Every one of us has had our share of students that quit martial arts because of another sport. Most tell us that they will be back after the season, but we know that this is rarely the case. When the season is complete, it takes a lot of effort to get back into the routine of Martial Arts. Secondly, they feel like they have forgotten a lot and perhaps their friends are now a belt ahead of them. As an instructor, we know that it is in the best interest of the student (as well as our business) to keep them training through the season.
So how do we combat the assumption that the student needs to quit or “take a break” from training martial arts?
The first thing we need to know is if they are happy with their lessons so far. If they are not, they might be using soccer as an excuse to quit and all your persuasion skills will be for naught. If they are happy with the program then you should be able to keep them training. A simple, “How are you enjoying the program?” is a good place to start. If you get a lukewarm response, probe a little deeper to find out why they are not completely satisfied with your program. At least this way you can see if there are steps you can take to tighten up so you won’t lose more students for the same reason in the future.
If you find that they love the program and see its benefits for their child, then sometimes it is just a matter of sitting down with them to review the schedule for different time options and let them know that it’s okay to miss some classes during the season, but by keeping their foot in the door their child won’t fall backwards. Possibly offer special fifteen-minute one-on-one classes from time to time to help keep them on track.
Don’t forget to remind the student, and the parent, of how training martial arts alongside other sports is a benefit too. Chances are they did not considering how martial arts can help progress a growing athlete’s strength, skill, and coordination!
---
Satori Business Community members have access to several helpful scripts and resources for talking to parents/students about quits. For access to these resources, join our community and make an appointment today.
|
Martial Arts School Owners! Enroll More Students • Improve Your Retention • Increase Your Profit Receive FREE weekly emails with business tips and blogs.
|
