Mirroring Behaviour to Convert Martial Arts Enquiries

How often have you asked students to copy your movements on the mat? A question we frequently get asked by martial arts business owners is<span>,</span>"<em>What are your secrets for converting enquiries to business?"</em> Little do they know the first step to successful enquiry conversion is something they’ve been teaching for years.

In addition to being a great training technique, the ability to mirror and match behaviour can <span>be </span>incredibly useful in a business context, as it is a <span><a href="http://lifehacker.com/5894462/use-mirroring-and-matching-to-build-a-good-rapport-and-become-more-persuasive" target="_blank"><span>proven method of building rapport</span></a>.</span><span> </span>
<h2>An unconscious preference</h2>
Humans instinctively like and trust people who are similar to them<span>. W</span>hen people are faced with the prospect of exchanging money for a service, or as is often the case at a martial arts school, trusting their child with an instructor, they unconsciously look for familiar cues to put them at ease. If a potential client meets you, or anyone at your business who makes them instantly think<span>, </span>'I don’t like that person', it’s unlikely they’ll follow through with your business.<span> </span>

For this reason, the very first thing you need to do when you make contact with a potential client is build rapport and become likeable to that person by trying to assimilate with their behaviours.
<h3><span>Be a copycat</span></h3>
To be as likeable as possible to a potential client, try to mirror their behaviour in the following ways:<span> </span>
<ul>
<li><strong>Volume of voice</strong> – Are they loud and enthusiastic or quiet and shy? Whatever the volume of their voice, this is the volume that they are most comfortable with.</li>
<li><strong>Pace of voice</strong> – People process the spoken word at varying speeds, so to make sure they get a grasp on what you are saying, try to meet them at their tempo.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Pitch, tone and inflection of voice</strong> – In these areas you want to try to make your voice sound as much like their voice as possible. These factors are indicators of their emotions, so if you replicate their changes it will make you seem empathetic and trustworthy.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Vocabulary</strong> – This one is important. Noticing what words and phrases your client likes to use and repeating them back to them in a modified context will show your client you are listening to them and that you understand what they are trying to communicate.</li>
</ul>
In addition, it’s important to mimic the <em>type</em> of words they like to use. For example, what level of grammar do they use? If you speak too casually with a formal person, or vice versa, the client is going to perceive your service as ‘not right for them’.<span> </span>
<ul>
<li><strong>Poses and mannerisms</strong> – The Mirror and Matching technique places importance on matching the mannerisms and movements of your client. If they cross their legs, you should soon after do the same. If they talk with their hands, try to incorporate hand gestures into your communication too. The more you can move in the same way they do, the more at ease they will feel in your school.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Stance</strong> – Without meaning to, you can come across as either intimidating or unprofessional if you fail to mimic your client’s stance correctly. Your client will have a certain expectation for what behaviour is appropriate at your school, and replicating these non-verbal cues ensures you don’t disappoint on these expectations.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Get in their head</h2>
Mirroring your client is about more than just acting the way they do. Try to think from their perspective and ask yourself<span>, </span>'Why has this person come to my school; what are they looking to gain?' Based on this, position your services in a way that is tailored to the particular needs of this client. Rather than saying<span>, </span>'This is what we offer<span>,</span>' <span>explain, </span>'This is what you will receive'. Positioning your services as solutions to the client’s specific needs will greatly improve your chances of generating business from them.<span> </span>

If you’d like more strategies for converting client enquiries to business at your martial arts school, <span><a href="https://tima.com.au/get-started-today/"><span>get started with a TIMA package today</span></a>. We</span>’ve gathered heaps of tips over the years that we’d love to share with you.

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