sensei8

Excellent marketing ideas here, especially the cinema ads!! Define, if you don't mind, "letterbox drop", please, thanks!!

Thanks for the insight. I agree that an instructor's ability to teach, regardless of ring experience, can not be overlooked. I, too, wholeheartedly agree!!

Solid post!! You and your parents are part of that 70% that DON'T use the phone book, and I accept that, and I accept the fact that I'm very far behind the times.

You are correct. And that is fine. For you and her. Kids aren't in this to be fighters, defend themselves, cultural interest or any of the other reasons that we normally think of. That said, if they've been with it for years and have worked hard and reached a standardized level of competence why not recognize them? As long as there is an understanding of what the "junior" in the black belt title means (to the kids, parents, and adults) then no harm no foul. Solid post!!

No, I'm not assuming anything especially since I'm not here Sensei; I've no idea if she's learning Bunkai and the like beyond the kata she's executing here. Dan as an adult reference, that I do agree. I'm of that opinion STILL!! I only refer her to being a martial artist because she's performing an art as an artist...the kata isn't being performed by itself...she's executing it, and executing it quite well. "A person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria." And... Martial Artist... "Any of the traditional forms of Oriental self-defense or combat that utilize physical skill and coordination without weapons..." Of course, our definitions of these words above would be more deeper than what a dictionary could ever provide. When I was a JBB, from the ages of 13 to 18, what was I?? I pray that I was too a MAist back then, and my Dai-Soke would tell you that I was too!! If this girl was in Shindokan, and at the age of 7 years old, she'd only be an Ikkyu, and then, if appropriate, she'd be a JBB at 13, and wouldn't be considered for the testing cycle of Shodan until she turned 18 years old. And she'd not be referred to as a "Master" either, not even close!!

Thanks, sensei8! We're planning to. One of the first things I did after taking over the jiu jitsu program a few weeks ago was kick off this little project as an internal marketing thing. It's actually generated some pretty good response outside our group as well. Some JKD associates of mine have been really complimentary towards it as a supplement to their grappling training. Have you gave any thought at all about showing the technique in normal speed before the tutorial? Possibly, it could be shown while the credits are rolling in the background, for example. I'd love to see the app in full/reg/normal speed in each of your video's.

From the surface, they're not something that I'd ever be interested in any shape, way, and/or form, from what I've seen through their website and the like.

Patrick, LOL...Yes, I, too, would love to lumped in with the kids. No discerning intent was meant to all. Oh...I see...well, the 30% is a small number, and I'm glad I'm part of it. I can't remember the last time I looked up a phone number on the internet. And thanks, I'll need all of the luck I can get with the Hombu in this regards. Oh well!!

