Letโs talk about one of the most debated topics in the martial arts worldโฆ
Should you use long-term contracts or not?
Back in the day, 3-year agreements were the norm. And if students quit early? Off to collections they went. (Guilty as chargedโIโve been there too in the early days ๐ฌ).
But the game has changed.
Consumers have a voice now. And a pissed-off parent with a Yelp account can do more damage than a Will Smith slap at the Oscars.
COVID rewired how people view commitment.
They want flexibility. They want control. And they donโt want to feel trappedโespecially when it comes to their kidโs after-school activities.
So... Do contracts actually help with retention?
Yesโฆ technically. Some students will stay longer because they โhave to.โ But thatโs not the goal. The goal is for people to stay because they love your classes. Because they feel connected to the community. Because they or their child is thriving.
Not because theyโre handcuffed to a piece of paper.
Now, Iโm not saying term agreements are evil.
You can still offer 6- or 12-month options, and some schools do just fine with that.
But hereโs the real kicker:
Even if you explain your terms perfectly...
Even if they initial every line and sign with a fingerprint and blood sampleโฆ
When someone wants to quit, theyโre gonna quit.
If you donโt let them out, theyโll charge back their credit card, ghost your calls, and talk trash about you at the next PTA meeting.
And itโs never worth the headache.
Hereโs what I recommend instead:
๐ Offer a month-to-month โFlexโ membership at a higher price point.
๐ Offer discounted term options, but with a clear, fair cancellation policy that isnโt buried in fine print.
Contracts donโt retain students, your classes and your culture do.
At the end of the day, itโs not about locking people in. Itโs about how they feel walking out.
Make it easy to stay.
Make it graceful to leave.
And youโll build a reputation that attracts new students like crazy.
As always 3 min read, no fluff, all strategy,
Your hype man,
Matthew
โ
P.S. Do you want to add 30 new students in 60 days organicallyโwithout spending a dime on ads? I am the only coach that contractually guarantees your results or your money back. Schedule a 10-min Discovery Call with me HERE ๐ https://calendar.app.google/4iebpmfcm547p5Bu6
P.P.S. If this helped you, send the link to subscribe to the Black Belt Business Newsletter for free to one of your friends here: https://iwww.doubleyourdojo.com/newsletters/3-min-black-belt-business-newsletter/subscribe
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