As a dance studio owner, you’re creative and passionate. These skills transfer readily to getting the word out about your dance studio with marketing. Even better, today there are many fun and authentic ways to do this while staying within a minimal budget. They range from solutions for tech-savvy studios to those who want to focus on community-level engagement. The shift from direct mail marketing has moved towards more social media marketing and can be easily mastered by dance studio owners. Here are ten dance studio marketing ideas that are easy, effective, and affordable. All they need is your own creative touch!
1. Host An Open House
Let potential students see what your dance studio is all about, free of charge. Try and get this on local listings to get the most outreach. An open house allows people to meet your teachers, see the space, and get answers to all of their important questions. Consider posting studio tours as Youtube videos so they can be easily accessible even after the tour, and if you don’t have a YouTube channel, go ahead and set one up.
Hold several different types of shortened dance classes throughout the event so people can see each one. Let them join in on the fun and try a few moves! Consider offering special perks or discounts for students who sign up for classes before they leave the event. This is engaging for more students to join your dance team and informative for the dance family as well.
You can advertise ahead of your open house by posting in the newspaper, adding the event on social media, and sending out postcards to neighborhoods around your studio. Ask other related businesses to spread the word for you as well. Even getting the word in at charity events or in local Facebook groups and Google listing will work.
2. Find Bulletin Boards
Once you’re looking for them, you’ll see there are bulletin boards everywhere. Check your local coffee shops, lunch spots, schools, gyms, and daycares for a free communal place to hang your flyer to find your students. This can also incorporate the link to your Google business page and social media accounts to open multiple avenues to showcase your dance studio.
This can be a generic advertisement for your dance studio or perhaps an advertisement for an upcoming event. You never know who may be looking! Marketing efforts that mention free classes, your studio brand, and testimonials from existing dancers can couple with paid ads and social media posts to put your dance studio on the radar of your local community.
3. Use Social Media
Social media channels are an incredible marketing tool. It doesn’t cost anything to create a profile on a social media platform and begin sharing content. Your social media presence is key to generate prospective students. Use tools like Facebook Live and Instagram Stories to give your followers a “sneak peek” into your classes and give you a broader audience. You can also create videos for each of your teachers.
Let them introduce themselves and discuss what a typical day in their class looks like. Sign ups will soar with your community members feeling comfortable to take a free trial class and encourage students to look at your dance studio rather than other dance studios. Having a studio Facebook page to show new students and connect your dance family is a great way to have a successful dance studio.
Willing to spend a little cash for a boost? Ads on Instagram and a Facebook page can go a long way towards reaching new students in your area, but you don’t have to spend a lot. As little as $25 per week could make a difference in getting your page in front of the right audience by using search engine optimization (SEO) strategies. A strong social media presence is a good way to get more website traffic and get in front of your target audience.
A mix of popular social media platforms will give your own dance studio a better likelihood of attracting prospective students and more sign ups. Organic social media posts will also help your dance studio, especially if they target potential students
4. Get Creative With Special Events at Dance Studios
Hosting unique events will help your studio get the attention it deserves. Offering online registration and having a high quality studio coupled with paid advertising and website traffic will help you become the best dance studio in town.
Consider a ballet show under the stars during the warm summer months, holiday-themed shows, or routines to contemporary favorites. Shows like these will attract people from all over your community, which can boost visibility and bring in new students. Local groups will enjoy specialty shows and appreciate the difference between your dance studio and other dance studios.
5. Target Specific Audiences
There are several specific groups of prospective students who are looking for classes that are tailored to them. For example, consider hosting classes for individuals with special needs, those with limited mobility or chronic health conditions, pregnant women, and babies or toddlers (think “mommy/daddy and me” classes). Potential students will likely enjoy the vast selection of classes offered, especially if other local schools do not incorporate those kinds of dance classes.
Open your studio up to a whole new group of people by putting on classes like these, even if it’s just once a month. This offers an outlet that is rewarding for the individuals who take your classes, their families, and the community, especially if you offer a free class as an introduction to your dance studio for new students.
6. Partner With Other Local Businesses
Build your network within the community by partnering with other local businesses. Dance supply stores and costume shops are often a natural fit, but don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Wellness spas, healthy local grocery stores, music stores, or your local symphony may all be a good fit. These marketing efforts can be very beneficial to each business. Mentioning free classes offered to prospective students is a good way to attract your target audience to your dance studios.
Help each other by placing postcards or flyers at your checkout areas or offering “free class” specials for customers.
You can also find businesses that are interested in teaming up for special events. Outdoor shopping centers or large breweries for example are great for this type of marketing. Offer to hold a free dance class in a large communal area of the center. You’ll benefit from advertisements for the event and they capitalize on people spending time (and potentially money) at their location.
7. Volunteer In Your Community
Increasing visibility in your community is one of the best ways to get your name out there. Is there a family-friendly event coming up at your local park? Perhaps the farmer’s market needs volunteers to help set up? This is a perfect opportunity to get some dance studio marketing worked into the local community easily. Using social media and local businesses to help advertise your dance studio is a good way to have some dance studio marketing ideas that are free of cost.
Get out there and volunteer wherever you can. Wear clothing with your dance studio logo and bring plenty of business cards with you! People love to see business owners who care about being involved around town. These are easy marketing efforts that will easily get your studio’s name out to the target audience in the community.
8. Build A Solid Email List
Be sure to create a targeted email list comprised of current, past, and potential students. Studio marketing can be successful when you include every type of student in your dance studio marketing ideas. Having special emails for new students and good information for them is a good way to get them to join your dance studio.
Try not to overdo it with your messages (no one likes email spam). Weekly or monthly emails generally work best.
Keep your contacts in the loop about exciting changes to your lineup of classes or upcoming events, especially free class offerings. Consider including special deals or discounts from time to time, like a sale on dance shoes, bonus dance classes, or other promotions. This will keep people interested in opening the emails you send.
Link your social media channels in the emails if possible, to encourage more students to check out your social media platform and google business page if they are easily accessed. Mention any special dance class that is coming up and ensure you have all contact information easily visible. Make sure customers can easily find the address of the dance studio, its social media links, and any other necessary contact information, including your hours of operation.
9. Ask For Online Reviews
If you’re running a successful studio, you clearly have some happy dance students! Don’t be afraid to ask them to review your business online.
Yelp and Google are two of the most popular places people go to research local businesses and see what other people are saying. This will help you continue to grow and improve your studio as people hear how great your studio is! Marketing campaigns are very helpful, but reviews are a testament to your dance studio’s brand and business management, especially if they are glowing.
10. Automate Your Tasks With Dance Studio Software
Determining how much, whether, and when to invest in marketing ideas and campaigns to promote your dance studio can be challenging. Fortunately, the right dance studio software can automate marketing tasks for you, so you can focus on running your studio. Dance studio management software like ours saves money, energy, and valuable teaching time for dance studio owners and teachers. This will also level up your technology from other dance schools and make both students and teachers have an easier accessibility to your dance studio.
Let The Studio Director do the heavy lifting when it comes to your marketing efforts. Efficiently schedule emails crafted for new students, special promotions, and even birthday greetings. You’ll also have access to new dance studio marketing ideas like email templates. This will set you apart from many dance studios, since you will have professional marketing ideas available to promote your dance studio.
See which ones are working each month with communication reports, such as send and open data from your campaigns. Between direct mail advertisements, social media marketing, and thorough information available on your dance studio, you will stand out from the competition.
Beyond dance studio marketing ideas, The Studio Director can help you keep track of enrollment, billing, and much more. Contact us to learn more or start your free trial today!
