BJJ is the fastest growing Martial Art in the UK with clubs opening up every month. There is a real interest from prospective students to join a club. How can your club stand out from the crowd from other Martial Art disciplines, and what pitfalls or mistakes could we avoid to increase our chances of signing a new student?
In any business, there is room for improvement and all businesses can make costly mistakes. When a BJJ club works with SimplyCOLLECT we become partners in your business and with that, we help clubs through issues they may have and help them to overcome.
So we have compiled a list of the most common mistakes we have heard from other BJJ clubs and how to avoid them!
Do I offer too many membership options? Am I making the choice difficult to choose?
Less is more when it comes to membership types. Whilst it is important to offer a range of memberships to suit each potential student, it’s important not to overload them with options. Some new members will not have much confidence or much knowledge about the service you’re providing and you don’t want to put them off just as they’re ready to join. It should be clear to the student which membership is for them within a few moments. Offer session based options and an unlimited option allows for them to grow as their knowledge and skills develop.
I seem to be doing everything but training my students?
Learning to delegate can be difficult when you’re invested in your business succeeding, especially if you started out alone as typically most BJJ clubs start from a hobby that as its grown has become a full business. If you have other instructors or perhaps someone who helps at your front desk, allow them to take some of the strain and the less important tasks. I.e. cleaning the mats, allow them to take ownership of these tasks this could be your next manager in the making. It should be crystal clear who is expected to complete each task so that nothing gets missed and everyone knows where they stand. This will leave you time to get on with what is important – teaching and fitness!
I’m losing track of new and cancelling members?
Remember it’s a business, meaning no matter how much effort you put in, there will always be cancellations and people who choose to leave. As much as we won’t believe it BJJ will not suit everyone all the time and people will come and go. Take it as an opportunity to get some feedback and remember, these people are the most likely to rejoin in the future. Put systems in place to require notice to cancel this gives us the opportunity to try and turn this decision around.
How do I keep my existing members happy?
Be sure to spend some time and effort with your current students. These people are paying your bills and making your club successful, you cannot afford to lose them. Offer new services or spend some one on one time with students who could benefit from it, they’ll be much more likely to stick around and maybe even bring their friends along! Something as simple as setting up a club BBQ or social event can pay real dividends to the club.
My club is not busy during the day?
We’re guessing you started your BJJ club because you’re passionate about the sport and teaching others. Keep in mind that your facilities and classes should also suit your audience’s needs as well as your own. Consider who your target audience is and ensure your classes are accessible. For example, running a non-Gi class at 4pm is not great for most adults who work 9-5. Lots of clubs suffer from empty non-used space in the day; we have seen many clubs open up a lady’s only class that incorporates a fitness aspect. Additionally, clubs also have looked at renting out space to PTs or other Martial Art clubs.
Why do students not pay on time?
This is the big thing we hear a lot from club owners, how can they improve their financial position. Many clubs that operate a cash or standing order method will experience non-payers, wrong payment dates, and incorrect amounts. With these options, you will experience more admin that takes you away from what you do best. Having a collector to manage the payments allows you to separate you away from this aspect when dealing with students. Collectors will increase cash flow by using Direct Debit. Look at how all your utility bills are taken, it’s via Direct Debit for a reason, and it’s more efficient and guarantees to improve student retention and cash flow. Not only is it more efficient but if you looked at the time you spent on this task it’s actually more cost-efficient.
We hope this article has answered a few questions that you may have experienced in your club. If you would like to discuss any questions you have relating to business, admin aspect of running a BJJ please just call us. As a member of the UKBJJA you receive a discount on our services which overall combine automated collections, software and member management.
enquiries@simplycollect.co.uk.co.uk
0330 223 3152