I.e., the kind where it’s more about financial<\/em> arts. (Names redacted \/ changed below.)<\/p>\n Attention Fellow Martial Artists,<\/p>\n I need your help<\/b> with something that I am working on. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Do tell! I mean, one of the things we learn in traditional martial arts is to help and support and respect each other.<\/p>\n Hi, Grand Master [Redacted] here. I have been a martial artist for the past 40 years. I ran a wildly profitable<\/b> Kenpo School in [Mid-Sized Western City]. Part of my success was the fact that I Actually, I’m not sure he’s kidding.<\/p>\n Since I no longer own the school (I sold it to a competitor) I would like to show YOU<\/strong> how you can quickly and easily copy my success.<\/b> (I enrolled more than 180 new students in less than 6 month and 80 % of ALL my students were in the Black Belt Club with a 3.5 year training agreement and paying Premium monthly fees).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Ah! True enlightenment, sensei-san!<\/em> Because, after all, it’s all about getting the young’uns and their parents to pony up for long-term premium contracts!<\/p>\n This is where I need your help. Before I spend hundreds of hours <\/b>writing manuals, recording CDs and videos I am hoping that you could give me some ideas as to what info is most important to YOU<\/b><\/u> and what will help you become more successful<\/b>. (see questions on the bottom)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Hmmmm. I’m afraid all my questions are about, y’know, martial arts. As opposed to Making Big Bucks At Your Very Own Dojo. I guess that’s why you’re a sensei <\/em>\/ grand master \/ high poobah, and I am but a lowly mark, er, student.<\/p>\n As a THANK YOU Gift <\/strong>for helping me out, I will give you a HUGE <\/b>discount off the regular price, when I release the information.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n “Before I spend hundreds of hours working (bleah), let me have you do half my work for me. And then charge you for it. That’s how I really<\/u> rake in the big bucks!”<\/em> <\/p>\n To participate, simply hit the ‘Reply’<\/u><\/b> button and send me your answers to the questions below.<\/p>\n Q 1.<\/b> What would you like to be able to do better –<\/p>\n – How to answer the phone better so your prospects come to their lesson I kind of wanted to be able to do my kata <\/em>better, and maybe get some sparring tips.<\/p>\n Although it’s nice to see that you want to teach how to expose people to all sorts of cross-cultural influences, not just Oriental martial arts, but also the works of the British Broadcasting Company. Oh, wait, that’s “Black Belt Club.” Right. <\/p>\n Q 2.<\/b> What format would you like the information in?<\/p>\n – written manuals “Tell me what you’re most likely to buy, and in what format, so that I can sell it to you. And you’ll get a great deal on the price — trust me!”<\/p>\n I am looking forward to getting your feedback today.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Only if you read my blog.<\/p>\n Sincerely yours,<\/p>\n GM [Name Redacted], PhD<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Wow — if you’d told me you were a PhD, I would have had so much more respect for you from the get-go — oh, wait, it was in your email subject line. How could I have missed it?<\/p>\n (and a Game Master — oh, wait, Grand Master, right. Or is that Genetically Modified? Or General Motors? Or Gimme Money?)<\/p>\n 10th Dan – Bushido Kenpo<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n For the uninitiated, “Dan” refers to a rank of black belt. In most, um, traditional <\/em>martial arts, 10th Dan would be the highest possible rank. Think of it as the five-star general of the martial arts scene. And, just imagine — he’s attained that exalted rank! Impressive! Astonishing! Inconceivable! I mean, Incredible. I mean …<\/p>\n P.S. Now go ahead and hit the “Reply”<\/b><\/u> button and send me the answers to the questions and you will SAVE BIG<\/b> when the information is released.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n I can hardly wait. Or perhaps I can.<\/p>\n Also for the uninitiated, this is what’s know as a “McDojo,” where the goal is on big sales, big contracts, and the quality of the product is … um … not quite as important.<\/p>\n Now, don’t get me wrong — martial arts instructors need to eat, too. They’re not all monks in a temple (who have to eat, too) any more. But it doesn’t take any reading between the lines to see what GM Redacted PhD is really interested in here — and it’s not learning, or teaching, martial arts. <\/p>\n Doing a search on Bushido Kenpo<\/a> is kind of interesting. Actually, shockingly, I’m not the only one to have gotten one of these letters<\/a> — though evidently he’s been doing this for a few years. He also used to ask a couple more questions (alas, the bolding is lost):<\/p>\n Q 3. How much do you think other Martial Artists would pay for this information? Remember, you are getting it at a HUGE discount.<\/p>\n Q 4. Last question. Please tell me a little about yourself so that I can properly set up your “Martial Arts Inner Circle Club” membership<\/p>\n – Your name Riiiiiight. “Not only do I want you to tell me what you want to buy, but I want you to set a price for it and help me build a sales list, too!”<\/em> <\/p>\n And given that this particular instance was dated a year ago … evidently he still hasn’t released that info that I’m going to be given a HUGE DISCOUNT on. Or, perhaps he has, but he keeps, um, refining it for his latest audience.<\/p>\n Scroll down for some delightful commentary, including some research into his past experience, his “PhD,” etc. I didn’t register at the site to be able to look at the links, but the verbiage around them is priceless — as is this link<\/a> [warning, annoying popup] to one of his home sites.<\/p>\n There’s a ton more, but life is too short.<\/p>\n Now, again, I don’t begrudge martial arts teachers earning a living at it, any more than I begrudge application developers making a living at their trade. And a martial arts teacher needs to be a good business person to make a professional career of it (as opposed to a hobby).<\/p>\n But if I’m<\/em> going to learn about a martial art — and pay for it — I want to learn from someone who at least feigns <\/em>more interest in my training than in whether I’m joining the Platinum Belt Club for a Remarkably Low Monthly Fee with an Opportunity to Open My Own Franchise and Make Big Bucks Once I Learn the Secret of the Grand Master PhD’s Success (for a Small Additional Fee)!<\/p>\n Feh.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n
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uncovered the hidden secrets<\/b> of how to literally print money in the back of my Dojo. (just kidding)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
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– Kick ass enrollment program that closes 83% of your prospects
– Learn how to teach fun and exiting classes to keep students motivated
– Learn how to upgrade students into the BBC quickly & easily
– anything else that you want to learn<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
– CDs \/ audio recordings
– Videos \/ DVDs<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
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– rank
– name of your school
– complete address
– phone number
– system\/style you teach
– number of students
– last time you were promoted
– how long have you been in the arts
– what association do you belong to<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n