Our Go2Karate staff has a combined decade’s worth of experience in running martial arts businesses, and in that time, we’ve learned a thing or two about what it takes to be successful. In this blog post, we’ll share 5 of the most important lessons we’ve learned so far. Hopefully, these lessons will be helpful for other martial arts business owners out there.
1. The importance of marketing
When we first started the business, we didn’t really know anything about marketing. We just put up a few flyers around town and hoped that people would come. Unsurprisingly, that didn’t work very well. Over the years, we’ve learned that marketing is one of the most important aspects of running a successful business. If you don’t let people know that you exist, they’re not going to come to your school. It’s as simple as that.
2. The importance of customer service
Another lesson we’ve learned is the importance of providing great customer service. When people walk into your school, they should feel welcomed and valued. If they don’t, they’re not going to stick around for very long. We always make sure to greet our students with a smile and answer any questions they have. We want them to feel like they’re part of our family.
3. The importance of always learning
The martial arts world is always changing and evolving. What worked 5 years ago might not work now. That’s why it’s so important to always be learning and growing as a martial artist and as a business owner. We make sure to attend seminars and workshops regularly so that we can stay up-to-date on the latest trends in the industry.
4. Hire slow, fire fast.
In the early days of our school, we were so eager to hire anyone who showed an interest in working with us. As a result, we ended up with a lot of employees who didn’t share our vision or values. It took us a while to realize that it’s better to have a smaller team of highly-skilled individuals than a large team of mediocrity. Nowadays, we take our time when hiring new employees to make sure they’re the right fit for our team. And if someone isn’t working out, we don’t hesitate to let them go.
5. Don’t be afraid to raise your prices
When we first started our business, we were so worried about making sure our classes were affordable that we kept our prices low, even when costs were going up. This was a mistake – not only did it mean that we were barely breaking even, but it also sent the message to our students that our classes weren’t worth very much. Eventually, we bit the bullet and raised our prices, and it made a world of difference. Our students were happy to pay more because they could see that we were providing a high-quality service, and our business became much more profitable as a result.
Running a martial arts school is a lot of work, but it’s also a lot of fun. We’ve learned so much over the years, and we’re still learning new things all the time. If you’re thinking about opening your own martial arts school, or if you’re already running one, we hope you benefit from these lessons we’ve learned. If your business needs help with marketing, a website, or even consulting, schedule a free consultation with one of our experts!