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How to Get Your Seminar Sponsored

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Get Certified as a Martial Arts Instructor Online

MATA Martial Arts Instructor Certification Course

Module 21-The Proper Use of Student Instructors

by Scot Conway, Esquire

The $25,000 Volunteers

Excerpt from the Martial Arts Instructor Certification Course:

Using upper ranks to teach classes has been a long-standing martial arts tradition. But, is it legal?

A California instructor had his black belts teaching under-rank classes at his studio. In exchange, he no longer charged them tuition.

This continued until one fateful day when the owner and a black belt student had a disagreement.

The vindictive student contacted the California Labor Board and reported that his instructor had been employing assistants by requiring that they teach classes each week.

This can constitute an Employer – Worker relationship. The only thing missing was payment for the workers and the taxes the government would collect if they were being paid.

The State of California investigators concluded that the owner, over the years, had a total of 25 black belts teach classes.

They defined them as uncompensated employees, which is illegal under the laws of California, and fined the instructor $1,000 per incident.

The final bill: $25,000 for the volunteers.

Lesson: Know your state laws regarding utilizing assistant instructors.

While promoting free seminars can be good for creating awareness and traffic, it’s even better if you can get paid for it. Here is an example of how I got a local non-profit to sponsor a COBRA-Defense Children’s Abduction Prevention (CAP) seminar that I taught at James Theros’ Level 10 Martial Arts in Palm Harbor, FL.

I’m not including the names of the contact and non-profit.

Five days out from the seminar, I received a letter in the mail from a local non-profit organization. I went to their website and submitted this email on Monday for a Saturday seminar. 

Email 1- From Me to Them

Subject: Letter from JSP re: Anti-Bully and Child Abduction Prevention Workshop

Hi Mike,

I received a letter today from you guys with an insert for the Non-Profit. That is commendable. 

I am looking for an organization that would partner with me to teach families how to deal with bullies and how to prevent child abduction.

The idea is simple. 

  1. I set a date for a 2 hour Anti-Bully and Child Abduction Prevention Workshop seminar. 
  2. The company agrees to purchase 50 tickets @$20 each. The company and I promote the event to our platforms. I also promote it to the Tampa Bay media. 

For $1,000, the company enjoys the goodwill of providing invaluable training for Tampa Bay families and whatever additional business the exposure brings.

I am teaching one this Saturday at 9am in Palm Harbor. If you’d like to bring your family, just let me know. You can find out about the event here. 

Anti-Bully and Child Abduction Prevention Workshop

Thanks,

 John Graden

Executive Director

USASelfDefense.com

Email 2-Their response

Hi John,

The Non-Profit is fund raising to assist the less fortunate in our community such as house repairs, providing food, hygiene products to the homeless and so forth. Your endeavor is also commendable. At this time we would like to donate funds for 5 tickets hoping this will help you reach your goal. If you know of anyone who may need our services please send them our way and also if you know of people that would like to donate to our cause have them reach out to me.

Email 3-My response

Sent: Wednesday, August 07, 2019 11:00 AM

To: Michael T

Subject: RE: Letter from JSP re: Anti-Bully and Child Abduction Prevention Workshop

Good morning Mike,

Thanks so much for your response and donation. I think I know the perfect family for your 5 ticket donation.

I can also help with the Non-Profit with social media, press releases, etc…

Email 4-Their response

Hi John,

I just talked to my partner and we will go 10 tickets now, let me know how to get you the funds. Credit Non-Profit and thanks for any media coverage.

The week after the event, they sent me a check for $290. Not bad for a couple of emails.

This kind of sponsorship really has no limits in size or scope. Have you had events sponsored? Would you like to learn more about this? Just comment below.

Learn More About COBRA-Defense

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1 Comment

  1. Paul Mormando

    I would love to learn how to implement this as well Great idea!!!!