DOWN TO BUSINESS
SCRATCH THEIR ITCH
Most people have a specific reason for wanting to train in martial arts. That reason will inevitably change over time, but it is extremely important that we match our new students’ expectations with results. If someone enrolled specifically for self-defence, make sure you are teaching them things that they find relevant and that enable them to confront their particular situation (if there is one) with more confidence. If a parent is hoping that your program will help their child to develop better focus, make sure they see that child standing straight, tall and still for progressively longer periods of time.
KEEP IT FUN
It doesn’t have to be easy, but it should be fun. As you read this, some of you might be conjuring up visions of too-often repeated warm-up games of karate kickball or Nerf-gun wars, but that is not what I am referring to. With proper planning and a matching level of enthusiasm, any instructor can find a way to make even the hardest drills or the most basic skills enjoyable. There are some great resources around as well as the many great games (think back to your childhood PE classes and school camps, perhaps) that can be adapted to suit martial arts.
SET UP SUCCESSES
Eventually, everyone training in martial arts is going to experience failure. That is an important part of the process. But if a student experiences failure too soon, especially if they already have a poor selfimage or lack confidence, they might call it quits before they start seeing the value in their training. Instead, do your best to set your new students up for success by setting realistic expectations and teaching them age- and skill-appropriate material.
BUILD COMMUNITY
Do you want to keep students training for 24 • www.martialartsbusiness.com.au
a long time? Make sure that they fit in and feel like they are part of the family. They should feel like they belong to a supportive and inclusive school community, as socialisation and community are an important part of the human experience. Little things like calling your students by name, knowing their interests and hobbies, introducing them to other students and generally taking a sincere interest in them, is often the difference between a student training at your school for three weeks or training at your school for three years or more.
“MOST KIDS DON’T NATURALLY COMMIT, THOUGH, AND THERE’S MORE COMPETITION FOR THEIR ATTENTION OUT THERE THAN EVER BEFORE.” BE THE CHALLENGER
Once you stop trying to become better, you quit being good. A challenger knows that to be a champion, they need to stay hungry, they need to train hard and they need to always be learning. Our industry is full of school owners who used to be successful, but are now struggling to keep the doors open. Sure, there might be less interest for martial arts in their area now than in years past. There might be more competition in their area now than ‘back in
the day’. But they might also just not be staying relevant. They might also have just lost their edge and/or their passion for their school.
KNOW YOUR IMPACT
Finally, stay mindful of the impact we can have on our students. It is not uncommon for instructors and school owners to forget or to lose sight of the impact that their program is having on their students and their community. When this happens, our livelihood can become less of a life’s passion and more like just a job. It is important to remember that the human mind is easily influenced by anything spoken with conviction. When we are mindful of the positive impact our program is having on our community, it dramatically increases our power to influence. It supercharges every interaction we have with our current students and every interaction we have with our future students. In many cases, it can be the X-factor that makes the difference between a successful school and a struggling one.
A lifelong martial artist with Black-belts in 10 styles, Kyoshi Dave Kovar is recognised worldwide as an innovator of best practices for martial arts school operation. He oversees the operation of eight Kovar’s Satori Academy schools and is the founder of ProMAC, the Professional Martial Arts College. Kyoshi Kovar is the lead instructor for Century’s Martial Arts Industry Association (USA) and he has published over 100 online business and teaching videos for the Educational Funding Company (EFC). He can be contacted via email at dave.kovar@kovars.com
THINKSTOCK
improved and that you’re keen to see them learn the next step…and so on. This way we can help them develop the right habits. Once they have established a habit of coming to class, it is a lot easier to keep them coming.