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Don’t be posting that ancient invisibility training on the net, it’s a secret! When they find out you did it the invisible ninja dudes will come to collect your head! You won’t see them coming!
Your sexy in both of them Rick! I prefer the 2nd one as well. You need a 2nd flash unit to eliminate the shadow. Red really makes the logo pop!
Good list I agree with what Rory says. Actually I kind of have that response to everything he writes.
I add a 5th question.
5) Can your body still perform the skill. We must continually re assess our abilities, some of us stop training, all of us age. Our physical capabilities decline. If our response is largely dependent on superior speed or strength it will abandon us as a solution as we age. Tool boxes must be reassessed from time to time to see if conditioned responses are still valid responses.
Certification of instructors in teaching specific aspects of the Wilson Practical Self Defense method might be beneficial to you Rick. Kind of like Scott has his instructor certification camps for his various products.You could ensure anyone teaching your material has the skills to actually perform the material and the skills to teach it. This could result in tier two seminars. Basically if someone wishes to teach a seminar and use the WPD name or your name or a product name then you you require them to be endorsed by you via certification. Otherwise please don’t sully your professional reputation by claiming what they are teaching is your material.
I’d tuck all the IUPA stuff in the back rooms for members. Keep the main activity of the front end of the site focused on getting Rick into other venues.
I’ll send you a testimonial in the near future, as far as drafting a letter,just drop folks a quick email, tell them what your up too.
Tell them that to help crack the guest instructor / seminar market you think it might be handy to have a few letters on your site from former students or from instructors whom you’ve worked, and them with recommending you and your services.Stories of former students having to use what you have taught them during an altercation and how effective they found it. would also be great. No pressure, just if they wanted to help out by endorsing the training you’ve provided in the past…. then you won’t have to send out any ninja death squads to punish them.
Seriously Rick anyone who has worked with or trained with you will be more than happy to help out! (except for the muckie mucks in the iukf.) Too bad we didn’t go to that camp and teach them your k drills, The their site would have been full of glowing reports that you could have just cut copied pasted in your site.
However…I would think long and hard about contacting Jim Maloney and Van Canna…and asking if they would be interested in endorsing you as a progressive martial arts instructor.All they can say is no….but then again they might say yes…those too have a reputation that exceeds their organization’s.
I’d ask Randy as well your already providing services for his group.
I’d ask the Sheriff department folks your working with as well.
Not only do you know some of the right people your working with them too.
Rory used you to help first time he met you just based on what he knows about you, I suspect he will continue to…a few comments from him would also be great. Ask for help, none of the successful people got their with out a hand from others in the industry. Look at all the martial arts instructors/teachers that have a one or two line comment from another author or expert on their dvd or box.
This is how the world works credible people endorsing credible people…this nothing like trading ranks in systems, just the opposite. This is not the charlatans trying to make a buck together this is the real deal folks point out their breathren to the masses.
Anyway I’ll for on something and send it to you,
Cheers
Laird
That’s the idea! Now remember this, you’re the product! Self defense, personal defense, close quarters combat, women’s self defense, combative skills, are the marketing terms, (choose about 3 or four of these buzz words that you believe best represents the skill sets you teach and wish to market and use them repeatedly throughout your pages) This will also result in search engine hits.
Remember these will be industry standard or new vogue words as well eg reality based self defense, practical defense etc, words that potential clients might plug into a search engine. The reason to use multiple buzz words is it will create more hits as different people will use different terms in their search for the product you are selling. It also will help to make the sales pitch less repetitive.
Here are some more ideas.
Give your sales text, advertising terms prominence on your page. This is what you want people to focus on. Folks browsing web pages are looking for instant gratification…is this the shit I’m searching for? Your front page needs to capture their interest, it’s more than a portal to the back pages, it’s your marketing department and your first sales pitch.
You might also consider as things pick consider a button on the task bar that generates a list of present and past customers. This works kind of like testimonials it provides a list of schools/ systems/ individuals who have trained with you or have brought you in to offer a course of study. Like Dave’s school, Like Randy’s school, oh yeah and Banff Uechi-Ryu, or any of those other FEUR guys think there’s an international one in NZ that might have some positive things to say about his past experiences with you. This establishes credibility and also a possible contact to verify your skills and the benefits of using you as a subject matter expert.
