Promote the Results of Fitness Kickboxing, Not the Activity

When promoting your fitness-kickboxing program, don’t make the mistake of promoting what students won’t want, instead of what they do. The more you promote the activity of kickboxing, instead of the results, the fewer students you will attract.

If you ask 100 adults, “Would you like to do martial arts or fitness kickboxing, or lose weight and be in shape?” Which activity do you think the majority will select?

Of course, it will be “lose weight and be in shape.” In fact, it’s a huge difference. The traditional adult martial arts market is probably less than one-percent of the adult population. A very tough market to crack.

Fitness kickboxing does draw more people than the words, “martial arts,” because of the word “fitness” and the popularity of Billy Blanks’ Tae-Bo^®, but it’s still a small, select group.

Instead of promoting and explaining your unique brand of fitness kickboxing, communicate its many benefits. For example, it burns more than 800 calories per hour, develops cardiovascular and muscular conditioning, is fun and easy to do, helps you lose weight, allows you to set your own pace, leads to new friends, etc.

I talked with Tony Little a couple of years ago. Tony is the number-one-selling fitness personality on infomercials. We were discussing the fitness industry in general, and he asked me, “Who is your market?” This is from a man who has sold to more than 12 million customers. I responded, “Women, ages 18 to 50.” He then asked, “Do you know who my market is?” He paused for a second, and then said, “Everyone!”

Think about that answer for a second. Everyone. Do you want calls from people who are interested only in fitness kickboxing or from everyone? Everyone wants the results of fitness kickboxing. It’s all about results. When you can convince the market that your program is safe, anyone can do it and you will help people lose weight and be in better shape, then they will call you.

You may think, “All of my fitness ads present the benefits.” If your ad reads, “Lose Weight with Fitness Kickboxing,” and includes a photo of a very fit woman throwing a high round kick on a heavy bag, then you are fighting your message. People who wants to lose weight will look at that photo and think, “I can’t do that.” Now, you’ll only receive responses from the people who want or think they can do kickboxing.

The photo tells the story to potential clients. If the person in the photo is performing a move, such as kicking, that looks like one must already be in shape to duplicate, then the people who really need you will not call. Many overweight people, who are more than capable of taking your course, won’t call because they believe they can’t kick. Everyone wants to look and feel better, but not everyone thinks they can do martial arts or fitness kickboxing.

Another challenge is that you don’t know what people think when they read or hear the words, “fitness kickboxing.” If someone were to say, “step aerobics” or “swimming,” then you would have a very clear picture in your mind that those are defined activities. Fitness kickboxing is not. People have so many different ideas about fitness kickboxing. One person may think of a rhythmic, Tae-Bo type of class. Someone else may think you hit and are hit. Another person may think of hitting a heavy bag.

How does your program fit the original question? Does the adult fitness market perceive you as a martial arts program, a fitness kickboxing program or a place to lose weight and be in shape?

Seminole, Florida’s Jim Graden is internationally recognized as a martial arts fitness pioneer. Jim is the founder of The Ultimate Bodyshaping Course (UBC) and UBC for Kids. He can be contacted through NAPMA.com.