422 | 3 Common Pitfalls School Owners Make With Their Marketing and How AI Can Help Solve Those Problems (with Gus Lopez of Lead Hunter Media)

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Podcast Description

In this episode of School Owner Talk, Duane Brumitt and Allie Alberigo sit down with Gus Lopez of Lead Hunter Media to uncover the three biggest pitfalls martial arts school owners make with their marketing—and how AI can help solve them.

From struggling with poor lead quality to failing at consistent follow-up, this conversation highlights the gaps that prevent schools from growing—and introduces practical, AI-driven solutions that school owners can implement right away.

Whether you’re stuck in “paralysis of analysis,” just coasting with mediocre results, or ready to dial in your marketing systems, this episode provides insights that will help you generate better leads, increase show-up rates, and maximize your enrollment process.

Key Takeaways

• School owners fall into three categories:
  1. Level 1 – Do nothing (paralyzed by indecision).
  2. Level 2 – Do something, but without systems or tracking.
  3. Level 3 – Optimize everything with the right systems and support.
• Pitfall #1: Lead Quality. Many schools rely on Facebook lead forms that produce junk contacts. Using dedicated sales funnels that require people to manually enter their info increases commitment and filters out bad leads.
• Pitfall #2: Follow-Up. Most schools fail to follow up effectively. Leads often come in after hours, and without a system, they go cold. AI follow-up solves this by responding instantly, 24/7, with personalized answers and booking links.
• Pitfall #3: No-Shows. Even booked trials often fail to show. Having a small prepay system ($5–$20) dramatically increases show-up rates to 90%+.
• Bonus Pitfall: Sales Process. Even with great leads, some schools struggle to close. Without a structured, tested sales process, school owners miss opportunities and leave money on the table.

Action Steps for School Owners

1. Audit Your Current Leads. Check whether you’re using forms that just “look” like they’re generating leads—or whether they’re actually converting into conversations.
2. Implement AI Follow-Up. Use an AI system that responds immediately with real answers and booking prompts. This saves 10–20 hours a week and boosts show rates.
3. Introduce Prepay Trials. Even a nominal prepay eliminates no-shows and ensures more committed prospects.
4. Refine Your Sales Process. Don’t stop at getting people in the door—make sure your process closes the deal. Invest in training, scripts, and systems.
5. Track Your Numbers. Booking rate, show-up rate, and close rate are key metrics. If you’re not tracking them, you can’t improve them.

Additional Resources Mentioned

• Lead Hunter Media – Gus Lopez’s agency specializing in martial arts marketing with AI-powered systems. Visit Lead Hunter Media (or Google “Lead Hunter Media”).
• School Owner Talk Podcast Archive – Past episodes with Gus on summer marketing, retention, and AI systems.
• Books Referenced: Atomic Habits by James Clear and Grant Cardone Sales University were discussed as resources for building better systems and mindset.