Try to avoid any long library type chats until the potential custom has gotten deep into your web site. If the potential customer finds something that is too cerebral and looses interest, they leave your page. Expect the potential customer to be lazy, don’t expect them to think, they want to be sold and not taught. Once you hook them, get some cash, teach. Remember these folks are window shopping on the net. You need to wow them! You need establish credibility. Your web site needs to focus on the product and you’re the product!
Hmmmmm Laird said that twice and put it in bold print…I wonder if he thinks this important? Damn right I do! Listen Rick it doesn’t matter what the style what the topic at the end of the day it always down to the ability and charisma of the instructor. Rory Millar is the product, Scott Sonnon is the product, advanced Uechi….huh?….how about Train with Jim Maloney. The instructor is the product!
The marketing buzz words or the desire to learn to defend oneself is the hook that might get them visiting the site but what keeps them there is the personality you are selling. What kept students involved in WKS was the guy teaching the classes. What will keep people on your web page is discovering who Rick Wilson is and what he can teach them. I hardly even find your name on your site. You mention everyone else and then don’t sell yourself. Keep being so humble it’s counterproductive to selling Rick Wilson.
In your Bio you mentioned WKS turn the name of the school into a tiny url and hyper link that old wks promo video so people can see you teaching and hear some positive statements about the training. You may also consider
Wilson Practical Defense, and Rick Wilson should be interchangeable on your site. Rick Wilson is the product. Wilson Practical Defense is the company and the research and consulting is your inner training group. Advanced martial artists and professionals who have solid skills and knowledge in the use of force and membership in the group is by invitation only. Your think tank is not for sale, but skilled self defense experts may be invited to network and participate. (The circle of experts if you will.)So what are the customers looking for? What are you looking for? I suspect you’re both looking for the same thing. Students are looking for competent self defense experts to train them…but you are not looking for entry level students. You are looking for dojo owners and training hall owners to utilize your services so you’re not marketing to the student however they will be the end user of your service…instruction by Rick Wilson. So how do you reach your market of other instructors?
Well you’ve got to remember they know stuff too and think they are competent instructors and they maybe so why would they need you? You need to strive to position yourself as a self defense expert, but the world is full of them and most of them are deluding themselves and the public. So not only must you establish yourself as having expertise you also must establish that you have some unique skills that your target market of other instructors may not have.
You’ve got some great programs, disengaging from the ground up, generating power, women’s self defense etc. This is all stuff instructors need to know and teach but many suck at it. So how do you sell it to them?
You sell it by showing them very short clips of stuff that will tweak their interest and maybe drop a trick for free. They watch your clips and steal a trick or two, they are left with an impression wow this guy is good, knows his stuff, maybe I should bring him in for a seminar or invite him to camp etc. You see the bottom line is if the instructor is learning a few new things he doesn’t need your help. So you need to litter your site with 1.5 to 2 minute clips of highly effective material and cross reference each clip to a program. Right now your site has lots of clips of an instructional nature. Some of them involve no actual training I’d move this stuff to your online program.
Rick do you realize that your first three clips go out of their way to promote other people and only mention you own a web site. So you are actually positioning yourself as a guy that reads books on violence and has a website. These clips are fine for members of the WPD system but are not effective for targeting your market or differentiating your product. And BTW dude if you can wear a KPC shirt you probably can make a few for your own system and wear them from time to time too. You may find that you can sell a couple and help you recoup some costs.
Here is an example…I really love your ground up material. So let’s examine it, how do you do a quick 2 minute piece on it that designed to sell? First thing whenever you shoot video to sell plan the shoot with a story board, know what is going to be said. Have an idea of what shots you want and what dialogue you want. Remember when you edit it you can add text.
The logo is good but save it for the end, I’ll tell you why later. Open just like you’re in Ricks Talking piece shot in front of the book shelf. Open with a quick spiel on how in a self defense situation you do not want to lay on the ground and compete, you want to get up and get out of there. You got 10 to 20 seconds to talk max. Try to make the opening short and sweet. Just enough information so they know what is being learned and why.
