODY in the Mar-<\/p>\n

    tial Arts Industry is creating the type of HIGH LEVEL developmental process that I\u2019ve created with my Inner Circle and My Peak Performers.<\/p>\n

    He joined us during our meetings held on the U.S. Military Academy at West Point campus. He was taking notes and stunned by the quality of the content, but also, The QUALITY of the High Level School Owners in the Room.<\/p>\n

    Anyway\u2026Back to \u201cThink and Grow Rich.\u201d If you haven\u2019t read the book\u2026you really must put it on your list to study and review every 12 to 18 months. It\u2019s basically a project instigated by Andrew Carnegie who opened the doors to all of the millionaires and billionaires of his day to the author, Napoleon Hill. Hill\u2019s mission was to talk with Thomas Edison, Rockefeller, Carnegie and others and hone in on the commonalities of success.<\/p>\n

    The result was ultimately this book which is the book MOST cited by millionaires, billionaires, and Fortune 500 CEO\u2019s as the inspiration to their success other than the Bible.<\/p>\n

    Anyway \u2014 touching on three of the Key Elements discussed in the book:<\/p>\n

    Specialized Knowledge<\/p>\n

    \u201dKnowledge will not attract money, unless it is organized, and intelligently directed, through practical plans of action, to the definite end of accumulation of money.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Acquiring knowledge, either through the traditional route of formal schooling or from other informal means, is key to making it happen. The more you know, the more you will propel your idea but your education does need to align with your stated goals. After all, how else can you master your craft.<\/p>\n

    Organized Planning<\/p>\n

    The title of this chapter says it all. Hill\u2019s tips include surrounding oneself with a supportive mentors and people, performing your job to the<\/p>\n

    fullest, stepping up to the plate, and practicing leadership.<\/p>\n

    Power of the Master Mind<\/p>\n

    Being able to exchange ideas with other productive individuals and feed off each other\u2019s energy is important to shaping or improving your plans. Cultivating a smart network of friends or associates is key.<\/p>\n

    My mission with the Inner Circle Team and the Peak Performers has been to accomplish each of those KEYS as pointed out by Napolean Hill.<\/p>\n

    The Key Elements Include:<\/p>\n

    1. A SERIOUS Master-Mind Team of \u201cHeavy Hitters\u201d who are top 1%<\/p>\n

    These schools range of formats including adult male focused MMA, BBJ, Muay Thai, Krav Maga \u2014 Kids focused Kenpo, Tae Kwon Do, and Kung Fu, Adult focused Kung Fu, and Tai Chi, and Kick- Boxing programs for women and, even Multi-Million dollar transported after-school programs.<\/p>\n

    These are $500,000 to $1,500,000 single schools and, Multi-Million Dollar Multi-School Owners.<\/p>\n

    2. Ongoing Coaching on an on-going basis. No matter how much knowledge you have you\u2019ve got to have a coach. Look at ALL top performers, whether it\u2019s Tiger Woods or Michael Jordon in sports, or the very top Entrepreneurs and CEOs internationally. Everyone who is extremely successful hires a coach and works with a coach regularly.<\/p>\n

    You cannot underestimate the value of someone who is not emotionally invested in your day to day issues and problems, who can see your operation objectively on-tap to give you feedback on a regular basis.<\/p>\n

    My great strength as a coach is to point you in the right direction AND to see minor improvements that you can make that will result in huge increase to your net income.<\/p>\n

    3. Increasingly \u201cSpecialized Knowledge.\u201d We\u2019re providing an extremely valuable educational process through the avalanche of VERY HIGH LEVEL marketing, management, and student service training that you\u2019ll receive.<\/p>\n

    For a VERY High Performer some of the material will be \u201cReminding You\u201d of material that you know but aren\u2019t implementing well, some will be a review, but MUCH will be completely new concepts for maximizing student quality, automating and accelerating your marketing results, and improving your employee training and development.<\/p>\n

    You won\u2019t show up and repeat the BASICS over and over again.<\/p>\n

    A clear point that at least 10 high-level school owners that I\u2019ve talked to who have been involved with someone else\u2019s \u201cMentoring\u201d program have said more or less the following:<\/p>\n

    \u201cI felt comfortable with a wonderful family of school owners working together and, want to replace the missing environment with a team that I\u2019ll enjoy spending time with.\u201d<\/p>\n

    What you will find with the Inner Circle or Peak Performer\u2019s in (excuse my language) a \u201cNo- Assholes\u201d environment of friendly, smart, successful and goal oriented school owners (just like you?). It\u2019s an incredibly supportive team of great people.<\/p>\n

    \u201cThe problem was basically everyone training together \u2014 so that we always ended up going back to things like \u201cInfo- Call\u201d and has a big school I needed more advanced content.\u201d<\/p>\n

    We\u2019re organized in multiple \u201ctiers\u201d of participants.<\/p>\n

    Really no different that how you\u2019d organize your school with Beginner\u2019s, Intermediate, Advanced, Black Belt, etc.<\/p>\n

    We have the Maximum Impact Level designed for school owners under $200,000 a year. The Peak Performers are school owners who are $200,000 to $500,000 more or less. And the Inner Circle, which is $500,000-plus single schools and Multi- Million Dollar Multi-School Owners. The next addition will be to separate \u201cInner Circle\u201d single school owners and multi-school owners.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI felt comfortable with the ideas, principles and overall focus \u2014 I\u2019m concerned that I associate with high integrity \u2014 high quality martial artists.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Some school owners misunderstand what I focus on in the program.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s not a \u201cget rich quick\u201d, \u201ccash everyone out\u201d, \u201chigh sales pressure\u201d environment.<\/p>\n

    Myself, Jeff Smith (former World Kickboxing Champion,) and the rest of my team focus on VERY HIGH QUALITY student service, on championship level martial arts curriculum and achievement and truly \u201cmastering\u201d the martial arts business in all elements. managing cashflows, along with incredibly effective marketing, and high-integrity leadership and persuasion.<\/p>\n

    The Gross is UP \u2014 the EXPENSES are WAY UP \u2014 HELP!<\/p>\n

    A big mistake that you can make is to get sucked into the \u201cBigger is Better\u201d syndrome. The mission of your business really must be to make your like easier. It must create an income comparable or better (hopefully much better) than your alternatives. It ultimately must serve you \u2014 rather than you serving it. Now, don\u2019t mistake what I\u2019m saying. Your BUSINESS MISSION should be to have a HUGE Impact on your community. To grow your students to their fullest. To really provide an invaluable service to your everyone you come in contact with.<\/p>\n

    However, as the business owner. Be careful<\/p>\n

    about creating a \u201cJOB\u201d for yourself. Realize that your business must be a \u201cmoney machine\u201d that\u2019s designed to \u201csupport your lifestyle.\u201d<\/p>\n

    How do your accomplish those things? First: Run your school through SYSTEMS more so than PERSONALITY. Your school must have a \u201cculture\u201d that reflects who you are, but cannot be dependent upon you personally.<\/p>\n

    1. You\u2019ve got to \u201cKnow Your Numbers.\u201d 2. Ultimately your Business hinges only on these key variables: 3. Enrollments 4. Student Value (Revenue Per Student) 5. Student Retention 6. Fix one and your Gross goes up. Fix them all and the Sky\u2019s the limit. 7. Take Massive Action \u2014 NOW. Most school owners just \u201cdon\u2019t do enough stuff\u201d when it comes to marketing.<\/p>\n

    Second: Benchmark your expenses and keep everything in line. I\u2019ve discussed many times what your rent, payroll, marketing and other key expenses should be relative to your gross. You have to be paying attention to those numbers EVERY Month.<\/p>\n

    Third: Hold each staff member accountable for measurable results. Know the numbers. Force them to know the numbers each and every week.<\/p>\n

    Fourth: \u201cTake off the Training Wheels\u201d \u2014 force your staff to rise to the occasion and be responsible.<\/p>\n

    And, a final reminder\u2026OK, I know I\u2019ve already been a little \u201clong-winded\u201d but, there\u2019s just so much going on.<\/p>\n

    Avoid the Tupperware<\/p>\n

    \u00ae Convention at All Costs, but Otherwise\u2026 I<\/p>\n

    recently came back from a \u201cvacation\u201d with the kids in Disney in Anaheim. The only thing that Disney didn\u2019t stage manage at the highest level was the full hot-tube \u2014 five Tupperware\u00ae women in a hot tub designed for 15. Yeah, there was a Tupperware convention at the Disneyland Hotel, and I\u2019m guessing their target \u201cREP\u201d demographic is mostly low-income women 30-50 years old who are 100 pounds overweight. The elevator conversations were entertaining to say the least. Or, at least that describes a BUNCH of them wondering around and cluttering the pool, complete with about 100 Tupperware ribbons. If I owned Tupperware stock, (I don\u2019t) I\u2019d be selling. Anyway, I\u2019m writing this as I prepare to take the flight back to John Wayne Airport and facilitate our Inner Circle and Peak Performers meetings.<\/p>\n

    We\u2019ll be in Anaheim, California, at Disney. The Inner Circle are going to \u201cDisney University.\u201d Officially, it\u2019s now Disney Institute, but they\u2019ll be learning from their trainers all about the Disney approach to staff recruitment, training and support, as well as the Disney approach to customer service. We\u2019ll be focusing as a team on dramatically improving student retention and how to finish the year with a MASSIVE renewal blitz to wrap-up commitment to the highest-level training for their students.<\/p>\n

    Anyway, back to my trip to Disney. I\u2019m amazed that there\u2019s always something to learn. An infinite number of details that they pay close attention to at every turn. And incredible levels of customer service at every turn.<\/p>\n

    Some people focus on all of the \u201clittle details.\u201d The hidden Mickey\u2019s. All of the little details at-<\/p>\n

    tended to in construction, look and feel, and structure of the properties.<\/p>\n

    I am more likely to notice whether the staff maintains the \u201cillusion and magic\u201d or whether they drop the ball. With 30 years of up to 50 employees in my own operation, it\u2019s a particular point of focus for me. I\u2019m continually amazed at the combination of culture, screening and training that supports consistently friendly and capable customer service at just about every turn. They work hard to have \u201cthe boy or girl next door\u201d who have a smile on their face and consider the experience of the \u201cguest\u201d as highest priority.<\/p>\n

    Just one simple example: During seven days on Disney Property there was a time or two that my 4-year-old had a bit of a \u201cfit.\u201d Both times while on Disney property a \u201ccast member\u201d quickly approached him and worked to cheer him up. Often with stickers, buttons or other trinkets in hand as well.<\/p>\n

    I had a similar situation at the airport on the way home. The Frontier Airlines customer service representative basically asked if my son had emotional problems and threatened not to let him on the plane. Contrasted with Disney it was a stark and damning difference. Frontier was, for a while, a favorite of mine. They and Southwest had a real customer service focus. Since they were bought out, I\u2019ve noticed a STEEP decline in the attitude of their people. Southwest is great. Frontier has sadly gone from good to mediocre.<\/p>\n

    Anyway, one instance on the property was actually in the parking lot behind the hotel. The cast member who worked hard to cheer him up was a gardener. He pulled over his vehicle and told Chase jokes and spent a huge amount of time<\/p>\n

    working to cheer him up. In many organizations, he would probably be in trouble for running late to wherever he was supposed to be headed. There, a gardener knows that cheering up a 4-year-old guest in the parking lot is highest priority. His attitude would have been impressive for a frontline customer service person, but the gardener? We had an equally good experience with a valet attendant at the California Hotel.<\/p>\n

    Disney knows that anyone who interacts with a \u201cguest\u201d must know their priorities.<\/p>\n

    Compare that to the \u201cCustomer Service\u201d representative with Frontier who insulted me, my 11-year-old and my 4-year-old. Who did nothing to help. Who did a lot to make things worse. Will I fly Frontier again. Probably. Will I be eager to make them first priority if possible? No. They\u2019ve now sunk to United and Delta levels in my estimation. On both, I was recently in first class and was wondering whether the attendant even knew the passengers were present.<\/p>\n

    Another instance on property\u2026Chase took off at full-speed. By the time I rounded the corner behind him about 10,000 people in Cars Land were in front of me and he was nowhere to be found. I grabbed a random cast member, who immediately knew his script and process. He calmly asked for a description. Asked me to stay exactly where I was so they could relocate me. Walked across to make a quick call. Within about 45 seconds he was back and walked me to where my son had ended up in the front of a two-hour line for the Cars ride.<\/p>\n

    Chase had a big smile on his face, a new button and sticker on his shirt, and a happy cast member escorting him back to Daddy while having an animated conversation about Chase\u2019s favorite characters from Cars.<\/p>\n

    On the walk back, the cast member reassured me that it\u2019s a common occurrence and noted that Chase obviously really wanted to go on that ride. Rather than a scolding, we received a cheerful<\/p>\n

    behind-the-scenes description of the ride on the way back to where we started. He then asked how many of us were in our party and then gave me passes to \u201cskip the line\u201d for the ride.<\/p>\n

    This, by the way, was an early-20\u2019s \u201ckid\u201d who was probably new, working there and on to something bigger and better soon.<\/p>\n

    I could go on and on with stories like that with Disney. It is amazing with the number of staff on their properties and the relatively high turnover of unionized hourly employees that they can consistently instill such high levels of customer service. I\u2019ve been through the \u201ccasting center,\u201d and the orientation program at \u201cDisney University.\u201d Both are impressive. The primary credit goes to the constant reinforcement of the \u201cservice and entertainment\u201d culture of Disney.<\/p>\n

    Another interesting experience is not actually a part of the Disney organization that I\u2019m aware of, but was an extremely interesting business in \u201cDowntown Disney.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The business: \u201cRideMakerZ.\u201d You can check out their website at www.ridemakerz.com. I\u2019ve been to their locations at Disney World and Disneyland. They\u2019re apparently also in Branson, Missouri, and Myrtle Beach, Georgia.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019m always fascinated with business where there is a \u201cclear comparable,\u201d who none the less manage to charge double, triple or quadruple. These guys sell radio-controlled model cars, but in reality. they sell an incredible experience that happens to end up with you being proud owner of a customized radio control toy car.<\/p>\n

    As an aside, you should note that \u201ctoy\u201d retailers have been nearly wiped out by Wal-Mart. Toys- R-Us and similar stores have struggled in the face of low-price competition. I know that just on the west side of Denver several big stores closed in the past couple of years. In the case of RideMakerZ, I was fascinated as I happily dropped $255 on two toy cars (my 11-year-old daughter was at least as<\/p>\n

    enthusiastic as my 4-year-old son). I did my usual \u201cBusiness Nerd\u201d research by walking about 50 feet across the walkway to the Disney Store.<\/p>\n

    My kids ended up with between $115 and $135 each for radio-controlled \u201cCharacter\u201d cars with custom stuff like a special bumper, custom wheels and a \u201cblower\u201d in the front hood (of, \u201cPorsche\u201d?).<\/p>\n

    Anyway, my quick comparison\u2026 RideMakerZ: $100-plus-plus Across the walk-way, Disney Store at Downtown Disney<\/p>\n

    Lighting McQueen Radio-Controlled Car with Custom \u201cGlitter\u201d Paint: $69.50 At Wal-Mart:<\/p>\n

    Lighting McQueen Radio- Controlled Car: $43.66 At the RideMakerZ store you can pick up the Lighting McQueen Body. Then you choose standard or custom wheels. Choose standard or custom tires. Additional accessories such as bumpers, police lights, stickers, etc. Then, you take your wheels and tires to a special \u201cassembly garage\u201d in the middle of the store and a mechanic assembles your car with your help. Asking along the way if you want the upgraded rechargeable battery, the radio controlled chassis, etc.<\/p>\n

    By the time you\u2019re done \u2014 even the most conservative of consumer ends up paying at least double the Wal-Mart price. Most likely, triple. Even more telling, paying close to double what a very nice version of the same thing is available for 50 feet away.<\/p>\n

    Now, before you do some \u201cknee-jerk\u201d reaction about it being a rip-off, or about them only \u201ctricking stupid people,\u201d keep in mind it\u2019s about the experience. They orchestrate everything from the layout of the store to the \u201cassembly garage staff\u201d to make it a cool experience. The \u201cActual Market Value\u201d of the toy? Well, the lowest price, at<\/p>\n

    $43.66, is a reasonable starting point. How much more is the \u201ccustomization\u201d worth? Obviously something. The rest? It\u2019s about the experience as much as the actual product.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019d suggest that you always look for remarkable businesses.<\/p>\n

    Look for those who are thriving by \u201cbucking\u201d the low price, commodity trends. And, figure out what elements you can borrow to make your school truly memorable and exciting.<\/p>\n

    Your assignment? Take time to visit if at all possible each of the following businesses:<\/p>\n

    1. The American Girl Store (http:\/\/www.americangirl.com) 2. Build-A-Bear (http:\/\/www.buildabear.com) 3. RideMakerZ (http:\/\/ridemakerz.com) All thrive by charging double or triple what comparable would cost at Wal-Mart or Target. Of the three, I believe that American Girl does big numbers as a catalogue\/internet business as well. I don\u2019t really know, but I doubt if the others do much retail outside of their physical stores. In all cases, it\u2019s about the \u201cExperience.\u201d Of the three I\u2019d say American Girl does the best in making their customers part of the club. There are American Girl movies, the American Girl Magazine, and of course, an incredible experience in the store.<\/p>\n

    What\u2019s the lesson? Each of these businesses thrive, in great part because it\u2019s about the \u201cEXPERIENCE,\u201d not the actual product. Notice at many places now \u201cMini- Build-A-Bear\u201d knock-offs. They mimic the components and have a similar or comparable product at 30\u201350% less. But not the experience, therefore, are largely ignored.<\/p>\n

    You should always \u201cTake Note\u201d of any and all experiences you have with businesses.<\/p>\n

    Does your dentist office stand out as a delightful experience or is it drab and bland. How\u2019s service at the restaurants and dry cleaners that you patronize. Look at the difference between \u201cStarbucks\u201d and<\/p>\n

    \u201cBurger King.\u201d Who does a better job? How does their pricing and results reflect that service focus. To take Starbucks again. I heard the founder say in an interview that their pricing was a function of their employee pay and benefits. An interesting perspective, but, certainly, the experience is more about the staff than the actual product.<\/p>\n

    Take a look at McDonald\u2019s. Everyone was worried about \u201ccompetition\u201d in lattes and mochas from McDonald\u2019s. It hasn\u2019t made even a small impact on Starbucks. McDonald\u2019s is hitting record numbers, but, no one who likes Starbucks because of the ambiance, the quality of the staff, and the overall experience is going to shift to McDonald\u2019s to same a couple of dollars. Again, they manage to charge 50% more or double because of the experience, not because of the actual deliverable.<\/p>\n

    On the same note, having been in and out of hundreds of elementary schools over the years it\u2019s always the first thing I notice. Does the staff follow the rules or focus on service? How well do they interact with the kids? Is there artwork from the kids on the walls? Are the teachers engaged? Do they know the kids\u2019 and parents\u2019 names? The difference between good ones and bad ones is stark. It\u2019s in the culture of the organization. It\u2019s in the culture of the staff.<\/p>\n

    By the way, you MUST SEE Won\u2019t Back Down, based on the true story of a \u201cParent Take-Over\u201d of a failing school in Pittsburg. Note especially the built-in attitudes and \u201ccultural problems\u201d that represent the failing school.<\/p>\n

    On a Sadder Note:<\/p>\n

    I recently returned also from Raleigh, North Carolina. Raleigh\u2019s a beautiful city; I hadn\u2019t been there in probably 20 years. The occasion was Grandmaster Joe Lewis\u2019 funeral and memorial events. Jeff Smith and I were there and attended several events organized by the Joe Lewis Fighting Systems team, including a work-out at a local school\/gym along with a dinner banquet that eve-<\/p>\n

    ning. At the funeral I was happy to catch up with many old friends \u2014 too many to list, but I spent much of my time with Jeff Smith, Walter Anderson, Bill and Jane Wallace, Helen Chung, Steve Anderson and Bill Clark. I enjoyed catching up, however briefly, with Pat Burleson, Skipper Mullins, John, Jim, and Mark Graden, Rob Colasanti, Dave Kovar, Tom Callos, Mitch Barbrow, John Corcoran, Steve MaGill and many others.<\/p>\n

    I was particularly impressed with Mike Allen, Dennis Nackford, Walter Anderson and Walter Lysak, who between them, did a fabulous job of organizing the memorial to this great fighter, friend and teacher to each. I\u2019d be remiss if I didn\u2019t mention Bill Wallace and Jeff Smith, who were at Joe\u2019s side for the last week of his life and who made frequent trips to Philadelphia to visit and entertain him. And, Chuck Norris, who organized the \u201cTexas Contingent\u201d and filled a plane with old friends to visit Joe at the VA hospital over the summer.<\/p>\n

    I know through Jeff Smith that the hundreds of cards and photos that he received from friends and fans from throughout the world during his last few months were very appreciated and helped lift his spirits. I\u2019m told the cookies that I sent were enjoyed by the nursing staff.<\/p>\n

