After a dozen years in the trenches teaching and owning my own academy (and having asked owners, read material and attended seminars on marketing), here are some tid bits that I hope will help you prosper in this very tough business.
Fact: 75% of martial art schools fail within the first 5 years
The first and most important point to make is this: Without students, there is no school. I know this seems like a no brainer statement but it's something that the STUDENTS must also realize. Students at your school, at least the majority, have no idea how difficult owning a BJJ school is. They don't realize the overhead (cost) of running the academy and keeping the doors open. Most think that its an amazing art and the teacher get's to "roll all the time." What an awesome job to just do jiu jitsu huh?
They don't realize that more time is spent on marketing, paper work, paying bills, managing students, paper work, repairing the studio, paying bills, paper work, training...did I mention bills and paper work?
I believe that the student base of a schools has an obligation to help keep the doors open. On a very basic level, its members are a type of "clan". The only way your students are going to do this is if they:
-love jiu jitsu
-are loyal
-understand that real world considerations (cost/rent) effect training.
-understand that if there are no new students, the doors close and they will loose their training environment.
There are of course many different ways to market your school but I have noticed that in BJJ schools, word of mouth is the most important.
Your Students and Word of Mouth
There is an interesting thing that happens with word of mouth in BJJ and there is typically a short window of opportunity to capitalize on it. When a NEW student starts at your school, they will be nervous . It takes a lot to walk through those doors for the first time. After a few weeks, they will realize how awesome jiu jitsu is and will want to share their new found hobby with everyone they know. There is a window of about 6 months to a year which you need to really push incentives to get them to bring in new friends. Because after this, there is a change.
What's the change?
They figure out that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is VOODOO, the most awesome thing ever and they don't want to share it with the rest of the world. They want to hoard it, keep it to themselves. They realize the power it has and the no nonsense approach it brings to martial arts. Its a weird selfish thing really and you can't blame them. This usually goes on for a few years in blue belt (typically, there are always exceptions).
Then, by the time they get out of the selfish stage of "THIS IS MINE", they realize they want to go back to promoting it. However, by this stage, they have asked and told all their friends about this "Jiu Jitsu thing". They've exhausted their circle of influence and everyone who knows them is sick of hearing about "Jiu Jitsu". While these high blues and purples are the best ones to talk about BJJ, not many are willing to listen.
At Brown Belt, the student is into the self discovery stage and are simply on a path to explore BJJ and its levels. By Black Belt, you'll speak to everyone again and ask facebook groups "how do I get students in my school? What's the best way?" It's a strange little cycle that I've seen over and over again.
So, when is the best time for students to help spread the word?
The first year of Jiu Jitsu TYPICALLY. There are, of course, super star students that always promote, but this is the exception to the rule (and this is why you must work at changing the mindset in you school to everyone).
There are ways to offer incentives to these people. There are no trade secrets in the martial art business. It comes down to hard work and understanding of your MARKET. If one of your students brings in a friend and their friend signs up for a year, give that promoting student a free month of training (it's already off set by the new student). If they bring in 6 students who sign up, give them a year free training. This type of marketing works well on a select group-those naturally good at SALES. They may tell their friends or co workers that Jiu Jitsu is amazing self defense, a great work out, a way to compete...whatever it is, they know how to sell it to their circle and they should be rewarded for it.
This doesn't work for everyone because some people have small friend or work circles. They may be shy. They may have no interest in sharing. You have to accept this but your job as an instructor is to INSPIRE your students.
You must realize that everyone trains for different reasons. If you always push competition/sport training, you will ostracize those who want self defense training or just casual training (or a social aspect). Same goes if you are just "street self defense"-you close the door on those who want to compete. There are obviously cross overs and some like doing it for many reasons but don't limit your market potential as being known as "one type of school." Sure you may EXCEL in one area, but don't slam the door on the others.
