Your visual identity is the feel and look that people perceive through your visual communication on all platforms. This means that you need consistency across all platforms from web to the uniforms your staff wears. Visual identity is a very broad topic but here are the few bullet points I find the most relevant for a Martial Arts School
CONSISTENCY
If you are inconsistent in your communication whether that is written content or visual content, you will not be credible to your audiences. Your school should have a clear identity and personality. Define it and stick to it. Your students and potential students should get a clear and consistent message through everything you do. That’s a flyer, you billing system, how you communicate, the uniforms, etiquette in class etc. And your visual identity should reflect that with use of color, logos, same edits throughout all visuals, use of fonts…
QUALITY
Much like the quality of your teaching, the quality of your visual content should be consistent throughout.
I am aware that you can’t book me to photograph each grading. So what I usually suggest to my clients is to book me in once a year to do the bulk of photos that you can use for all your platforms. I exclusively offer private tuition to my clients to teach you how to use your phones and cameras to take better photos throughout the year! The goal is to keep your quality up as much as possible “inbetween” so you don’t lose credibility due to a huge gap between amazing photos and crappy phone snaps.
OVERALL USE OF COLOR
Be aware of the meaning of colors. Pick your main color and maybe a secondary one and keep it at that. Use it in all your communication, be consistent and recognizable.
STYLE & SIZE OF FONTS
Many smaller academies make the mistake of using way too many fonts, styles, colors and design layouts. Create a basic layout for flyers and posters. Use the same two fonts for everything (one more creative one, one basic one) and try to keep the scale the same. Simple is often more! Ideally your website design, flyers, posters, social media all have common components that are unique to you and your school and that people recognize straight away
AUTHENTICITY
Make sure you have real content. Get inspired by others but make it your own. Use your own pictures.
VISUAL DYNAMICS 1 – YOUR COMPETITION IS NOT WHO YOU THINK IT IS
VISUAL DYNAMICS 2 – A PICTURE SAYS MORE THAN 60’000 WORDS
VISUAL DYNAMICS 3 – CONTROL YOUR VIEWER’S EMOTIONAL RESPONSE
VISUAL DYNAMICS 4 – IS YOUR CONTENT WORTH SHARING
VISUAL DYNAMICS 5 – KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
VISUAL DYNAMICS 6 – HOW STRONG IS YOUR VISUAL IDENTITY