Top Posts for September 2009

Welcome Martial Arts School Owners! Start here to learn how this site can help you grow your martial arts school. Be sure join the conversation and leave a ton of comments. Also, be sure to participate in our new martial arts marketing forum! -- Ryan Wheaton

Here are the top 5 posts for Marketing Martial Arts in September 2009; according to how many times they were uniquely viewed by our visitors:

1. All Professional Martial Arts Schools are McDojos (Which is also getting a ton of comments you’ll want to check out)
2. 35 Direct Response Techniques that Improve Response Rates
3. 50 Killer Ideas for Building a More Profitable Martial Arts School
4. Top 8 Pages Every Martial Arts School’s Website Should Have
5. How to Make a Living Teaching Martial Arts

Two pages are also worth mentioning and received a ton of traffic this month:

• Top 10 Most Popular Posts of all Time
• A Practical Guide to Building a Better Martial Arts School Website

Make sure to check out our martial arts marketing forum where you can get answers from fellow martial arts school owners.

As always I highly encourage you to share your thoughts in the form of a comment at the end of each post. Your opinions and experience helps add dimension to the topic.

Transform your Martial Arts Tri-fold Brochure from Terrible to Terrific

I got back from vacation in SoCal recently and accidentally stumbled on a martial arts school while walking along the beach.

The martial arts school was closed but they did have a outdoor brochure rack where I took the black white photo copy. I give them props for having some information available to help lure people back when they are closed.

Definitely a great idea.

However, as I flipped through the brochure, I noticed it was missing some critical information every trifold brochure should have.

Are you making any of these same mistakes with your tri-fold brochure?

As I said, the tri-fold brochure I picked up missing some pretty basic – but pivitol – information.

It was a copy of a copy (not a great first impression) and was 50% schedule – the entire inside spread was dedicated to their class schedule. There were no photos, no competitive advantages and no testimonials. They did, however, make an offer and talk about their various programs and did have a call to action.

NOTE: I have intentionally not uploaded a copy of the tri-fold brochure I mention. I may do that in the future but it will definitely be with all the pertinent identifiable information blurred out. If you want me to scan it in and upload it, let me know in the form of a comment. If enough people want to see it, I will upload.

Not a terrible start, but not great either.

The good news is that it wouldn’t take much to whip this tri-fold brochure into shape.

The Terrible Truth About Most Brochures

Most small business create a trifold brochure that focuses on just nuts and bolts information.

They learned it from stealing a competitors brochure and thought that’s what is supposed to be done.

No one springs to action after reading a dull and boring brochure.

What’s worse is that most people don’t have much expectations from them and don’t treat it like a part of the sales and marketing process.

So how do you make your’s something that gets people to spring out of their chair, sprint to their phone and call you?

The Secret to a Better Tri-Fold Brochure

I know… most marketing people tell you a brochure should just be nuts and bolts.

But I’m here to tell you those people should get a round house kick to the face.

Your brochure should be a lead generating machine, just like every other marketing vehicle you have.

Otherwise, why invest the time in it? Right?

Your brochure should be built around direct response principles.

TIP: What is your desired outcome after someone reads your brochure? Sign up for a trial program? Request a free DVD? Whatever the case, decide on that first and sculpt the rest of your messaging around that outcome. Everything needs to move your prospect in that direction.

Here is one recommended layout that is tried and true:

*Front Cover*
Like a book, a brochure is often judged by its cover. It has to entice someone to open and look further. Write a compelling headline that targets your audience and gets their interest to help accomplish this. Use a photo that draws attention and compliments the headline.

*Back Cover*
This is reserved for your contact information. Phone number, address email, domain name. Maybe a map. Avoid the temptation to add anything more to this space.

*Inside front panel*
Aside from the cover, this is the next most important panel. Put your most important message(s) here. I highly recommend adding some photos with testimonials from some of your most rabid fans in this panel. Nothing will sell your program better than what you’ve already done for your other students.

*Inside Three-Panel Spread*
This is where you tell your story and you’ll have plenty of room to do it.

• Start by telling your prospects what you’ll do for them.
• Sell the benefits and back them up with features.
• Use headlines to break up the content areas. This will make it easier to scan for info your prospect wants.
• Susinctly describe each of your programs.
• Use photos with captions.
• State your competitive advantages. Perhaps use bullets to do this.
• Make an offer! This is one thing most people forget to include however it’s the biggest reason to get people to actually respond.
• Tell them what to do next with a call to action.  This can be done at the bottom of the page, or you can dedicate an entire panel it. Drive them to your website or pick up the phone. Whatever the case, include a call to action!

If you can afford full color copies, great, but it’s not required. Save some dough and use colored card stock to help make it pop a little more. You’ll want to use a little heavier stock to make it feel a little more substantial.

So should you include your rates or schedule? I’d say no. I would recommend saving that once the prospect is more qualified.

Give them enough info to wet their appetite. Don’t give them everything. Remember the purpose of the tri-fold brochure is to help further qualify and sell them so they ultimiately sign up. It is not just to give them nuts and bolts information.

What other tips would you recommend for a better brochure?

Martial Arts Marketing Forum is Live!

I am excited to announce the new martial arts marketing forum

The martial arts marketing forum is a place to discuss marketing and business related ideas and is unaffiliated with any martial arts marketing association or billing company. So, you can ask about anything and everything related to running a martial arts school without worrying about the sales pitch.

Why launch this forum? Basically, I launched this martial arts marketing forum to help everyone in our community grow and prosper.

Whether you are a traditional martial arts school or a mixed martial arts gym, this forum can help you get new and innovative ideas to help attract more students to your business.

I have created several categories to kick things off but will be adding more shortly. If there is a category you want added, please just send me a note and I’ll get it live as soon as I can.

Otherwise, jump in and start asking questions!

Please note that in order to post, you have to register first. Sign up now to participate in our martial arts marketing forum!

Why Didn’t My Martial Arts Direct Mail Postcard Work?

An interesting question just came through my “Ask a Question and Get an Answer” form regarding martial arts direct mail:

I have tried just about every special. Just mailed out post cards to 10,000 homes for the cost of 650.00. 7 calls and set up trials to only have them not show up. Do a special and at the end they say to much do not want to sign up. How do I attract students as well as adult students — Ms. Ramires, N. Carolina.

Thanks for the great question and for trying direct mail!

Let me start by saying I don’t think direct mail failed you. I think there were a few other major contributing factors that I suspect made your direct mailer tank.

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