Next shot you and the meat puppet are already on the mat, this could also be filmed with just you talking in the dojo.( avoid filming everybody get into position and its wasting film on stuff that we don’t need to see. We can’t assume the audience knows much so you say something along this line,
“So you suddenly find yourself being physically assaulted. The aggressor takes you to ground and controls you in a scarf hold. What is a scarf hold it’s basically a head lock that allow the aggressor to put lots of body weight on you keeping you in place, they use the leverage created by their legs to really be heavy on you. Pinned in place it frees up a striking hand so they can pummel your face. You might find yourself pinned in place while the aggressor punches you in the face, with a fist a rock or a knife. You can’ stay there! The aggressor might have a buddy! (Someone steps into the scene with a bat or a big knife) You must get up!
Another 15 to 20 seconds gone. I think the initial dialogue should be kept to under10% of the film. The action will speak for itself.
So next scene: You are in the tight scarf hold you create the space to perform the technique and slam the move. (In your clip you really slammed Adam once, it was explosive and loud, this is what you want on Video. Seeing that the meat puppet is turned away from the camera a slap to the mat is also good. This took a second or two. Done! Less than 47 seconds in you have accomplished a few things.
1. You have introduced yourself, name your organization and tell us WPD can help us address the realities of self defense and develop skill sets. You mention the following film clip is a brief peak at some of the material covered in your seminar “From the Ground Up!”
2. You establish credibility by telling people why they need to get off the ground in a real violent altercation.
3. You establish credibility as understanding the ground game by explaining how the scarf functions and why you can’t stay there.
4. You establish instant credibility by slamming the meat puppet to the mat as you suddenly stand up and escape the threat. Performed hard and fast this really creates a Wow WTF kind of moment for the viewer. You have gone from a really nice grey haired chap to a really competent martial artist in the blink of an eye .
Next scene is simply text displayed between clips and it will say. Want to see that again?(scrolled across the screen if possible) Then you show the 2 or 3 second clip a 2nd time. Your 50 seconds in
Next scene: You come on screen and say the skills need getting from the ground up need to be simple and effective. Let’s take a look at what actually happened in the clip and why that worked. Adam and Stan will give us a hand by demonstrating what actually just happened. ( Adam and Stan are already on the mat in scarf hold the camera just cuts to them)
You are kneeling by them and you say. Now in a street situation things are not looking good for ______ (the meat puppet on the bottom) Now we all would like to address the punches raining down on our face, or rock , bottle that the aggressor decides they want to plant where our face use to be. However until such time as we remove the body weigh they are applying we will continue to eat whatever they wish to feed us. (While this is being discussed the other meat puppet is slowly demonstrating a rearrangement of the face.)
So step one is to convince the aggressor to redistribute their body weight so that we are not pinned in place. We do this by attacking the face and eyes with our fingers, poking pushing and ripping until such time as the aggressor is no longer pinning us and we can drive them over. This is a key principle remove their body weight, WPDRC has found that we are biologically hard wired to move away from pain, and fingers in eyes hurt instantly. (while this is being said meat puppets are demonstrating it in slow motion) You can also point out the opening up of the hold and the change in weight distribution when the bottom meat puppet fully extends the strike.
Next scene : You say now that we have repositioned the aggressors weight and stopped his attack step two is to drive him over, Demonstrate the move…explain it briefly mention the forearm strike to the brainstem and how all though illegal in sporting events it’s great in this situation, brain stalls confusion help our escape as it buys time and time is space.Next scene. Demonstrate a proper stand up get away step. Don’t go into details..save something new for the seminar.,
Next.
WPD logo appears scrolls up some text appears promoting the seminar contact us by phone or email show them we can tailor programs to the specific needs of your group.I suspect the clip will be well under the 2minute goal. Avoid un productive film. Target what you say. The see it they are told the principles that made it work and they might have picked up a cool trick or two. You are never seen talking while performing the skill. Communication is clear and not only can you perform the skill so can your students. (you could put in a bunch of 5 second clips of your guys doing the skill if you want more time in the clip)
So if you have lots of little wow clips that promote your programs with minimal dialogue but enough to offer a principle of a trick you’ll generate some interest. Ig an instructor views your site and picks up a principle or two and some tricks in a 10 minute visit he is going to be wondering wow what could I and my school learn from this guy in a seminar of too. That’s what promotional clips are about.Now I know you are going to use your own words as you should but keep stuff savagely simple and flush out the rest in the seminar.