Market in ways that are not expected by your competitors: other MA schools. Don't do what every other school in that area is doing, jump out of the box. To do that, you're going to have to investigate stealth-like tactics or just ask your competitors straight out what methods of marketing are they using. Once your investigation is complete, do what they don't expect. Leaflets do work, however, it's a hit and miss. Btw, ALL, imho, marketing methods are a hit and miss. But when you find what works the best for you, capitalize on it with a fever that will drive your bottom line like its never been driven before. Some area's frown deeply on you papering their communities with ream after ream of paper, and they will not hesitate in telling you. I've been there...bought the t-shirt! Depending on where you place them, you might see one or another thing happen. They will come to your school or they won't. If the numbers are so dismal that you want to bury your head in sand, then the bet is that the faster you but a leaflet somewhere, it came off even faster. To all new students that darken your door, ask them how they learned about your school. Start a chart to track your marketing method. Then after you've collected the info you're satisfied with, run with the top two to three. But don't stop there, take the top two or three and expand them in a way that's not expected. But always being a consummate professional. Leaflets can turn-off consumers because they either don't want the darn thing to begin with or they don't want you to litter their car/building/etc with your junk, and it's junk to those who don't want it to begin with, or they don't want to associate with someone who'd result to marketing their school through a leaflet. Same thing with newspaper adverts or advert boards/posters...hit and miss. They're more expensive than leaflets, imho, yet, they can cover a much wider customer base faster than leaflets. My preference is leaflets due to costs, and in that, I've been quite successful with them; I can blanket an targeted area heavily because the more I have out, the higher my return ratio will increase. My goal after a blanket campaign is 2%. Seems low? Not when I'm handing out thousands at one time. Expecting 10% seems to me, at times, unreasonable because 10% of 2000 leaflets is 200 possible leads. That effort might turn a dream into a nightmare. In all marketing things, a reasonable investment must provide a reasonable return. Thinking outside the box doesn't mean to make of yourself and your school unreasonable demands and expectations. If you first don't succeed, try, try, AND try again until you find what works the best for you and your school as well as your student body...new included. Get them to shadow your door...that's the goal of all marketing methods/ideas. Look at the top Fortune 500 companies. Most, if not all, had to go back to the blackboard more than once, and their trash cans are full of ideas and their offices are littered with ideas...ideas that didn't work the first, second, or fifty times. Persistency pays out a dividend that can't be laugh at. Try what your competitors haven't or won't because they're too scared too!! Good luck, and market as though your life depended on it.

Sorry, and you've been warned...here it comes... Proof is on the floor!! There, I said it!! No matter if the floor is in a MA school or somewhere outside of a MA school; wherever it might be!! If you can't, then get out of the way of someone who can. Imho!!

Thanks Brian for sharing your new MA experience. Sounds to me that you had a profitable training session, even though you felt uneasy in some areas, and that's to be expected when we're taking out of our comfort zone. I hate to relate to this, but I've always felt that this statement reflects appropriately to all MAists, and it goes like this... "Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own." ~ Bruce Lee That's what I've done forever and a day whenever I've had the opportunity to cross train in a MA that's not Shindokan. That which I can add to Shindokan, thus to myself, that is what I'll adapt to, while that which is useless, imho, that will I reject wholeheartedly. Your roundhouse kick is extraordinary, in that, it's one to be reckoned with, therefore, it must be respected. Do what you feel you must do to improve your MA betterment, but if I had your roundhouse kick, shoot, I'd never adapt another, I would just want it to be faster than grease lighting. What tries to destroy us, yet we survive it, that makes us more stronger. From what I read in your OP, you handled the training with duty and honor and you were quire affable in your receptiveness of what that style/system had to offer. And that's it...you were offered something that might or might not help you increase your MA betterment, and like you said, you love to train and you were given a chance to adapt to it or reject it. When in Rome. Alas, it can be unsettling when one is asked to do or not to do something that you've been doing one way for so long, the strange is something that isn't your preference and/or your make-up. But, we do what is expected of us if we're a visitor to their school. If what he had me do or not do weren't in line with my desired preferences and I no longer want to be subjected to that, then I would thank him and not return at all. Hopefully, I did learn something of use, whether it was about myself and/or about my MA betterment. I'm like you, I love to train and I don't want to spend an abnormal amount of time stretching and what have you. Let's get to the meat and potatoes of it!!

To the bold type above... I don't follow what you're saying when you define Dan as being Man. I know that that's the translation, however, the world is full of females, and of them, many of them are Dan grades. Dan is an acceptable term for those practitioners who have been graded to the rank of black belt. I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but, to me, she is a martial artist. A MAist is someone who practices and trains in a MA. After all, she is doing a martial art! As someone who is doing a martial art, then she is an artist...a martial artist. I don't think age is a criteria for being a MAist.

Another excellent tutorial video, as always. Thanks for sharing it, Alex!! Please keep those tutorial videos coming!!

