🗓️ How to Guarantee Your Appointment Calendar Stays Empty

(Or… what NOT to do if you actually want a thriving school)

Let’s be real—there’s no shortage of school owners wondering why their calendars aren’t full, why leads are ghosting, or why enrollments are falling flat. If you want to guarantee your calendar stays empty and your business plateaus, just follow these five “strategies”…

If you're ready to actually grow, here’s what to stop doing—and what to do instead:

1. Sit Back and Wait for Leads to Roll In

“You’re running ads, so the leads will come, right?”
Wrong.

Relying solely on paid ads means your school’s growth is entirely in the hands of a third-party platform. That’s like trying to fill a bucket with a single leaky faucet. Ads are just a drip—not the main source.

If you want real momentum, you have to get outside and hustle. Build relationships with other local businesses, show up at community events, and get into schools. Be everywhere. Be visible.

2. Rely on Automated Emails and Texts to Convert Leads

Automation is a tool, not a strategy. If you’re avoiding the phone, you're leaving enrollments on the table.

The first 5 minutes after a lead comes in is gold. Call them immediately. Then, over the next 48 hours, call at least 3x per day. Sound aggressive? It’s not—it’s professional follow-up. They asked for info. Don’t ghost them.

Here’s proof: Two weeks ago, we enrolled a child whose parent originally reached out a year and a half ago. We never stopped following up. If they haven’t told you no, assume it’s still yes.

3. Don’t Set Daily Goals or Track Your Numbers

You say your goal is 20 enrollments this month—but how do you know if you’re on track?

If you’re not setting daily goals and tracking your KPIs, you’re flying blind. Here’s what we track every single day:

• Outgoing Calls

• Leads

• Appointments

• Enrollments

• Revenue

When we miss a daily goal, it rolls to the next day. Simple. Focused. Accountable. If you’re not watching your numbers, you’re not running a business—you’re playing a guessing game.

4. Say Things Like “That Doesn’t Work Here”

This one’s a killer: “That doesn’t work in my town.”
It usually means one of two things:

• You’re missing key pieces of the process

• You’ve got the wrong person trying to implement it

If another school has proven a strategy works, chances are, you just haven’t nailed the execution yet. I’ve had school owners in my own area tell me a certain strategy “doesn’t work here”… but I know it does, because we’re running it—and it’s crushing.

5. Stay Totally Hands-Off, No Matter What

Business freedom is earned. And too many owners chase the dream of stepping back before the business is ready.

I’ve had seasons where I was able to step out and let the team run everything. But I’ve also had seasons—like this one—where I jumped right back in. The last two weekends, I worked 20–30 hours at a booth for our school. Our calendar has been so packed that I’ve stepped in to help with first lessons, ensuring every new student still gets an amazing experience.

Freedom comes from profit, people, and systems. Until those three things are strong, stay in the fight.

Final Thoughts

There’s nothing fancy here. No secret sauce. No shiny object.

Just the boring, consistent work that actually grows schools. The calls. The tracking. The discipline. The mindset.

The top school owners do these things without fail.
If you’re not where you want to be—start here.

✅ Call leads like a pro
✅ Track your numbers daily
✅ Get into the community
✅ Roleplay like it matters (because it does)
✅ Don’t check out—lead from the front when it counts

You want a full calendar? Earn it. Every day. 👊🔥

This week’s social feed is filled with wisdom, perspective, and straight-up truth that every martial arts school owner needs to hear. These posts will challenge how you think, how you lead, and how you grow.

🔥 Jason Wilson – Never Lower Yourself to Fit In
Powerful reminder: You weren’t made to blend in—you were built to lead. Jason speaks on maintaining character and standards, even when it’s uncomfortable.
👉 Watch Here (Facebook Reel)

🔥 Kelly Murray – You Don’t Rise to the Level of Your Goals
Kelly delivers a truth bomb: You rise or fall to the level of your training and preparation. Set goals all you want—but if your habits don’t back them, you’re not going anywhere.
👉 Read Here (Facebook Post)

🔥 Ron Sell – Do Stuff That Matters
Ron keeps it simple: Cut the fluff. If you’re spending time on things that don’t create impact, it’s time to refocus and do the things that actually matter.
👉 Read Here (Facebook Post)

🔥 Matthew Brenner – How Much Money Should Martial Arts Schools Make?
Let’s talk numbers. Matthew breaks down the real revenue potential of martial arts schools—and how to make sure you’re not leaving money (or impact) on the table.
👉 Read Here (Facebook Post)

🔥 Chris Williamson – The Painful Reality of Unteachable Lessons
Some lessons you just have to learn the hard way. Chris shares the brutal truth about failure, growth, and why some lessons only stick through experience.
👉 Watch Here (Facebook Reel)

🔥 Check out these posts, apply what hits home, and bring the fire back to your team this week! 💪🔥 

😂 Martial Memes

These memes hit home for all of us martial artists and gave us a good chuckle. Click on the image to view the original account that posted each meme. Enjoy!

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Have a MEME that you want feaured? Send them to us at [email protected] or tag our instagram account @thekicknewsletter.