    When I was new in martial arts training (late 60s and early 1970s), I idolized Jeff Smith, Bill Wallace, Bruce Lee and Joe Lewis, along with Chuck Norris, Pat Worley and Skipper Mullins. Joe came to martial arts as an athlete and bodybuilder; that alone set him apart from most. He was a dominant force in the old \u201cblood & guts\u201d point fighting scene of the 1960s, and then an early pioneer in Kickboxing. I don\u2019t believe the impact of Joe, along with Bruce Lee, Jeff Smith and Jhoon Rhee can be overstated in the evolution of sport martial arts, whether it\u2019s Point Fighting, Kickboxing or Full-Contact Karate. He made a valiant effort to transition that into an acting career which<\/p>\n

    started strong, then sputtered and died.<\/p>\n

    He was one of the few to turn from being a great fighter to an excellent mentor, coach and thinker about achieving the highest levels of fighting skills. He leaves behind many students who hope to carry on his teaching and principles through the JLFS (Joe Lewis Fighting System). They have my full support, and NAPMA will certainly do anything we can do to help them expand their ranks and keep Joe\u2019s principles alive. I know that Jeff Smith and Bill Wallace are happy to help them along the way as well.<\/p>\n

    Although I started my training in 1969 with a branch of the Jhoon Rhee Institute in Tulsa, Oklahoma, I spent a couple of years training with Roger Greene, who was Joe\u2019s first Black Belt and at the time, a part of the Tracy\u2019s system. Through Roger I first met Joe in 1976 while attending a small seminar\/class held at Roger\u2019s school in Tulsa.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019d first seen Joe fight live in July 1974, during the Top Ten Nationals Professional Karate tournament in St. Louis, Missouri. He lost to Everett \u201cMonster Man\u201d Eddy, 6-4. It was the same night when Jeff Smith lost to Jim Butin.<\/p>\n

    It was shortly thereafter that I eagerly watched the televised PKA World Championships where three of four of the American fighters won; that of course, was Bill Wallace, Jeff Smith and Joe Lewis. Of the many fighters, the two who were obviously well trained for kickboxing, and in fabulous shape were Jeff Smith and Joe Lewis. Lewis \u201cmanhandled\u201d his competitors and won easily.<\/p>\n

    There can be many arguments in retrospect about who was the best point fighter in the 1960\u2019s, 1970\u2019s, and who was the best Kickboxer, etc. Regardless of the conclusions in each area, Joe Lewis, Bill Wallace and Jeff Smith have stood the test of time and have gone on to share their knowledge with thousands of students and instructors throughout the world.<\/p>\n

    Joe will be missed and his influence will be felt<\/p>\n

    for many years to come. Rest in Peace, to a great Champion and Teacher.<\/p>\n

    In Joe\u2019s own words:<\/p>\n

    60-years from now, when people mention the name Joe Lewis, how would you want to be remembered?<\/p>\n

    Joe Lewis \u2014 I have seriously never given this question any thought. To dignify my efforts and to be able to have been known to live with dignity would be my greatest attribute. I feel that few of us martial artists have ever accomplished that. I have never stated in public that I have beaten anyone by name. I have never misrepresented my real rank nor have I ever claimed to win a title that I had not. Although I failed my first green belt test in Okinawa, a year later, when I was handed a second-degree black belt certificate, I refused to accept it. I am the only martial artist in North America that I know of who has not only trained in every country from Korea southward all the way to Australia, but I am perhaps the only one who received the last rites from the same master priest in Tokyo who administered the last rites to the Kamikaze pilots during World War II. I have tried to make the standard and the status for that which a Black Belt stands to always represent a very noble and worthy accomplishment. I wish others would respect and follow this same rule. I do not expect more than a handful of martial artists to ever be able to duplicate my examples. However, I trust that some will be able to live in the light of dignity, which I have described above. As a quick side note, genius comes in many forms.<\/p>\n

    Living in the top 1% or top .00001% of any endeavor is rarely easy. Incredible accomplishment from afar may look natural, but when living it, has many ups and downs, frustration and elation, and often, loneliness, that comes from standing far apart from the masses.<\/p>\n

    As you study any one truly iconic, whether it\u2019s Walt Disney, Steve Jobs, or Joe Lewis, you\u2019ll find excellence demands sacrifice. Incredible focus in a single area (or, small range of areas), often demands that many other areas of life suffer. Joe, frankly, had many ups and downs personally and professionally. Some who loved and revered him at times had a hard time liking him. In the end, Walt Lysak made the point at the funeral that Joe, like the few who achieve his status, really didn\u2019t internalize or understand how loved and respected he was by thousands.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIt\u2019s Lonely at the Top\u201d holds true for those to pursue excellence doggedly. I increasingly under-<\/p>\n

    stand and try to recognize that reality with anyone who\u2019s made a contribution to my life as a martial artist or as a professional. It\u2019s a useful lesson for us all. That teacher or mentor who showed human imperfection should be reminded, none-the-less the positive impact they\u2019ve had. Of the incredible contribution they\u2019ve made, for they themselves will usually not recognize that reality.<\/p>\n

    For many martial artists bridges were unnecessarily burned or feelings were hurt in the past. For those who push us to excellence beyond our comfort zone, it\u2019s the norm. Work hard to mend those fences and rebuild those relationships. At the very least, have broad shoulders. In reading about Apple and Microsoft in the last couple of decades, or Disney and others in the past, it was often a badge of pride to have \u201creceived flame mail\u201d from Bill Gates, or to be called a moron by Steve Jobs. Striving for excellence is messy. Don\u2019t take it personally<\/p>\n

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    Sure Ways to \u201cShoot Yourself in the Foot and Derail your Progress\u201d<\/h2>\n

    Or, Don\u2019t Let Your Own Ego Sabotage Your Development N<\/p>\n

    ow, let me take an aside and explain one frustrating phenomenon with any coaching or mastermind program. I\u2019ve discussed it before, and, a few years ago, was so frustrated that I sat down and wrote a multipage letter with a pretty emotional rant about this that I sent to all of my coaching members at the time. However, the problem persists, and maybe you can separate it into three or four components that includes these elements:<\/p>\n

    1. Too low expectations. Many people seem to come into something like this with expectations that are too low. In fact, human nature is such that you cannot see the next summit until you\u2019ve climbed the current one. What I\u2019ve seen MANY times is that I\u2019ve worked with a school to go from something like $17,000 gross to $42,000 gross in a short period of time \u2014 only to have it BACKFIRE.<\/p>\n

    Now, what I mean, is when someone goes from, let\u2019s say, $4,500 a month in personal income to $12,000 in personal income, is that often their vision of self-worth, lifestyle potential, business and personal opportunities don\u2019t keep pace. Many have hit this new level (several were only at $20,000 gross; most were somewhere between $30,000 and $60,000 \u2014 double or triple where they started), and suddenly think that\u2019s all there is to accomplish. Sometimes, they now think they know \u201call of the secrets.\u201d Other times they think they\u2019ve maxed out their potential. Others think they have enough ideas for the next four or five years, so why keep learning.<\/p>\n

    Unfortunately, there\u2019s no such thing as a plateau. To quote Ray Kroc of McDonald\u2019s, who grew them from one location to close to 9,000 locations before his death in 1984 \u2014 who as I recall took this quote from one of our previous presidents (I forget which one):<\/p>\n

    As long as you\u2019re green, you\u2019re growing. As soon as you\u2019re ripe, you start to rot.<\/p>\n

    Ray Kroc<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve seen many who have made HUGE gains pull out \u2014 only to CRASH after leaving. The momentum was not about a few ideas but about on-going support. Frankly, in martial arts, it\u2019s no different. As you move to higher levels you continue to need a teacher\/coach; your skills degrade if you shift to being \u201cself-taught\u201d at any stage. Look no further than Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods, who constantly look for new coaches to get back in the game.<\/p>\n

    I URGE YOU to ALWAYS set new goals for yourself that are \u201cout of reach\u201d but not \u201cout of sight.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Suggestions: A. Improve your Life-Style. Build stable income from your school and then go buy a Rolex, get the Porsche or Mercedes that you\u2019ve always wanted. Find and set a goal for your dream house. Get over whatever issues that you may have about living too well or about buying expensive things. Ultimately, everything counts. The Rolex Submariner on your wrist is a nice \u201csocial indicator\u201d for the higher end clientele that you are hoping to attract. One coaching client that I had REALLY TOOK OFF after getting rid of the house he\u2019d been liv-<\/p>\n

    ing in \u201cnext to a crack house\u201d and moved into a 5,000-plus square foot home with separate office, five-car garage, and pool. At some level this is about new higher goals, and, at a different level, it\u2019s about expanding your sense of \u201cself-worth\u201d and growing into your career.<\/p>\n

    B. Set Strong \u201cVISUAL\u201d goals about how you want your business to operate and what you hope for it to look like. Really move your expectations up and build the model, or have the blueprint for what you want your school to be like.<\/p>\n

    C. Build your Net Worth. The real estate and the stock markets have been scary in the past couple of years. However, the long-term path to wealth is either in investing in your own building. Owning your own home, building your investments in rental properties or in the stock market. Frankly, now\u2019s the time to buy. It\u2019s a great time to build CASH FLOW and invest it towards your future wealth goals.<\/p>\n

    We\u2019ll certainly have several Inner Circle Members \u2014 perhaps many \u2014 trending towards $500,000 or more in personal income. Don\u2019t be satisfied with significant growth in your gross \u2014 let\u2019s have massive improvements in your personal income and life-style this year.<\/p>\n

    D. \u201cToo Smart for the Room.\u201d Some conclude they are smarter or doing better than most of the others, so why continue to participate (I learned the error of that thinking by watching Ron Le- Grand take ideas from me and a bunch of others doing 10% of what he was. He took ideas that might be worth $100,000 to me \u2014 when I shared with him \u2014 and he added $1,000,000 or more. Even after flying in on his G5, he was looking for ways to add 1%, 10% or more). Frankly, bigger operations have MUCH HIGHER LEVER- AGE from smaller improvements. In the past I benefited more from adding 5% to a $2,000,000 operation than friends did who were running $30,000 or $40,000 a month schools.<\/p>\n

    I personally experienced this for many years with EFC. I was by far the largest school for many years among the EFC Board of Directors. However, each time I attended I learned something that I would implement and became reenergized, along the way others grew (perhaps, in part from my ideas or example) such as Keith Hafner, Buzz Durkin, Tim and Dave Kovar and others. As others grew their business, it spurred me to stay ahead or keep up, and everyone brought good ideas to the table.<\/p>\n

    E. The \u201cConsultant Syndrome.\u201d A bunch of the folks running around the industry now trying to be a Marketing Consultant came from my Coaching groups (or Franchise). Many fit the syndrome above. One went from $7,000 to $20,000, another from $5,000 to $15,000, another from $12,000 to $35,000; then decided they were the \u201cGuru\u201d of Internet Marketing, Direct Response Marketing, Sales, or some other business function. Some think that since I \u201ccharge so much\u201d that they can do the same thing at one-half or a one-quarter of my price and be happy. One was struggling to cover his lifestyle costs of $2,500 a month and decided to steal from me \u2014 ideas, customers and content and become a direct marketing consultant. Others just good-naturedly stumble into helping others and decide to be a competitor.<\/p>\n

    Now, let me tell you a couple of things. First, Y.K. Kim and I discussed this openly at a recent seminar: If I had the \u201cdisposition for it,\u201d I\u2019d make A LOT more money running one big school or 3 or 5 that I own outright than I\u2019ve made from all of the coaching and consulting I\u2019ve done. I do this as the next step of \u201cpersonal actualization,\u201d and, frankly just because the actual day-to-day of school operations, and the people management that goes with it, I find annoying at this point. I was making a strong six-figure income running schools by the time I was 24, and every year since until I decided to morph them into franchises. My<\/p>\n

    teacher\/friend Jeff Smith is marvelous at supporting school owners, but also loves the day-to-day of a school and school operations. He operates out of our training center in Virginia. I operate out of my 2,000-sq. ft. home office or Starbucks. Different personalities and different strengths.<\/p>\n

    The only schools that I have personally owned in the past couple of years were franchisees that failed and I needed to transition the school to a new owner, or gradually close or merge it with a new location (that describes many international franchisors, by the way. Quizno\u2019s, as one example, \u201cinherited\u201d a huge number of corporate locations that they are trying to fix and resell. McDonald\u2019s flips locations fairly regularly, and on and on). The last time I was paying attention to one of these locations it was netting $120,000 more or less a year with approximately an hour of my time \u2014 quarterly.<\/p>\n

    We do have to recognize and address this issue directly. We are happy to consider a couple of things. First, joint venturing on projects that will truly be \u201cworld class.\u201d Second, approving and supporting ventures that are non-competitive.<\/p>\n

    We do frown on and will have a policy of not having members in Peak Performers or Inner Circle who are directly competing with us or using access to our members to replicate our service. Our \u201cBasic\u201d program, i.e., \u201cMaximum Impact,\u201d is open to anyone, and we\u2019ve rarely (if ever) screened who are members as are some of the most successful consultants in the industry, and, frankly, that\u2019s unsurprising \u2014 I always bought everyone\u2019s stuff looking for any \u201cslight edge.\u201d<\/p>\n

    F. \u201cIt\u2019s Never a Straight Line\u201d Syndrome. I discussed in my book Everything I Wish I Knew When I Was 22 that business success is rarely a straight line to the target. Most successful businesses have had years \u201cin the red.\u201dI\u2019ve personally experienced two major \u201ccrashes\u201d in 29 years. I think about it like a boxing match or kickboxing match. If I\u2019ve won 24 or 25 of 29 rounds I\u2019ve done pretty good.<\/p>\n

    Most of those were 10-8 or knock-outs. Look at Donald Trump and Steve Jobs. Jobs was fired from his own company \u2014 during which time Microsoft came to dominate his industry \u2014 until returning to Apple and again surpassing every other tech company. With Trump I like the Marla quote (remember wife number two?). She said that she and \u201cThe Donald\u201d were walking down the sidewalk when he said \u201cMarla, see that bum on the grate, he\u2019s worth $280,000,000 more than I am.\u201d<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve seen some of our top people suffer some during the \u201cworst recession since the great depression.\u201d Now, if we\u2019ve been working closely together for even a couple of years, the unasked question could be, where would you be otherwise? We\u2019re all going to have times that we took the eye off the ball, times when we made some bad choices, and other times when circumstances got the better of us for a time. Staff problems, divorces, illnesses, and recession can knock you off your fast growth trajectory. I\u2019ve experienced everything under the sun other than personal illness (I\u2019ve always been pretty healthy). Otherwise, there\u2019s no scenario from divorce to staff dating underage students, to every possible staff problem (by the way, the letter I talked about earlier is on the hard-drive of the Mac laptop my former assistant\/secretary stole while \u201cdisappearing\u201d from the job, never to be heard from again).<\/p>\n

    The big issue is to make QUICK course corrections and get back on top. Unfortunately, most people hit their first major roadblock and then give up. In my case, being able to lean on a coach and peers who had \u201cbeen there done that\u201d always got me going again. Whether it was Jeff Smith, Keith Hafner or the \u201cPlatinum Group,\u201d having someone else who has been there and came roaring back is helpful.<\/p>\n

    I had that conversation with Dave Kovar a couple of years ago \u2014 walking him in confidentially to my conference room with the admonition: \u201cIt\u2019s<\/p>\n

    never as bad as you think it is.\u201d Stay positive and get moving and things will get better and you\u2019ll hit new heights.<\/p>\n

    I don\u2019t measure a man\u2019s success by how high he climbs, but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.<\/p>\n

    George S. Patton<\/p>\n

    An interesting story, by the way. When I first talked about working directly with Chuck Norris on the \u201cGood Housekeeping Seal for Martial Arts Schools,\u201d it was an idea to solve his financial crisis. He had $60,000.00 a MONTH in alimony, and no movie prospects on the table. He was scrambling to figure out how to prevent AN- OTHER major financial crisis (remember, he got into acting after going bankrupt with his chain of martial arts schools). Unfortunately for me, he signed the contract for Walker Texas Ranger the weekend I was visiting at his ranch. Seemed like things were going to be fine until the production company went out of business (Canon Films) during the first season (and the CEO went to prison, as I recall).<\/p>\n

    G. \u201cOn to the Next Guru.\u201d It\u2019s again natural for people to look for the next guru, however, it\u2019s typically pretty unproductive. I\u2019ve seen some \u201cjumping from lily pad to lily pad,\u201d each time disrupting their operation and getting off track. Within our industry it leads to the hodge-podge of unrelated systems that may create revenue but becomes a HUGE headache and cuts deeply into the NET. Several are back in Peak Performers after looking elsewhere for \u201cgreener grass.\u201d We welcome them back, however a few dropped considerably, or at best, \u201cslid along laterally\u201d during their absence.<\/p>\n

    Another, even less productive trend, has been doing the opposite of what\u2019s really useful. Let me explain. As your career develops you go from \u201cGeneral Information\u201d to increasingly more \u201cHighly-Specialized Information.\u201d You go from<\/p>\n

    benefiting from general knowledge to needing VERY specific and specialized information about your particular need, industry or problem. An example would be going from \u201cGeneralized\u201d marketing knowledge of the sort taught in a college program on Marketing to more useful and specific something like marketing stuff sold by Nightingale-Conant or one of the variety of \u201cMarketing Gurus,\u201d to something like Jay Abraham\u2019s $25,000 two-day seminar, to directly hiring a copywriter or consultant (paying Dan Kennedy $12,000 for the day), to finding someone who\u2019s distilled that information directly and applied it to our industry and situation with huge success.<\/p>\n

    That\u2019s the natural and correct course of events \u2014 going the other direction is not terribly useful. Don\u2019t get me wrong. I believe you should read Kennedy\u2019s books, pay attention to Halbert, Abraham, Carlson and all of the others. For a comprehensive list of reading recommendations, see my book Everything I Wish I Knew When I Was 22.<\/p>\n

    However, we\u2019ve had a few who think that going from specific actionable information and strategies to more general information is the way to go.<\/p>\n

    In JKD, one does not accumulate but eliminate. It is not daily increase but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity.<\/p>\n

    Before I studied the art, a punch to me was just like a punch, a kick just like a kick. After I learned the art, a punch was no longer a punch, a kick no longer a kick. Now that I\u2019ve understood the art, a punch is just like a punch, a kick just like a kick. The height of cultivation is really nothing special. It is merely simplicity; the ability to express the utmost with the minimum. It is the halfway cultivation that leads to ornamentation.<\/p>\n

    Bruce Lee<\/p>\n

    That ALWAYS BACK-FIRES.<\/p>\n

    In my own case, I had enrolled over 35,000 students into my own schools through internal events, direct mail, telemarketing, community outreach and broadcast media, ranging from major newspaper budgets to 30-second spots and long-form infomercials before I ever heard of Jay Abraham, John Carlton or Dan Kennedy. Tim Kovar, Keith Hafner and I spent a ton of money and time learning from Jay Abraham, and then a couple of years and nearly $1,000,000 between us getting any of it to work in our specific industry.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve tracked seven different former coaching clients who become Kennedy-GKIC groupies. One has continued to grow (Lloyd Irvin, who went from $7,000 a month to over $60,000 with my help). The other six are WAY down from then I was actively working with them, and confused and frustrated \u2014 blaming the economy for dropping by 50%, while I\u2019ve coached others to grow by 200% or more. Their material would have been nice support to what we were doing, but it\u2019s more general and far less \u201cactionable.\u201d<\/p>\n

    In the case of me working with Kennedy, I\u2019ve found much of value in building the franchise and in reorganizing NAPMA. I\u2019m not sure if much or any has translated itself directly into martial arts schools. The best concept that I continue to repeat from Abraham is simply the \u201cParthenon\u201d concept. In other words, \u201cDo a Bunch of Different Stuff\u201d to get new students, and charge a lot more than anyone else \u2014 value what you do.<\/p>\n

    While it\u2019s extremely useful to study Tom Hopkins, Zig Ziglar and Brian Tracy on sales \u2014 I recommend that you read all of their books and buy all of their CDs and DVDs \u2014 it\u2019s 1,000 times more valuable to study, script and memorize the Sales Training Bootcamp that we have online at the member site. Going from the \u201cGeneral\u201d to the \u201cSpecific\u201d is the way to move from $50,000 a year income to $500,000 a year, then to $1,000,000. Specialized information is always more expen-<\/p>\n

    sive. Sometimes, much more expensive. But the only finite resource is TIME. Money is infinite and abundant if you believe that and know how to scoop it up.<\/p>\n

    H. \u201cSliding Along Laterally.\u201d A final concern is perhaps a repeat of \u201cthere\u2019s no such thing as a plateau.\u201d In all of our Coaching Groups (Peak Performers, Inner Circle, Millionaire Wealth) it\u2019s essential for us to monitor the thinking that goes on in the room. Please RISE TO THE OC- CASION and be on the FAST growth track this year, and have the highest expectations for your professional success. I\u2019m expecting that many of our participants will add $100,000, $250,000 or more to their NET INCOME this year. I\u2019m working hard to make sure YOU ARE ONE OF THEM.<\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s Grow Together and Mutually Support Each Other\u2019s Achievements!<\/p>\n

