Martial Base - Online Resource For Martial Arts!

Saturday, June 7, 2014

MMA Entrepreneur? Use Online Marketing the Right Way!

Online marketing is leading the way and you have seen small businesses rise up because they benefitted from their decision of making use of it. But the thing is, online marketing really does wonders for a few startups while others only watch helplessly while their investment goes down the drain. If you are an MMA entrepreneur and are trying your hand at online marketing, read this post and learn how to do things the right way.

Have Infamous Measure Let You Down?

You probably checked off every social media website that you could think of from your list. You have made regular posts and updates, have tried interacting with prospective students and customers, and have done everything by the book but the results are still not to your liking.

There Are Just Too Many MMA Gyms Out There

The competition is tough and brewing, what with all the Mixed Martial Arts gyms brimming with kids after they scored a champion who trained with them. But is that all that it takes to attract students? Not really, it is a little more complicated than that.

The stats show that there are other factors that dominate the reasons why one chooses a place to train for physical fitness. And surprise, the pointer that has topped that list is: finding a place to train close by. Think about it - after a long day’s work, people just want to hit the gym on their way home; no one will make a long trip elsewhere.

So erase out all those technical and fancy, not to mention expensive ideas that bite a huge chunk out of wallet, and let’s start from scratch on the more simpler ones. Don’t think about just breaking even, you need to do more than that if you are confident on the quality service that you offer.

The traditional way was better and that’s why gyms were always jam packed with people practicing. How was that possible? Well because their marketing methods were kind of simple too.

Listing on an online school finder with the ultimate advertising package, will not only make you a bright icon but will allow for more:
  • Once your logo is clear and highlighted on the school finder map, you are not only getting beginner clients, you are building brand loyalty too and making your gym known among the others.
  • Unique online tools will manage the leads you generate from prospective students. And the best part is that these student leads will be notified to you by a direct email.
  • Your Martial Base school listings will be treated as another form of advertisement, as now you are not only creating awareness yourself in the real world, MartialBase is doing it virtually online.
  • It filters out prospective clients that you don’t even know about. Instead of going to people and creating awareness and advertising, you potential clients come to you.  
They just might be looking for a great school to start training today but don’t know if there is one around, plus word of mouth is not enough. The new generation will automatically tune in to their search engines and demand a straight up answer with minimal hassle.

Fortunately we work to provide that very solution. So here is what you need to do, just list your facility as one of the top schools in your area at Martial Base or checkout the MartialBase’s ultimate online advertising package which gives your business more visibility. Before you know it, your gym will be packed with students looking to sign up for the MMA classes.

Friday, June 6, 2014

How To Conduct An Efficient MMA Class

After being the industry for a long time, I figured there were things that people need to know on how to conduct an efficient MMA class that would benefit both the MMA school owner and the students.

If you are reading this, I assume you are an MMA trainer and already know all the techniques and training regimens, so this article is not about that. Here are the things that no one will tell you about - the small details that make a huge difference.

Get To Know Your Target Market!
Most Gym owners usually know exactly what ages of students they will get, and they are fine with training anyone with the right set of determination and will power. Here is what you need to start concentrating on. You majorly get two kinds of people in your gym, the ones who just want to get in shape, and the ones who crave hard core MMA training. Learn to separate your clientele from what they are really looking for and time your classes according, that way you will be able to teach them more efficiently. When you and your students are on the same page and are working towards the same goal, your customer satisfaction and student retention rates will go through the roof.

Be A Professional Through And Through!
Basically, you want to run a gym that will pay your bills. If you run something of a dungeon dojo you are attracting less stable clients, so stick to professionalism. Let’s go back to simpler ways. Nobody who walks in to a dirty gym (even if it train’s champions) would want to stay and pay for training there. It’s how the human mind works, you need to inform the person that you have the tools to transform the student from his current state into a skilled Mixed Martial Artist.
So keep the space clean and your equipment nicely repaired to show off how seriously you take MMA training. Make sure the interior is well kept, the hygiene is taken care of, and that you get rid of the awful gym smell after a session.

Make The Students Practice It Too
The previous point above might seem a little tedious what with all the hard work you will most likely have to put up with maintaining your gym and make it look pleasant and appealing to gain more students. Here is another thing that you need to do.

As you train your students, teach them some good hygiene habits too for the sake of your facility. I have seen so many students who practice MMA like they live for it, but they also have habits like bringing in gym clothes and gear that smells like it hasn’t seen the laundry room for weeks. As the gym owner / manager, it is your job to make sure that you tell your students to change and never do that again.

If you have an MMA training school that is on the lookout for new students, list your facility as one of the top schools in your area at Martial Base or checkout the martial arts online advertising package which gives your business more visibility. Before you know it, your gym will be packed with students looking to sign up for MMA classes.

How To Retain Students: What Are MMA Students Really Looking For?

Why won’t students stay with your gym? Here are top things that students are always thinking when choosing an MMA facility to train at.

Students Like To Interact! (Even MMA Students)
MMA students like to know what they signed up for. They view themselves as customers who are paying for your time as a trainer. For the trainee, you are the guide. So answer the questions they ask you, and always point them in the right direction.

Here is what interacting and answering everything trainees are curious about will do for you: It will gain their trust and loyalty, and they will think twice before switching MMA training schools.

Give Them An Outlook Of A Gym They will Want To be In
I should have written that heading as ‘Give them an outlook they will want to pay for’. A person looking to sign up for MMA training will definitely judge your gym by the way it looks once he or she walks in. Think about a couple of things and list down the areas of your facility that need a double check:
  • Is the gym area well lit, particularly where the students spar or practice?
  • Would it hurt your wallet a lot if you put in a little for redecorating?
  • With the increasing number of students, do you need more ventilation? And if you do, how are you going to trouble shoot that issue?
  • Is the gym equipment well maintained?

Remember, it is not always necessary that your MMA gym would need heavy or any investment towards an interior décor change, just make sure it does not look like a rundown garage or something worse.

Is It The Fee You Are Charging?
Everyone who is passionate or enthusiastic about Mixed Martial Arts knows that spending a lot on a training school does not necessarily mean that the training and results would be exceptionally good. Your trainee does not really see or know the real cost of the training. You need to provide your trainee with a professional environment and show them that you do things seriously. Plus don’t leave the damaged equipment out in front for everyone to see in case they assume they are still in use.

How many people ask if a champion or a pro trains at the gym? If you do have a student like that, make that vocal, this is a handy tip that will never let you down. Not only does it retain your existing students (because of the sense of competition in the MMA school), but attracts new ones too.

If you have an MMA training school that is on the lookout for new students, list your facility as one of the top schools in the area at Martial Base with the ultimate advertising package and your gym will be jam-packed with students in no time.