What to do????

[AMP-RYU]

I was just wondering what other instructors would do if they were in the same situation as me! Here is the situation:

A rival Tae Kwon Do studio in the town next to me decides, "I will go over to the town next to me(my town) and place my business card on all the cars in the parking lot of my rivals studio(my studio) and shopping center/wal-mart parking lot!"

He is Korean and maybe this is what they do in korea? I dont know? I can not believe it! I got two business cards on my windshield today! One at Wal-Mart and one while I was teaching class! I have not called or confronted him yet but was wondering if I should? I feel this is disrespectful and would never do it to him! I think he is mad because he charges $100 bucks a month and I charge only $20! So he is offering a $49 4 week session to try and contradict my advertising. But im still 30 bucks cheaper. Anyways I was thinking of doing a mass flyer in the newspaper in his town or something.

I just try and teach people what has been passed on to me and he does this! What should I do?

 

[Carol]

Saatchi and Saatchi (legendary global advertising agency) has a philosophy called "lovemarks", which combines the attributes of love and respect.

A "product" has little love, and little respect.

A "fad" has a lot of love, but only a little respect

A "brand" has a lot of respect, but only a little love.

A "lovemark" has a lot of respect AND a lot of love.


If a school is a "lovemark", meaning....if a school has earned the respect *and* earned the love of its students (the two must go together) , then that school is a school that worries little about its competition.

 

[elder999]

There are only two alternatives: do nothing, or challenge him to a death match. :lfao:

 

[AMP-RYU]

Saatchi and Saatchi (legendary global advertising agency) has a philosophy called "lovemarks", which combines the attributes of love and respect.

A "product" has little love, and little respect.

A "fad" has a lot of love, but only a little respect

A "brand" has a lot of respect, but only a little love.

A "lovemark" has a lot of respect AND a lot of love.


If a school is a "lovemark", meaning....if a school has earned the respect *and* earned the love of its students (the two must go together) , then that school is a school that worries little about its competition.

Yeah I have no worries, just thought it was direspectful!

 

[Carol]

Yeah I have no worries, just thought it was direspectful!

It is. And stooping to his level can be just as bad if not worse.

Hit the heavy bag and forget about it.

 

[arnisador]

Business is business. What can I say? I wouldn't do it, but I can't blame him for marketing.

 

[AMP-RYU]

Business is business. What can I say? I wouldn't do it, but I can't blame him for marketing.

I understand business is business, but in my parking lot?

 

[Twin Fist]

thats a junk punch worthy bit of disrespect

 

[arnisador]

It's nothing personal--only business. Fight fire with fire, or take the high road! I'd do the latter.

 

[AMP-RYU]

It's nothing personal--only business. Fight fire with fire, or take the high road! I'd do the latter.

Cool I was planning on sending out a few thousand flyers out to his town inviting any students who transfer from another martial arts school 6 weeks of free classes! Than $20 per month.

 

[jarrod]

i wouldn't sweat it, just shows he's threatened by you. ultimately, geography is going to play a huge role in which school people choose. i doubt lots of folks are going to drive to the next town to pay more to learn the same art. the people who do are most likely not the type of student i'd worry about losing. so if he wants to waste his time (or more likely his students') by advertising in your territory, let him.



jf

 

[AMP-RYU]

Thanks Jarrod

 

[jarrod]

here to help

 

[myusername]

Cool I was planning on sending out a few thousand flyers out to his town inviting any students who transfer from another martial arts school 6 weeks of free classes! Than $20 per month.

That sounds an expensive way to make your point. If you really really need to express your disapointment with his lack of respect just pay to have one flyer made and place it on his car only. Same point made for less money.

However, I personally would just laugh it off as anything else is too much effort.

 

[YoungMan]

If what you have to offer is valid and worthwhile, it should not affect you. If it's not....

Nobody ever did that to us.

 

[Tez3]

If what you have to offer is valid and worthwhile, it should not affect you. If it's not....

Nobody ever did that to us.

You probably scared them off with your pristine uniforms.

 

[RevIV]

I was just wondering what other instructors would do if they were in the same situation as me! Here is the situation:

A rival Tae Kwon Do studio in the town next to me decides, "I will go over to the town next to me(my town) and place my business card on all the cars in the parking lot of my rivals studio(my studio) and shopping center/wal-mart parking lot!"

He is Korean and maybe this is what they do in korea? I dont know? I can not believe it! I got two business cards on my windshield today! One at Wal-Mart and one while I was teaching class! I have not called or confronted him yet but was wondering if I should? I feel this is disrespectful and would never do it to him! I think he is mad because he charges $100 bucks a month and I charge only $20! So he is offering a $49 4 week session to try and contradict my advertising. But im still 30 bucks cheaper. Anyways I was thinking of doing a mass flyer in the newspaper in his town or something.

I just try and teach people what has been passed on to me and he does this! What should I do?

Anytime another school does somthing that I find disrespectful I show up at the studio in the off hours and tell him or her to their face the way I feel. There was a local school that got one of my students phone #'s through a board breaking event and called several times, even after they told them they were with me and were going to stay. I approached him, told him it was disrespectful and he apologized and it never happened again. Do as you teach, if you feel that you need to say something do it in person. If you cannot do that, then do nothing. On a funny note another local school put a flyer on my car when I was at the movies. Now my car has a giant Phoenix on the back of it and the dojo name. It was more of a joke beacause the people that put it there know me. So I showed up at his school and gave his daughter a baby onsie with my logo on it as a present (his daughter is a day older then mine) we both laughed at the jesture. Handing out flyers in the parking lot of another school is just disrespectful.
Jesse

 

[Nolerama]

Handing out flyers is low-percentage advertising considering the tools and communities we have today: the Internet. It creates litter and is really annoying to have to remove from your windshield.

Distributed in that way, people hate flyers.

It looks like a desperate attempt to save his business. I've seen it happen over and over again. Don't be surprised to see him close his doors within six months. In the meantime, show your area that you're a stand-up person with a lot to offer, for a very good price. All his students will flock to you.

I also like the deathmatch idea.

 

[Tez3]

Handing out flyers is low-percentage advertising considering the tools and communities we have today: the Internet. It creates litter and is really annoying to have to remove from your windshield.

Distributed in that way, people hate flyers.

It looks like a desperate attempt to save his business. I've seen it happen over and over again. Don't be surprised to see him close his doors within six months. In the meantime, show your area that you're a stand-up person with a lot to offer, for a very good price. All his students will flock to you.

I also like the deathmatch idea.

Fight, fight!!

 

[Phoenix44]

I would do nothing. If you respect yourself and your "product," you should have nothing to worry about.