Started my own MMA gym, need help!

Free training IMO:

There are many reason why you shouldn't allow free training.

1) It crowds classes. Trust me, your regular students
dread the daily influx of neubies who just want to try it out. This goes double for your grappling students who are there to learn and end up rolling with someone new. If you REALLY want to offer free training make sure you seperate the neubs from your dedicated students at all times. In fact, this is something you should probably be doing for the first month of training anyone new.

2) Free training takes away from your bottom line. The majority of these students dont come back (Ill make this apparent why below) and the end result is no money in your pocket. At least charge them a class pass. I charge $10 for someone to crash a class, including neubies. Then you at least get something back from it. I am actually raising my class pass to $20 because so many neubies are coming to try it out. If they signup for a monthly membership I will credit them back the money.

3) Free training can actually be the root cause of why a student doesnt come back. Lets face it, this sport is very physically demanding. If your classes are anything like mine, students are pouring sweat at the end of class and sheding pounds weekly (checkout the testamonial link to see some of my students http://www.StandAloneMMA.com ) Imagine how sore a neubie is after class. Imagine how they feel trying to punch and kick with an instructor breathing down their neck. End result, they feel like an idiot or the class was too hard and they dont come back. IMO the best way to avoid this is avoiding free training and even avoiding class passes if possible. If you can talk a new student into watching the class they will get all the visual stimuli they need to join without the workout. Once they join they are committed for a month and most stick it out. After three weeks of training, most of our students are showing 100% improvement from when they walked in the doors and we definatley let them know.

Sorry getting called away from writing this again.

Ill be back to share more later.

Also, if you want a real good system for keeping track of your students and billing their credit card monthly without having to track them down, checkout the website.
http://www.MMABusinessSolutions.com
 
To start with you should set up a facebook and a myspace. Doesnt cost anything -> free advertising. Then maybe consider getting in someone to teach. Maybe a judo blackbelt or a bjj purple would be willing to help you out. If you not doing this to make a massive profit I think it should work out. Your gym does look nice. You could also consider hiring it out as somewhere for people to give private lessons, small seminars etc.
Just a few ideas for you, im no expert.
 
Looks nice. Kudo's for putting that gym together.

I haven't read through the whole thread, but it sounds like you're lacking concrete directions/goals/objectives.

You're in the military. They never make a move unless they know what they're getting themselves into and how to get their men out safely. They evaluate targets/objectives, risks, a fallback plan, all options, etc.. I seems like you're drifting around.

My main suggestion is to sit down and draw out a short term and long term business strategy. There's a book on running a martial art school that's got good reviews. Google for it.

Doing this as a side thing when you have a full time job is gonna be very difficult.

You need to:
1. Do your research
2. Figure out your goals
3. How to accomplish those goals
4. Take action. (which by the look of your gym and this thread, you have no problem with.)

Best of luck!
 
SFinclined said:
A week free trial. After that they have to pay or quit.
Click to expand...

Another suggestion, if I may, is to have the free day, and special introductory offer. My old school had that. It was $60 a month (after tax) or if you were new it was $100 for 3. There's some cash into your pocket, and after 3 months people will either be in love with training, or will have moved on.

Also, maybe consider a punch pass type thing. 10 Drop ins for $50 or $60. I know a lot of people can only make it once, maybe 2 x a week, so they like that type of thing.
 
Update: we now have a BJJ blackbelt that comes in regularly, he's in the army so he won't be there always but i'm definately psyched about it. Also the guy that ran a rival school got kicked out by the owner so he comes now. I love when other gym's political issues work for me. Our attendance picked up for a while but we have been hurt by deployments, which is to be expected near a base, but we might be moving in the next few months to a little bit bigger spot up front. Yes, frontage space. I will keep you guys updated.
 
MMAConsultant said:
3) Free training can actually be the root cause of why a student doesnt come back. Lets face it, this sport is very physically demanding. If your classes are anything like mine, students are pouring sweat at the end of class and sheding pounds weekly (checkout the testamonial link to see some of my students StandAlone Mixed Martial Arts Academy Chico, CA ) Imagine how sore a neubie is after class. Imagine how they feel trying to punch and kick with an instructor breathing down their neck. End result, they feel like an idiot or the class was too hard and they dont come back. IMO the best way to avoid this is avoiding free training and even avoiding class passes if possible. If you can talk a new student into watching the class they will get all the visual stimuli they need to join without the workout. Once they join they are committed for a month and most stick it out. After three weeks of training, most of our students are showing 100% improvement from when they walked in the doors and we definatley let them know.
Click to expand...

Perhaps things might be different in your neck of the woods, but based off of what I've seen in my area, the frees help out a lot. I mean just specifically in reference to your last point, a lot of times, I feel the people who don't come back are the ones who come in for the free class thinking their some sort of bad ass and proceed to get royally owned by noobs who are already training there.

But I digress. You own a gym and I don't. Just making an observation I've noticed.
 
Free lessons are a good way to encourage a basic lack of respect.

This has got more to do with human nature than something I agree with.

When people part with their money they generally make more of an effort to get the most out of it for their dollar.

It is not a good message to put zero value on a newbie's first lesson.

People who pay for their first lesson are much more likely to value the experience and return for more.

Free lessons tends to invite those who have no intention of joining or don't want to take you seriously.

This is just my experience over several decades of teaching instructors and running a chain of schools.

Won't charge you for the tip this time. :)
 
Your gym looks nice. If im every in the area I will show up there.
 
Get the ability to sig, place your gym info there. Get a website up asap. Register with local MMA forums, and national ones as well, and pimp your info whenever you get the chance. website is crucial though.
 
Dang, good luck with your gym...I'm turning my whole garage into a mini gym myself (just some nice zebra mats, punching bag, possibly some exercise equipments etcetc)... obviously I won't charge my friends who come to learn some basic jiu jitsu but also, I probably won't be spending half my time teaching them this and that. I'm also glad that my garage will have carpet installed just so I don't have to worry about anybodys skull crack.

also put up a website :)
 
How come you don't have a website? they are pretty cheap and I can help you get it set up. I did the sites for my business plus the school that my sister and nephews train at.

PM me if you want to get it started, I can probably have it up and running by next sunday, within a week.

Mike
 
mtr1966 said:
How come you don't have a website? they are pretty cheap and I can help you get it set up. I did the sites for my business plus the school that my sister and nephews train at.

PM me if you want to get it started, I can probably have it up and running by next sunday, within a week.

Mike
Click to expand...

That's definately a good idea. That's the first place people look when they're trying to find a school. You could also go to all those sites that list MMA schools and get your school listed....
 
Hey Mr. Sentinel, When I started to search for a gym to train at, I looked up places in the phonebook (back then I did not realize I could use other sources like internet forums).

I'm sorry but I can't think of anything else =(

1. Publish yourself in the phonebook or local directory.

2. Ask your local bookstore if you can put up a paper advertising your place near the martial arts section of the bookstore.

3. Advertise in the newspaper.

4. In many states, there are fight nights in the Capital cities like in Utah, there is the Ultimate Combat Experience. If you have something like that where you live, you can advertise there or become good friends with the owner.

5. Go around the neighborhood and label your place as a great place for learning self-defense and a great place for those who seek to ehance and implement their MMA skills.

Sorry, I don't have any good suggestions, but good luck.

I'm sure if you put the effort required in it, you can make it. Let me know how it goes!
 
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