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Early Bird
Marketing
By Rhee Gold
Planning your fall marketing in the spring means peace of
mind--and maybe more students
If you’re
like many school owners, you wait until the last minute to
market the new school season. Often those who reopen their
schools in August or September start to think about marketing,
brochures, and ads about a month beforehand. But consider
this—if you start preparing next season’s marketing plan in
the spring, there’s much less pressure and more time to change
or update it as ideas come to mind. You’ll hit the ground
running when you’re busy with all the other school
preparations, and you’ll still be able to have a slower paced
(or even relaxing!) summer break.
Prepare for Your Marketing Needs All Season Long
One way to
get a jumpstart on marketing materials is to take photos of
all your classes, especially the preschool and recreational
dancers. Have a digital camera handy at the studio for those
good photo opportunities, or pick a handful of classes to
photograph over the course of a month and write those dates on
the calendar. It’s much easier to have the office manager or
bookkeeper remind you that today’s the day to take pictures of
your 3:15 class than to think of picking up the camera while
you’re engrossed in teaching.
You should
also regularly gather testimonials from your current
clientele. Have a folder next to your computer (or a virtual
one on your hard drive) so that when you get a complimentary
email, you can quickly print and file it. Keep another folder
at the desk where the mail is opened so that you can do the
same with “snail mail” kudos. You can even send out a “How are
we doing?” survey with a place for additional comments,
including a question that solicits positive feedback, like
“What is your favorite thing about your child’s dance
experience?” Stash copies of these returned surveys in the
testimonials folder. Then, when you’re ready to update your
brochure or website, you’ve got a fistful of material to work
with.
The School Brochure
As spring
approaches, take a hard look at your current brochure; decide
how it needs improvement and what you really like. Don’t worry
about blocking out a huge amount of time during the busy
recital season; instead, keep a copy of your brochure next to
your favorite chair at home or on your kitchen counter. While
you’re waiting for the water to boil or the coffee to finish
brewing, pick it up and ponder the impression it makes—what
you like, what you see first, what you don’t like, what didn’t
turn out the way you’d intended. Ask yourself these questions
as you review your brochure:
Am I
appealing to my market—parents of 4- to 12-year-old children
(who may expect nothing more than a once-a-week dance class
and an end-of-the-year recital)?
Does it
make my school seem like a fun place for every child, whether
they’re once-a week dancers or hoping to be a part of the
intensive program?
Does it
emphasize the intensive programs too much, giving the
impression that the school is not a neighborhood sort of place
but more of a competitive or serious training school?
Does it
look professional rather than homemade?
Is it
easy for prospective clients to gain a good understanding of
what dance lessons can offer their child and the options,
costs, and commitments associated with your program?
Is it a
cut above the other dance school brochures in your community?
Are you
proud of your brochure, or is it merely status quo?
As you
mentally respond to these questions, make quick notations on
Post-it notes and stick them right to the brochure. If you do
that for a week or two, you’ll be ready to go when it’s time
to actually update it, and you’ll have a mental picture of
what you’d like it to look like.
Gather
fresh new concepts by collecting brochures from other
children’s programs in your community, such as karate,
preschools, or music lessons. You can also look at college or
continuing education brochures. All will offer you new
perspectives and inspiration. I don’t recommend referring to
brochures from other dance schools because your goal is to be
different.
In your
collection of brochures, highlight anything that catches your
eye that might be geared to the message or structure you
envision for your brochure. Look at color options, white
space, and graphics, and how they’re utilized. Note which
font styles or sizes, headings, or words draw your attention.
Even if you like whole sentences or paragraphs, don’t copy
them word for word—rewrite them to fit your needs and your
school’s personality.
At this
point you have begun to create what I refer to as the “shell”
of your brochure. It doesn’t include information such as class
schedules and tuition costs; those are drop-in pages (see
below) that you insert into the brochure to meet the needs of
the person requesting information.
Next,
gather all your information, pictures, examples, and client
testimonials and start to create text and layout ideas. Show
the text to your associates for proofreading and suggestions.
Once you think your text and layout are ready, let the
brochure sit for a week, then go back over it to be sure
you’re satisfied. Some ideas to include in the brochure shell
are:
-
the
school’s philosophy or mission statement,
-
a history
of the school,
-
curriculum descriptions,
-
a
personal invitation from the school owner,
-
faculty
bios,
-
facility
photos, and
-
photos of
happy dancers of all ages.