    Hit the Ground Running for the New Year!<\/p>\n

    Prepare a Comprehensive Marketing Plan adequate to insure a huge enrollment flow of at least 100 new students January, February, March. Create a plan for 30-50 Enrollments per month starting in January.<\/p>\n

    How\u2019s your marketing plan for the coming year? If you\u2019ve paid close attention to our Telecoaching calls, the huge amount of materials on your member website, and especially if you were at the Marketing Bootcamp and the various Peak Performers and Inner Circle Meetings, then you\u2019ve heard more marketing concepts than anyone needs to add 20-50 new students each and every month. The biggest problem that I see is inaction. You must violently execute an effective plan to grow your school. Below is an action plan in outline form. It\u2019s not comprehensive, but we\u2019ve certainly talked about A LOT of other ideas to market your school. However this list is a good start, especially if you\u2019re focusing on the kids market.<\/p>\n

    1. Children\u2019s Hospital Flyers \u2014 Distribute this week to:<\/p>\n

    a. Every Public and Private Elementary<\/p>\n

    and Middle School in your area a. All Day Cares (private, school, church<\/p>\n

    groups, recreation centers) a. All Recreation Centers 2. Solidify your relationship with all schools in your area:<\/p>\n

    Mail to All<\/p>\n

    This week mail a letter to all schools that explains that we work to support all schools in our community by providing after-school programs and other talks and programs, as well as supporting fund-raising efforts within the schools. We have enclosed one certificate valued at $300 and five valued at $100 that may be used for fundraising, prizes or incentives for students.<\/p>\n

    Enclose: 1 \u2014 Three-Month Free Certificate, and; One-Month Free Certificate to be used for fund-raising efforts to every PTO President, PE Teacher and Principal.<\/p>\n

    Mail to all Public, Private, Church, and Charter Elementary Schools and Middle Schools.<\/p>\n

    1. Promote Various Programs that We So In Area Schools to the Student Body: Discuss:<\/p>\n

    a. Bring your Instructor to \u201cShow and<\/p>\n

    Tell\u201d b. Gym Teacher for the Day c. Bring your Instructor to \u201cCareer Day\u201d d. Bring your Instructor to \u201cForeign Cul-<\/p>\n

    ture Day\u201d e. Free Demo Class & Presentations for: 2. Boy Scout Troops 3. Girl Scout Troops 4. Day Cares 5. Church Groups 6. Sports Teams: Baseball; Soccer; Football, Etc.<\/p>\n

    Reminder: The key to all of these activities is the \u201cPermission Slip.\u201d You must always get \u201cLEAD Information,\u201d i.e., Name, Address, Mobile Number, Email Address to follow-up via Mail, Telemarketing, Text Messaging, Email and Broadcast Voicemail.<\/p>\n

    Aggressive Internal Promotions, Including:<\/p>\n

    1. VIP: Internal Referral push for September. Mail letter with four or more guest passes to every student right now. 2. Promote the GRADUATION DAY big. a. Big Demonstration. b. All Graduates Bring a Witness. c. Invitations to give to friends. 3. Internal Event this month, like a \u201cMovie Night\u201d. 4. Internal Event this month, like a \u201cWomen\u2019s Self Defense\u201d day. 5. Big Family add-pn push for January.<\/p>\n

    Parent Appreciation Month<\/p>\n

    1. Parents take class with their kids free all month with free uniform. 2. No Registration Fee and Half-Price Tuition for family add-ons by Jan. 31. 3. Promote birthday parties for anyone with a birthday in the next few months. 4. Promote birthday parties to all prospects.<\/p>\n

    Day Care Demos:<\/p>\n

    1. Set up one-day programs at all area day cares: Private, Schools, Churches, Recreation Centers, etc.<\/p>\n

    a. Get \u201cPermission Slips.\u201d a. Follow-up with series of mailings plus<\/p>\n

    follow-up phone call.<\/p>\n

    Prepare Your Advertising Plan for the Spring<\/p>\n

    Marriage Mail Options:<\/p>\n

    a. Val Pak b. Money Mailer c. Advo<\/p>\n

    d. Denver (or your local area) Newspaper<\/p>\n

    Inserts e. Pocket Coupon Direct Mail Options:<\/p>\n

    a. Series of Letters to Prospect Database b. GetMembers.com (postcard mailings) c. Local Newspapers<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Inserts \u2022 Post-It-Note on Cover Other Promotional Opportunities:<\/p>\n

    a. Brochures on counters (Rack Cards;<\/p>\n

    300-500) b. Street Signs (Bandit Signs) c. Banner on your Building d. Balloon on your Roof e. Sign (upgrade or add) f. Signage in your Window \u0007\u201cShoe Leather\u201d VIPs: Clip Board & Guest Passes:<\/p>\n

    a. Shopping Mall b. Grocery Stores c. In front of Restaurant at Lunch Time Publicity:<\/p>\n

    \u2022 \u0007Keep on the lookout for interesting stories about students, (exceptional results, special needs or medical, interesting stories, re: their background, occupation, etc.). \u2022 \u0007Work on getting stories about student results in small papers: i.e., church newsletter, high school paper, community paper. \u2022 \u0007Keep on the lookout for students with ANY media ties. \u2022 \u0007Aggressive community service: outreach and document for press releases. Right away in January. Hit every elementary school within a reasonable distance of your school: five miles, more or less (further away from \u201ccity-center\u201d)<\/p>\n

    Gym Teacher for the Day:<\/p>\n

    Each School: 300 kids \u2014 75% \u201cPermission Slips\u201d = 15-25 Immediate Intros<\/p>\n

    200 prospects to mail to every month for the year. Many will convert eventually.<\/p>\n

    Direct Mail Marketing Concept:<\/p>\n

    Important to Implement \u2014 Discuss Farming Out and Automating.<\/p>\n

    Suspects into Prospects.<\/p>\n

    \u201cFARMING\u201d: Finding extremely targeted lists of \u201cSuspects\u201d and working that list consistently and repetitiously. Example: School Directory \u2014 local school with excellent demographics. Or,<\/p>\n

    Purchased List: Income $75,000-plus, kids 4-12, owns home, geographically targeted. \u0007Step 1. Letter or Postcard #1, #2, #3, #4 (within 6 weeks) \u0007Step 2. \u201cDrip System\u201d Monthly Mailer \u2014 Forever.<\/p>\n

    Prospects into Intros.<\/p>\n

    Example: Attended a Birthday Party, afterschool, demo, etc.<\/p>\n

    \u0007Step 1. Letter or Postcard with telephone follow-up. \u0007Step 2. Mailer #2, #3, #4 within 6 weeks. \u0007Step 3. \u201cDrip System\u201d Monthly Mailer \u2014 Forever. \u0007Step 4. January, May, September: Mailer #1, #2, #3 weekly -plus telephone follow-up<\/p>\n

    Lost Intros into Enrollments.<\/p>\n

    Example: Came to First Intro \u2014 never came back. Cancelled when called.<\/p>\n

    \u0007Step 1. Follow-up letter with lots of testimonials. \u0007Step 2. \u201cPrice Drop Offer,\u201d i.e., 1 month free, or 3 month $99, or 2 for 1 offer. \u0007Step 3. Telephone call follow-up to \u201cprice drop offer\u201d \u0007Step 4. \u201cDrip System\u201d Monthly Mailer \u2014 Forever.<\/p>\n

    \u0007Step 5. January, May, September: Mailer #1, #2, #3 weekly -plus telephone follow-up.<\/p>\n

    Drop Outs into Reactivations<\/p>\n

    Step 1. Missed you in class call \u2014 Week 1 Step 2. Missed you in class call \u2014 Week 2. Step 3. Missed you in class call \u2014 Week 3. \u0007Step 4. Week 3. Personal Letter from Instructor \u2014 Miss You in Class \u0007Step 5. Week 4. Personal Letter from Program Director. \u0007Step 6. Week 4. Personal Call from Program Director.<\/p>\n

    Step 7. Monthly \u201cDrip System\u201d Mailer. \u0007Step 8. January, May, August: Mailer #1, #2, #3 weekly.<\/p>\n

    Reactivation Class, call everyone past 24 months.<\/p>\n

    \u201cDrip System:\u201d continuing to follow-up on a \u201csuspect,\u201d \u201cprospect,\u201d \u201clost intro,\u201d or \u201cdrop-out\u201d on a very regular basis \u2014 monthly or more in peak seasons. Integrate text, email, direct mail, broadcast voicemail, outbound telemarketing.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    The Higher You Climb the Ladder, the More of a Target You Become<\/h2>\n

    s I write this the Super Bowl is playing in the background. So far the 49\u2019ers are getting their butts kicked. I pause for the commercials and the occasional Cheerleader Cam. Certainly paused for the Beyonc\u00e9 show. I was hoping it would be Manning vs. RG3, and a revenge game of Elway vs. Shanahan to avenge the last time the Broncos met the Redskins in the Super Bowl. Alas, not to happen and no good-natured banter between Jeff Smith and I during the game.<\/p>\n

    Anyway, I\u2019m not much of a football fan \u2014 but I\u2019ve been watching the \u201cwinners\u201d versus the \u201closers\u201d in Martial Arts school operations for around 40 years now. We’re marking the 30-year anniversary of Mile High Karate and my personal 44- year anniversary in Martial Arts.<\/p>\n

    A couple of recent observations. \u201cThe higher you climb the ladder, the more of a target you become.\u201d I\u2019ve been watching in horror as Lloyd Irvin gets savaged by a group of detractors who have been taking both a \u201cguilty until proven innocent\u201d and a \u201cguilty after proven innocent\u201d approach.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s a case on one hand of someone without anything productive to add to the conversation about how to be successful as a school operator looking for any excuse to pretend to be the \u201cmoral voice\u201d of the industry. The \u201cself-proclaimed green party representative of the Martial Arts\u201d looking to criticize anyone with an ability to share secrets to commercial success. It\u2019s sad that he\u2019s charismatic enough to lead some people into poverty with misguided insults at the industry\u2019s business consultants.<\/p>\n

    Be clear on a couple of things. First. Marketing, Sales, Leadership Skills and Speaking Skills are \u201cValues Neutral.\u201d Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Adolf Hitler and Chairman Mao were all charismatic, great speakers and persuaded millions. Some for good. Some for evil. In no way am I comparing Reagan and Clinton with the others. Just pointing out that business, leadership and fighting skills can be used for good or evil.<\/p>\n

    You should always create a WIN\/WIN outcome and have a VERY positive influence in your community.<\/p>\n

    You must learn to be effective at marketing, sales, leadership skills and speaking skills to succeed in our industry. Those tools should be used for the good of your students and of your community. Anyone who tells you not to learn effective marketing or sales is teaching you how to be broke. Anyone who doesn\u2019t encourage you to have very high quality student service, long-term student retention, and the highest quality student skills is teaching you to perhaps make money in the short term, but to sacrifice the long-term and to sacrifice the win\/win results that you must have to still be strong in 30 years or more.<\/p>\n

    The best way to help the poor is not to become one of them.<\/p>\n

    Laing Hancock<\/p>\n

    On the other side. Someone who, as a student of mine, grew into a powerful voice for marketing MMA schools, who in my opinion mishandled a public relations challenge that was neither of his own making nor one which he had any control over. While I have no direct knowledge over any<\/p>\n

    of the events in question I do know many different friends who have had various publicity problems created by students, employees, even family members. Even those with the most conservative of environments may experience the unexpected negative publicity brought on through no fault of their own.<\/p>\n

    How do you avoid falling victim yourself? First: Establish your community reputation in your community under your own terms. Become very active in supporting local charities, local churches, local schools, and community events. Become very public in your community outreach and contribution.<\/p>\n

    Second: Establish a no tolerance policy for any and all instances of sexual impropriety among staff and students. Have a clearly written no fraternization policy for staff with students. Clearly define what\u2019s appropriate for behavior within your school.<\/p>\n

    Third: There\u2019s no such thing as being \u201ctoo conservative\u201d when you deal with other people\u2019s children. Carefully monitor everything from how your staff dresses in and out of the school to their online posts and conversations held in your school and around students.<\/p>\n

    Fourth: Run background checks and carefully evaluate any and all potential staff members.<\/p>\n

    Ultimately, if and when a crisis hits\u2026. Consult me before doing anything, or, at the very least, get very high quality advice from someone who\u2019s an expert in this field.<\/p>\n

    Like I said, I\u2019ve \u201cbeen there, done that\u201d with just about anything you can imagine in our industry. In 30 years I\u2019ve managed to never have any significant negative publicity for my schools, but it doesn\u2019t mean that staff or students have never behaved stupidly. I\u2019ve always dealt with it quickly, and yes, brutally. Have always maintained a little or no tolerance policy. And, frankly, have been so actively involved in the community and I had earned the benefit of the doubt ahead of time.<\/p>\n

    There\u2019s a very specific method to be used for handling bad publicity. There are MANY ways to make it worse not better. Be careful if a crisis hits.<\/p>\n

    Another lesson \u2014 about some other high profile \u201cMelt-Downs.\u201d<\/p>\n

    With the General Patraeus affair, there\u2019s an important lesson to learn. You can seriously \u201cshoot yourself in the foot\u201d by giving in to impulses and desires that you know at the time you shouldn\u2019t give in to. In all things, be \u201cimpeccable in your behavior.\u201d Ultimately, pause and think about any and all actions that you take \u2014 before you do it. The rule of thumb I\u2019ve heard many times is to never do anything that you wouldn\u2019t want to hit the headlines of your daily paper. In the age of the Internet it\u2019s an even better admonition since it takes about 30 seconds for negative news \u2014 real or imagined about you \u2014 to travel worldwide.<\/p>\n

    Clearly that admonition applies to all areas of your life. Be very careful about what you \u201ctweet,\u201d what photos you post on Facebook, and how you treat any and everyone you interact with. While none of us are perfect \u2014 pause and think about your actions ahead of time and realize that what seems like a good idea at the time can come back to haunt you and torpedo your career. The higher on the ladder you climb \u2014 the more likely any indiscretion will come back to haunt you.<\/p>\n

    On a Different Subject \u2026<\/p>\n

    After my last round of coaching calls, and a series of \u201cHeavy Hitters\u201d free consultation calls, something else is obvious.<\/p>\n

    Those who planned ahead and marketed aggressively to start the year \u2014 had a HUGE January.<\/p>\n

    My advice has been to really market to your existing lead list (anyone who\u2019s been in for an introductory class, came to a buddy event, called but never came in, or otherwise expressed an interest in your school but didn\u2019t enroll.) That marketing to your existing lead list should include: live outbound telemarketing, text messaging, direct mail,<\/p>\n

    email, and outbound broadcast voice mail. Using each \u201cSequentially\u201d and \u201cRepetitiously.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The small schools often aren\u2019t developing a \u201clead database.\u201d It\u2019s an essential skill that you must master. Keep track of everyone who expresses an interest in your school and follow-up relentlessly.<\/p>\n

    How \u201crelentlessly?\u201d I\u2019d recommend the minimum frequency for follow-up over a year:<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Email 400-plus times. \u2022 Direct Mail 24-plus times. \u2022 Text Message \u2014 50-plus times. \u2022 Broadcast Voice Mail 24-plus times. \u2022 Live Outbound calls \u2014 12-plus times. Even the schools who think they are following up pretty well typically do one outbound call and then a bunch of emails.<\/p>\n

    Keep in mind the hierarchy of effectiveness: Best to worst:<\/p>\n

    1. Face-to-Face, belly-to-belly. 2. Live Telephone Call 3. Text Message 4. Direct Mail 5. Email 6. Facebook and other social media Don\u2019t rely on just cheap or easy. Do what works. Do it repetitiously and sequentially.<\/p>\n

    Keep in mind\u2026 Just because someone comes to a buddy event or meets you at a movie theater or some other live<\/p>\n

    event does not mean that this week, this month is the right time for them to start a new event.<\/p>\n

    They may meet you in January but be ready to start a new event in August.<\/p>\n

    If you don\u2019t follow-up continuously, when it\u2019s time to begin a new activity they are off to something else. Likely it\u2019s not off to the martial arts school down the street \u2014 likely it\u2019s just off to something else.<\/p>\n

    Another quick review about the follow-up content.<\/p>\n

    The follow-up series should include a lot of interesting and useful content.<\/p>\n

    We provide you a HUGE amount of content. Each month send them the Kickin\u2019 Newsletter with interesting items about your school included.<\/p>\n

    Each month send them invitations to all of the events you hold at your school.<\/p>\n

    Include valuable life-skills lessons in the emails you send (plenty of material provided to you each month on the members site.) You can use this material also for interesting and valuable direct mail. Keep in mind we provide a huge number of predone-for-you direct mail items that will support your efforts.<\/p>\n

    For complete follow-up systems see your member site for recommendations for various software platforms and systems that range from expensive and sophisticated to simple and inexpensive.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Be \u201cImpeccable.\u201c<\/h2>\n

    et me start this month for apologizing for a rather intense subject, and not much (if any humor) attached.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019d like to give you a sampling of headlines that have come through my inbox in the past month (I subscribe to Google Alerts for news regarding Martial Arts, Kung Fu, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, etc.).<\/p>\n

    Braintree karate instructor faces sexual assault charges www. metro. us\/boston\/?p=125385Share<\/p>\n

    A martial arts instructor is scheduled to be arraigned Monday on charges he sexually assaulted a young female student at his Braintree karate school.<\/p>\n

    for molesting two girls\u2026from allegations that he molested a 12-year-old karate student.<\/p>\n

    (By publishing ANY of the above I\u2019m not acting<\/p>\n

    as judge or jury. Some are innocent, some guilty. All innocent until proven guilty \u2014 unfortunately, a principle missing in the Internet age. However, all of the above are from news sources \u2014 some big, some small. Some print, some online only.)<\/p>\n

    Now, before you begin to think there\u2019s been a \u201crash of problems\u201d or a huge up tick in rape, molestation or sexual harassment in our small industry, let me share with you a disturbing reality\u2026. This volume is \u201cnormal,\u201d and perhaps down from a few years ago.<\/p>\n

    That having been said, and I\u2019ve watched this for 40-plus years \u2026 it was a HUGE problem in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. As I\u2019ve said before, \u201cThe Good Old Days, Never Were.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Why to I make this a subject of conversation this month?<\/p>\n

    Well. It\u2019s been a HUGE concern of mine since watching what I considered inappropriate behavior among various teachers and instructors going all the way back to when I was 15 or 16 years old.<\/p>\n

    There are THREE important subjects buried in these disturbing news articles for you to pay attention to for your business.<\/p>\n

    1. How to prevent inappropriate behavior in your school. 2. How to protect yourself against false allegations. 3. How to screen potential staff and volunteers. And, I should likely add a fourth \u2014 for future discussion.<\/p>\n

    How we as a community protect ourselves from a devastating Public Relations disaster (think, day-care industry a few years ago, or even the Catholic Church.)<\/p>\n

    This is an extremely important subject. Recently Facebook has been lit up over some high-profile allegations lodged against some highprofile industry leaders. Much of the conversation becomes \u201cnonsense\u201d in that environment.<\/p>\n

    Before going any further\u2026 Let me make an observation. Much of our sensitivity as to what\u2019s appropriate or inappropriate behavior evolves from the current cultural environment and news reporting, along with highprofile lawsuits and government action.<\/p>\n

    What was considered okay 10 or 20 years ago may be a lawsuit waiting to happen in our current environment.<\/p>\n

    For instance: I was watching a very good interview with Bill Gates recently. When asked how he and his wife met he responded, \u201cWe met at work.\u201d Then paused, looked a bit embarrassed, and then said \u201cback when that was okay.\u201d At Microsoft, a fairly high profile sexual harassment case was in progress over an executive and employee who were dating at Microsoft.<\/p>\n

    Recently, there have been high profile cases, ranging from Jack Welch to David Patraeus to the CEO of Home Depot and CEO of Best Buy, in various relationship scandals that would likely have been ignored 20 or 30 years ago.<\/p>\n

    That means in your school, issues such as sexual harassment, what\u2019s an appropriate or inappropriate relationship, and appropriate behavior generally, are under a much finer magnifying glass than in years past.<\/p>\n

    Anyway, some thoughts and suggestions: I was having this conversation recently with Bill Clark. ATA has done a marvelous job in documenting and overseeing in meticulous detail requirements ranging from background checks to facility layout in an effort to prevent such allegations or actions.<\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s start by dealing with staff and creating the right culture in your school.<\/p>\n

    First, hiring. Hiring the right people is an inexact science. For situations like molestation or rape there is always the \u201cfirst time.\u201d for any individual.<\/p>\n

    How to hire the right person could be a book unto itself. And, in fact, there are several I\u2019d recommend. One is by an acquaintance of mine, Geoff Smart, is called, \u201cWho.\u201d<\/p>\n

    However, the short list of recommendations: 1. Always require a complete list of former employers, and call them. Ask probing questions. If they have a martial arts background (other than with you directly), then call their instructors and ask about their character, attitude and background.<\/p>\n