Shindokan Saitou-ryu; it's Shuri-te and Okinawa-te based. It's an Okinawan style that's 85% hands and 15% feet, albeit, all kicks are stomach level and lower; no high kicks. Tuite [Joint Locks] and Kyusho jitsu [Pressure Points] are the core of our style, as well as Tegumi [Grappling] to top it off.

Please watch this... Your opinions, please, and thank you, in advance. Please understand that I'm not looking to tear her down in any shape way and/or form. Yes, she's a 7 year old black belt, and my feelings about that, aren't hidden here or anywhere, for that fact. After watching her, I might, I mean I MIGHT, reconsider my opinion of under age black belt...I MIGHT!! Imagine, as one of the posters on this YouTube page suggested, what she'll be like at 15 if she continues training, and training with that type of focus. She's several video's up on YouTube showing her executing different Kata at different rank levels, and I did notice marked improvement in her from rank to rank. I ask for opinions so that we can have a nice conversation, and I say that mainly to myself!!

Yeah...sorry about that...you already answered that on your OP; it's listed under your name. I'm such a dork!!

YES!! We test up to Hachidan [8th Dan], and until recently, we tested for Kudan [9th Dan], and that was the only time, and will be the only time. No!! If you can't "do stuff", then you won't be invited to the next testing cycle, and if you never can "do stuff", then you'll never be invited to a testing cycle...NEVER...EVER!! Our requirements are strict and non-negotiable!! No one will ever pass a testing cycle by trying hard; there must be a noticeable improvement, a marked improvement, and even then, that won't be enough for one to pass a testing cycle. Tenure is only good for one thing...Has said student meet the minimum tenure requirements to be considered a possible candidate for the next testing cycle. No student can sign up for a testing cycle; they must be invited by their CI, even then, the Hombu APPROVES or DENIES ALL testing cycle candidates. In other words, NO CI can test without the explicit approval of the Hombu for all ranks from 6th Kyu and up. Ranks 10th kyu to 5th kyu can be tested without Hombu approval. This is due to the fact that the students don't earn certificates and the like from the Hombu UNTIL 6th kyu [green belt]. Our Hombu has no ambiguity over rank, titles, and the like. Failure IS an option that all students must embrace because all students share in the risk that they might not pass their next testing cycle, if approved to attend. Nothing is guaranteed when it comes to rank, titles, and the like!! Testing shouldn't be a guarantee, but only as a possibility!! Our Hombu doesn't give a bent-pin how long one has been on the floor, nor does the Hombu care whom one knows, nor does the Hombu care if one quits or stays, especially if rank is a concern. If a student is permitted to test by the Hombu, then they better train as though their life depended on it. That candidate better know each and every kihon and every kata and every kumite per ranking requirements and they better execute with no reservation and/or ambiguity. All candidates are tested in everything, and not just things that are found in their ranks syllabus. Meaning that if you're testing for Godan, you'll execute every kihon, kata, kumite and the like leading up to that Godan. No focus...sit down. No improvement...sit down. No effort...sit down!! That level doesn't exist!! Not now...not ever!!

Great posts, all; thank you for them!! Please keep them coming!! I'll answer my own questions sometime this weekend, schedule permitting, that is.

Your booth at a local town fair... Did the school do any demo's at all? Did anyone from the school wear a gi or a school t-shirt? What marketing things did the school do at that this local town fair? Was it mainly a meet and greet type booth? Did your school do any follow-up calls on any of the leads?

After all...the elbow's connected to the...

Got to understand the basics of boxing; that's what I believe your instructor was trying to instill.

Hhhhmmmm...of the styles? No practitioner, no style!!

For the fear of him closing again, and as hard as it would be, and no matter how loyal I am to him, I'd seek out another qualified MA instructor that's more secure in his/her location. MA betterment, is tantamount!! Let the search begin!!

After all, trying to hold unto an unwilling opponent is kind of like trying to wrestle a fish; quite slippery at times.

Oh boy....I get to use one of my favorite sayings...Not all black belts can teach nor should they try.