Stellar Reputation

By Rhee Gold 

What your clients say about you can mean success or failure for your school.

Reputation—why is it so important? We, and our schools, are what people perceive us to be. What we say, and more importantly, what we do influences those opinions and has a significant impact on our success. Simply put, pleasing your clientele can mean success rather than failure for your business.

Dance schools are community-based businesses, and people in those communities interact and share information every day. For that reason, word of mouth should be a primary concern for any dance school owner. Do people get excited when they talk about your school, or do they grumble when someone brings up the topic of dance lessons? Do former students and their parents rave about how much they enjoyed their time at your school, or do they comment on how nasty you were when they left it and vow never to recommend you to anyone?

One of the biggest mistakes school owners can make in terms of their reputation is becoming too elite for the community they serve. By that I mean they seem intimidating to the average parent or student who doesn’t know much about dance and simply wants to try it out. They’re not going to do that at a school that is too professional or competitive; instead they’ll go to the place that is easy to understand and isn’t trying to be the most professional school in town.

Another common problem is hiring faculty or other employees who don’t share your philosophy. That discord means that you’re always going to be fighting a losing battle, even if all of you have the right intentions. Surround yourself with people who share your passion and values and who will work with you to generate positive word of mouth.

Participating in gossip is a big problem. Whether it’s about students, employees, fellow teachers, or the school up the street, teachers who talk negatively about others lose respect—even from those they gossip with. Be the leader who’s so focused on your own success and responsibilities that you don’t have time to gossip with or about anyone. One of the most tempting situations is when parents or students who are new to your school badmouth their old school. As soon as they bring it up, say something like, “Oh, I respect Mary Jane and her school, so I would never get involved in negative talk about her, and you won’t hear anything like that here. I’m sorry you weren’t pleased at her school, but I’m sure you will find a nice home here.” Yes, you say that even if you truly don’t like Mary Jane and her teaching practices! If you end the badmouthing right away, chances are those people will never bring it up to you again. And chances are they won’t gossip about you when they move on to another school, but that’s no guarantee!

Students who leave your school, for whatever reason, can have a big impact on your reputation. Many teachers take it hard when a student decides to leave. They consider it an insult and sever their relationship with the student in a negative way. When a parent and student are burned by such an experience, word spreads fast. If you’ve ever lost a student (and what teacher hasn’t?), you know that feeling hurt is understandable; a lot of emotions are involved, especially when the student has been with you for many years. You get attached to the children as you watch them grow; sometimes they may even have come to you for advice. Some you’ve gone above and beyond the call of duty for, and others you love just because they’re your kids. Still, you have to remind yourself that you are a pro. It’s easier to handle such departures if you understand that having students leave their school is a part of every teacher’s life. Tell them how much you’ll miss them and that your door is always open. Wish them the best, no matter how insulted you are. Then go home and have a nice glass of wine!

Keep in mind that not all schools are created equal. Some can train a better dancer or guide certain students into professional careers with more success, and others simply teach the recreational dancer who wants a once-aweek class. Then there are those that offer both. Students often move on because they are seeking something different from what you have to offer; it could be less of a commitment or a more intense program. The fact is that less than 1 percent of dance students will go on to professional careers. In most cases the parents of children who have never danced are looking only for a weekly class, and the school that offers what they’re looking for makes the sale, regardless of the quality of the training.

Still, all teachers have something to offer. Know who you are and what your niche is. For example, my priority is to see that every child experiences dance. That means that some children will take lessons at a better school than another. Just like there are excellent math teachers and those who aren’t so good, some dance teachers are better than others. But a child might love the not-so-good teacher and actually do better with her than with the better teacher because of the connection she feels. Ideally, dance teachers who find that they can’t meet some students’ needs will encourage them to move on to stronger training.

Three other aspects of your school play key roles in your reputation. The first is the element of personal touch. As your school grows, don’t lose sight of how important your relationships with your clients are. Know who they are and what’s important to them, communicate with them, and always let them see you behaving under control, smiling and with a passion for what you do.

Next is maintaining a professional presentation at all times, in everything you do and everything that represents your school. All literature, including brochures, ads, newsletters, websites, and so on, should convey the professional image you want to offer to your community. That goes for all schools, both big and small.

Last, don’t forget to be inclusive. Unless you operate a school that’s strictly geared to ballet or intensive study, portraying it as a place where everyone can dance is important. Make a point of welcoming the recreational and preschool children; in most cases they provide a school’s financial backbone. When these two populations are ignored or made to feel less important, then the business suffers.

Put all these ingredients together and you’ll have a recipe for a great reputation. And with positive word of mouth making its way around your community, you’ll be brewing your own success.