Reasons for training:
-confidence building
-competition or sport fulfillment
-self defense
-social interaction
-martial art interest
-hybrid reasons or others not listed above
The Challenges of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
The mat doesn't lie. This is a common phrase that you will hear BJJ practitioners use. It means that there is no bullshitting when the rubber hits the road. Your skill set in BJJ is related to how well you do in actual sparing (otherwise known as grappling, rolling, fighting) on the mat in class. BJJ doesn't have long katas. There are no breaking of boards. It doesn't need flexibility, strength or size to work (but these will help of course). It's through sweat and thousands of repetitions that makes it work. It's being tested by an opponent who won't just roll over or throw themselves "because it looks good and that's what you are supposed to do".
When you grapple (wrestle for lack of a better term) with your fellow students in BJJ, you are trying to submit one another. This means you can go 100% without turning into a punch drunk dummy. BJJ acid tests everything. If it doesn't work against a resisting opponent, it's thrown out-period. 80% of martial arts today don't do that and still work on outdated training methodologies. There are of course other arts that share BJJ training ideas like judo, catch, sambo, some styles of JJJ, MMA (there are others but I'll leave it at this group for my purposes).
You may have people walk through your door looking to break boards or learn the death touch. You need to respectfully educate this new person with knowing what Jiu Jitsu is and how it differs from other arts. You need to set up a safe and good first experience on the mat. I HIGHLY suggest teaming up a new student with a good blue belt for their first class. They will be partners and the new student will be taken care of during class. DON'T match up two newbies together unless you want to blind leading the blind or injuries to happen. The new student MUST feel comfortable.
You need to realize that BJJ is uncomfortable for MOST people because it is a grappling art that has no qualms about breaking personal space. That is why karate and TKD schools do so well with most people. The non space invading, striking distance approach appeals to most people. They only know what they have seen on movies. When they see a board break, they equate that to fighting skill in the real word. But, when they get held, wrestled, and smothered in real life, they realize how horrible it is. When a grappler gets a hold of you, its like drowning on dry land.
Therefore, it takes time to get people used to this. The funny thing is, kids do really well with grappling because they have a natural propensity to wrestle.
How Long to Get a Black Belt??!!?
BJJ takes a long time to master. This is why so many quit. When most arts are giving black belts after 3 years, in BJJ, you are still a blue belt with an average of 7 more years to go until you become a black belt. 10 years doing an art where you get smashed, humbled, and rolled up takes it's toll on people. But the PAY OFF is that you gain real confidence, learn an amazing life style, meet wonderful people and understand why it is important to take time.
How the Owner can spread the Word
I've talked about the responsibility of the student in help promoting the school but the owner needs to to do his/her part. Depending on where you are in your martial art ownership journey (first year or 10th?), you may want to expand your circle to you local community college or university. This is a captive audience. Most colleges and universities have sport and rec programs. And most have martial art ones. I would strongly suggest checking out your local scene and contact the people in charge of these programs and get on board. Typically, these programs work on a semester basis and the classes taught there are once a week (12 weeks).
University BJJ classes are a great intro. You may teach them or have one of your senior students do it. The university will pay the instructor but you need to get a minimum amount of students first. The school will post a description on their website and in their rec book about it but you will need to print up posters and plaster them around campus. You'll also need to attend the frosh week (or whatever it is called in your city) and set up a booth with JIU JITSU stuff so you can be visible for campus students.
University programs will on average pull 20-30 % to you main school (because you've wowed them with the wonders of BJJ.) That a pretty good return rate. And you'll get about a 30-40 % return for the next semester, IF YOU TEACH right (that's a whole different article). Keep you classes at the university simple and do basics. Invite them to your home academy on week so they can meet the rest of the student base. Be friendly and approachable. Ditch the stoic martial artist/ fighter attitude (if you have it). Cater the the AVERAGE person and make them bad ass!
I hope this helped a bit. Its a huge topic which I will re visit again I am sure.
Roll on!
-AK
Check out these awesome resources for Jiu Jitsu:
Jiu Jitsu Global Federation
Keith Owen BJJ Moves or Blog
White Belt BJJ
BJJ Videos Online
