As a martial artist business owner, we constantly master different skill sets. One thing we all know as a martial artist is that some of our mental and physical abilities are of greater importance than others. We also know that a lack of competition in a given key area can undermine everything.
We can be a great fighter, but without the discipline to train hard and maintain composure under pressure, our actual fighting skills have little impact. Another example: speed and agility will only go so far if we don’t have the stamina to go the distance.
The same is true as we are running our business and trying to increase the number of students so we can earn more money. If we are weak or lacking in certain key business skills, it can be enough to hold us back and undermine our success.
My goal in this article is to help you improve one of the most valuable business skills out there… copywriting! The fact is that when you develop this ability magical things can happen…
For some of you this may be a confusing topic. Some may wonder if copywriting is that little © you see everywhere. Not really! Copywriting is how you put your words and communications together to persuade people to join and stay at your school!
Copywriting is everything!
But let’s talk first about the most used function of copywriting, which is putting words on a computer screen or on paper that persuade people to take the action you want. Stay with me because here I am going to reveal some secrets that I have never shared before…
The way you handle your introductions, your walk-ins, and your phone is really “copying.” Like I said, copy is everything. I’ve found that most school owners handle things like the phone, walk-ins, and introductions well. But when it comes to being able to leave it in print or on a website is where they lose their minds.
When writing messages to students or prospective students, frame everything in a way that tells them, “This is what this means to you and this is how it will benefit you!”
The results can be amazing – check out this example of a website owner that I helped a client improve.
An example of a martial arts marketing makeover
This is what he had on his site…
“Taekwondo: Taekwondo is a Korean martial art that dates back more than 2,000 years. Today, modern taekwondo is practiced in more than 170 countries around the world and has been an official Olympic sport since the Sydney games in 2000”.
I am a tkd boy and I love art and sport. I pride myself on my near-vertical side kick and spinning hook kick, but this is really amazing to the average person…
I convinced him to change it to…
“How an ancient Korean art and a modern Olympic sport can give you or your child the confidence, discipline, focus and athletic skills to be a leader, not a follower…
Read on and find out how this little-known but proven secret can give you and your child an unfair advantage in school and in life…”
The results were more leads and students coming from your website! The problem you were having and the reason your website was not producing before we changed it was simple: all of you marketing lives and dies on the headline and your original headline “Taekwondo” was confusing and not relevant to someone who look for the benefits of martial arts training. I hope you can see the difference!
Where does the good copy come from?
It certainly begins as the ability to persuade face to face. If you’ve ever enrolled someone in your school, you can persuade them!
The hard part is translating that ability into print. But when you acquire this ability something magical happens…
Then you can craft individual or group speeches and presentations that are much more persuasive! I got pretty good at copywriting just doing it! Actually, if you saw my first sales letter, you’d probably laugh. But it totally came from me just pretending I was sitting in front of an introduction, telling them the benefits of my program, responding to his objections, and asking them to join. In the letter asking them to join, he simply asked them to call and schedule a performance!
Here’s something you should use right away to ensure your messages get read.
Break up your paragraphs! I try to do it for you when I write these articles! Letters and emails sent to your prospects need to be easy to read! I don’t care how powerful your words are if the site of them turns people off, you’re dead!
Now some magic words and phrases that students will bring to you
The great David Garfinkel of “The World Copywriting Institute” gave me these magic words:
Naturally, you are invited, find out and how to do it. Feel free to use them in your marketing.
Some magical phrases:
“You can see for yourself that…”
“You can not lose!”
“We are ready to prove it to you.”
Secrets of confidential holders.
A lot of people struggle with the whole concept of headlines. After reading this you won’t anymore!
Like we talked about before… Everything in your business is copy! Copy is the words you choose and how you structure them for maximum influence. Hmm- Think about those “Mat Chats”, they too must contain elements of good copy.
The headlines are simply “starters”. Headlines are the way to get attention. I don’t care if you’re teaching a class, writing an ad, or sending an email.
In our headline secrets…
Headlines are pretty formulaic, so we’ll quickly give you some winning formulas to get you started.
1) Curiosity: Humans are hugely curious, so whenever you can play with this, do so.
2) Make News: Start with words like “Announcing” or “Finally.”
3) Call your prospect: “Attention all women”, “Attention men who want to get in shape!” “Parents beware!”
4) How – Always a winner
5) Who else wants…? another winner
6) Ask a question – Asking your target market the right question is always a good idea, especially when you can pinpoint the exact question they are thinking.
Now that you have the tools to be a more persuasive communicator, use them wisely!
