8 Tips for Communicating Like a Pro at Your Dojo

How do you rate your communication skills? Whether it’s speaking to one, to many, over the phone, in a webinar, in a team meeting, or with a new client, communicating professionally is an essential skill for any martial arts business owner.  But this is easier said than done. According to Glen Croston, Ph.D in Psychology Today, most studies indicate people fear public speaking more than death. However, public speaking is a simple skill and the key is to replace fear with confidence. Here are 8 tips to help you overcome your fear of public speaking and begin communicating confidently:  1) Know Your Audience The first step to communicating confidently is defining the audience you are addressing. Whether it’s a large group of business owners at an international summit, a web conference with a potential client, or a weekly staff meeting at the back of your martial arts studio, it’s important to understand whom your target audience is so you can tailor your...

Continue Reading...

MA Business Success 11: Industry Benchmarks

https://soundcloud.com/tima-38/martial-arts-business-success-11-industry-benchmarks

Alex: Today, we're talking about martial arts industry benchmarks so Phil, kick us off with this. Phil: Sure, well look, in every industry, I suppose, there are benchmarks which you need to, I suppose, keep in mind, because it helps you understand where you're tracking and with statistics or benchmarks, it's important that as you're reading those statistics, that you can see the curve before it happens. So I know in our industry, we have certain benchmarks that we have, I suppose, that are renowned around the world for the martial arts industry, for example, we're talking about quit rates, join rates, the average student fee, over-the-counter sales, all that sort of stuff that we in our business basically align ourselves with or check off with and see where we're tracking. And obviously we want to try and be ahead of the game and be the best in the world, so that's why we come with quit rates. I'm...

Continue Reading...

Martial Arts School Owners: Leave Your Comfort Zone

How do you feel about leaving your comfort zone? Do you avoid it or embrace it? For any business owner, leading a team through unchartered territory can be a daunting prospect. But it is an essential experience in any entrepreneur’s pathway to growth. As the owner of a martial arts school, you’re bound to feel a personal connection to your clients as well as the team you lead. This personal connection can be the barrier dojo owners encounter when it comes to breaking free from their comfort zone. The thought, ‘what if I let my clients down?’ can scare you into inaction. According to a recent article published in Forbes, having the confidence to leave your comfort zone is especially important for people who are self-employed. If you try to view the experience as a chance to differentiate yourself from your competitors and create a lasting impression in the mind of your customers, your positive attitude will frame your results.

What about the risk?

We...

Continue Reading...

MA Business Success 10: Low-Cost Martial Arts Marketing

https://soundcloud.com/tima-38/martial-arts-business-success-10-low-cost-martial-arts-marketing

Alex: Graham McDonnell and Phil Britten are here from TIMA, the Institute of Martial Arts, and this time, some advice on martial arts marketing on a low budget. So, Graham, dispel the myth. We don't actually have to spend thousands on marketing ourselves, do we? Graham: Not at all, it's being effective with the money that you do have. You know, for years and years and years, I've looked at marketing and they say, "Look, you know, you should be investing 10% of the income that you make into marketing your business." Within reason, that's sometimes it's not always as effective. You know, you think, "Okay, all I have is $500, how can I utilize this for the next five weeks?" Or it could be three months, whatever it may be. But one of the easy ones is referrals. Having a referral campaign or a referral generating system in your business already. Because there's nothing better than actually...

Continue Reading...

8 Tips for Running Great Staff Meetings at Your Dojo

How do you keep your staff on the same page? Many martial arts school owners start small, often with only one or two people running the business.  They expect processes will become easy once they finally hire a team to help them. One of the main challenges a business owner faces is managing an expanding team. In a martial arts business, organising your staff can be challenging.  Your instructors will want to command and lead a team. If you can instruct a team of instructors in a professional manner, your business operations will be smoother across the board. To help you on your way we’ve compiled a list of eight industry tips for running effective staff meetings at your dojo.

1) Know your subject and know your objective

One of your first steps towards running an effective staff meeting is making sure the subject of the meeting and your intended objectives are clear to your team. This step is important not only during the meeting but before it even happens. When...

Continue Reading...