Sorry not to visit in a while been busy. I haven’t responded directly to your questions but instead wrote a long winded tirade covering a few other concepts. I’ll get back to you on the other stuff in the next day or so.
Rick the best thing you may have gotten from the site is a few training partners and friends. But you also got your name out, as a long time contributor and dude who knew what he was talking about. Many of folks in that circle know you to be a reputable skilled martial artist. The down side to the site was the insecurities and behaviors of a few of the muckie mucks.
The site also let you put pen to paper and write down some of the concepts you were developing…a sound board if you will for the Wilson method.
Now we all sat back and watched something really remarkable happen. We watched a couple of new posters drop by periodically and right some stuff. What kind of stuff…really good stuff, really polished well thought out articles. And a request for feedback and some polite dialogue, Then they would disappear for a while.
They would pop up from time to time with a new article or concept and some new feedback was gathered the article polished etc. They did not bother getting into pissing matches they just sifted threw the free market feedback and tailored the authored articles.
They avoided commenting on threads not authored by themselves unless they were requested or asked an opinion , they avoided site politics they were simply visiting authors asking for feedback on there work.
Eventually the article would show up on their web page or a book. The approach was used on many different martial web pages and neither individual was shy about introducing themselves of divulging their background, they always included a link to their site. They were always most professional and polite because it turns out everyone is a potential customer! (everyone deserves respect at any rate)
The concepts introduced by these articles on these websites garnered some discussion. Eventually we started to see training programs to address the topic appear on the authors website. Brilliant, still not sure if it is egg first or chicken first. But we got a ringside seat in watching two individual launch to successful ventures and the blue print is in cyberspace. Also promoted and consumed by martial forum participants.
We watched Rory launch and grow and we watched Darren Laur do the same. If Georges forums were not so chopped up by the history editors and the server changes…… I would suggest that someone could lift the entire history stick it into cover and call it. ” introduction to product development,creating demand and social media marketing” and offer it as a 4th year program for a Bcom.
Amazing point out a limitation or flaw in training…then after folks start talking about it offer them the solution.
May I barge in uninvited?
I guess in an electronic age the Web site is also your door knocker, your junk mail, your salesman, your brochure your word of mouth. Your web site has evolved since you started WPD, it’s really quite impressive! I really like the new short Bio. You mailed it.
So once we have a web site now we need traffic reading it. Same problem as print media, how do you get into people’s hand. A good brochure or good website are of no value if people don’t read it. So we need to link to a popular search engines.
I think Google is probably the go to search engine and I see that you are already recognized by Google. However, if you search Self Defense Edmonton, Women’s Self Defense Edmonton, Hand to Hand….Physical Survival Tactics…Personal Protection…Reality Based Self Defense… Executive Protection, Application of force, etc…your site does not pop up. But many of your competing instructor’s sites do.
So I think the next goal is linking your sight. Right now Google only shows your web site if you input your name into the search engine…so people who do not know about you will never find you.
Think about how people might seek the services you offer. Many of them are not sure where to look for them and just sit down at the computer and Google what they seek. You know Self Defense Seminar Edmonton. You get missed. When we consider how web crawlers work, it becomes imperative that we use the words and terms on our site that your targeted customer might input into a search engine when looking for these services.
http://www.seomark.co.uk/keywords-website/
The other way of getting the website out there is to get your site listed on other websites. Cross linking with similar sites continues to see your name tied with certain words as far as web crawlers are concerned. And the more places your link appears the more likely people are to click your link. As traffic increases the more likely your site is to come up on the first page search results. This is where you need to get your page. Preferably near the Top of the list like Randy. (Might be a good guy to ask about how this is achieved because he’s got it nailed his LinkedIn profile even showed up on one of my Google test searches)
http://www.htmlgoodies.com/beyond/reference/article.php/3603646
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Link_buildingYour web site is the key to getting your brand out there and selling the product. So what is the product? Rick Wilson is the product! Sell him! And sell what he wishes to teach. None of this jumps off your page!