    2. Run a background check. It\u2019s pretty inexpensive. In Colorado, for instance, we can run a CBI background check for arrest records for about $7. This really should be done with anyone you hire, if nothing else, having it \u201cin the file\u201d can help protect you in the case of a problem, if one should occur.<\/p>\n

    3. Trust your intuition. I\u2019ve come to feel that if I have a \u201cbad feeling\u201d about a potential staff member, or one of the others that I have interview the applicant has that \u201cbad feeling,\u201d then no matter how strong the resume or references, I\u2019ll trust that feeling.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s rare for a new hire to be a \u201cwinner.\u201d Most companies have a pretty high failure rate when hiring, especially if hiring from \u201coutside.\u201d<\/p>\n

    4. Have several people interview each applicant. A corporate trend a few years back was \u201c360\u201d evaluations. I\u2019m not sure about that for ongoing evaluations, although it\u2019s probably a good idea; however, for hiring it\u2019s invaluable. You may \u201clove\u201d a potential applicant, however, someone else with an understanding of your expectations and culture may see elements that you would miss or overlook.<\/p>\n

    5. Have an INTENSIVE 90-day training program for any new hire along with a probationary period. Observer character, conversation and attitude. If you see a \u201ccrack\u201d in the fa\u00e7ade, cut your losses quickly.<\/p>\n

    6. Have a clear understanding up front about appropriate behavior within your school and with and around students (and, their parents) regardless of setting. In fact, have a real chat about how they are expected to behave on \u201coff hours\u201d any where in the vicinity of your school.<\/p>\n

    Here\u2019s a brief excerpt from the Employment Agreement that I\u2019ve had for many years for Mile High Karate. It includes references to behavior standards, a non-compete agreement, non-solicitation agreement and trade secrets.<\/p>\n

    Employment agreement excerpt: EMPLOYEE BEHAVIOR AND IMAGE: A. Employee agrees to abide by the policies and procedures of Mile High Karate and as developed by the Master Instructor. Employee agrees not to discuss any disagreement or dissatisfaction he\/she may have with anyone other than Mile High Karate management. Employee understands that a failure to properly follow policies and procedures, as well as to follow them in a properly supportive spirit, is grounds for termination.<\/p>\n

    B. Employee understands that he\/she must always strive to protect the physical and psychological well being of all Mile High Karate students with whom he\/she comes into contact. Failure to take reasonable precautions, exercise proper common sense, and\/or follow Mile High Karate policies and procedures may result in Employee\u2019s termination and the acceptance of complete and total legal liability for his\/her actions. This includes but is not limited to allowing a student to be needlessly injured, embarrassed, or humiliated.<\/p>\n

    C. Because students, especially young ones, will often develop strong admiration and respect for their instructors, they will often emulate their habits and behavior. The personal appearance and actions of the Employee will reflect directly upon the Employer. It is imperative that Employee reflect the highest possible standards of appearance, professionalism, and ethical and moral behavior<\/p>\n

    both within the work environment and when in public at any time. Employee agrees to carefully monitor his\/her dress, personal hygiene, habits, speech and actions whenever in public view. Public drunkenness or any form of illegal drug usage either in public or private is inappropriate.<\/p>\n

    D. Employer believes that it is inappropriate in almost all cases for an Employee to date or have intimate contact with any student, or parent of a student. No such encounter may occur without prior permission from management, which will rarely be given. Any sexually oriented jokes, advances, gestures, inferences, comments, or inappropriate touching of any student or staff member is strictly against policy and exposes the offending Employee to possible termination was well as any possible legal action.<\/p>\n

    The next important element is to carefully monitor the culture within your school and among your students and staff.<\/p>\n

    Ultimately, it all reflects your behavior, attitude and expectations. It\u2019s never okay to behave in a way that\u2019s less stringent than you expect of your staff. In fact, whether it\u2019s in training or behavior, you\u2019ll be lucky to get them to 70% of what you model for them. Said another way, \u201cdo what I say not what I do,\u201d never works.<\/p>\n

    When it comes to the children\u2019s market I\u2019ve always believed that there\u2019s no such thing as \u201ctoo conservative.\u201d Parents, no matter how liberal or relaxed in their personal beliefs, never object to a protective and safe environment for their child.<\/p>\n

    This again could be a very long and exhaustive conversation. However, I\u2019ll tell you that as an owner you must model impeccable behavior and be constantly vigilant. Listen to every conversation going on in your school. I\u2019d recommend that you have audio-video recording in every room (other, than of course, the dressing room\/rest rooms.<\/p>\n

    Listen in on conversations that go on between staff members and between staff and students.<\/p>\n

    To give you a simple example: I was in one of my schools a few years ago. One staff member commented to another behind closed doors, that a female member looked good in the splits. I stepped in and immediately pointed out that in public AND behind closed doors that a comment like that was totally inappropriate about any student.<\/p>\n

    You must make it clear that your school is an environment of total respect and an environment where sexual references, comments, suggestions, and jokes are inappropriate.<\/p>\n

    Now, don\u2019t think that I\u2019m only talking about children\u2019s schools. In the 1960s and 1970s the problem was with instructors pursuing students \u2014 usually adult students. In some ways the MMA trends and Kickboxing trends have led us back to the \u201860s and \u201870s as an industry.<\/p>\n

    In an adults-only environment, it\u2019s certainly okay for students to develop friendships or date one another. It\u2019s not okay for your staff to use your clientele as a \u201cdating pool.\u201d There\u2019s nothing more destructive than having female (or male students) feel uncomfortable coming to your school, afraid of being touched or \u201chit on.\u201d Even a staff member who\u2019s courteous can create problems if allowed to date a student. Ultimately, there are two obvious problems. One can be \u201cjealousy\u201d created among other students; the other is obvious: If the relationship doesn\u2019t work then you lose a student (or a staff member.)<\/p>\n

    In the Facebook world, there\u2019s the line of discussion that women shouldn\u2019t have to learn selfdefense, that men should be taught \u201cnot to rape.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Frankly, I think that comment is ludicrous. In the United States and most of the modern western world, pretty much everyone is pretty clear what the rules are at the margins, assuming that they are not suffering from serious mental problems.<\/p>\n

    No instructor who\u2019s raped a student thought that it was acceptable. Rather, they hoped not to<\/p>\n

    get caught. Rarely does an instructor have what they believe to be a consensual relationship with an underage student without knowing that it\u2019s legally and morally questionable or inappropriate. No one molests a child thinking that it\u2019s going to be okay if discovered.<\/p>\n

    In fact, it could be argued that generally we\u2019ve become a little too hypersensitive about workplace dating or other otherwise innocent \u201cmale-female\u201d comments or conversations. Again, witness Bill Gates, or the sportscaster who recently got in trouble for commenting that an athlete\u2019s wife (a former beauty queen) was beautiful.<\/p>\n

    Certainly, it\u2019s a philosophical argument. As martial arts teachers we certainly must be in the role of teaching boys and men how to behave appropriately, and teaching girls and women how to protect themselves against the VERY SMALL percentage of men who are going to cross the line.<\/p>\n

    Protecting Yourself Against False Allegations.<\/p>\n

    Let me begin by saying as a business owner you can be a \u201cpillar of the community\u201d and behave in all instances appropriately. You can be very careful about who you hire and how your train them. You can monitor your culture and every nook and crevice within your school. AND, still have a devastating incident happen by a staff member or student.<\/p>\n

    There\u2019s nothing you can do to be 100% sure that you will never have this type of problem. Several of my friends have had bad publicity problems erupt from the actions of staff, students, or, even in one case, his brother. You still must protect yourself against such bad publicity.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve been the most diligent, stringent and conservative owner-instructor that I know (and have still had several problems over the years) real or accused problems involving staff and students. None became publicity problems. That was probably due to a combination of solid reputation, quickly addressing the problem, and more than a little luck.<\/p>\n

    In addition, at any time a disgruntled former employee, frustrated student, or someone else with an \u201caxe to grind,\u201d could make an accusation against you or a staff member. Ultimately, once an \u201cInternet feeding frenzy\u201d starts and your local (or, national) newspapers or television stations run the story, it can destroy your business and your credibility in your community. Unfortunately being found to be innocent months or years later doesn\u2019t repair the damage that was done.<\/p>\n

    How do you protect yourself? We\u2019ve already discussed many steps. All of the written contracts, pre-screening, monitoring of your culture, and lessons taught to staff and students are all necessary and important.<\/p>\n

    In addition, you really must start on your reputation in each and every venue now, not later.<\/p>\n

    At the most basic, be very focused on making sure your ratings and feedback on Google Local, Yelp, Yahoo!, Bing and at the Better Business Bureau are strong. Get lots of positive ratings and evaluations in all of those venues.<\/p>\n

    Obviously, monitor your Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, and other social media interactions as well as those of your staff. What seems innocent now can cast a different light through the lens of an allegation.<\/p>\n

    More important is for you to become a \u201cPillar of your Community.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Become very involved in local charities. Help with fundraising. Help with events and activities. Some of this will directly benefit your school, however, if all that you do are things that are clearly for your own benefit then it won\u2019t help that much. Make sure that you, your staff, your Black Belts, and your students are all actively involved in community service.<\/p>\n

    You need to be known by the area scout leaders, church leaders, teachers and principals, charity leaders and community leaders The more you are recognized for giving selflessly and for encourag-<\/p>\n

    ing community service among your students, then the more you will be given the benefit of the doubt if an when an incident occurs.<\/p>\n

    There is also a very important process for handling the publicity after the fact that goes beyond our discussion today. There have been some high profile examples of bungling the PR after the fact. Maybe we\u2019ll do a \u201cpost mortem on those sometime soon.<\/p>\n

    To wrap up.<\/p>\n

    I understand that this is a rather intense subject. It\u2019s vital that you be eternally vigilant. There are few things that can kill your school overnight, but an allegation, arrest or lawsuit surrounding one of these issues can easily cripple or kill your school. I\u2019d suggest that you do a little \u201csoul-searching\u201d and have a conversation with yourself and then take action on any problems or missing elements in your school \u2014 NOW.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    MMA has Killed \u201cTraditional Martial Arts Schools?\u201d<\/h2>\n

    K, If you\u2019ve been around awhile then you know that it\u2019s a stupid statement on the face of it\u2026However, frankly, a lot of otherwise bright school owners believe the above.<\/p>\n

    Anyway, to give you a very brief history of your industry, I\u2019ve got to say that The Karate Kid didn\u2019t kill martial arts schools, the TV Show Kung Fu and the movie \u201cEnter the Dragon\u201d didn\u2019t kill Tae Kwon Do, Karate and Judo schools. \u201cNinja Turtles\u201d didn\u2019t kill anyone who, well, wasn\u2019t a Ninja \u2014 or, I guess, a Teenage Turtle. And, Tae Bo didn\u2019t kill anyone teaching stuff other than \u201cCardio or Fitness Kickboxing.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Don\u2019t get my statement above, wrong: A few of these trends HAVE in fact killed off some traditional schools who followed the trend and put themselves out of business.<\/p>\n

    What\u2019s reality? Right now there is a VERY Healthy market for at least the following groups:<\/p>\n

    1. Adult Men 18\u201328 who are interested in MMA. 2. Adult Men 28\u201340 who are interested in MMA. 3. Adult women interested in Martial Arts as a fitness vehicle. 4. Children 3\u201312 years of age. 5. Adults 45 & Up looking for Low Impact Activities such as Tai Chi. This isn\u2019t a comprehensive list but, here\u2019s a reality: Over the years in the children\u2019s market there have been times when just a yellow page add with your phone number would pull a ton of calls. There have been other times when you had to \u201cgo hunt for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Right now the Adult Market is EASILY accessible in the current version of the Yellow Pages. There is lots of \u201cinventory\u201d of \u201cclicks\u201d for adults looking for what they think of as MMA (typically, actually BJJ or Muay Thai). There is \u201cinventory\u201d of \u201cclicks\u201d for fitness kickboxing and a huge opportunity with Groupon, Living Social and the like.<\/p>\n

    The kids market right now is a bit different. There\u2019s not a flood of searches (or, \u201cInventory of Clicks\u201d) available online right now \u2014 however, there are tons of children and family all around you who would be interested is introduced and educated. You just have to know how to find them and how to get their attention and interest.<\/p>\n

    A big mistake that was made during the initial \u201cTae Bo\u201d boom was in traditional schools adopting a \u201cfitness center\u201d pricing model. Doing stupid things like selling \u201cpunch cards\u201d and, \u201cmonth-tomonth\u201d low price memberships ($39-$99 a month.)<\/p>\n

    Many school owners didn\u2019t learn from that history and are now going back to that idea with Krav Maga, MMA and Kickboxing.<\/p>\n

    Sadly, many in our industry think that if people are not flooding in their door with little or no effort that their \u201cmarket has died.\u201d<\/p>\n

    There are MANY kids-oriented schools who are thriving right now. Few are predominantly filling their school with \u201cSearch Engine Optimization,\u201d \u201cPay Per Click\u201d Advertising and similar online sources. Most have become very good at community outreach activities, internal \u201creferral\u201d marketing events, and ultimately constant, repetitious, and effective lead follow-up.<\/p>\n

    Back to the \u201cMMA\u201d market. I recently did a 30 minute video on the \u201cState of the Industry \u2014<\/p>\n

    MMA\u201d you can access through www.NAPMA. com. In it I point out that right now a properly run adult school can fill their school with effective online marketing. I also point out that having that \u201cone pillar\u2019 of advertising is dangerous. It\u2019s important to have MANY pillars of marketing for your school even if online search marketing or sources like GroupOn are working well.<\/p>\n

    Many children\u2019s oriented schools closed when the Yellow Pages stopped working years ago. Those (like mine) who had learned MANY different ways to get new students did fine. Many benefitted from the flood but never really learned how to market effectively.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ll warn the MMA guys that the same is likely to happen in their \u201cniche.\u201d At some point<\/p>\n

    you have to get good at a broader base of marketing activities and, I\u2019d suggest that you start now. In addition even if you are doing well online you probably could do much better. Are you tracking your online conversion rate? How\u2019s it doing. How\u2019s your \u201csqueeze page?\u201d Do you sequentially, and aggressively follow-up all leads with text, voicemail, email, outbound live phone calls, and direct mail? For how long?<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve rarely seen a martial arts school follow-up with their leads aggressively enough or effectively enough. I love times when you can \u201cdrink from a fire hose.\u201d During those times you want to continue to add to your marketing and continually improve your efficiencies.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    81% Upgrade Ratio<\/h2>\n

    ur Inner Circle and Peak Performers focus on Student Retention and the Complete Renewal-Upgrade Process in Washington, D.C. with a special \u201con-site\u201d at Mile High Karate Training Center with Grandmaster Jeff Smith and Staff.<\/p>\n

    I just returned from our May Inner Circle and Peak Performers meetings and special \u201cRenewal & Retention\u201d staff Bootcamp. It was spectacular.<\/p>\n

    Some immediate feedback received included:<\/p>\n

    Carol Middleton: It was better than three of any other conference! We came back Monday and are changing our school for the better in three major ways.<\/p>\n

    Michael Dietrich: Great to be around my first instructors and to have them continue to be mentors with information that was not only important but inspirational for all of us. Congratulations on an awesome presentation. I will be sure to tell the other Masters I associate with! What we covered in specific was the complete \u201cUpgrade\u201d structure and philosophy and the \u201cEducational Institution\u201d approach to running a Martial Arts School as contrasted with the \u201cHealth Club\u201d model.<\/p>\n

    We discussed that our greatest need is in improving the education of our students. Teaching them to plan on long-term follow-through with our schools. Finding ways to really get them to understand the process to get to Black Belt and beyond in martial arts training. Too many schools set their students up for failure from day one by allowing \u201cmonth-to-month\u201d thinking and by failing to train their new students how to properly think about their school.<\/p>\n

    One of our Peak Performers members proudly stated that he\u2019s DOUBLED his gross revenues since in the past year due to his membership in Peak Performers. Another Inner Circle member proudly stated they\u2019ve grown 400-plus percent.<\/p>\n

    Another who had come into Peak Performers at less than $7,000 a month revenue sent me this:<\/p>\n

    So I just wanted to send a note to say thank you. I gave myself 5 years to make this school a 1\/2 a million dollar venture – doing our taxes for the year the headquarters school did $519,000 and the new location in only 4 months open netted $10,000 \u2014 you have forever changed my life and my business and I am eternally grateful.<\/p>\n

    If you were at our May event I welcome your feedback.<\/p>\n

    Our next Inner Circle and Peak Performers event is the \u201cUltimate Martial Arts Internet Marketing Bootcamp\u201d to be held in Golden, Colorado in August. Next we\u2019ll take the Inner Circle and Peak Performers to the Harvard Business School to really study management at the highest level.<\/p>\n

    If you\u2019re an Inner Circle or Peak Performers member and missed the May event the complete video recordings will soon be available in your member web site.<\/p>\n

    By the way\u2026you\u2019re welcome to view some of the Mile High Karate preparatory steps to the Renewal at www.MileHighBlackBelt.com<\/p>\n

    One benchmark, by the way, that we were looking at is the ratio of new students to renewal at the Mile High Karate Sterling, VA location:<\/p>\n

    87% of all new students end up renewing. Approximately 50% of all new enrollments end<\/p>\n

    up renewing at White Belt (i.e., first two months.) Approximately 50% of what\u2019s left, or 25% of total enrollments, end up renewing by their second Belt (i.e., second Two-Months), and, that leaves about 12% after the fourth month. Of those renewing, around 90% upgrade into the highest level program \u2014 Leadership, at between $325 and $397 per month.<\/p>\n

    Pretty impressive numbers that we covered thoroughly during the may Inner Circle and Peak Performers meetings.<\/p>\n

    It is fascinating what happens in our industry\u2026 we\u2019re MASSIVELY overpopulated with mostly well-meaning \u201cconsultants\u201d who are giving advice that either they think is good advice, or that they wish was good.<\/p>\n

    Recent bad advice: 1. Don\u2019t use contracts; 2. Upgrade structures are Evil; 3. Post your complete price-list on your website; 4. Do enough \u201ccharity and community service\u201d and your school will magically fill itself. 5. It you are a good enough Instructor then you don\u2019t need business or marketing knowledge or systems. 6. Advertising doesn\u2019t work. 7. The only advertising your need is a good website. And, frankly I could go on and on. There are a bunch of companies making generic or template websites for schools. We\u2019ve avoided getting into that business mostly but teach the structure and format and recently hosted a series of VERY GOOD Teleconferences on that subject.<\/p>\n

    We felt the need to do that because between myself, Master Milroy, and Bob Dunne we\u2019ve looked at well over 1,000 martial arts school websites this spring. Most are beyond horrible. I\u2019ve seen less than 1% that I could say were good or excellent. Most of those people making websites<\/p>\n

    for school owners are giving the school owners what they ask for, but not an effective \u2014 HIGH CONVERSION site for effective marketing.<\/p>\n

    Just remember. Unless someone has an excellent track record for both creating excellent results for their own schools in our industry and for reproducing that result in many others that they\u2019ve worked with then be eternally skeptical of their advice.<\/p>\n

    Sadly, in coaching we have to spend a huge amount of time fixing things that well meaning owners screwed up by listening to bad advice.<\/p>\n

    A Quick Follow-up from Last Month:<\/p>\n

    If you didn\u2019t read my discussion about the recent outbreak of scandal in our industry then go back and read the last issue. In your organization behavioral expectations start at the top.<\/p>\n

    Make a decision to be impeccable. Be above reproach in your dealings with students and staff members. Let\u2019s all lead from the top and set an example of respectful behavior and impeccable moral conduct.<\/p>\n

    An additional reminder is that you must be eternally vigilant. Be aware of the behavior of each and every staff member at your school. Screen diligently and be sure to train thoroughly.<\/p>\n

    Great Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee<\/p>\n

    A quick update. Grandmaster Jeff Smith, Grandmaster John Chung, and myself had plans to visit with Great Grandmaster Rhee during my very quick trip to Washington, D.C. for our Peak Performers and Inner Circle meetings. Sadly, he was feeling even worse than has become his norm. As you may know he\u2019s been suffering with Shingles over his entire mid-section for over two years. Master Rhee was the most vibrant and fit 80-plus year old man that I had ever met. The last two years have taken a massive toll.<\/p>\n

    My personal thanks and gratitude go to Jeff Smith, Chun Rhee and the many others who have<\/p>\n

    helped and supported Great Grandmaster Rhee during this trying time. I\u2019d urge any and everyone to drop him a card or send a message via email or facebook of support and solidarity. I pray for him daily and hope for recovery soon from this painful ordeal.<\/p>\n

    If you haven\u2019t read his great book: TruTopia, I\u2019d suggest going to www.JhoonRhee.com and picking it up. My teacher \u2014 \u201cFather of American Tae Kwon Do\u201d has impacted so many people. From a huge number of U.S. Congressmen to celebrities such as Tony Robbins and Muhammad Ali to<\/p>\n

    Martial Artists like Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris. He\u2019s had immeasurable impact in our industry in each decade since the 1960\u2019s.<\/p>\n

