John Graden and the Martial Arts Teachers' Association (MATA) present Black Belt Management (BBM). BBM was first published in 1993 to provide martial arts school owners with marketing, management, curriculum and scripts, forms and files including ads, letters, and business systems to grow your martial arts school.

“John Graden is a master of the martial arts business world.”
-- Don ”The Dragon” Wilson

Revised and updated in 2014, BBM includes:

1. Phone scripts that teach you how to respond to questions about pricing and tuition.

2. Powerful techniques that will give you complete control over any sales situation.

3. What statistics to track and how to track them along with specific benchmarks that you can use to improve your school.

4. How to create a mission statement with an example from John Graden’s USA Karate.

5. How to create a powerful Leadership Team.

6. How to create a Black Belt Club

7. How to strategically plan for students renewals and upgrades so that the student is excited about upgrading.

8. How to open your martial arts school with over 100 active, loyal students.

9. How to design and advertisement that attract new business.

10. How to market to the media to become the martial arts celebrity in your area.
11. How to conduct an enrollment conference.

“When I needed help with my school, John Graden is the guy I contacted.”
-- Frank Shamrock

12. How to make sure new students keep coming to class.

13. How to develop a good staff.

14. How to pay your staff.

“In my view John Graden has been the main leader in the martial arts world--a true role model who practices what he preaches. He is a pioneer and not a follower. If it were not for him, many of us would just have normal day jobs. He is a great human being with a wonderful heart. John is a martial artist at heart and then a business advisor second. He is one of the best martial arts instructors I have ever met, the modern day Bruce Lee.” --Matt Fiddes

15. How to keep a steady stream of trained instructors ready to step in and teach at any time.

16. Learn the single most powerful strategy for retaining students.

17. Learn how to track your students so no one falls through the cracks.

18. Learn how to structure your exam process to work like a black belt quality machine.

19. Learn how to define your expectations so that students understand your standards of excellence.

20. Learn how to benefit from your mistakes.

21. Learn the gentle art of the soft sell.

“In the late 1980's, many black belts were becoming martial arts professionals and across North America were starting to franchise and sell their ideas into the marketplace. The results were uneven and for the most part lacked vision. Then, seemingly over night, one man, John Graden, created a national association that looked like it had been in existence for decades rather than months. He instantly increased the professional look and systematic business approach that almost single-handedly brought martial arts studios out of the dingy basements of small mindedness and into the mainstream lexicon of success.

While others only talked about being professional, John Graden did it, and his efforts changed the perception of a martial arts school forever. John Graden's professionalism and subsequent work created the ‘high tide that raises all boats.’ We martial arts professionals owe him a debt of gratitude, as we are all better off for knowing him.” -- Bob Mueller, Emmy Award Winning Artist and 5th Degree Black Belt