Now that I’ve gotten your attention, let’s talk about uniforms and how you may be wasting a valuable advertising opportunity. Traditionally, the gi was NOT just a uniform only worn in a martial arts class. They were originally just the regular clothes that the students wore right off the street. An added belt, patch, or artwork was what transformed them into a “uniform” for the students, if there were any identifiers at all.
Today many schools still dress their students in a style of uniform dating back hundreds of years and oceans away. That’s understandable. The uniforms are a way of honoring a tradition as well as connecting the students to each other and to the past.
Plus, gi’s are just plain cool; I have a closet full of them from several styles of martial arts. However, all of my uniforms have one thing in common: they are not appropriate to wear outside of the dojo.
So what’s wrong with that? Nothing really, except that it may be a waste of a perfectly good marketing and revenue opportunity for your school.
As you know, many schools go to great lengths to emblazon their student uniforms, or “gi’s”, with their school’s name, insignia’s, logos, style, student’s rank, affiliation, address, phone number, website, “Black Belt Club” and more. Why? The students already know what school they go to and they usually only wear the uniforms IN CLASS. It’s a waste of advertising.
What’s the solution?
Well, obviously there’s the infamous “school t-shirt”. This is usually sold in addition to the school uniform. It can generate a good amount of revenue itself and, unlike the gi, advertise the school OUTSIDE of the dojo as a part of the students’ casual wear.
It’s advertising that your students will actually pay you for.
The idea of school T-shirts has been so successful that many schools just use a shirt as part of the official uniform. As an added bonus, wearing the same shirt for 2-3 classes a week, usually means that the students will buy more than 1 shirt; sometimes 3 or more. That translates into more profit for the school and more of a likelihood that the students will wear the shirt outside of the dojo and, therefore, become a walking billboard for their chosen school.
But, why stop there?
Krav Maga schools, for instance, use t-shirts and stylish workout pants AS their official uniform. They can be worn on the way to the gym, as well as during class, and even just around town. This versatility means that the students do not have to change before and/or after class and they can continue to wear their Krav gear even if they are no longer students.
They took it several steps forward by putting their logo on shorts, gloves, hand wraps, gym bags, punching mitts and pads, keychains, stickers, and more. They even offer a line of clothing and colors specifically tailored for women and children.
I am not saying that you need an entire school clothing line, but I want you to think about something. Think about the huge amount of money that martial arts enthusiasts spend on clothing promoting their favorite style, brand, or fighter.
How many shirts alone feature designs promoting The UFC, The Gracies, Krav Maga, or Bruce Lee? Several MMA fighters make more of a living from their clothing lines than their fights and sponsorships. The “Tapout” brand and logo can be seen just about everywhere and the company is raking in millions.
This just goes to show that people have no problem spending their money to promote the group they want to be identified with. Your students want to identify with you. They want to promote you. Let them. Give them every opportunity. Start small. If you don’t have school shirts, get some made this week.
If you already have shirts, try jackets, workout/jogging pants or shorts. Make them part of your official uniform or as an “optional” uniform they can wear in class. If they are stylish and casual enough to wear in public, they are more likely to be worn as free “walking billboards” for your dojo.
It’s better than “free”, since your students will have paid you for the privilege.
©Copyright 2008 -Larry D. Escher
February 15, 2008 at 5:08 pm |
[...] School T-Shirts! After my last article, Your Students Might as Well Be Naked, I decided to do a companion piece to explain how easy it is to get custom t-shirts for your school [...]