Are you one of the martial arts schools that just writes plainly about your features and benefits with no real personality?
While features and benefits are certainly important, they aren’t the only things you should communicate.
Have you ever tried telling a story?
“Tell me a fact and I’ll learn. Tell me a truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.”
Stories can be powerful marketing tool.
Think about it… when we were all little, we learned about the world through stories.
Even as we got older, we were told stories to help us learn about the World and how it all works.
Think about the last time you went to church, watched the news or read a magazine.
You were either told or read a story.
We’re captivated, if not mesmerized, by stories.
That’s why it’s so important to use stories in your marketing!
There are many ways to tell stories and many stories to tell.
- How/why you got started in the martial arts
- How/why your students chose your martial arts school
- What makes your martial arts school different
- Etc.
Here is a video I have on my site that helps me tell the story of how I got started in the martial arts:
I chose to lead with this type of video as it can be a very powerful way to connect with potential students.
Using this approach, my prospects begin to know, like and trust me before we ever even meet all from sharing my story.
Why didn’t I start with a demo video?
Because they can scare the hell out of prospects if not done right.
While they do demonstrate what you do, they can do more harm than good.
More on this subject in the near future.
Sharing stories can help prospects relate with you and your martial arts school in a way a demo video cannot.
Sure, action footage can tell a story, but it might be telling the wrong story.
So, what did you think of the video and this approach?
Popularity: 6%
I'm Ryan Wheaton and I work with martial arts school owners to help them attract more students. Many martial arts school owners are confused at how to best market their business and feel awkward in selling situations. I help them overcome those challenges to become confident and competent in marketing and selling their services - helping them become more profitable so they can live the lifestyle they want to live. 
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I stumbled on your website just browsing before I go to pick up the kids from school. For what it is worth you come across as sincere and passionate about the Martial Arts. Great idea to lead with this. Might be more difficult for someone else without the presentation skills that you obviously have. Well Done!
Regards
John
Mr. Wheaton,
Your presentation was natural and well done. I have been reading the content and watching the videos at your Marketing Martial Arts website and have found the information interesting and thought provoking. I just finished watching the “Telling The Story” video. I was disappointed by your Tae Kwon Do (TKD) bashing. Yes, I practice and teach a traditional form of TKD which could easily be mistaken for hard Okinawa karate. Our focus is self-defense. Yes, TKD is an Olympic event, so is Boxing and Judo. Do you feel they are tainted, watered down, and ineffective as well? Was your TKD bashing an attempt to discredit a local TKD school/academy in your community to drive students toward your school? If so, do you feel this type of negative marketing to be effective and ethical?
in His Service,
Rev. Robert L. Wood
Wow Robert. What video did you watch? It seems like you are very impassioned about TKD, however the video explains Ryan’s story, not yours. His first and only experience with TKD was with an instructor that focused on high kicking and point sparring. He even said that other TKD focuses on self defense though again, not his experience. It turns out that kenpo was a better fit for him and was more akin to his liking and interest. This is a marketing site not a point -counterpoint of martial arts. There are plenty of sites out there that can meet your needs to attack and defend specific points of view of martial art styles/systems. Ryan’s intent is share the value of marketing your story, your own personal story. Unfortunately for us who want to focus on marketing, you took this to a place it shouldn’t have gone.
Alan,
I must agree with you, the video came across as Mr. Wheaton expressing his personal experience and telling his story. That seems to be the point of the article, telling your story in your marketing. I believe Robert is just a little hyper sensitive.
I really like the idea of the video. Seems to me the web page is like any other advertisement, its purpose is to bring people into your studio, dojo, dojang, or school so you can meet them in person. With the video the potential student is getting familiar with you much more than they would with a picture and a sentence.
Thanks for the great idea Mr. Wheaton!
Mike G
Yeah, Alan’s right. The discussion is more about marketing than style vs style. And in all the reading I’ve done of Ryan’s site, I haven’t seen him advocating bagging out another school as an effective strategy to attract students.
I think it’s a great way to introduce students to your school, but I’m intrigued why demonstration videos are bad. I always get excited seeing a demonstration… although I guess if it’s done poorly, with poor production values etc, it might do the opposite.
Bones, just posted my reply to your comment here: http://goo.gl/GXuU