3 Ways Pinterest Works For Martial Arts Schools

Pinterest, if you have not already heard, is the latest social media site making waves in the business world. As described on Daily Finance...

The much-buzzed-about social networking site functions as a digital cork-board where people can manage theme-based image collections, categorized by interests and hobbies. Users "pin" pictures to concept-specific boards to create a hodge-podge of ideas and collective creativity.

....there are all kinds of money-saving and life-hacking sites out there, but none offer quite the same blend of appealing eye candy and infectious social influence as Pinterest.

For a Martial Arts school, you may think Pinterest is a waste of time. You already post your pics on facebook, what more do you need to do on Pinterest, right? Not quite.

Pinterest is its own social networking vehicle, and therefore has its own community, guidelines, and etiquette to leverage. Here are 3 simple, quick & easy ways to leverage Pinterest to grow your Martial Arts brand.

1. Create a Resource Center

Every Martial Arts student has equipment they need to train. Everything from mouthpieces, to kimonos, to pads, to Under Armor shirts. As a school owner, you probably have the most experience with these products since they are used in your school. When a new student signs up, they are going need some of this equipment. That's where Pinterest comes in.

Whether you sell your own merchandise, or recommend certain brands, Pinterest can help create an organized resource center for your school. All you need to do is create a board (or multiple boards) for your school, and pin pictures and links to the equipment you sell, use, and recommend. As Icontact mentions in their blog...

Businesses that have products or services that can easily be translated into sleek images that are unique and aesthetically appealing, will be the most successful on Pinterest. As businesses post images that relate to their followers, their content is being republished (“pinned”) on individual member boards, to be shared with all of their followers who are also interested in that particular subject matter.

The most relevant photos are the ones shared the most, and with the ability to click-through to additional content, this positions Pinterest to be a major player in regards to traffic generation for online marketers.

Even better, after you start the board, be sure to add your students on as 'pinners'. This means they can also pin the stuff they use and recommend as well. Now when a new student comes in, and asks the inevitable question of where he can get equipment, you have a thriving resource center ready and waiting.

2. Inspiration Board

One of the most enticing features of Pinterest is it's inspiring visuals. If you use Facebook at all, I'm sure you have seen inspiring poster like pics with quotes, just like this one.

They go 'viral' by being shared with friend after friend who feels at least a little inspired when they see it. What I have been doing is taking those type of pics, and pinning them on a board titled 'Inspiration'. As I said before, add your students and staff on as pinners, and encourage them to create the most inspirational board for your school.

One way to increase student participation is to make a contest out of it. See which student can get the most 'repins' on his inspirational pic and reward them with a special prize.

3. Share & Learn

Pinterest is a great community to network with other Martial Artist Schools around the world. As Econsultany points out, a great strategy is to follow comparable brands.

Pinterest is essentially a site where users endorse and recommend images or products they have found, and also where they go to look for inspiration...

...brands should be following other Pinterest users with similar interests, which will not only help them build a bigger community but also give ideas and inspiration for new content.

By spending about 15 minutes a day, you could easily follow and find tons of other Martial Arts products, ideas, and tools to help propel your brand to the next level.

Start by Following Our Lead...

If you are trying to get started on Pinterest, follow our Dojo Muscle board for Martial Arts enthusiasts. We have a great mix of inspirational content, tips, strategies, and equipment to repin. If anything, you can at least get a good visual of what an active board looks like.

Good luck pinning!