Create a
fantastic shell that you’re proud of, then use it for several
years, updating the dropins that are tucked inside the shell
(class schedules and other season-specific information). One
huge advantage to using the same shell for several years is
that the per-piece printing expense is considerably less
expensive for larger print orders.
Drop-ins,
those extra pages that you insert into your brochure, can
include more than rates and class schedules. They can also
address the specific needs of prospective clients. For
example, in the brochure you send to a parent who asks about
classes for her 4-year-old, you might include a sheet that
talks about the benefits of dance training for preschool-age
children. If someone expresses interest in your competitive
or intensive programs for an older child, you could insert a
page that describes the history, policies, and commitments of
the program. Identify the various sectors of your school and
create drop-in sheets specific to them.
Rather than
waiting until summer or the beginning of the school year when
you’re busy with other obligations, print your brochures in
late April or early May. Order a quantity sufficient to allow
you to distribute them at your year-end performances or
recitals. Then, in the spring and over the summer, send some
to local real estate firms to distribute to new families with
children who are moving into your community, and to all the
elementary schools (public and private), preschools, and
summer camps in your area. Network with other childrelated
businesses in your community to share mailing lists or
distribute each other’s brochures.
By
preparing your brochure in the spring, you’ll be ready when
people call for information about your school. No longer will
you have to say, “Our brochures aren’t printed yet, but we’ll
send you one as soon as they are ready.” More than likely,
potential clients won’t wait to hear from you; they will call
other schools until they get the information they need.
Newspaper Advertising
Newspaper
ads are the most common form of marketing a new season of
dance. They are not cheap, so be sure you’re getting the
return you need. Always ask new inquirers at your studio how
they heard of you or what prompted them to call.
My
philosophy about advertising is that it’s better to run many
smaller ads over a period of weeks rather than to run
full-page ads two or three times. According to many marketing
experts, readers must see your logo or ad up to 13 times
before it subliminally registers in their mind. Consequently,
I would run two-inchsquare ads three times per week, over a
series of weeks. (If I open my school the day after Labor Day,
those ads might start running in late July.)
When
looking for inspiration for your ads, go to the best—scan
national publications that are not necessarily related to
dance but which will offer you ideas created by the world’s
best marketing agencies. Clip the ads that catch your eye,
save them in a folder, and browse through them for
inspiration.
In terms of
content, focus not on your professional credits nor on how
many awards your school has won but on the parents of 4- to
12-year-old children. Tear at their heartstrings. For example:
You’ll
notice how simple this ad is. It’s uncluttered, easy to read,
and doesn’t brag about being the most professional school in
town. Its message is “Dance can make a difference in your
child’s life.”
Make your
ads successful by avoiding some common errors:
-
Too much
clutter. Whether it’s text or graphics, the ad that has too
much going on confuses the reader and doesn’t send one
simple message.
-
Including
pictures of only the award-winning students can alienate the
average parent who knows nothing about competing and has no
immediate plans for their child to be involved in it. The
only students you will attract with these ads are those who
have been training somewhere else. Remember, if they aren’t
loyal to their first teacher, they’re certainly not going to
be loyal to you. Your goal should be to attract the parents
of 4-year-old students who will spend the next 10 to 15
years at your school.
-
Focusing
on another school’s negative aspects. When you spread
negativity about dance training you contribute to a negative
view of dance training altogether. It helps no one. In fact,
that negative impression may help the reader decide to send
their child to karate instead of dance. Forget about what
others are doing and sell the benefits of your school.
School Website
It used to
be that a website was a bonus in terms of studio marketing;
now, not having one is a definite disadvantage. It’s a must
for any marketing strategy. Explore your options—you might be
able to create a site (or have someone create one for you)
through your email service, or a parent in your studio might
be able to help you set one up through a local provider.
However you do it, be sure that your school has some kind of
Internet presence.
Many of the
ideas for brochures apply to websites as well. Include
pictures of happy, excited dancers, your mission statement,
faculty bios, and a personal invitation from you to potential
new customers. Browse through the websites of other
child-related services in your town. Go through the same steps
and the same thought process in creating a website as you did
for a brochure.
