Positioning Your Martial Arts School

Do not position your school against the school down the street. Promote the benefits of martial arts training itself, the way IBM promoted the personal computer rather than attacking Apple or Tandy. Expanding the number of people who want lessons is a far bigger opportunity than fighting other schools over a small existing market.

Key Takeaways

• IBM chose to promote why everyone should own a PC rather than argue it was better than Apple or Tandy.
• Beginning in 1983 in Denver, Stephen Oliver’s ads always touted the benefits of martial arts instruction and never mentioned competitors.
• The result: nine times out of ten, someone in Denver thinking about martial arts lessons thought of Mile High Karate.
• If competitors do a great job the market expands; if they are hucksters or lousy teachers, everyone’s market suffers.
• Ads need a consistent look and feel, a consistent appeal and audience, and a school name that is easy to remember and pronounce.
• Mile High Karate was named for Denver, “The Mile High” city, to be easy to remember and to position the schools as the Denver martial arts schools.

Call-Out:

“Beginning in 1983 in Denver, I made an effort to emulate IBM’s approach. My ads always touted the benefits of martial arts instruction, explained the benefits of our approach, and never mentioned that anyone else taught this stuff but us.”

Years ago, I read a really interesting book called Positioning: the Battle for your Mind. Now, some of the concepts incorporated conflict with the general direct-response position that I hold and propose throughout this column. However, a couple of concepts are worth revisiting, I believe.

What Are You Promoting?

The example used in the Positioning book (keep in mind this book has been around a long time) was one about IBM’s introduction of the Personal Computer (PC). If you’re old enough to remember when IBM introduced its first PC, there were quite a number of different makers and brands pushing various systems. Apple had already made a splash with the Macintosh computer. The Osborn computer was big. Kaypro, Tandy, Commodore and others already had systems available with competing operating systems and structures. The industry was fragmented with no standards.

How IBM Positioned the Personal Computer

IBM could have introduced its new product by positioning it against its direct competitors — for example, why their product is better than Apple’s or Tandy’s. However, the company chose not to take that approach. They realized, quite appropriately, that battling over the very small number of hobbyists who already owned or were ready to buy a micro-computer was futile.

Instead, IBM took the tact of promoting why everyone should have a PC. They created a non-threatening mascot of sorts (the Tramp of Charlie Chaplain fame) and began a series of ads explaining the value of a PC in the home or office — always without reference to their direct competitors or to other manufacturers.

IBM’s logic was that, if they promoted the virtues of these machines, they’d gradually be seen as the leader in the industry. And, they would expand the number of people using computers rather than battle for market share.

Applying the Same Approach to a Martial Arts School

Personally, I think this would be a really lousy approach for beer-makers or soft-drink manufacturers who are battling for market share in declining overall markets. However, for martial arts schools, this is, generally, a great approach.

Beginning in 1983 in Denver, I made an effort to emulate IBM’s approach. My ads always touted the benefits of martial arts instruction, explained the benefits of our approach, and never mentioned that anyone else taught this stuff but us. Over the years in Denver, if someone thought of martial arts lessons (especially for kids), at least nine times out of ten they would think of us.

Do any of us really think that we have impacted the market for kid’s instruction as thoroughly as is possible? How about for adult lessons? I’d rather fight to get a higher and higher percentage of the population to consider our activity rather than fight other schools for a percentage of a small market.

If my competitors do a great job, then our market will expand. If they are hucksters or just lousy teachers, our market will suffer — and that will hurt everyone. Again, the early days of the Personal Computer industry provide a great parallel.

What Is Memorable about Your Business/School?

If you’re going to advertise and promote your business repetitiously over many years, you should definitely be concerned about a couple of things:

• A consistent look and feel to your ads so that they become recognizable and memorable. There should always be some constant pieces of content — perhaps the format of your school name or logo and perhaps a common tag line.
• A consistent appeal and audience. If you try to be all things to all people, you end up being nothing to nobody! I’d rather be consistent in an appeal and become known for that niche than be spread all over the board.
• An easy-to-remember name. Many schools use a name that’s not only difficult to remember, but is downright unpronounceable by the general public. Be sure to choose a name that will be easy to remember and pronounce.

Choosing a Name People Remember

Years ago, combining these ideas above, I chose the name Mile High Karate for my base in Denver, which is called “The Mile High” city. This was somewhat common and thus easy to remember. Also, I felt at the time that it helped to position my schools as the Denver martial arts schools.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should my martial arts school advertise against local competitors?

No. Promote the benefits of martial arts instruction and the benefits of your own approach, without mentioning that anyone else teaches it. Fighting other schools for a share of a small market is a smaller opportunity than growing the number of people who want lessons at all.

What is the IBM positioning lesson for school owners?

When IBM launched the personal computer it did not argue that it beat Apple or Tandy. It ran ads explaining why everyone should have a PC, which expanded the whole market and made IBM look like the industry leader.

What makes martial arts advertising memorable over time?

A consistent look and feel so the ads become recognizable, constant elements such as your logo format or a common tag line, and a consistent appeal to one audience rather than trying to be all things to all people.

How should I name a martial arts school?

Choose a name that is easy for the general public to remember and pronounce. Mile High Karate was chosen because Denver is called “The Mile High” city, which made it familiar, memorable, and positioned the schools as the Denver martial arts schools.

Does a strong competitor hurt my school?

Not necessarily. If competitors do a great job the overall market expands. If they are hucksters or lousy teachers, the market suffers and that hurts everyone.

Stephen Oliver has operated his Mile High Karate schools in Denver, Colorado since 1983. He is a 10th Degree Black Belt, the Founder and CEO of Mile High Karate and of Martial Arts Wealth Mastery, and also holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA). For more information about Mr. Oliver and his programs, check his website at www.ExtraordinaryMarketing.com.