How do martial arts and boxing clubs stop trial class no-shows?
Take trial bookings through a proper booking form rather than messages, send the parent or beginner a reminder the day before with what to wear and bring, and consider a small fee paid at booking. After the class, follow up the same day with how to join, so a good first session turns into a membership.
By Sammy Morgan, who runs M1 Studio in Chichester. Updated .
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- Industry
- Martial arts and boxing clubs
- Problem
- No-shows
- The fix
- Online Booking & Deposits, £1,800
- Do it yourself?
- Yes, the first steps below
Why it happens to martial arts and boxing clubs.
- Bookings made on a whim
- A parent sees a post, messages “can my son try Tuesday?” and gets a yes. With no confirmation and no reminder, Tuesday comes and goes.
- Nerves on the night
- Adult beginners worry about fitness, sparring and walking in alone. If nobody has told them what to expect, some talk themselves out of it.
- Kids’ classes depend on the parent’s week
- After-school clubs, homework and siblings all compete. A trial that isn’t in the family calendar is the first thing dropped.
- No follow-up after the trial
- Even when they come, many clubs don’t follow up. The family meant to join and never got round to it.
What to do, in order.
Use one booking link for trials
Reply to messages with the link, so every trial has the parent’s and child’s details, a class time and a confirmation.
Send a helpful reminder
The day before: time, address, parking, what to wear, whether there’s any contact, and who will meet them at the door.
Consider a small trial fee
Paid at booking. Some clubs take it off the first month. Say clearly what it covers.
Follow up the same day
A message after the class with how to join, the timetable for their age group and the price.
Set it up online
Online Booking & Deposits adds trial class booking, payment and reminders to your current club website.
Where M1 can do it for you.
Fixed prices, or a fixed quote before any work starts. No VAT is charged. Any running costs are listed before you agree.
- Online Booking & Deposits £1,800
Parents and beginners book and pay for a trial class on your website, get a reminder with what to bring, and see your rules as they book.
Bookings taken online, with a deposit paid up front.
- Missed-Call Rescue £800
It sends trial reminders automatically, keeps every trial in one list for follow-up and texts back calls you miss while coaching.
Missed calls get a text back, automatically.
- Enquiry Page £800
A trial class page with times by age, what to expect, safeguarding details and a booking form, for your social posts to link to.
One page, built to get you enquiries.
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Before you decide.
Something else? Ask Sammy on WhatsApp.
Should a club charge for trial classes?
That’s your choice. A small fee paid at booking often means people are more likely to turn up, and taking it off the first month keeps it fair.
What should the trial reminder say?
The time and address, what to wear and bring, whether there’s contact or sparring at the first session, and the coach’s name. For kids’ classes, send it to the parent and say where they can wait.
What are the running costs?
Online Booking & Deposits is a fixed £1,800. The booking tool’s monthly fee and card fees are paid directly by you, and listed before you agree. The no-show cost calculator shows what empty trial spots cost you.
Keep reading.
Know what to fix. Then decide.
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