MA Business Success 9: Managing Your School

podcast Sep 24, 2015

https://soundcloud.com/tima-38/martial-arts-business-success-9-managing-your-school

Alex: I'm Alex Lush, joined by Graham and Phil from the Institute of Martial Arts, of course. And some cracking advice on the cards for managing your martial arts school. So, Graham, kick it off for us. So where do you start? Graham: Wow. Look, managing a school can be a daunting task to say the least. You know, there's the scatter gun approach where you're just thinking, "Hey, look, I'm just going to spot fire. I'm just going to try to do my best, whatever issue arises. I'm just going to try and just deal with that, but that's not the way to do it. Alex: Not sustainable. Graham: Not even close. Well, I guess, start with the staff. It's really important to have structured meetings and communication between yourself and the staff, or again, if you're a one-man band, it's making sure that you think, "Okay. I've got to put first things first and schedule time to tackle those on a consistent basis." So,...

Continue Reading...

The Powerful Mind of a Martial Arts Business Owner

If someone were to ask you, “What is holding you back from achieving your ultimate business goals?” how would you respond? Would you say that it was a lack of time, money or resources? We frequently find when speaking to business owners the main barriers stem from a fear of failure or a lack of self-belief. TIMA co-founder Phil Britten recently ran a two-day ‘Master Your Destiny’ workshop to help people push past these mental barriers to unleash their true potential for success.

Mind Over Matter

Achieving your goals may seem far off. You can start the process by changing one simple thing – your mind. From your experience in martial arts, you are already aware of the benefits a focussed mind can have on your physical state. Likewise, in your business there is no tool so powerful for achieving your goals as a changed mind and a changed perspective. An article published on Forbes concluded, “Succeeding as a leader boils down to two things:

  1. ...
Continue Reading...

MA Business Success 8: Converting Enquiries to Business

ttps://soundcloud.com/tima-38/martial-arts-business-success-8-converting-enquiries-to-business Alex: This time, we're discussing strategies for converting inquiries. Into business. Now Phil it's essential isn't it? You've got somebody through the door, or you've got them on the phone. What are your tips to making that leap? Phil: Sure, yeah. Look, the first...really it is imperative the very first thing you need to do is build rapport. Alex: Yes. Phil: You want someone to like you, basically. If they don't like you, they're not gonna come into your business. So the first thing you need to do is mirror or match their behavior, to some regard. So how they talk, how they stand, the hand gestures that they use. All those little things about building rapport, the same sort of language. And it's not trying to be someone that you're not. It's just showing them that...people like people that are like them. Alex: Yes. Phil: And once you can get past that awkward first meeting...most people...

Continue Reading...

The Value of Marketing Through Martial Arts Events

How do you build rapport while gaining qualified leads for your martial arts school? The answer is simple; put yourself in front of your audience. You might be interacting with them online, but face-to-face encounters are far more memorable than your most recent Facebook post.

What’s all the fuss about?

The Content Marketing Institute recognises in-person events as the most effective weapon in a company’s marketing arsenal, and with good reason. Which other platform allows you to solidify the relationship with your audience and appear as a credible industry figure? Building that level of trust and authority online takes upwards of 12 months; you could achieve the same over the course of a few events. Phil Britten, co-founder of TIMA, says the key is to “find out what they want, go get it and give it to them.”

Showcase your authenticity

Communicating with your audience in person sets the stage for gaining their trust and respect, provided you sell to them...

Continue Reading...

MA Business Success 7: 5-Star Solutions in Everyday Business

https://soundcloud.com/tima-38/martial-arts-business-success-7-5-star-solutions-in-everyday-business

Alex: Today we're going to be talking about their five-star principles in everyday business. Sounds like we could all do with a bit of this. Phil, kick it off for me. Phil: Well, look, when we first got into the martial arts business, we identified some areas that we needed to improve on. And this is really how I suppose TIMA came all about as well was, what were the pain points that we needed to fix in order to be a successful business? So to break that down, we have, you know, what is your vision? Because I think what most people do, they get into business and they get caught in the grind. They lose sight of the endgame. And they forget about, what is it going to be like? What's their life going to be like? And they get caught in that grind of the business. Therefore, 10 years down the track, they're still actually in the grind. We also work on our presence, which just helps you...

Continue Reading...
Close

50% Complete

Apply now to see if working with TIMA is a right fit for you