The two
most important aspects of websites are:
-
having
complete contact information easily accessible (mailing
address, location if different from mailing address, phone,
fax, email), and
-
keeping
any time-sensitive information up-to-date. If the website
includes dates that have already passed or last term’s class
schedule, it immediately becomes obsolete and people won’t
pay a return visit. If you can’t update it regularly, it’s
better to include only generic, timeless information. If you
do post time-sensitive information, make updating it a
priority, and don’t overestimate how much you can keep up
with.
The
advantage of a website is that information can be relayed as
it happens. You’ve changed your class schedule? The website
can immediately relay that info while your new drop-in pages
are at the printer’s. Inclement weather? A newly scheduled
open house? A competition win? Those events can be posted on
the website as soon as they happen. A website is literally a
living brochure and a wonderful opportunity to reveal your
studio’s true personality to anyone who wants to know.
National Dance Week
Take
advantage of the week in April that is meant to draw the
public’s attention to dance. Hold a “bring-a-friend” event in
your school, arrange a demonstration in the local mall, or go
to your local elementary schools and offer to read a few
age-appropriate dance-themed books to the K–2 set. You can
wear your studio Tshirt, give out little dance trinkets, and
bring in tap and pointe shoes for the children to see and
touch. Then leave a supply of studio brochures with the
teacher in case any of the parents ask about their children’s
experiences.
Pre-Registration
Start
pre-registration with your current students in April, offering
an incentive for those who register by a certain date.
Possible incentives include:
-
a
discounted “early bird” registration fee,
-
a free
studio T-shirt, • two complimentary recital tickets, or
-
an
additional class during the first month of lessons.
With most
of your current students pre-registered for the next season,
you will be able to create a tentative schedule of classes.
You’ll know where you stand financially as you enter a new
year and which classes or levels need extra marketing.
Over the Summer
In July:
Send a
newsletter to all previously enrolled students and those who
have inquired about your school. It can be mailed and
e-mailed.
Start to
run small ads in the newspaper. Always include your phone
number and website address so that the reader has a 24-hour
dedicated to quality dance education brochure to refer to.
Immediately
send brochures to those who request them.
Build
mailing and e-mail lists from the responses to the ads and
brochures you’ve placed in strategic places. (Hold the names
for three years.)
Send out
finalized class schedules to pre-registered students.
Send a
class schedule to former students who did not pre-register.
This will trigger them to call either to register or let you
know that they are not returning. If you don’t hear from them,
make a phone call.
In
August:
Send a
second newsletter. Keep everyone updated about the exciting
new season.
Start to
hold in-school registration and/or offer an open house or two.
When you present an open-house performance, include all
levels, from preschool on up. Don’t utilize only your most
talented dancers.
In
September:
Continue to
run small ads, but focus on the classes or age levels that
need to be filled.
During Registration:
Have
faculty members or other staff available to offer potential
clients a tour of the school.
Run last
season’s recital video in the school lobby.
Be sure
waiting area and studios are clean and create a positive first
impression.
Enhance
professionalism; allow only adults who can answer questions
competently, not children, behind the front desk.
Schedule
rehearsals or classes to run during registration so that
potential clients can see your school in action.
Offer a
gift bag for those who come in during registration, which
could include:
-
last
season’s recital program,
-
a current
brochure,
-
a school
handbook,
-
a short
tape or DVD featuring cuts of the last recital, and
-
a bumper
sticker, calendar, pen, or T-shirt with the studio name,
logo, and website on it. On the class schedule, list some
classes as “closed” or “waiting list only.” This creates a
sense of urgency in potential clients.
Devise
incentives for current clientele to recommend your school,
such as waiving the registration fee for students who have
encouraged a friend to register. Another option is to hold the
incentive until the end of the season (in case the recommended
student doesn’t last the season). At that point you could
waive the tuition for the last month of classes for the
student who brought in the new student.
Hopefully
by now I’ve convinced you not to wait until a month before
your school opens to think about your marketing. Break that
old habit of trying to get everything done at the last minute,
and forget sticking with the status quo, reproducing the same
marketing materials you’ve had for years. Dance one step ahead
and you’ll see a positive result.
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