    In conclusion, I would remind you that we\u2019ve spent a huge amount of time on \u201cSummer Success Systems\u201d in recent member calls. I hope that you will ALWAYS Join us live for our Member Coaching Teleconference calls. Be clear that many schools that we are working with have converted Summer from their slowest period of time to the busiest. Implement aggressively and see your summer be incredible.<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Hey, First, Some Reminders\u2026<\/h2>\n

    eminder 1: Each month we do Telecoaching with all of our members. If you aren\u2019t on our Maximum Impact live Member call each month, and submitting questions and asking them live, then you are missing a huge opportunity.<\/p>\n

    Reminder 2: Each month I work one-on-one with my Inner Circle Members and the top level of Peak Performers. If you\u2019re one of those ($500,000 to multi-million-dollar per month school owners) and Peak Performers members, then PLEASE send me any and everything you want to discuss on our calls a week or more ahead of our call so that I can be prepared.<\/p>\n

    Reminder 3: The Ultimate Martial Arts Marketing Bootcamp is primarily focused on \u201cInternet Marketing. YOU REALLY NEED to be there. For my Inner Circle and Peak Performers this is an<\/p>\n

    included piece of your membership. For Maximum Impact Members it\u2019s a separate fee (see www.MartialArtsBootcamp.com). Frankly, you\u2019d be much better served to qualify for and upgrade to the Peak Performers Team (or, Inner Circle if you qualify.)<\/p>\n

    The bootcamp is THE MOST IMPORTANT live event of the year \u2014 bar none. You\u2019ve got to be there. It\u2019s positioned in August in order to give you the complete plan to add 100-plus students in September and October to finish your year with new records.<\/p>\n

    For Inner Circle and Peak Performers we\u2019re next off to Harvard Business School. It\u2019s the Ultimate High-Level Management view of your business. Make sure you have the October dates on your calendar. For all live events we\u2019re planning now on a \u201cStaff Training Track,\u201d so plan on bringing them all to Colorado and to Cambridge (Boston).<\/p>\n

    Last year, we held exciting events for Peak Performers and Inner Circle at Disney in Orlando, at Disney in Anaheim, at the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY, and Golden, Colorado for the Marketing Bootcamp.<\/p>\n

    This year it\u2019s been the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego, Behind the Scenes with Jeff Smith on 87% conversion to upgrades in Washington, D.C., the Marketing Bootcamp in Golden, CO, and then off to Harvard Business School.<\/p>\n

    By the way\u2026The \u201cKey Ingredient\u201d to success in your school:<\/p>\n

    1. Personal One-On-One Coaching with someone who\u2019s been, there done that\u2026 2. Master-Mind Interaction with other High Performers<\/p>\n

    A distraction and potential disaster \u2014 the new risk, same as the old risk:<\/p>\n

    A new Peak Performers member discussed several \u201cgreat ideas\u201d that he\u2019d picked up in some forum on LinkedIn.com. My advice to him was to TOTALLY and COMPLETELY ignore EACH and EVERY Martial Arts school owner forum on LinkedIn, Facebook, and all of the others, EXCEPT for what we create for Inner Circle and Peak Performers members.<\/p>\n

    Why? Well, two things happen in those environments. The first thing is that the broke guys tend to shout down the rare successful person. Frankly, most successful school owners are too busy working on their business or enjoying their lives to spend interacting with these random strangers.<\/p>\n

    The second element of those forums is that you really only have two types of contributors. Those with an agenda and those without a clue. Ideas that get \u201ctraction\u201d tend to be those that sound easy, cheap, or altruistic. Rarely do you see real experts sharing in those environments.<\/p>\n

    I troll from time to time just to keep my finger on the pulse. Actually, one of the bigger ones on Facebook rejected accepting me as a member since they didn\u2019t want to hear what I might have to say. I dare you to find a forum where Danny Schulman, Jeff Smith, Bill Clark, myself or anyone with a similar level of \u201cgravitas\u201d hangs out and freely answers any and all questions.<\/p>\n

    Are you experiencing a \u201cSummer Boom\u201d or are you having a summer slowdown? We\u2019ve \u201cBeat to Death\u201d the summer success theme in the past couple of months. I\u2019ll confidently tell you that many of our top schools are already hitting new records for summer. One of our Peak Performers members just made over 200 Introductory appointments last week (third week of June).<\/p>\n

    I won\u2019t recap this list again here, but there\u2019s a nearly unlimited list of what you can be doing in<\/p>\n

    July and August. In some ways, Summer Marketing is different. The same stuff you did in April and October successfully may not work as well (or, at all) in mid-summer. However, there\u2019s a bunch of stuff that works even better.<\/p>\n

    The short reminders would be: 1. Summer is a challenged time for student retention. Make sure you know when students will on vacation and when they will be returning. If they\u2019re gone very long, send them a postcard where they\u2019re at (Grandma\u2019s house for instance). Know when they\u2019re supposed to be back in town and make sure you call, text, email, and drop them a note. Get them on a catch-up plan and back on track as soon as possible. 2. Summer is a great time to do two things: a. Generate new student enrollments; b. Create a HUGE Lead list that\u2019s prime<\/p>\n

    for Back-to-School \u2014 Fall Marketing. c. You\u2019ve got to always be using the<\/p>\n

    \u201cParthenon\u201d Always have a BUNCH of things going to generate new students.<\/p>\n

    The Pillars:<\/p>\n

    a. Multiple Referral Systems; b. A lot of \u201cCommunity Outreach\u201d c. Regular \u201cPublicity\u201d and \u201cPR\u201d efforts d. Regular Direct Mail (especially<\/p>\n

    targeting your prospect lists) e. Charitable efforts to anchor you into<\/p>\n

    the community f. Business Co-Promotions g. Effective and Targeted \u201cMedia\u201d adver-<\/p>\n

    tising h. Effective and Targeted Online efforts<\/p>\n

    including: \u2022 Search Engine Optimization \u2022 Pay-Per-Click \u2022 Facebook Target Marketing \u2022 Groupon & Living Social<\/p>\n

    And, much more\u2026<\/p>\n

    And, now to \u201cBitch\u201d a bit more\u2026<\/p>\n

    You don\u2019t do enough follow-up on two groups of people:<\/p>\n

    FIRST: Those who have expressed a \u201cLittle bit of Interest\u201d AKA \u201cLeads.\u201d What\u2019s a lead? Well\u2026 they :<\/p>\n

    1. Attended a birthday party, or; 2. Attended a \u201cpizza party,\u201d or; 3. Attended a \u201cbuddy day,\u201d or they came to a \u201cbelt graduation\u201d event, or; 4. They \u201cOpted In\u201d online, or; 5. Entered the drawing at your booth at a fair, home show, movie theater, etc., or; 6. They walked in to your school, or; They called and never came in, or they attended an introductory class and didn\u2019t enroll, or\u2026. Well you get the idea \u2014 right? You are much better served to spend A LOT of time and money following up on any and everyone who\u2019s expressed at least a little bit of interest rather than advertising to the general public.<\/p>\n

    To put in different language, there is a huge chasm between \u201cSuspects\u201d and \u201cProspects.\u201d<\/p>\n

    A Suspect (for a Kids & Family school) is, for instance, a household within three miles of your school, who earns $100,000-plus per year, owns a home, two-parent household, with kids 4\u201312 in the household.<\/p>\n

    A Prospect is someone who fits similar criteria but, add one: They\u2019ve raised their hand and at least expressed a little bit of interest.<\/p>\n

    SECOND. Anyone who\u2019s \u201cMIA\u201d Missing in action, i.e., Dropouts.<\/p>\n

    How do you follow-up effectively? Well, I\u2019ve discussed many times one-on-one that effectiveness goes in the following descending order:<\/p>\n

    1. Show up on their doorstep and talk face-toface; 2. Call and talk to a live person;<\/p>\n

    3. Mail a big package of information; 4. Mail a postcard or similar; 5. Text Message; 6. Broadcast Voicemail \u2014 Live answer connect to Instructor; 7. Broadcast Voicemail \u2014 Leave message on Voicemail; 8. Email; 9. Facebook & other Social Media. In all cases, the key is \u201cSequential Auto Responder\u201d wherever possible<\/p>\n

    How many times should you follow-up on them?<\/p>\n

    Well, Probably take what ever you do now and: Multiply by 100 and extend another 24 months. Just a quick comparable. A few months ago the Wall Street Journal had an article about high-end, big budget retailers. Retailers like Macy\u2019s and Neiman. Their email frequency to their customer list ran from a low of 380 times per year to a high of just under 700 times. That\u2019s between once and twice a day.<\/p>\n

    If you watch Groupon and Living Social, how often do they email you?<\/p>\n

    We\u2019re giving you most if not all of the content for your mail, email, and text messages. Frankly, on Voicemail, Email, Text Messages, you can set up 5, 10 or 20 messages, then have your automated system START OVER. Same thing with Direct Mail.<\/p>\n

    What follow-up should you do with both lists? 1. Invite to EACH and EVERY event that you host at your school. Invite them by calling them, emailing them, texting them, mailing to them, showing up in their \u201cFacebook\u201d feed, and calling them. 2. Send them your school newsletter every month (We do it for you.) Mail it to them, email it to them, put it on your website and text, voicemail them to know that it\u2019s there. 3. Send them lots of VALUABLE CON-<\/p>\n

    TENT (we have all of this for you in your member website). If you just send them your \u201cIntroductory Deal\u201d each time pretty quickly they stop paying attention. 4. Send them lots of feedback from your students. Share stories. Share real life turnaround stories. By the way, as a couple of \u201ctangents\u201d There\u2019s a BUNCH of new stuff on Googleplus and Facebook that has just been released. In fact, with Facebook, it\u2019s barely \u201cbeta.\u201d BOTH Change the game considerably. We\u2019ll cover them both A-Z at the Marketing Bootcamp in August. Frankly, two new updates to Facebook have shifted my perspective completely on Facebook. I\u2019ve gone from very skeptical to really enthusiastic about Facebook just in the last couple of months.<\/p>\n

    Google, on the other hand, continues to \u201cpiss me off.\u201d However, in \u201cSearch,\u201d they\u2019re the 800 pound gorilla. You\u2019ve got to master Google. And, Google Places just changed the game dramatically, and, they are getting ready to \u201crock the boat\u201d again. We\u2019ll teach you what\u2019s new and what you must make sure you\u2019re doing right now. We\u2019ll cover it extensively at the Bootcamp.<\/p>\n

    Anyway\u2026let me challenge you to think for a second about a friend, peer, perhaps instructor<\/p>\n

    who\u2019s failing to make a living running a martial arts school. What\u2019s likely the common element?<\/p>\n

    Well I guarantee that it includes the following: 1. They are lazy about marketing and selling their lessons to their community; 2. They have many \u201cpreconceived\u201d ideas about what will and won\u2019t work and therefore automatically discount a lot of what would work for them since they believe it won\u2019t work in their city, state, for their style, or their students, or some similar excuse. 3. They\u2019ve concluded that it\u2019s just not possible to make a good living without \u201ccompromising\u201d their art. Two key elements of success? Willing to invest time, energy, and money in their own education. A nearly unlimited budget for that component of their business. And, they implement quickly and aggressively.<\/p>\n

    My challenge to you\u2026 Really dig in deeper. Never miss an Inner Circle or Peak Performers meeting. Make sure you\u2019re live on all telecoaching calls. Fully utilize personal coaching and really make sure your expectations continue to expand.<\/p>\n

    NAPMA member<\/p>\n

    Case studies<\/p>\n

    Results<\/p>\n

    In<\/p>\n

    Their<\/p>\n

    OWN<\/p>\n

    Words<\/p>\n

    Still Not Convinced?<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n

    Here are Just a Few of the THOUSANDS of School Owners<\/h2>\n

    JUST LIKE YOU That Have Had Amazing Results from Our Program\u2026<\/p>\n

    \u201dAdded $250,000.00 to school revenue in 12 months\u2026!\u201d<\/p>\n

    Dear Master Oliver,<\/p>\n

    A quick note of thanks for another excellent Boot Camp. You provided the most impressive representation of Martial Arts success I have ever seen in one place. I counted eight individuals who represented more than 60 locations. I toyed with trying to estimate their collective net worth but clearly each one of them had easily exceeded the million dollar mark.<\/p>\n

    I originally attended your Boot Camp because you are one of the rare individuals who has experienced the fortunes and pitfalls of being a multiple school operator. Now, thanks to this year’s Boot Camp I was privileged in hearing, meeting, and conversing with many more. Thanks again for a truly invaluable experience.<\/p>\n

    Master David Shirley 8th\u2014Degree Black Belt Villari\u2019s Martial Arts Centers<\/p>\n

    \u201d\u2026from $16,000\/month to $55,000\/ month and still climbing!\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dMy name is John Cantu. I\u2019m an instructor out of Houston, Texas. Just outside of Houston, Texas, I have a school named Southeast Texas Martial Arts.<\/p>\n

    For the first nine months, I really just kind of relied on the program, but as soon as I settled on the program, the first three months just took off. It has created a totally different environment for me and my staff. We\u2019ve now become a professional school. Our monthly was probably around the 16,000 to 18,000.<\/p>\n

    Now, we\u2019re about $50,000.00, $55,000.00 and we\u2019re still climbing. The student value or should I say the student quality has increased. Now, we really have high quality students.<\/p>\n

    Being with Master Oliver and being surrounded with so professional individuals that are heading the same direction, it\u2019s not hard to actually just move forward. Basically, just do what they say. They coach all the way through the teleconferences and everything. It\u2019s just been more than wonderful. My staff has now \u2014 has more vision of what we\u2019re going through now and we are looking to expand and all this is basically ’cause of Master Oliver\u2019s program.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Master John Cantu, South East Texas Martial Arts, Houston, TX<\/p>\n

    \u201d\u2026recently went from $18,000 to $110,000+ per month in the last 12 months\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dFirst of all I would like to give you my compliments on once again an outstanding Extreme Success Academy just last October in San Antonio Texas.<\/p>\n

    When we joined NAPMA about a year and a half ago we were struggling to make a turnover of about $18,000 (eighteen thousand usd) a month.<\/p>\n

    Since joining your organization, receiving your marketing packages (as maximum impact members) attending your seminars and most importantly; implementing your business systems and ideas, we are now doing well over $110,000.00 (one hundred thousand usd) turnover a month, with less effort and labour!!<\/p>\n

    This is going to be our best month ever!! Just as important, the quality of our instructors has also drastically improved as well as our student satisfaction. It is a win-win situation!! Of course you need dedicated people who believe in the value of what they are teaching. People who believe they can contribute in a positive way to people’s life and have a life changing impact on their students life. However, without the proper marketing and business systems in place you will fail. It is as simple as that.<\/p>\n

    Why reinvent the wheel while so many dedicated martial artist have already learned (through trial and error) what works and what doesn’t So for us, if you believe in your martial art, if you believe in the positive impact you can make on your students life, if you believe in yourself, then the only right thing to do in my opinion is to do it professionally, to do it right!<\/p>\n

    That means putting the same amount of time, effort and dedication to the business side of your<\/p>\n

    martial arts school as you have done (and still do) to your martial art. That way your students benefit from a professional organization with well paid, high quality, well educated and extremely motivated instructor’s.<\/p>\n

    We have therefore made the only right choice and have upgraded to inner\u2014circle members so we can continue to improve and grow and share our experiences and learn from others. For us the core value of NAPMA and its employees and members is the vast amount of knowledge and experience they have accumulated over the years and most importantly the willingness to share it. Furthermore they are always on top of all new marketing systems that are out there and are extremely innovative.<\/p>\n

    Without NAPMA’s vast contribution I would not be working full time as a Program Director at my school involved in martial art I love, making a very good income so I can provide for my family while also making a larger positive impact on more people\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

    Paul Resnick Program Director\/Instructor IWKA BV Amsterdam The Netherlands<\/p>\n

    \u201dStephen Oliver Literally, made me a millionaire in 24 months!\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dI was at the Air Force Academy teaching karate, and I had my own commercial school, getting ready to expand and, go for it. And I heard there\u2019s this young kid up in Denver. So I went up to Denver and they had something called a black belt graduation. Well, this is the mid age. I mean, I had no idea what a black belt graduation is. I went into a high school and there must have been 2000 people sitting there, and he was graduating maybe 20 or 25 people with black belt. And I was like wow! You know, I had never seen anything like that.<\/p>\n

    So I followed his lead and I did what he told me to. In 18 months I had 4 schools, 1200 students, and was grossing $1,000,000.00 a year in an industry where nobody in traditional karate had ever done that. It was simply because I listened to him. And after I started making a lot of money, I went back to Steve and I said, \u201dSteve, why would you share this to me?\u201d It was because he wanted to edify the industry. He wanted to build an industry.<\/p>\n

    And so, how do you repay a man that made you a millionaire in two years? You edify him and his teachers, and say, What can I do to help?\u201d<\/p>\n

    Kyoshi Terry Bryan Built 4 Schools and 1200 Students Traditional Okinawan Karate<\/p>\n

    \u201d\u2026from $19,000 to $47,000.00 in 9 months.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dMy name is Duane Brumitt. I own Tri\u2014Star Martial Arts Academy in Bradley, Illinois, about 60 miles south of Chicago, and I\u2019ve been a coaching client of Master Oliver\u2019s for about nine months now. And what was kind of funny was<\/p>\n

    I went to the regional boot camp earlier this year and learned a whole bunch of material, and unfortunately, I\u2019m the type of individual that wants to have everything in place prior to actually implementing it. And being on the coaching calls with Master Oliver, he definitely helped me to take that leap of faith and to, you know, just to go for it.<\/p>\n

    And the very first month that I actually put into the practice the things that he was teaching me, my normal gross was about 19,000 on those months, and that June, that month that I actually implemented everything, I did 47,000 that month, and so the investment is peanuts compared to the money that you\u2019re going to make and the things that he\u2019s going to teach you. And so, it\u2019s absolutely and really worth it, and you\u2019d be stupid not to do it in my opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Duane Brumit Tri\u2014Star Martial Arts, Bradley, IL<\/p>\n

    \u201dInstead of getting 20 leads from this activity, now I get 200 plus\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dMr. Oliver gave me about 4 sentences of advice which changed one of my lead strategies tremendously. Instead of getting 20 leads from this activity, now I get 200 plus. By listening to his advice, I received more leads in a week\u2019s time than I have in 4 months.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Brad Fantle, President Tallahassee Taekwondo Academy Martial Art Educator and Success Coach, Tallahassee, FL 32308<\/p>\n

    \u201d\u2026from 40 students to now, over 1000 students\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dWe have been members of NAPMA since August of 1999 and we have made major progress since the addition of NAP- MA’s materials. We have been able to implement messages of the week among our three locations, with consistency, thanks to the NAPMA Words of the Week. We are able to plan events using our monthly packages. I read it as soon as it comes in the mail and I don’t put it down until I have finished reading it!<\/p>\n

    The video workshops have allowed us to expand our Master’s Training curriculum and we always have more exciting information to provide to our students. I enjoy the Black Belt Leadership support and use it in my team meetings.<\/p>\n

    I feel that we owe much of our continued growth to the support we receive from NAPMA and I would love to give back to the organization. I feel that the networking with other schools will be invaluable and I will never forget that we started with only 40 students on a month\u2014to\u2014month basis.<\/p>\n

    We would never be where we are now without the help we have received from NAPMA. We now have approximately 1000 students over our three locations in North Alabama, we teach the martial arts and Kardio Kickbox classes for the University of Huntsville in Alabama, we are currently building a 10,000 sq. foot strip mall to house my location. I would be thrilled to support other people on a similar path and keep the martial arts community thriving! If you have any questions for me or would like to discuss anything, please don’t hesitate to contact me!\u201d<\/p>\n

    Kristen Alexander USA Family Karate, Huntsville, AL<\/p>\n

    \u201dI was able to grow my school to over 600 active students\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dOver the past thirty years, I\u2019ve studied with some of the best martial arts masters in the world, thinking this would help my school grow, but this was not the case. It was only after I enrolled with NAPMA eight years ago, studied their material, then applied their material each month, that I was able to grow my school to over 600 active students. I\u2019ve been with NAPMA from the very beginning and I can\u2019t thank them enough. A raving fan!\u201d<\/p>\n

    Lamon Kersey Mr. Kersey\u2019s Karate School<\/p>\n

    \u201d\u2026go out and pursue our passion full time\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dThanks to NAPMA and the Little Ninjas program we have been able to go out and pursue our passion full time now. We have just opened a 4,000 square foot dojo and have new students enrolling daily.<\/p>\n

    Thanks for the great marketing tools.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Chris & Tami Sprague Personal Development Institute, Inc., Lincoln, IL<\/p>\n

    \u201d\u2026from 70 students to 321 and holding STRONG!\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dHi guys, My time with you has been nothing short of great the info packs that you send out every month have been excellent, I gotten so many great ideas from you and implementing them has put my schools in the lead here my competition have not got a chance with the way the currently are doing things.<\/p>\n

