All businesses share similar methods for expanding customer/client numbers, but dance studios can have some tricks up their sleeves to suit their students.

Think of ‘marketing’ as an umbrella term. It relates to anything you do to find new students, from studio management to advertising. It’s most effective when it forms a large chunk of your business plan. Don’t have a business plan? Set yourself up for success by learning more about opening a dance studio.

A good way to find new students for your dance studio is by breaking up your marketing into two areas:

1. Traditional (aka ‘old school)
2. Digital (new age / social / AI / robots and beyond!)

Remember ‘marketing’ means more than just advertising. It relates to how you run every aspect of your business. Knowing this will shape how you manage your studio and help you get students cartwheeling into your sessions!

Benefit from traditional marketing tools

Traditional marketing usually refers to how you run your dance studio and what things you can do to build your presence in the community. 

Focus on your strengths

Your strengths may just be your great location and inspiring studio environment, or it might be what you specialise in as a teacher and your techniques for instruction. 

Be loud about these strengths, sometimes known as ‘Unique Selling Points’, so you stand above the crowd. 

Get into the community

Organise recitals, public performances during balmy summer evenings, competitions and even sponsor small community events. Aim to become a known local community member. 

Playing a role in creating a great place to live for others will help your business attract new students. 

Invest in local advertising

Older types of advertising often have more value for dance studios, as they speak to the local community. This can include the local newspaper or newsletter, library newsletters, or any other local creative projects you can get involved with and advertise/sponsor through.

Drop around flyers

Drop flyers off to both businesses and households. This will help you find students closest to you, who will have the fewest obstacles in joining your studio (i.e. distance). Keep your flyers simple and your messaging clear. Oh, and remember to stretch before heading out!

Offer discounts and trials to new students

Discounts and free lessons are a tried-and-tested way to show people what you have to offer. Remember to sign people up with their email address so you can check in with them after their trial. You can set this up to be an automatic process with your integrated software.

Find new ways to reach people with digital marketing

Digital marketing is a passive way to find students for your dance studio. Once you have your messaging, branding and digital processes set up, you can focus on creating a great experience for your students. 

Create a useful and inspiring website

A good website isn’t just pretty, it needs to be effective. 

Your content design (visual design, copywriting, website structure) will give potential students easy pathways to follow when considering your dance studio. 

Integrated software solutions will allow you to manage your digital marketing, such as automated newsletters and emails (e.g. follow-ups for trial students), and manage your prospective students. This can be integrated with your website to make signups easier for new students.

Build a community with social media

As a business, and especially as a dance studio, your social media can be so much more than just a performance-based task. It’s not about showing off who you are but building a community of passionate people around you. 

Social media strategies can be a tough thing to get a handle on. Understanding this basic need to build communities through ongoing online conversations and engaging content will get you started the right way.

Make yourself discoverable

There are some easy things you can to do make yourself more discoverable online:

1. Ask current/past students to leave you Google reviews.
2. Register as a business with Google and other search engines. Check you’re visible on Google Maps. 
3. Talk to an SEO copywriter/agency about making sure your website can be found on search engines.
4. List yourself on any relevant online directories. 
5. Invest in online advertising (e.g. Google, Facebook). 

Remember a well-run dance studio can only grow 

It’s simple, but an inviting and great experience for any new student will lead to more students. Smooth check-in processes in your dance studio, easy scheduling, friendly tuition and classes – a seamless experience for your customers is the most important way to find new students.