The world of dance is uber competitive and dance studio owners are always looking for the next way to stand out from the crowd. The best thing about marketing for a dance studio is that it can be fun. Forget the stuffy approach more commonly associated with businesses like financial institutions. Dance is spunky, creative and fresh – and your marketing should evoke that same inspiration from your current and potential customers.
But if you aren’t marketing effectively, you are seriously missing out on some awesome dancers joining in on your studio. That passion of yours is meant to be shared with the world. Now, let’s list out some of our favorite ways to get jiggy through digital and traditional marketing.
Play on Social Media
Everyone knows that social media is one of the most cost-effective ways of marketing to a mass audience. But getting started on social media is both an art and a science that takes a lot of planning to get right.
Breaking it down, start by:
a) Creating a social media strategy
Being strategic ensures that your efforts are more effective, achieving your social media goals. If you don’t know your goals, how are you going to achieve them? Whether it is creating a star-studded dance cast to becoming the best studio in your city, the sky’s the limit if you play your cards right.
b) Picking the right social media channels
Everyone knows that content is king, especially visual content in 2022. For a dance studio, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and TikTok are crucial. You will want to showcase movement, so fortunately short-form video is the most effective way to increase engagement on social media right now.
c) Create the right content
As we mentioned above, video will really propel your brand further than any static visual tactic that you could perform. Forget still photos that can muddle your story. Videos ensure that the messaging is conveyed best.
Some content ideas that perform well for dance studios include:
- Instagram Live
- Instagram Stories
- Instagram Reels
- Facebook Live
- Anything on YouTube
d) Stay on top of the latest trends
While engaging, be sure to take note of the latest trends. Today’s TikTok dances and Instagram Reel trends catch on quickly. This is the perfect time to showcase what your dancers do best. Consider a dance-off between some top talent at your studio and watch as the likes and comments pour in.
To prepare for the largest trends of 2022, Hootsuite has a useful guide that outlines nine of the expected upcoming trends of the year.
e) Create a branding identity kit
No content strategy is complete without ensuring graphics are consistent. Consider not only your visual identity, including fonts and color scheme but also your verbal identity. This includes the voice and tone that you want to put out into the world. Solidifying this will help your social media manager create content with ease.
For some visual examples of how to create a stellar kit, navigate through these examples from Widen.
f) Develop stunning graphics that make a statement
Now, put that brand kit to good use. Social media should mainly consist of interactive content like short-form video, but you will also want to share relevant marketing materials, client testimonials and other wordy content.
PosterMyWall is an easy-to-use one-stop-shop for graphic designers and experts alike to create desirable designs in just minutes. The tool offers thousands of beautiful designs that can be changed to meet your unique needs. From free handout templates, a flyer maker, social media templates and more, designs can be created, customized, exported and shared all through the platform.
Leverage the power of email marketing
Email marketing is a great way to keep in touch with current dance families while recruiting students for the upcoming season. But getting those open rates isn’t just as easy as sending out an email and hoping that it will effectively land in an inbox.
These rules-of-thumb will ensure that you are more successful with your marketing tactics:
- Keep messages short and sweet, only sending them out when you feel you can provide value
- Create a catchy subject line that captures interest from the jump
- List out a clear call-to-action. What do you want to achieve through email?
SendGrid shares an example of how your newsletter can easily look with its simple and intuitive templates that look gorgeous, too (as you can see above)
Collaborate with influencers
According to Smart Insights, 51% of marketers say that establishing relationships with the right influencers helps with customer acquisition. There is no denying the power of influencer relationships.
Everywhere we look, it’s easy to see influencers seamlessly promoting products and services within their feed. If you have students within your studio that live and breathe your business, start by pitching them first. Then, reach out to the larger dance world within your industry.
A quick search of the Instagram hashtag #tiktokdance alone will provide inspiration and yields over 5.9 million posts – so you know you’ll be onto something here.
@jessdiscoball couldn’t be @charlidamelio for halloween without doing the renegade 🧚♀️🧚♀️🧚♀️
Remember, microinfluencers will be the most budget-friendly way to reach your target audience while amping up your engagement. Social Media Today offers a list of 10 different tools that will guide you on the quest to find that perfect influencer within minutes.
Get creative with community outreach
When all other methods are exhausted, going back to the tried-and-true tactic of doing good within our communities makes a world of a difference. When your audience sees that your company is giving back, they’ll want to be part of your story.
Consider running a gift drive for the holidays or organizing a group of dancers to feed the homeless at a soup kitchen. Better yet, run a dance-a-thon where the proceeds are donated to a deserving organization locally.
During and after the initiative, make sure that you are capturing the moments on social media. Share how you contributed and how meaningful it was to the participants and recipients. Don’t forget to mention any potential numbers – like money that you raised that really made a difference!
What’s next
If you are still convinced that there are other ideas out there, you are right. There are dozens of possible marketing solutions that can propel your dance studio in front of countless potential dancers. In this blog post, owner of Dance Vision Studios Mary Beth shares her three-pronged approach to marketing like a star. It’s always helpful to learn from those that have been successful in the industry.
Start with social media but don’t leave it there. Leveraging the power of email and influencer marketing and using traditional public relations strategies like community engagement can really round out your presence.
We can’t wait to see how you shine online!