    I have gone from a school of approximately 70 and I say approximately because we did not have<\/p>\n

    good statistics, to a school of 321 and holding strong and expanding to larder facility I doing all this out of 1,000 sq. feet dojo, I use to charge $35 per month now, after dramatically raising my prices, I have people charging a lot less for classes a half a mile away and we are still 4 time bigger. So thank you NAPMA. Could you please send me role and duties that you think a Program director should have. We are looking to put on a Program director.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Frank Monea Chief Instructor Kempo Karate Australia<\/p>\n

    \u201d1,500 Students, 1.5 Million Gross, net $400,000.00 the folks at NAPMA have helped me quite a bit!\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dMy days seem to run together lately as we continue our growth. I would like to write the piece for you, but I have to see if I can budget the time to get it done. The schools are running great and I’m busier than ever. Honestly, I’m not 100% sure how many students we have, maybe it’s 1,500? My primary focus is on the dollars generated and the bottom line, which keeps getting better. Final numbers aren’t in from my CPA just yet, but it looks like we’ll gross around $1.5 million and net about 30%. It’s truly unbelievable how awesome it is to be in this business. I could have never imagined the kind of success I’ve experienced over the last ten years\u2026and the folks at NAPMA have helped me quite a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n

    John Bussard Bussard Karate<\/p>\n

    \u201dMy student base went from 83 to more than 450 students in less than 9 months!\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cNAPMA has set me free from headaches. Each month its new ideas and marketing materials takes away all the guesswork.<\/p>\n

    With NAPMA, my student base went from 83 students to more than 450 students in less than 9 months. NAPMA showed me the way.<\/p>\n

    Bruce Drago, Master Drago\u2019s Karate, Reading PA<\/p>\n

    \u201dWe grew over 100 students from scratch over the first summer we opened and are now approaching 300 active martial arts students (284 today).\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dI left a very lucrative position as a Microsoft Executive to dedicate myself to martial arts. This is a career I hope to enjoy the rest of my life.<\/p>\n

    As for my commitment to NAPMA, I think we’ve been very dedicated for many years. As a previous co-owner of Mid\u2014 Cities Martial Arts in Bedford, Texas, I had been a member since around 1997. As I started my new school, signing up for a NAPMA membership was as fundamental as having a mat on the floor. NAPMA has been invaluable to our success.<\/p>\n

    We opened our doors here in April 2002 with 1600 square feet. By January 1, 2003 we had to double our space. We grew over 100 students from scratch over the first summer we opened and are now approaching 300 active martial arts students<\/p>\n

    (284 today). With the number of calls and walk\u2014 ins we’re having today I should hit 300 this week. I’m also exploring demographics for additional school locations and even building my own facility.<\/p>\n

    We have implemented several NAPMA programs over time, i.e., Cardio Karate, UBC, EZ\u2014 Defense, FAST Defense, and are launching our Tai Chiclass this week. I took 3 employees to the World Conference. Based on our success I now have 5 paid Instructors and took 10 people to the next Conference.<\/p>\n

    Although I think I’m a pretty sharp guy, NAPMA membership has contributed significantly to our success here by showing us things that work, things that don’t work, and generally stimulating our thought processes with all the articles, letters, flyers, tips and tricks about how to run a successful business. I get lots of information regarding martial arts from several other affiliations too but NAPMA is my primary source for business management issues.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Joe Turner, Chief Instructor & President Turners Martial Arts Studios<\/p>\n

    \u201dNAPMA was the reason why my school grew to 300 students\u201d<\/p>\n

    My name is Korbett Miller and I own Miller\u2019s Martial Arts Academy in Kirkland, WA I recently got back with NAP- MA after a couple year break. I really like what you bring to the table. NAPMA was the reason why my school grew to 300 students. The new format is great for giving really solid advice. I am interested in the Kingdom promotion that you folks are doing. I don\u2019t know if I ever got a log in for the website. Could you point me in the right direction.<\/p>\n

    Korbett Miller, Miller’s Martial Arts Academy, Kirkland, WA<\/p>\n

    \u201dWe have gone from 250 students to 330 and our income went from $23,000 to $30,000 every month and this last month Jan. $41,000.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dJust wanted to let you know that since the summer convention and our many discussions things have been going much better. Jason and I applied the concept of clear and precise instructions on a daily bases.<\/p>\n

    As a result the positive aspects of marketing, retention, and good will has resulted in an increase in every area including attitude and excitement.<\/p>\n

    We have gone from 250 students to 330 and our income went from 23k to 30k every month and this last month Jan. 41k. The moral to this story for other owners is keep it simple \u2014 apply the simple rules of management each and everyday and allow the laws of compensation to work for you. Again, thank you for being there when I needed you \u2014 and I am sure it will be an ongoing relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Sensei Brad Wenneberg Fullerton Martial Arts Academy Fullerton, California<\/p>\n

    \u201dAdded $180,000 to his school\u2019s revenue in 12 months\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cMaster Oliver,<\/p>\n

    I want to share with you a few thoughts regarding the Extraordinary Marketing Bootcamp last week. As I told you, last year I was literally blown away with the tried\u2014and\u2014true information you shared with us to increase our student base, our gross, our net and our market share.<\/p>\n

    Because of last years Bootcamp, my company had a major jump in quality, gross and net from last year. This year’s Bootcamp was even better. I<\/p>\n

    loved the way you brought in THE MASTERS of this industry so they could share their wisdom and understanding of the industry.<\/p>\n

    I also appreciated your insight in splitting the groups into Marketing and Management. So the strong schools could get stronger and the owners who wanted to have multiple schools could learn from those who have 10 to 20 successful schools. Brilliant.<\/p>\n

    Also I wanted to thank you for inviting me to your Black Belt Extravaganza in December. That gave me a completely different view of you. The only Master Oliver I knew was the one that was extraordinary in Marketing. The Black Belt Extravaganza showed me a completely different Master Oliver.<\/p>\n

    One who was truly interested in his students, his Black Belts and their success as Martial Artists. Not only do you give out great business information that has high levels of success, you are the \u201dreal deal\u201d with your students. That’s important to me, because I am in the classroom with my students as well, and I want to learn from those who can relate to me.<\/p>\n

    This industry has grown so slow and has been fragmented for so long. I believe it is because most Black Belts in Martial Arts are White Belts in business. I am glad you are sharing this information with those who really want to advance their Martial Arts business.<\/p>\n

    Ever since I returned, I have spoken to several school owners who want the low down on what the seminar was about. Are you offering the full seminar on audio and\/or video format? If so, should they call you or can they purchase it from your website? I also want to purchase a set. My staff will greatly benefit.<\/p>\n

    Terry W. Brumley President, Taekwondo University<\/p>\n

    \u201dI’ve gone from my daytime job, to Martial Arts FULL TIME!!\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cI have been a NAPMA member for three years (and love the material). My job as president for the NTFA involves me in trying to help our other 16 affiliate schools grow to a professional level. I have actively been helping them reach new levels for the past two years and really enjoy sharing the knowledge that I have gained through NAPMA with them.<\/p>\n

    We recently \u201cofficially\u201d started the NAPMA Little Ninjas program. It has been fantastic. I went from five \u201cninjas\u201d to currently 40 in just three months of running the program according to the manual.<\/p>\n

    Over the past three years I have slowly made the transition from working a full-time sales job while running two clubs to just doing Martial Arts full-time. With the help of NAPMA I have been able to do this.<\/p>\n

    Thank you for all of your guidance.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Joey Perry, Joey Perry\u2019s Martial Arts Academy, Jonesboro, AR<\/p>\n

    \u201d\u2026also reached our goal of 350 active students.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cI would be remised if I did not send a BIG thank you to the NAPMA organization.<\/p>\n

    I have been a NAPMA member for ten years and have not regretted one moment of it. NAPMA has been the industry leader when comes to innovation and change.<\/p>\n

    The program that your fine organization offers has allowed me to become a true professional martial artist. Ten years ago we implemented the Cardio Karate\/Fitness Kickboxing program, which is still going strong today.<\/p>\n

    We also redesigned our preschool program to encompass the Little Ninjas curriculum. As for staff training, we use the \u201dWay Of\u201d, ACMA Instructor Manuals and the NAPMA Staff Development programs. The audio and video\/ multimedia package that I receive as a member each month has been without a doubt the greatest benefit of being a NAPMA member. The contents of this package keeps me up on the latest trends in our industry and provide excellent content for my staff meetings.<\/p>\n

    Through our membership with NAPMA we have not only achieved 15 years in the industry, but we also reached our goal of 350 active students! Thank you, NAPMA!<\/p>\n

    Chick Gavitt Ichiban Karate Studio Wakefield, RI<\/p>\n

    \u201dI am so glad I found NAPMA.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cI have just joined NAPMA in Australia and received my start up kit and I have watched your video and thoroughly enjoyed myself, it is so refreshing to find an organization with the blinkers off !!! I am so glad I found NAPMA and I just wanted to touch base and say well done!\u201d<\/p>\n

    Hugh Burns Success Self Defense Brisbane, Australia<\/p>\n

    \u201d9\u20131\/2 years as a NAPMA member and I still get excited with my packages!\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cI want to congratulate and thank NAPMA for an awesome monthly package in April and May. I know that you have to vary the content since NAPMA members come from different styles and backgrounds yet you guys catered directly to my interest these last two months with Kathy Longs reality based self de-<\/p>\n

    fense and Danny Driggs functional training.<\/p>\n

    Oh and let’s not forget the champions reunion. I was amazed to see the similarities between Kathy’s techniques and attitude towards a street situation and the way I was taught kung fu. I have taken Kathy’s class at the NAPMA conference before yet I had never seen her self defense. I am showing the video in all my teen and adults classes to my students to show them how a aggressive a women should be when encountered in a street altercation.<\/p>\n

    I also loved Danny Driggs MMA fitness drills. That is what I’ve been doing for approximately 4 years in my XFT class when my kickboxing class started to die off. I’m a student for life and truly appreciate what NAPMA is doing. I know that some people enjoy the traditional one step self defense and the old fitness kickboxing and you will continue to satisfy all your members yet I wanted you guys to know how much I learned, enjoyed and used the packages in the last two months. Keep up the great work and give us more on this. 9 1\/2 years as a NAPMA member and I still get excited with my packages.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Julio Anta (CPT\/KBC) Hung Gar Kung Fu Master Anta’s Fitness and Self Defense<\/p>\n

    \u201dYou and your organization have revolutionized the martial arts industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cDear NAPMA, I personally feel that you and your organization have revolutionized the martial arts industry, and I think being a member of NAP- MA is a wonderful value for all school owners. You guys are good. Once again, I just wanted to share my thoughts. No need to respond. Keep up the good work.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Lance Farrell, Farrells USA Martial Arts and Fitness<\/p>\n

    \u201d\u2026from less than 50 students, to today I have close to 250.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cDear NAPMA,<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve been a member for several years now. When I first joined NAPMA I had less than 50 students, today I have close to 250! I think NAPMA is a great organization and is a great window into the professional martial arts industry for those of us who live far from the US.<\/p>\n

    The style of martial arts I teach is called Zen\u2014 Do Kickboxing. Zen\u2014Do Bahrain is probably the largest school in the Middle East. I teach children from as young as three years. Our oldest student is a 57\u2014year\u2014old grandmother!<\/p>\n

    My membership has been worth every penny. Thank you for making it such a great success.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Suhail G. Algosaibi Head Instructor and Founding Director, Zen\u2014Do Bahrain<\/p>\n

    \u201dHe’s helped double our gross. It’s really been paying off.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cI’ve been a coaching member with Stephen Oliver for about one year now and the biggest thing I’d like to mention was my fear of getting into the coaching program and thinking, \u201dMy gosh, it’s not cheap. Am I going to see my return?\u201d<\/p>\n

    His key is retention, just like in his schools. If he’s going to want to keep his coaching clients, he’s got to make sure that he’s making you earn some money. And he’s been doing that for us. That’s obvious. He’s helped double our gross. It’s really been paying off.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Duncan Richardson Academy of World Tae Kwan Do Boise, ID<\/p>\n

    \u201dI would not have been able to go full\u2014time without the many ideas and motivation I have received from NAPMA.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cI am a full\u2014time martial arts instructor and have been teaching on my own for 12 years. I would not have been able to go full\u2014time without the many ideas and motivation I have received from NAPMA. I owe it all to your organization. By contributing to the monthly package, I truly feel I have given something back to the organization I owe so much to.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Raffi A. Dederian, Dederian Academy of Martial Arts<\/p>\n

    \u201dThe Little Ninjas Program has probably been the biggest benefit to our school.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cI would have to say that the Little Ninjas Program has probably been the biggest benefit to our school. This is our third year in our area and we have parents begging to get into our program. We always have a waiting list for this. The next biggest benefit would have to be the Random Acts of Kindness program. I have implemented this into the karate kids aged students as part of their Black Belt Training and they have to have at least four journal entries per month. Mandatory.<\/p>\n

    If they do participate doing their part to make kindness effortless then they lose their hard earned stripes. I am determined to do my part in making this a better world. I also have to say another huge benefit are the brochures and cards to choose from I use them every day in some way. The posters are awesome too.<\/p>\n

    Our biggest developmental need at our school is probably the lack of excitement in our students learning katas. I try to make it interesting having competitions in class etc. I think they still don’t totally understand the importance even though I<\/p>\n

    tell them quite often!! I would also like to develop excitement for a demonstration team.<\/p>\n

    Thank you in your interest in my opinions you all are awesome and have helped me to get where I am today.<\/p>\n

    Geer Patrick 2nd\u2014Degree Black Belt Low Country Karate, llc<\/p>\n

    \u201dIf you are not yet a member of NAPMA (National Association of Professional Martial Artists) I highly recommend you become one.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cIf you are not yet a member of NAPMA (National Association of Professional Martial Artists) I highly recommend you become one. They were kind enough to bless me with a sample package of what they have to offer and it’s already been a tremendous help to me. I’m currently organizing a martial arts program for the local community college with hope that it will be offered this January, NAPMA will be the first tool I obtain to help me maintain the program once it’s operational.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Jason Hunt, Shinja Martial Arts<\/p>\n

    \u201dFrom 0 to over 300 students in our first year\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe moved to Santa Barbara where we knew one person and opened up a studio. We decided that it would be a good idea to go to the NAPMA convention and pick up a few ideas. What we found were programs that we could use to build and manage our business, an experienced, professional, helpful NAPMA staff, and other successful martial arts business owners that were happy to share their ideas on how to make a business grow.<\/p>\n

    We\u2019ve been in business now for a little over a year, have over 300 students and we\u2019re still growing. For over 30 years I\u2019ve kept my martial arts \u201dsword\u201d sharp by daily training, now I keep my business \u201dsword\u201d sharp with NAPMA. Thank you NAPMA. We couldn\u2019t have done it without you.<\/p>\n

    Dave Wheaton, President Hapkido International<\/p>\n

    \u201dI briefly cancelled my membership to NAPMA but soon realized how big a mistake I had made.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cDear NAPMA Team,<\/p>\n

    I briefly cancelled my membership to NAPMA but soon realized how big a mistake I had made by canceling. I am now a member once again, I reactivated my membership yesterday.<\/p>\n

    NAPMA helps me to not only increase my profits each time without fail, but also serves as a monthly motivational tool for all areas of my life. I would like to thank the NAPMA team and take this opportunity to congratuladte you on a truly excellent service.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Danilo Dusoswa Kerry Region Karate Schools Ireland<\/p>\n

    \u201dWe doubled our tuition on a monthly basis and more than tripled our cash flow and gross revenue.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cI own three Tae Kwon Do\u2014 based schools and I’ve been working with Master Oliver for about three months. My initial hesitation was not so much whether or not the investment would be worth it, but whether or not I could fit it into our cash flow because our schools always had a really strapped budget.<\/p>\n

    But I gathered my courage, took the leap and<\/p>\n

    the first three months went like this: the 1st month I got all of the information, the second month I learned about it, and the third month I implemented it. That third month, we doubled our tuition on a monthly basis and more than tripled our cash flow and gross revenue. Just in December of 2004, I’ve tripled the amount of money that I’ll pay to Master Oliver in the whole year of 2005, just in one month.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Scott Manning S J Manning’s Family Tae Kwon Do Terre Haute, IN<\/p>\n

    \u201dDon\u2019t sign up for this program unless you\u2019re ready to achieve phenomenal success!\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cWOW, what is Master Stephen Oliver’s Mastermind & Coaching program worth? Well with ideas and help of Master Oliver and his unlimited knowledge we will likely quadruple our gross at each of four locations. The mastermind work, the personalized help have made such an amazing difference for us! I would recommend this program to anyone wishing to do the martial arts business right! It is truly the difference between feast and famine!\u201d<\/p>\n

    Master Art Mason 6th\u2014Dan Black Belt Hon Sang Mu Sa Hapkido, Founder, The Peaceful Warriors’ Martial Arts Institute<\/p>\n

    \u201dYour monthly support materials are worth 10 times what you charge (maybe I shouldn’t say that).\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cFirst of all, I would like to thank you and NAPMA for your help. When my wife and I decided to open a martial arts school, we had practically no business experience. With your monthly busi-<\/p>\n

    ness tips, eye\u2014catching ad material, and video support, we’ve grown by leaps and bounds.<\/p>\n

    When we first joined NAPMA, we had approximately 25 students and were teaching in an old television repair shop out of the city limits. Both my wife and myself were working full\u2014 time jobs plus running our school full time.<\/p>\n

    We were years ahead in offering any type of cardio karate in this area, because we took NAP- MA’s advice. This was one of the things that allowed us to more than double our enrollment and be able to move to a better location. I was also in the first group who was ACMA certified. Not only did this give me local publicity, but it also enhanced my teaching techniques.<\/p>\n

    At the NAPMA World Conference, I was introduced to Krav Maga. My wife and myself traveled to California and went through the Krav Maga instructor program. I go to CA several times a year now to train. Krav Maga has not only enriched our training, but it has enabled us to double adult student enrollment by adding an exciting, to\u2014the\u2014point style of self\u2014defense.<\/p>\n

    We cannot begin to thank you enough for helping build the backbone of our dojo. We now have a student base of 130, and have recently expanded our school to double the size with a bigger lobby, smoothie bar, and a second classroom currently under construction. This is now our full\u2014time job. Our plan is to be at 200 students within this year.<\/p>\n

    Your monthly support materials are worth 10 times what you charge (maybe I shouldn’t say that). Not only would they help a school just starting out, but also help existing schools by adding new ideas and maintaining retention.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Mark Myers, Myers Family Karate Center, llc, Hammond, LA<\/p>\n

    \u201dI joined NAPMA because their advice made sense and didn\u2019t compromise the integrity of my art.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cI teach traditional karate\u2014do. I joined the National Association of Professional Martial Artists because their advice made sense and didn\u2019t compromise the integrity of my art or my position as a teacher.<\/p>\n

    NAPMA is about education and raising the standards of professionalism in the martial arts. For a few dollars a day, I\u2019ve hired a prolific team of graphic artists, marketing experts, martial arts business consultants and researchers that have helped me become financially independent and have allowed me to pursue the essence of karate without selling out. If you\u2019re passionate about teaching the martial arts,<\/p>\n

    NAPMA membership is an absolute must.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Brad Jones Traditional Shotokan Karate Training, Brad Jones Karate Do and Fitness Training Centre Newmarket, ON, Canada<\/p>\n

    \u201dI did the best thing in my life:\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cI became a NAPMA member.<\/p>\n

    Before I become a NAPMA member, my wife and I struggled every month and had a lot of problems. I did the best thing in my Life: became a NAPMA Member. Things changed fast since I\u2019ve been a member (I think I am now in year 4), and in the first month I had over $2,000 more income, and in these bad times it was coming in the right moment.<\/p>\n

    Now after these years and two Conventions \u2014 I cannot believe why I was not a member of NAPMA earlier. I opened my first school in 1990, bought a bigger one to impress others (my<\/p>\n

    greatest failure) in 1994. But in the past four years I am growing constantly. My active student count is 281 in my first school (population in my town 3700). In October 2003, I opened my second location five miles away with 90 active students.<\/p>\n

    My wife Claudia and I manage the schools. We have three full\u2014timers and have, after starting the G.O.L.D. Team (thanks to NAPMA), 14 part\u2014timers (everyone is doing his job for free).<\/p>\n

    Last week I received this month package and it\u2019s one of the best I ever held in my hand. From the great bonus ad to the DVD. There is so much material inside. Awesome job!\u201d<\/p>\n

    Oliver Drexler, 5th\u2014egree Black Belt, Tae Kwon Do, Germany<\/p>\n

    \u201dYou have helped me grow into a successful business with two studios, five recreations centers, over 450 students and 11 instructors.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cI wanted to express my satisfaction with the NAPMA product and what it has done for my business. For ten years I worked out of recreation centers and sports clubs. NAPMA helped me transition from a part time karate teacher to a full time karate school owner.<\/p>\n

    The programs that I currently use in my school, from self\u2014defense to business software, have come to me through ideas from NAPMA conventions or from articles in MAPRO.<\/p>\n

