Marketing For Dance Instructors
Most people teach dance because they love to dance. Sounds simple, but running a business in today’s highly competitive markets takes a great deal of marketing savvy, not just dance talent. Word of mouth has long been a dance schools greatest marketing tool. If you teach well they will come…. Or will they?
Dance schools compete with more than just other dance schools; they compete with gymnastics, piano, cheerleading, Scouts, 4-H, cooking classes, soccer, basketball and a host of other activities. Parents are taking the time to research, online and off-line. They are selectively picking activities to keep their children engaged and well rounded.
Hard as it is to believe, not every mom took a ballet class when she was young. Parents who were never exposed to dance in their youth may not be fully aware of the benefits of dance. You need to market to parents who were not dancers themselves. They may not know the difference between a leotard and tights, but they certainly want their children to gain poise and confidence in public performance. Play to the long term benefits of dance in your acquisition marketing. Tell the parents how learning to dance will help children grow as professionals or become stronger competitive athletes.
Parents are looking for programs that are easy to work with. They need a solid schedule, easy to understand payment terms and convenient shopping for dance supplies. If you don’t stock supplies, at least provide catalogs or websites that they can use to shop while in the waiting room. If you have Internet access, consider setting up a kiosk for easy ordering. Many programs such as Discount Dance Supply or Curtain Call for Class let you set up a Studio shopping list so you can dictate what students wear in your classroom and help parents buy the right items the first time.
A strong online presence is essential for dance schools today. A quick online search often yields poor results for dance instruction locally. Parents trying to find dance classes in the area often turn to online searches, especially if they are new to an area. Make sure your dance school is listed in the local phone directories, chamber of commerce, and school links and don’t forget to register your school with national online dance directories (National Dance Association and Voice of Dance) too.
Create a website for your studio. Even if it is just a simple informational page it’s better than nothing at all. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to get online; many national or local website developers such as Identity Developments can assist you.
Strengthen your relationship with your local elementary schools. Make sure the principal and the teachers are aware of your program. Invite them to recitals and visitors day, so they can see first hand how your students are learning. Many teachers are surprised to see a “different child” in the dance studio versus what they see in the traditional classroom. These school officials can be a big asset in passing your information to new parents or in suggesting after school programming. Provide a Teacher to Teacher discount to get the teacher’s children in your program.
Find outlets for your dancers in the local community. It doesn’t have to be a recital. Dance at the local festivals, school events, football games, parades and concerts in the park. Bring dance to community and they will bring dancers to you. I know this can seem like a lot of extra work, but the marketing impact is well worth it. Pick a couple of your favorite classes and develop a list of events the parents can help organize for you.
Open your idea of the ideal target market; go after the aunts, uncles and grandparents! Grandparents who see a performance at a community event will become aware of your studio offerings encourage their grandchildren to take classes. They can give the class tuition as a birthday or holiday gift with gift certificates if you have them available.