Do you own a dance studio and you want it to be successful? If YES, here are 5 best practices for running a dance studio business.
Starting and managing a successful dance studio is indeed exciting, but it is also intimidating. Have it in mind that there so much is involved in transforming an empty lot into a successful dance studio, and it takes deliberate practice. Note that failure to consider certain requirements, design standards, and management practices can hinder the success of your studio.
It can make things very complicated, costly, and time-consuming. Have it in mind that being a dance studio owner or dance studio manager is not an easy task, but it can be rewarding when done right. Every day, you enjoy participating or watching people do something you love.
It takes sacrifice and extensive effort to keep your dance studio running successfully, especially after the recent pandemic, and there is no shame in asking for help or seeking extra knowledge to achieve the best possible result. If you’re a dance studio owner looking for tips and best business practices to ensure success, below are a few to consider.
Best Practices for Running a Dance Studio
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Position Your Dance Studio Against Competitors
Your community might not know you exist if you never advertise, and the best way to go about this is to highlight your unique offerings. What is it that makes your studio stand out from others in your community, and why are these unique offerings helpful to your clients?
Maybe you have a dance studio app that lets your students and staff to easily have access to information like class listings, teacher notes, and recorded lessons all in one place. Or you manage an old-school 80s-themed dance studio where every student dresses in leg warmers and fingerless gloves to class.
Regardless of the dance niche you choose to focus on, it is imperative to emphasize them in your marketing and publicity efforts. For instance, emphasize that because of your dance studio app, your students have easy access to information and can connect to your dance community better, even when taking remote classes.
Always remember there are numerous dance studios scattered around the United States, and maybe a handful in your area, so it is vital you advertise and present a convincing argument for why students will get more value by picking your dance studio over others.
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Hire And Train The Best Employees
No matter how much you love to dance or love the business of dancing, you won’t always be present in your studio. You will need days off, vacations, or sick days. It also means you are going to have to hire trustworthy people to work for you that are nearly as invested in the operation of your studio as you are.
Even when you have employees with the skill set, do not underestimate the importance of intensive training. Always have it in mind that employees are like an investment in your business’s future, and you need to have the greatest return on this investment by providing them with the essential tools and skills they need to be successful.
You should also consider putting together an employee handbook and orientation session to get all employees up-to-speed with your studio’s best practices and day-to-day operations.
Ensure to make available the right tools to teach effectively. Some industry tools can aid dance instructors to remain focused and organized and be more effective teachers. And indeed, once your instructors do their jobs well, it makes your job as the owner quite easier.
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Invest In Strategic Marketing Efforts
Managing a dance studio gives you the opportunity to get creative and watch your income go up dramatically. You should never be scared of investing money in marketing your studio to find new students. Ideally, life and business is all about spending money to make money —and dance studios are no exception. Here are a few marketing efforts to consider.
Social media: Consider using social media ads to boost your dance studio posts and move them in front of your chosen audience.
Direct mail: Direct mail marketing can also be used to reach your target demographic and offer them an incentive to attract them to your studio. You can start with sending a quick letter or postcard with a coupon or free-class offer to households in your community that match your prospective student characteristics.
Flyers: You can also leverage and post flyers at local libraries, coffee shops, gyms, schools, and any other location where potential students frequent. However, always remember to include your studio’s phone number, address, and a QR-code for people to scan that leads to your website.
It is imperative you take your time to analyze your marketing efforts to understand the exact method that generates the best results and also reach your target audience most successfully.
Note that this can be within the range of 10 to 20 different touch points with a prospective student before they decide to consider your class, therefore ensure to leverage a wide range of marketing channels to reach your audience numerous times without bugging them.
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Make Use Of Powerful Dance Studio Software
Note that to ensure the success of your dance studio, even right from the beginning, it is advisable you invest in a dance studio software solution.
Dance studio management software can help you organize every aspect of your business, from organizing class and student information to managing staff calendar and marketing efforts. Things that good dance studio software can help you do include;
Student information: A good and powerful dance studio software can help you store student information like medical history, costume sizes, attendance records, and more. Also, note that your software can ensure you keep track of tuition payments, and with tuition auto-pay, you might not have to bother about personally tracking down every missed or overdue tuition payment.
Class information: You can also leverage good dance studio management software to take class attendance, prepare lesson plans, and track student progression.
Ticket sales: Also note that good and reliable dance studio management software can help you receive and track tickets for your virtual and in-person events directly.
Prospect management: You can also use powerful studio management software to find out and provide contact information for prospective students to allow you to reach out and consolidate growth and expansion opportunities.
Marketing: Have it in mind that useful tools like Robo-messaging and seamless email marketing integrations enable you to implement your marketing plans, get your name out there, and communicate with your dance studio community.
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Network With Other Dance Industry Professionals
You can indeed spend all your working hours in the studio building your business, but you can also get out there and network. There is a vast network of other dance industry professionals to lean on for advice and support. Consider joining groups of other dance studio owners and meet up to discuss things and commiserate.
Also connect with successful dance studio owners for more advice, finding out what works for other studios and how you can improve your practices.
In return, you can share your insights with others to help them out as well. Have it in mind that when it comes to how to run your studio efficiently and successfully, two heads are genuinely better than one. Connect with these professionals over social media or a networking platform such as LinkedIn to kick off the conversation.
You can get some really good ideas for your studio this way and can get back into the office recharged and ready to grow your business. Running your own dance studio won’t be easy, but it will be totally fulfilling. Leverage these few and crucial tips mentioned above to further enhance your management practices and improve your studio by leaps and bounds.