Keep the WPD pages focused on selling Rick as a visiting instructor, you need to focus on the unique expertise you offer. You need to utilize the language you need to get hits. These pages are not for teaching they are for selling. Right now your seminars are three buttons across the task bar and three links down, not really front and center. I’m assuming your primary goal is to get out there as a visiting instructor.
You will grow your brand, by having people hire you to teach. You will grow your brand by cross linking with happy customers. You know how it works folks take a seminar and then brag about it on the internet. Always nice if they can link your bio or your web site…That offers the services being marketed.
You need to get your links on other peoples page ie randy calen. Rising-Sun etc, cross promote mention local reality based defense instructors you respect and have worked with or trained with. You can post recommended reading, video, or instructors or training groups. On your page it helps to establish your credibility if you mention credible sources.Remember the visitor to your web page probably won’t know anything about Rick Wilson so you got to tell them.
But the gold in this is you may get some reciprocal links from other credible people in the area. Network!
I see most of the web site as resources for the training group or web subscriber. The training group is secondary to where you wish to grow. Hopefully as your network and teach here and there you will encounter the occasional individual who may wish to join your training group and has the skills to do so.. (Just to keep up with attrition)The progression map, the personal training group , the inner sanctum are sidelines to what you hope to achieve as far as generating revenue and networking in the area of expertise that you wish to promote. They are not where you will make most of your money as you grow your brand. They are a sideline this material is for those who have possibly taken a course done some training or a seminar with you and have inquired about training with you. Not belittling this part of the enterprise/web site, but the messages and paths distract from Marketing Rick Wilson. I would even consider making this material all separate from the services you’re hoping to market.(teaching) Mention you have a private training group, add a link to it. It leads to the free material and then the locked door. It all gets in the way of the message Rick Wilson Defense Expertise available to your training group!
Don’t forget get those damn testimonials out. And don’t be afraid to post some pictures of Rick Wilson with other great martial artists. It helps to establish credibility with folks who don’t know anything about you or your marital path.
Any how just some thoughts.
Never even though about kijji but his guy is using it
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-classes-lessons/edmonton/reality-based-self-defense-certification-level-1-seminar/1056330885
Look how long his credential lists are. He left out shoe tying, I’m sure hes’ learned that at one point…yeah he kind of over does it. But I suspect the readers have no doubts about his ability to teach the material.We both know in this day and age that traditional karate belts don’t necessarily mean the owner of the belt can do shit. The reality based crowd kind of gloss over sometimes but takes a 2nd peek when they recognize names and programs that are mentioned in Bio or elsewhere on site.
Home work assignment: Do a few Google searches for the topics that you wish to present seminars on. Check out the top 3 Google returns, pay particular attention to how the products are promoted and the language used…then visits your web site. Now consider how you might reconstruct you front page to target the customers you seek. Remember you only show in a search engine right now when you groups name is searched. Google needs to find you when people seek what you teach.
Mostly thinking out loud hope some of it helps.
Actually I’m not impressed with his demo,but I do support the method. His supporting rational for a physical response instead of a gun shot is kind of off the cuff.I suspect he hasn’t really thought it threw and may have not been ready with a response to the question. Bottom line is civvies need to be cognizant of when the threat has ended.
Strip the gun the lethal threat may now be at an end, so a lethal gun shot would be murder according to how the laws of the land are written. We can’t punish people by killing them when they no longer present a threat. However if one is a member of the military it might be advantageous shoot the threat, quess it all depends on the rules of engagement and what is occurring at the time.
One universal factor in the shoot don’t shoot decision that effect all individuals is can you operate the firearm and is it operational after the strip.
Rick remember a few years ago I talked to you about the clearing house concept for training. The one stop shop. Well Funker Tactical appears to be launching that very concept. Funny my shooting buddy called today for a chat. He tells me he’s going to start teaching tactical shot gun, tactical carbine and tactical hand gun with an affiliated group. He has had to take all the sig arms training courses to teach. Go figure 2 combat deployments and your not qualified, everyone needs the paper on the wall. Crazy!
I should be getting a new computer delivered shortly that will be easier to process images and video. Don’t have meat puppet available at the moment but I think I’ll just toss a training drone to my son and film some strips. Not into trying to explain shit when it’s just easier to show and talk on tape.
Sort of like this km guy
http://www.funkertactical.com/after-the-disarm-to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot/