    I have been in business for 17 years and a NAP- MA member for the past nine years I can proudly report that you have helped me grow into a successful business with two studios, five recreations centers, over 450 students and 11 instructors.<\/p>\n

    I appreciate all that you have done and continue to do to help me with my growing business.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Ken Klotz Klotz Institute of Karate<\/p>\n

    \u201dWe have over 550 active members and 7 satellite locations. Thank you NAPMA!\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cSince 1997 NAPMA has had a tremendous impact on how we run our martial arts business. They have given us many tools to implement. In turn, this has helped us to elevate the professionalism of our staff, the amount of students we teach, and the quality of the programs we offer. Now in our 10th year of operation we have over 550 active members and seven satellite locations. Thank you NAPMA!\u201d<\/p>\n

    Steve Stewart, SSMMA Family Fitness Center, Canada<\/p>\n

    \u201d\u2026have been to many seminars and meetings over the years and I must say this one tops them all!!!\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cHi Toby,<\/p>\n

    I think the meeting was fantastic also. I have been to many seminars and meetings over the years and I must say this one tops them all!!! I received lots of information from the group and feel I walked away with a group of new friends. I think we have a great group that will work very well together.<\/p>\n

    I am already driving Kathy (my partner) crazy with the aggressive changes. I can see this year being our best in terms of organizing the office, profit increases and improving the student service. I am looking forward to working with the group.<\/p>\n

    I think I walked away with ton questions and ideas. Now I just have to prioritize all of them and put a plan together to implement. I am looking forward to talking with you in the one on one.<\/p>\n

    Thank you for the upcoming successful year,\u201d<\/p>\n

    Chuck Crone \u2014 Master Instructor \u2014 Crone’s Tae Kwon Do School<\/p>\n

    \u2026\u201dgained 100 students in 100 days \u2014 I now have 400 students!\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cMy NAPMA membership has influenced my business enough that it changed my standard of living. Seven years ago I received my NAPMA package announcing a new program \u2014 Fitness Kickboxing. I followed the video, instructions and marketing ideas.<\/p>\n

    I launched my program and gained 100 students in 100 days. My program grew to 400 students and is at that level today! I currently have a NAPMA after\u2014school program, a Little Ninjas program and a Padded Weapons program; and I am looking forward to starting a Tai Chi program. It just takes one monthly package, one idea\u2026!<\/p>\n

    I would like to thank NAPMA for providing me with the information, marketing tools, education and programs that took my school from 150 students 600 students. I attribute my success to the content and service of NAPMA and lots of hard work. I have looked at many so\u2014 called \u201dmarketing packages\u201d throughout the years and none compare with the content of the NAPMA package. I’ve reviewed all the \u201dme, too\u201d and slick\u2014looking packages but none contained the professionalism and information that helped me grow my business to what it is today. Beware of the wolves in sheep\u2019s clothing!\u201d<\/p>\n

    Charlie Foxman Midwest Martial Arts<\/p>\n

    \u2026\u201dfrom 3 students to 123 paying students.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cI would like to thank you for all the support that NAPMA has gave me and is still giving me. I<\/p>\n

    brought my school from three students to 123 paying students in less than a year, without a sign in the out side of the school, with no advertising, and no money to do so.<\/p>\n

    I couldn’t have done it without the coaching of your great organization. I am really grateful and happy that there is an entity that is worry about bringing your school to the next level. I was a National Champion, but I didn’t know how to pass my knowledge to the students and thanks to NAPMA and its stuff I learned how to be an effective instructor.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Hender Alvarado Gold Hender Martial Arts<\/p>\n

    \u201d\u2026grew to over 300 students.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cThe best thing about NAPMA is that it has helped me realize the value of martial arts training. It was over 10 years ago that I quit my full time job in nursing to open my school. I\u2019m glad I was insightful enough to join NAPMA six months before I even opened the doors! NAPMA has been there with me from the beginning \u2014 from how to choose a location, to systems for tracing enrollments and retention, to special events, and really effective \u201dNON\u2014BLACK BELT EYES\u201d ads.<\/p>\n

    NAPMA has been there with me, every step of the way, as I completed an expansion literally doubling my mat space.<\/p>\n

    But best of all, NAPMA encouraged me to truly value the character development skills I teach and to price the training accordingly. Without that encouragement, I\u2019m sure I couldn\u2019t be where I am today. NAPMA is great at helping school owners to do their best because NAPMA is the BEST!\u201d<\/p>\n

    Diane Reeve, Owne Vision Martial Arts Center Plano, Texas<\/p>\n

    \u201d\u2026become so excited, that I \u201dkick\u201d myself for having ever left.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cDear NAPMA,<\/p>\n

    After belonging to NAPMA for several years, I decided that I no longer needed the tips, advice, and sounding board that offered me more training, teaching, and administrative ideas that I thought I could ever use. After ending my membership, NAPMA could have simply went on its way and left me to my own devices.<\/p>\n

    Fortunately, I continued to receive NAPMA’s Martial Arts Professional Magazine month after month even though I had ended my monthly membership. I continued to read and ingest what was presented in this martial arts trade journal, and finally came to the realization that I needed to get \u201dback on the saddle\u201d and continue to push hard for my students and instructors by keeping the lines of communication and education open.<\/p>\n

    In short, we recently signed up again and have become so excited, that I \u201dkick\u201d myself for having ever left.<\/p>\n

    If it wasn’t for the continued mailings, ever increasing quality, and true spirit of martial arts that NAPMA has emulated, I might still be struggling to find the answers, new goals, and increasing questions that any school owner has. I feel that, in a way, we have gotten back on the horse and are ready to ride to future successes with the ever\u2014present education and leadership that NAPMA seems to stand for. Thanks. NAPMA for being there for us! We will be at the NAPMA World Conference and any Regional Seminar we can get our hands (and feet) on. I sincerely believe that NAPMA affects more school owners then it is aware of.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Jim Sautel Moo Sul Kwan Martial Arts Institute, Colorado<\/p>\n

    \u201dNAPMA has been the single most beneficial organization I have joined ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cNAPMA has been the single most beneficial organization I have joined ever and through my association with you I\u2019ve learned what I was doing wrong in the \u201cearly years\u201d that kept me at such a small number of students, and with addition of NAPMA, two things have just exploded for us this year. We’re at 200 active and growing by leaps and bounds. We project to be well over 225 by year’s end. My strong points are leadership and curriculum development as well as copywriting and advertising. Thank you for everything and I await your response,<\/p>\n

    James Theros, Level 10 Martial Art<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe were up $10,000 in November and are already up $7,000 in December.<\/p>\n

    \u201dI am a diehard NAPMA fan. In the last 12 months, NAPMA has given me and my school ideas and plans that really cannot be fully equated to $$. Just to list a few things that we have done:<\/p>\n

    We have begun the NAPMA padded weapons program with unbelievable success. We have begun the NAPMA Little Ninja’s program and it has been excellent as well. In November we had our first one\u2014day holiday sale ever and grossed over $4,000.00 in retail sales. We did more retail sales in November and December than the previous year. So the one\u2014day sale was just a bonus!<\/p>\n

    In December we had our first ever Holiday Party\/Dinner featuring the demo team and awards for everything I could think of under the sun. This party alone fired up the entire school so much that we picked up 11 students from referrals in the week following the party.<\/p>\n

    In my 9 community education schools I implemented portions of the theme\u2014based curriculum<\/p>\n

    with phenomenal success. We have already signed 26 kids from the program (out of 171 possible) to 1\u2014year or 3\u2014year programs. The best I have ever converted with these programs is 17 kids last year.<\/p>\n

    We were up $10,000.00 in November and are already up $7,000.00 in December for month end and I have 2 weeks left! If only my stock portfolio was doing this well <grin>.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Jeff Duncan Farmington Martial Arts<\/p>\n

    \u201dI know that joining NAPMA is one of the best investments I have ever made.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cI just want to say thanks for contacting me about NAPMA and its benefits. I’ve started applying the marketing ideas and improving some of my programs to benefit better the students and the center. The book is a great source of information and has given me a better understanding of the martial arts industry. I know that joining NAPMA is one of the best investments I have ever made.\u201d<\/p>\n

    James Isler, Chief Instructor American Martial Arts Training Center, Eufaula, Al<\/p>\n

    \u201d\u2026my personal income is well over $100,000.00 per yea, I look forward to coming to work each day\/\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dHats off to NAPMA! Plan your work and work your plan! Starting with 60 students and most of their tuition already cashed out, bartered, or late the school had a gross income of a whopping $6,000 per month!<\/p>\n

    As an immediate call to action I pulled a secret weapon out from under my sleeve\u2026my action plan. I got to work right away by applying all that I learned from my mentors at NAPMA. In martial arts we generally learn stances first to establish a<\/p>\n

    strong foundation to build up to learning the basics. The first six months was stance training!<\/p>\n

    The curriculum was burned and revamped to suit the needs of a modern martial art student from children to adults and no I did not sell out or comprise the integrity of my style! I got to work on getting my rear in gear with personal development such as goal setting and time management. The belt ranking system was enhanced to keep students motivated. I could not even afford to pay myself yet I hired my program director, now my lovely fianc\u00e9. I didn\u2019t know where the money would come from I just figured her work would generate cash flow which it did, by the way did I mention that I was living out of a spare locker room in the school! The basics where added on with a renewed pro shop, Christmas sales, movie nights, belt award ceremonies, low cost marketing strategies, leadership team, picnics, black belt club, masters club.<\/p>\n

    A lot of these things we had in place already but there is an enormous difference in doing things and doing things right. Six months later the school was generating cash flow and it was time to keep statistics. The monthly total gross now up to double digits before the comma $13,284.89! Growing to 182 students later that year I moved the school to a new location, $12,922.19 then $16,498.64 monthly gross, I built a monster and it was growing. Year two the monthly gross peaked to $25,760.44 and I was drawing a paycheck and had long moved out of my locker room sleeping days. Each year I attended the NAPMA World Conference and return for the next round of rolling up my sleeves and getting busy.<\/p>\n

    Long story short my school grosses on average $23,651.24, my personal income is well over $100,000.00 per year and I look forward to coming to work each day, I love what I do! I now have disability insurance, life insurance, health insurance, IRA\u2019s, an increasing net worth, $0 Debt and it has<\/p>\n

    only been 3 \u00bd years later. I enjoy my involvement in our community, I get to train 2 hours per day in my martial arts just in my personal practice before classes start in the morning, not to mention positively impacting the lives of others all day long. I continue to utilize my NAPMA knowledge applying as much as I can from each package.<\/p>\n

    Most importantly, and here is where I shed a tear, is that NAPMA has elevated my life to a higher level of growth, development and personal achievement. My success personally and professionally is a direct result my NAPMA membership. This has been a nice stroll down memory lane and I thank you NAPMA for making it all possible. Oh, sure. I could have perhaps done it without them but I am positive it would have been a heck of a lot longer and harder, a heck of a lot!<\/p>\n

    Daniel Rominski, Olympic Karate Institute<\/p>\n

    \u201dBefore NAPMA I averaged around $150,000 per year, after I joined my sales went thru the roof to over $1,000,000 a year.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cI first joined NAPMA a few years after I opened my school in Houston Tx. Bear Creek Tae Kwon Do & Kid Fit Sports Camps. Before NAPMA I averaged around 150k per year, after I joined my sales went thru the roof to over 1,000,000 a year, in only a few years. Without NAPMA I would have never reached such a huge goal.<\/p>\n

    Not only did it teach me how to grow, but how to grow it correctly and retain what I had. I have also been able to take a lot of what I learned into other businesses. When I got out of the martial arts business after almost 2 decades I had realized that NAPMA was one of the biggest reasons for my success and will always remind myself that. So thank you .<\/p>\n

    Thank you for your time feel free to contact me at anytime.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Master James T. Stoval<\/p>\n

    \u201dYou provide an invaluable service.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dA great big thank you to the staff at NAPMA for your willingness to help and answer the questions that I might have. Finding new students has been challenging during the first 6 months of 2005 so I called NAPMA with questions about ideas that I might use to bring new people in the door.<\/p>\n

    After being in business for 26 years we had tried many things over the years to bring in new students but for one reason or other some of those things weren’t working for us so we need to find the little thing that we are not doing right to turn these efforts into successes or be reminded of the things that we are no longer using that we should try again.<\/p>\n

    The staff have always been helpful in helping me find the little thing that I might be missing. You provide an invaluable service. Keep up the wonderful work!\u201d<\/p>\n

    Fred Nicklaus Martial Arts America, La Crosse WI<\/p>\n

    \u201d\u2026our enrollment increased by 200 students.\u201c<\/p>\n

    \u201dI became aware of NAPMA many years ago when I was training at B.C. Yu Martial Arts Center in Ann Arbor, MI. I owned and operated my own ad agency at the time. I was also helping Grandmaster Yu run his school, acting as Program Manager, but without the formal title. I was enrolling students, teaching, cleaning the school and training. I have been a loyal student with B.C. Yu for 24 years \u2014 and still training.<\/p>\n

    Soon after that, Master Yu joined NAPMA. He was so excited about the organization and how<\/p>\n

    professional they were. He knew his school could benefit by having such a great organization to help martial arts school owners run the business end \u2013 efficiently, and effectively. And it worked! By following NAPMA\u2019s lead, our enrollment increased by 200 students that year.<\/p>\n

    We received monthly tapes, used the newsletter materials, and followed the lead of the NAPMA tutorials. It was a big step. The marketing materials were professional and easy to use. They made a big impact on our marketing efforts. Even with my many years of graphic design and advertising background, I realized the benefit of using the NAPMA materials by not having to start from scratch. It saved a lot of time, work and money.<\/p>\n

    While at the conference, I spoke to a school owner who told me \u201dWhen you open your own school, just treat the students as you would guests in your home. Treat people with respect, teach them, be pleasant and courteous, and give them your best. You will be successful.\u201d<\/p>\n

    I joined NAPMA immediately and used their flyers to get new students. My first 2,000 flyers went out, and by January of 2000, I had enrolled 150 more kickboxing and TKD students. It was working!<\/p>\n

    The next three years I attended the world conferences and became more inspired each year, bringing back at least one new idea that I incorporated. There was so much to learn and so many new ideas to implement, it was too much for one person to do. So if I incorporated one new idea, and did it the right way, it made a difference. Whether it was new sparring drills, new children\u2019s programs, or a new seminar guest to invite to our school, I wanted it to be a success.<\/p>\n

    Through NAPMA, I learned how to teach exciting classes, how to motivate, inspire and teach with a sincere smile and warm heart \u2014 but with strength and discipline. I learned about the true value of martial arts instructors and how we make such a positive impact on people\u2019s lives. I learned that we need to<\/p>\n

    believe in the value of our work by charging accordingly. I learned how to enroll and keep students. I learned to improve the kickboxing classes. I learned about and incorporated UBC into my curriculum. I learned that little kids are great students and how to teach them with the Little Ninjas program.<\/p>\n

    Anything worth having takes extremely hard work and effort. Every goal we set takes planning, timing, help and support from experts in the field we are in. And that\u2019s what NAPMA gave me; the knowledge, experience, support and encouragement to continue to reach success in my school.<\/p>\n

    My goal is to teach people to be their personal best \u2014 physically, mentally and spiritually through martial arts fitness. I had to be the role model and see aid believe in the value I was bringing to the students. NAPMA helped me to see that \u2014 and helped me to continue and reach out to others in the same position. To learn from others successes \u2013 and failures. Thank you, to all the wonderful martial arts professionals who make up NAPMA, for helping me to reach the goal of having my own school. You ROCK!!\u201d<\/p>\n

    Pat Cole Owner and Master Instructor Cole Martial Arts Center, LLC<\/p>\n

    \u201c\u2026because I was honored as BUSINESS MAN OF THE YEAR in a very influential newspaper in our region.\u201c<\/p>\n

    \u201dI have been a member of NAPMA for a long time, and I have learned a great deal thanks to NAPMA and its core leaders, such as you! And I just wanted to let you know a couple of things. First this past summer I co-organized a fund raiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital with a student and friend, through the martial arts and our family based school we were able to raise over 8,000 dollars.<\/p>\n

    I never dreamed of reaching such a number, but we all forged on and the numbers kept rising. It was truly a magical undertaking with an amazing result. Our even brought people together, families together, which ultimately brought the community together for one day! WOW! We also, as a school, pulled together and raised clothes, toys, and other essential necessities. We filled over 100 Leaf bags and boxes. Not to mention the combined efforts of our school and the local Chamber of Commerce, we had developed an adopt\u2014a\u2014 soldier program that we ran for six months sending various necessities over seas to help our courageous soldiers to show them that we care and to say we are thinking of them. They were very honored and offered many letters of thanks.<\/p>\n

    The reason I am telling you all of this is because I was honored as BUSINESS MAN OF THE YEAR in a very influential newspaper in our region. I was totally shocked and surprised myself, but my phones are ringing from others commending me on this prestigious award. And I want to thank NAPMA for giving me the tools to succeed in my school and in the ways of business.<\/p>\n

    Andrew Stigliano Owner\/Chief Instructor United Martial Arts Center<\/p>\n

    \u201dFor the wealth of information you get from NAPMA, makes it well worth the money.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dMy name is Henry Hyde; I am a 5th\u2014Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, and owner of Hyde Tae Kwon Do Inc. I have been a NAPMA member since 1999. When I first heard of NAPMA, I wasn\u2019t interested in joining. I felt I didn\u2019t need someone to tell me how to run my school. Boy, was I wrong. I was a very traditional instructor and just wanted to teach Tae Kwon Do. Long story short, I joined NAPMA.<\/p>\n

    Since being with NAPMA, I now teach Grap-<\/p>\n

    pling, Judo and Kickboxing. I have also been certified in CDT (Control Direction Takedown). I currently have 16 Black Belts under me and every month I share the NAPMA information with my instructors. My retention rate is very high, which I am very proud of. For the wealth of information you get from NAPMA, makes it well worth the money. I would encourage any school owner to join. It would be the best business decision you ever make. In today\u2019s martial art world, one must have business savvy, in addition to extensive techniques to teach in order to thrive and not just survive. NAPMA puts you in that arena.<\/p>\n

    I would like to thank NAPMA for putting together a great organization for all Martial Artists,\u201d<\/p>\n

    Master Henry D. Hyde<\/p>\n

    \u201dNot only have I been able to QUIT my Security Job of more than 12 years to teach full time, but I have also found that people understand that you get what you pay for.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dWhen I opened my school a year ago, my family and I had a dream. We knew it would be hard but with work and determination anything is possible. A year later, we have 90 students and are grossing over $5,500 a month. Some people said that a Martial Arts School would never be anything but a Part Time Hobby. That if you charge more than $45.00 a month, students will find somewhere cheaper to train. Not only have I been able to QUIT my Security Job of more than 12 years to teach full time, but I have also found that people understand that you get what you pay for. I am proud to say that because of NAPMA, I can finally live my dream. Because of NAP- MA I have time to spend with my children and wife(something I could not do before, because I worked at night). I had sustained a severe Knee injury 10 years ago. Ever since than I have had a constant battle with my weight. I am now on the<\/p>\n

    road to complete recovery. With the time that I have extra, I am able to focus on my training everyday. I have lost 25 pounds and have 55 to go. If it wasn’t for NAPMA, I would only have the time to go to seminars and training camps. Now I can TAKE BACK my life and become a<\/p>\n

    Robert Staples Staples Martial Arts<\/p>\n

    \u201c\u201dI doubled the size of my school in two months\u2026from 123 to 254 active.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dOn January 1, 2002 our active enrollment was 123 students. With the help of NAPMA\u2019s Little Ninjas preschool program and the Ultimate Body Shaping Course, I grew my school to 254 students by the end of February 2002. The momentum continued with 35 new students that March. My school leaped to the next level and the momentum has driven us to even greater successes.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Not only does it give each Little Ninja something to focus on every day, but it also gives him a reward each day. It also causes the instructor to focus on each child individually each day instead of looking at them as just a sea of eyes and bodies. They focus on individuals. The Little Ninjas program creates a special moment for each student every day.<\/p>\n

    Comments: I have tried the business of martial arts and with a management company. I must say that my livelihood is much better with the company helping me out. I have been a NAPMA member and have attended all their seminars and conventions. I went from a 200\u2014student school to a 400\u2014student school since joining with them. I must say I sleep better at night not having to worry about every little detail that goes on.<\/p>\n

    My classes are better now that I am constantly motivated. I don’t need to pick my own brain now that I have professional consultants and people to<\/p>\n

    network from. The entire NAPMA staff is the most professional in this field. But don’t take my word on it ask any NAPMA member and I\u2019m sure they would say the same!<\/p>\n

    I’ve gotten such a response for Ninjas that I’ve added a second evening group that is already filled (I split them into low and high belts) and am starting morning Ninjas and Pre\u2014Ninjas in two weeks. We’re still working on improvements and additions to the system and it’s showing. Let the games begin.<\/p>\n

    If I hadn\u2019t started Fitness Kickboxing I\u2019d still be working a job. If I hadn\u2019t started Little Ninjas and the UBC I\u2019d still be just getting by. I became a member before I even opened the doors to my school and I\u2019m thankful that I did. Without the great new ideas and help from NAPMA I know all this wouldn\u2019t have happened! Thank you NAPMA!\u201d<\/p>\n

