I have been attending Krav Maga classes for almost two years and am frequently asked, “What is it?”. Krav Maga (Hebrew for “contact combat”) is a martial arts system developed in Israel that consists of boxing, jiu-jitsu, self-defense and many other tactical fighting techniques. The grading system is very similar to karate, where colored belts indicate your level in the program.
So what does this have to do with marketing and public relations? Well, there are some lessons I’ve learned from Krav Maga that can also be lessons in the marketing world. Below are some interesting comparisons:
Address the immediate threat. The number one rule in Krav Maga is to address the immediate threat. This could be a choke, being held at gunpoint and a range of other ways a person can be attacked.
We do this at Berbay for our clients. Not only do we identify the immediate threat, but we identify solutions to address it. Some threats we hear often are: “I don’t have enough leads coming through the door,” “I am the only rainmaker at my firm,” “I see my competition’s name all the time but not my own,” and the list goes on. We help our clients address the immediate threat to their business with strategic solutions that will advance their business and meet their objectives.
Defend and counterattack simultaneously. In Krav Maga, we learn techniques that defend and counterattack at the same time. It maximizes the effectiveness and efficiency in order to neutralize the opponent or get to a safe area as quickly as possible.
In our strategies at Berbay, we strive to maximize value to clients by thinking long-term and short-term, as well as being effective and efficient with our client’s time. We think ahead of the game to prevent possible problems from arising and come up with techniques to solve those potential problems.
Always be aware of your surroundings. Krav Maga teaches that maintaining constant awareness of your surroundings is important in many situations, whether it’s looking for an escape route, other attackers around you, objects you can use to defend yourself, etc.
We do the same for our clients at Berbay. We have our ear to the ground when it comes to media opportunities, new innovative ways to market, trends and forecasts in the industry, etc. Maintaining awareness of current events, the professional services industries, media and much more provides an invaluable service to our clients.
As a yellow belt in Krav Maga and a Senior Account Manager at Berbay, I am constantly learning new techniques to improve and enhance my fighting skills, as well as professional skills. Kida (Hebrew word for “bow”).
