3 Ways to Sell More Retail at Your Martial Arts School

From uniforms and belts to gloves and bags, your martial arts school offers retail products that help students reach their training goals and represent your brand doing so.  

Selling merchandise can be a powerful, additional revenue stream for your business, too—but it may take a bit of extra effort and creativity to make it happen. 

So how can you promote your retail section, turn window-shoppers into repeat customers, and see results in your martial arts software?  

Here are three simple ideas to boost your retail sales stat: 

1. Get clients excited to shop with social media

Social media is a no-brainer for marketing your training as well as the products you sell. But instead of simply posting photos of your products, why not get your students involved and teach them why each product is worth trying? Here's how: 

Share the "why" behind the product. An educated customer is your best customer, which is why sharing the benefits of your product offering across your blog, email marketing, and social media is so important.  

Go live on Facebook and Instagram or create a series of posts or Stories highlighting your individual products, their price points, and why they're valuable. Your students trust you and your instructors’ expertise; if they know why you're selling a specific brand, supplement, or post-training snack, they're more likely to make a purchase.  

Not sure what to sell? Start with your favorites. It'll be easy to pitch the products, and your students are probably already asking you for your recommendations during and after class. 

Ask for their opinion. Use Instagram Stories to gather feedback from your community.  

Designing new branded apparel? Use the Instagram Poll sticker to see which styles and colors they prefer.  

Stocking post-class snacks? Use the Question sticker to ask which on-the-go option they'd love to see on your dojo’s shelves.  

Bringing students into the decision-making process provides meaningful insight for you, confirms you value their opinions, and gets them excited about current and upcoming products. 

2. Create gift packages or grab bags

The perfect gift for holidays, birthdays, graduations, or just because, curated gift packages that include multiple products are an easy option for students looking to give (or get). Plus, selling in bundles helps you boost sales and sell multiple products with each purchase. 

When creating gift packages, get creative; pair branded swag with protein powder or supplements, gloves with a gift certificate, or fill a bag with accessories and healthy snacks. You may also consider theming your gift packages for specific holidays like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or Christmas, and package them accordingly.  

Regardless, product bundles give recipients the opportunity to try products they haven't used before, which in turn, may lead to future sales when they're ready to restock. 

Looking to clear out inventory quickly? Create a limited number of mystery grab bags including an assortment of products at a discount. We have a feeling your students won't be able to resist the surprise. 

3. Brand the essentials

Although larger purchases like footwear, gloves, and apparel are items worth stocking, don't forget about the essentials students need to make their time in class more effective—and comfortable. Deodorant, head bands, water bottles, and individual snacks, albeit small sales, can really rack up over time. Plus, it's easy to brand these items to make them even more fun for students to buy and represent your school, again and again. And they’re much easier for you to store!