    Keith Wilkes Fear Knot Martial Arts<\/p>\n

    \u201dThanks to our membership in NAPMA, we are exposed to the techniques of the most successful businesses in our industry, allowing us to be the beneficiaries of what they have learned both artistically and financially. I am proud to be surrounded by such elite, professional teachers and businessmen in a very exciting period in our field and to be a part of this growing and evolving industry that is earning the prestige it deserves.<\/p>\n

    I also want to extend my gratitude to NAPMA<\/p>\n

    for helping Perfect Balance Martial Arts and Fitness to become one of the most respected schools in our community and allowing us to be able to coach, teach Martial Arts and transform lives while living our dreams.<\/p>\n

    The medical profession has the AMA, the legal profession the ABA, and the Martial Artist has NAPMA. It certifies our quality as professional teachers and helps us realize our value and worth to an ever\u2014expanding client base.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Master Al Agon Perfect Balance Martial Arts and Fitness, Coral Gables, FL<\/p>\n

    Elizabethtown, PA<\/p>\n

    \u201d\u2026from having approximately 60 active students to now over 200 active students, and still growing!\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dNAPMA has been a great source of strength for my school and myself. The Annual World Conference has always left my wife and myself hungering for more of what NAPMA has to offer us. The monthly package is something that we look forward to eagerly! Why? Because we both know how much NAPMA has done to improve our business.<\/p>\n

    We became NAPMA members after being members of another organization for many years. During the time with this other organization, our school would climb a little and then sink back down. Needless to say, we were growing very frustrated. No one was helping us. Then we heard about NAPMA. We left that other organization, found a new billing company and became NAP- MA members. Since joining NAPMA we have left our old location, which was approximately 1,000 sq. feet and opened up in a prime new location with 3,000 sq. feet and have been there for over 2 years now. Our numbers have also increased! We went from having approximately 60 active students to now over 200 active students, and still growing!<\/p>\n

    We have also enjoyed belonging to the NAPMA listserv, which is a great resource! And we have learned so much from all the wonderful people we have been able to network with through this medium. Because of this, we have even started doing our own in\u2014house billing which has been great, thanks to all the help and advice we have received through this list.<\/p>\n

    From almost Day 1 with NAPMA we have always felt like we were part of a family! People with NAPMA are REAL people who are always there to help us.<\/p>\n

    We cannot say enough about NAPMA and the wonderful things NAPMA has done for our school. \u201d<\/p>\n

    Robert M. Chester East Coast Martial Arts Center Groton, CT<\/p>\n

    \u201c\u2026my school has brought in more than a million dollars because of NAPMA<\/p>\n

    \u201dNAPMA has had a very positive influence on my school. It has provided my school with resources for good advertising and marketing strategies. In particular, it has helped both our children\u2019s and Cardio\u2014Kickboxing programs to grow tremendously. I also received audio and video resources that sharpened my staff\u2019s management and Martial Arts skills.<\/p>\n

    I would say that my school has brought in more than a million dollars because of NAPMA\u2019s supplements. NAPMA has taught me that you do not have to have a big school or chain of school to be successful. In fact, I am very confident that my school in the basement was the one of the most profitable schools in the nation for that size. I think all of this happened because NAPMA has provided my school with the advantages I need to be a successful and professional martial artist.<\/p>\n

    As a former NAPMA regional director, I have had a unique perspective on the martial arts world. I have witnessed that the majority of martial arts schools go out of business within only a few short years of being open. If they survive those first few years, many of them barely make enough to pay for their living expense. This is not necessarily because the instructors are not good at their art. In fact, most of these schools fail because of a lack of necessary management skills.<\/p>\n

    NAPMA helps schools to form a strong management foundation. It supplements your school with advertising information, training videos, audiotapes, and essential articles to learn to manage correctly. These supplements, if used properly, increase your chances of becoming a highly successful school.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Sam An, Rockford Academy of Tae Kwon Do , Rockford, IL<\/p>\n

    \u201d\u2026from 60 students to 180, and my DREAM House thanks to NAPMA.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dTwo years ago, I decided to start teaching karate on my own and I joined NAPMA. I started with 60 students, teaching for the Stratford Recreation Dept. Since then, I started two more programs at the town of Orange and the Valley YMCA in Ansonia.<\/p>\n

    I now have my own business teaching full\u2014 time and have 180 quality students! I bought my dream house six months ago and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. Joining NAPMA helped me a lot! I have 3 huge Little Ninjas programs<\/p>\n

    I received my ACMA certification, and I have started a GOLD team to start creating future instructors. I use NAPMA\u2019s ads in my fliers, which are sent out to schools in the towns that I teach. I use many of the drills and business\/marketing ideas that I get from my NAPMA packages ev-<\/p>\n

    ery month. I currently have 5 instructors working for me. My business is growing faster than I ever imagined! Thanks NAPMA for helping me become a professional martial arts instructor.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Chris Sansonetti Stratford Rec. Karate Milford, CT<\/p>\n

    \u201dThe NAPMA kits you send out monthly are a godsend to schools both small and large.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dI wanted to drop you a line to tell you what a fantastic job you and your staff have done so far to renew my faith and interest in NAPMA. I as well as many of the martial artists I know agree that you have taken what I consider to be a cancerous organism and have not only cured it, but have literally breathed new life and excitement into it.<\/p>\n

    The NAPMA kits you send out monthly are a godsend to schools both small and large. I am a direct response marketer and dojo owner and have for the last eight years helped to produce a perennial top ten infomercial, which is an industry leader and top performer.<\/p>\n

    Having said that \u2014 I have never held much faith in print. But to be honest, your creative staff have, month in and month out, created emotive copy and striking graphics that has changed my whole perspective on print advertising. The functionality of your print interface is very good and easy to navigate.<\/p>\n

    Your audio CD series is innovative and informative and the rest of the package is top notch as well. All of these kudos point to the kind of visionary leadership backed by a strong support team that was needed to honorably rekindle my faith and TRUST in NAPMA.<\/p>\n

    I thank you all for the hard work you have done to reach this point and look with interest to the<\/p>\n

    future of marketing and networking in the martial arts \u2014 NAPMA.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Grandmaster Kevin Huunjin Cullen<\/p>\n

    \u201dMy NAPMA membership has changed my vision\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dI opened my first studio at the age of 21. My vision was to teach martial arts as a hobby while I pursued a career in law enforcement. I never realized that martial arts could be a serious profession (let alone a profitable one).<\/p>\n

    When I connected with the people at NAP- MA, I learned that becoming a professional martial arts studio owner was more than just a daydream. They taught me how to run a professional studio, integrate new and exciting programs and turn my vision into reality.<\/p>\n

    I currently have a dedicated program that includes grappling and kickboxing with alternative upgrade programs such Black Belt Club, Masters Class and Leadership training.<\/p>\n

    My vision has changed, my studio has grown and my way of life has improved dramatically\u2026I went from part time hobby, to full time enjoyment!<\/p>\n

    Shane G. Weaver Senior Instructor\/Owner Red Griffin Martial Arts Studio Canada<\/p>\n

    \u201d\u2026from running a school part time to become a full time martial artist!\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dMy name is Mike Fillmore and I was one of NAPMA’s original members in \u201895. At that time I was a part\u2014time martial artist with lots of talent and no business sense. Since then I have learned so much from my relationship with NAPMA that I have gone from<\/p>\n

    running a school part time to become a full time martial artist! It was difficult at first because I got all of this information but I had a mentor that was steeped in the \u201dOld Way\u201d of doing things and as a result it stunted my growth..<\/p>\n

    As the years went by NAPMA gave me a vision and even more than that through the seminars of Joe Lewis and Ernie Reyes and others I developed the confidence to go out and \u201dJUST DO IT\u201d. At this point and time I am doing better than I ever have before and I am only a few inches away from the brass ring<\/p>\n

    I have taken this knowledge and have mentored many of my students in their own efforts and as a result five schools have spawned from this inspiration.<\/p>\n

    I am fired up and fearless at this point and I look forward to working with others to bring the martial arts to the next level. I want to see martial artists have the same if not even more prestige than doctors, lawyers and politicians in the community. It is my wish that I could be a representative of NAPMA on the state level because I am one of those people who went from nothing to something in this business as a direct result of NAPMA. I run Ultimate Force Martial Arts in Stafford, Texas and I would be Proud to represent the NSSN.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Mike Fillmore Ultimate Challenge TaeKwonDo<\/p>\n

    \u201d\u2026help myself promote my school more effectively, better and to be able to get more students and up my student body\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dHi my name is Mark McGee and I\u2019m from Unlimited Success in Allen, Texas and the reason I joined the Inner Circle group was to help myself promote my school more effectively, better and to be able to get more students and<\/p>\n

    up my student body. What I\u2019ve taken away from this weekend is to better market my school.<\/p>\n

    That is my main goal. I have poor marketing so I want to make sure that I get into more magazines of different levels, not just penny magazines, but also higher level magazines. Make sure that I get more lead generation and therefore get the numbers of people coming into my school to make it better. We have a decent conversion ratio now, that\u2019s another section that I\u2019m going to work on the next time. So over the next 90 days better marketing, better lead generation, double, triple my efforts for that.<\/p>\n

    Mark McGee Unlimited Success Martial Arts<\/p>\n

    \u201c\u201dJust wanted to say \u201dthank you\u201d for all you do for the industry and what I gain from it personally.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dJust wanted to say \u201dthank you\u201d for all you do for the industry and what I gain from it personally.<\/p>\n

    I know I’m not the most vocal NAPMA member but I still listen to as much as I can and implement as many ideas as I can. The audio from your special Quantum Leap presentation was very inspiring and prompted this message. I LOVED it!<\/p>\n

    You described my former approach to the \u201dart\u201d of JKD to a tee!<\/p>\n

    I also wanted to commend you for the Brass Balls Factor you displayed in your recent \u201danti\u2014MMA\u201d cover story. As usual you’re correct and it was the best expression of my own thoughts I’ve seen.<\/p>\n

    Down here in Miami (65% Hispanic) you can imagine how MMA \u201ddominates\u201d. So I’m strategically working on attracting the contrarian remainder in our community who think differently through our websites and direct mail reactivation efforts.<\/p>\n

    Dwight Woods<\/p>\n

    \u201dNAPMA stands at the forefront of the industry, forging new ways of looking at things and developing new ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dI have always been motivated more by ethics than by money and NAPMA has, for the five years in which I have been a member, been honest, forthright, direct and ethical in all its actions. You have never been afraid to speak out where necessary and to break established paradigms in favor of a better way of doing things for the students.<\/p>\n

    NAPMA stands at the forefront of the industry, forging new ways of looking at things and developing new ideas concerning all aspects of running a professional martial arts school. My experiences tell me that NAPMA has always been motivated by what is best for the industry and has consistently provided excellent service to its customers.<\/p>\n

    Dr. Chris Dewey Starkville Martial Arts Academy<\/p>\n

    \u201d\u2026proof, however, that it’s possible to run a successful Martial Arts business, especially in the remotely populated Highlands of Scotland.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dI joined NAPMA in April 2006 when my organization’s billing company: NEST Management, became the NAPMA UK representative.<\/p>\n

    As you no doubt know, unlike the US, the vast majority of Martial Arts schools here in the UK are conducted in sports and community centres<\/p>\n

    Again, unlike the US, there are few Professional (self-employed) Martial Arts instructors in the UK, sadly many Martial Artists don’t agree with making a living from Martial Arts. This attitude stems from the Martial Arts ‘amateur club’ mentality.<\/p>\n

    I am proof, however, that it’s possible to run<\/p>\n

    a successful Martial Arts business, especially in the remotely populated Highlands of Scotland. It wasn’t easy in the early days since I had to change our organization from an amateur club and make many other syllabus, structure, and billing changes such as having students pay a small fee per class to a much larger monthly fee via Direct Debit (EFT).<\/p>\n

    I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank NAPMA for their assistance in enabling me to make a living from teaching Martial Arts! Keep up the great work I thoroughly enjoy my monthly NAPMA business boosts!<\/p>\n

    Kyoshi Neil Hourston, Scottish Kempo Academy Tain, Scotland<\/p>\n

    \u201d\u2026you surround yourself with a group of people who are committed to making a difference\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dI’m Michael Mertens, from Buffalo, New York. You know, this weekend has been a great opportunity for me. You know, I always look forward to the opportunity to network with other people in the industry. You know, it\u2019s a good reminder to keep your head on straight.<\/p>\n

    A lot of stuff going on in the economy right now on recession, but you surround yourself with a group of other people who are committed to making a difference to still growing their business, to overcoming any kind of challenges in front of you, and then of course, a lot of resources for new information, which is always helpful.<\/p>\n

    I think the main thing that I want to bring back to our staff and all of our schools is just the concept that okay, during the recession, maybe the print ads, maybe the media stuff, that\u2019s not working as well as it used to. But the one thing that\u2019s going to always work well is going to be that belly-to-belly, face-to-face contact, and that\u2019s some-<\/p>\n

    thing that we have resources for in our schools. But, you know, to really go back and get fired up about it. Hey, we know we\u2019ve got great services. We know we\u2019ve got great classes. We just need to get in front of people, show them what we do, connect with them about how beneficial our service can be, and they\u2019re going to still get involved. I mean, that was a good message to hear and a good reminder to take back to my team.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Michael Mertens Master Chongs Taekwondo Buffalo New York 5 Locations, 2,000 Students<\/p>\n

    \u201dNAPMA has allowed me to compete and be successful in the modern martial arts industry without sacrificing the integrity of my traditional martial arts.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dSince joining NAPMA in 1996, my schools have risen to the next level. Running a multi\u2014school operation can be hectic, but fresh ideas and quality support from the entire NAPMA staff has allowed my organization to experience continuous growth. NAPMA has allowed me to compete and be successful in the modern martial arts industry without sacrificing the integrity of my traditional martial arts.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Roger A. Jarrett President and Chief Instructor USA Martial Arts Federation<\/p>\n

    \u201d\u2026not just educational, but motivational as well\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dOh, it was a great experience. You get to rub elbows with some of the top business leaders in the industry and open your mind to new ways of thinking. And Master Oliver brought up a great<\/p>\n

    point. In today\u2019s economy, your knowledge is going to be very important and I like to gain as much knowledge about the industry as I can. I came away with a lot of great ideas so it was a fantastic experience. Just the ideals of marketing, retention, staff training, all the vital areas to be successful, and I got great ideals from each speaker.<\/p>\n

    It was also motivational as well, not just educational, but it was also motivational as well.<\/p>\n

    I think the thing that separates the people that do real well to the people that just get by or the people that are struggling is that people that do well is they find out everything they can about the industry. They know the industry inside and out of their knowledge and putting that knowledge to use has been their key to success. So you get here to see it. They\u2019ve been there, done it, and that\u2019s the best way to learn.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Hilary Sandoval Americas Best Karate Center El Paso, TX 22 Year Veteran Martial Arts School Owner<\/p>\n

    \u201d\u2026you know they say, if you keep doing the same things and expect different results, it’s not working\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dI\u2019m Troy Dorsey. Well, I really wanted to be a part of a group of people, a group of students and business owners that will take me to the next level. I\u2019ve been kind of stuck at the same level for a couple of years now, just kind of being what I call on the karate treadmill, just been doing a \u2014 I\u2019ll have some great months then I\u2019ll have some not so good months and just kind of jumping up and down anywhere between 8 and $10,000 and this seemed like a fit for me to help me reach some new levels.<\/p>\n

    And I\u2019ve not done anything in quite some time<\/p>\n

    and not really committed to anything I guess is what I should say, but I\u2019ve committed to this both financially and every other way too to really make a change.<\/p>\n

    At my school, I teach most of all the classes. I\u2019m open six days a week and I teach five days a week, and I\u2019m interested in doing that, but it\u2019s just taking so much time away from my family and I really want to do something that will be able to change what I\u2019m doing in my school. I\u2019ve been doing the same thing for 20 years and I want to stay keep doing the same thing and expecting different results, and that\u2019s just \u2014 it\u2019s not working. So I want to make a change.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Troy Dorsey 8-Time World Champion Kickboxer<\/p>\n

    \u201cI am already seeing the results of the Peak Performers group.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dI just wanted to thank you for a copy of \u201dThink and Grow Rich\u201d. It was a pleasant surprise receiving it in the mail yesterday. I think it\u2019s a great time to re\u2014read it. I am already seeing the results of the Peak Performers group.<\/p>\n

    May was our best month ever and I am hoping to see even better results in the following months. The information I got off the forum has helped greatly and I am learning from everyone on it. I am starting to allocate time each day to write or respond on the forum. The future is looking great!\u201d<\/p>\n

    Sensei Tim Rosanelli Maximum Impact Karate<\/p>\n

    \u201dUP 40%!\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dI AM ON TRACK! My enrollment hit 310 yesterday, which was my June 1st goal! I set income and enrollment goals last year for this year. I have been blowing past my financial goals (which were based on about 33% growth, even though I was steady between.<\/p>\n

    I have had a very strong financial year. My<\/p>\n

    YTD goal was $215,887; but, in fact, I hit $261,584! That\u2019s 20% over goal! Last year (for the first 5 months), I had made only $185,899, which is 40% growth!!!<\/p>\n

    Thank you guys so much for your help! For the first time I can remember, students asked to upgrade. Very empowering.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve learned\u2014that despite the unexpected\u2014 Stephen Oliver and Dan Kennedy were right in their predictions I raised my prices, increased my volume and closing rates, decreased complaints about money and students are upgrading into even more expensive programs, even when consumer confidence is supposedly low.<\/p>\n

    WOW! This is cool! Thanks again, guys. You have been a support and inspiration.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Jonathan Metcalf Enfield, CT<\/p>\n

    \u201dI am projecting $1.15 Million\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201dMy number is still growing, and I am projecting 1.15 M for this year. I will let you know exact number early next year. I have seen that NAPMA has been doing lots of changing and improving.<\/p>\n

    NAPMA is always helpful to improve my Martial arts school in business and my teaching skills since the first day of joining. Inner Circle Meeting has been extremely helpful, and all members are very open minded and eager to work together.<\/p>\n

    Again thank you for your help and all the great work in NAPMA, and I wish you and NAPMA continuously grow in the future. I will see you in July at the Inner Circle meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Jason Yi NAPMA Inner Circle Member Woodbridge, VA<\/p>\n

    FREE COACHING SESSION<\/div>
    WITH \u2605 STEPHEN OLIVER & WORLD CHAMPION JEFF SMITH \u2605<\/div>

    \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d
    \u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d
    \u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>

    \ud83d\udcc5 BOOK YOUR FREE COACHING SESSION<\/a>\ud83d\udcde CALL: +1 (720) 256-0208<\/a><\/div>
    \u2605 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE \u2013 CLAIM YOURS TODAY! \u2605<\/div><\/div>\n
    \u2b07 Download the Full Book (PDF)<\/a>\ud83d\uded2 Buy the Printed Copy on Amazon<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    \u2b07 Download the Full Book (PDF) \ud83d\uded2 Buy the Printed Copy on Amazon Printed – Physical Copy available on Amazon. Creating a Truly Outstanding Career with Your Martial Arts School \u2014 by Stephen Oliver, MBA, 10th Degree Black Belt. Read the complete book below, or download the PDF above. Contents About the Author Preface Who […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6019","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Way of the Mile High Maverick - Martial Arts Wealth Mastery<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/martialartswealth.com\/go\/the-way-of-the-mile-high-maverick\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Way of the Mile High Maverick - Martial Arts Wealth Mastery\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u2b07 Download the Full Book (PDF) \ud83d\uded2 Buy the Printed Copy on Amazon Printed – Physical Copy available on Amazon. 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the Media","author":"","date":false,"format":false,"excerpt":"Media, magazine features, interviews, podcasts, and published columns by Stephen Oliver, MBA, 10th Degree Black Belt, founder of Mile High Karate and Martial Arts Wealth Mastery.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"Stephen Oliver on the cover of Martial Arts Business magazine","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martialartswealth.com\/go\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Stephen-Oliver-Martial-Arts-Business-Cover.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&quality=89","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martialartswealth.com\/go\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Stephen-Oliver-Martial-Arts-Business-Cover.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&quality=89 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martialartswealth.com\/go\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Stephen-Oliver-Martial-Arts-Business-Cover.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&quality=89 1.5x, 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Implementation for Martial Arts Schools","author":"","date":false,"format":false,"excerpt":"How martial arts school and BJJ\/MMA gym owners use AI to get found, follow up, and fill their schools \u2014 a complete guide plus Stephen Oliver's free book, The AI Revolution in Martial Arts School Marketing.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"Stephen Oliver line art portrait","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martialartswealth.com\/go\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Stephen-Oliver-Line-Art.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&quality=89&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martialartswealth.com\/go\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Stephen-Oliver-Line-Art.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&quality=89&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martialartswealth.com\/go\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Stephen-Oliver-Line-Art.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&quality=89&ssl=1 1.5x, 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