Thread: New ideas

Well, yet another class with zero students.

Does anyone have suggestions for marketing in a big city (without calendars in the newspapers or convenient flyering boards?)

Also - it turns out that I was charging *too much* comparatively for classes - but charging the 'going rate' here will barely pay studio rent.

I am confused!

paying for advertisements in local magazines. so not the free calendar type things, but decent adds. our classes were way down last year. i invested in a decent size add this summer and it has paid off. yihaa.

flyering the hell out of your classes. shopping malls etc

putting posters up anywhere women often come. when i just started out, i used to spend hours and hours going around town trying to find places that would take my flyer and put it up (underwear stores, clinics, drawing academy, kids stores, magazine stores, anything really. you get a lot of no's, but you have to start somewhere. make sure the flyers/posters arent toooo big).

free try-it-once classes, regularly.

participate in community events (for free), cultural days, parades, anywhere where people can see you. if you can take a couple of students along to those all the better. it should not look at "oh my god, what an amazing dancer", but more like "cool, i wanna try that to". I do these type events in student outfits, not full costuming, it needs to look exciting, but still like something they might not be toooo shy to try.

I agree on the free-try it and taking part incultural days but mmmm to local advertising.
Local ads charge a fortune and how many people to you know that buy and read properly a local rag. Flyers end up as litter.
Have you tried a Facebook page..free and mine used to show up well on google and I linked to my employers and got a full class.
Can you get employed by someone..a local college or health club or dance studio...cr*p pay but regular? Although they do tend to ask questions aout qualifications you have all kinds of admin.
Wht about university clubs?
Whose classes do you attend? Can you offer to be their sub?
Local radio..often free and keen to have you in women's health promotions?
Charitable organisation..paid demos for women's,inner city groups,health authorities (yes I know things are tightening but they may pay a fee or kick-start a class)
Offer yourself as an entertainer in residential homes..the staff are often keen after you've been and you could spark interest.
Now I did say local paper advertising was less useful but how about trying to get them to write an item about you.

we have a local newspaper that is really well read and spread... every household gets it for free, every week, and it's the place for local advertisments. they have a special page at the beginning of the season where all the danceschools and stuff (ballet schools and such) advertise. so for us, worth it. people open it to look for stuff. city council uses it to spead their info. so it's pretty well read, not just binned.

it depends on what the journals and newspapers are that you can get.

yeah, local radio, and local tv are great too!

Our website is a helpful tool (half the students find us that way). And the people who do use the web compare teachers carefully. So is your website helping you?

Don't take this personally or I'll burst into tears:)

I would remove the ENTER page, which contains no information other than a very blurred picture of your face. Not only does it make folks have to choose a second time whether they will click into your page (and some will chose not to!) but using this kind of picture makes folks wonder what you have to hide.

Badass Bellydance is not as intelligible as Bad-Ass Bellydance, IMO.

Your bio is filled with vague info, not facts. And the large font implies that there's not much to your bio. What does 'Classes Available' mean? Why do you think 'Vintage Orientale' will attract students? Beginners don't know the difference. If you don't sell them on the Vintage Orientale angle they might think 'old fashioned fuddy duddy.' And why is the resume 'available on request'? Put it on the website. Also ... I need some help tying the 'Badass Bellydance' concept in with the Vintage Orientale.

Workshops page: ah, finally, some facts! All that is missing is what you charge to teach a workshop and what expenses need to be borne by the customer.

Gallery: This is a place you could sell the vintage orientale angle, since that IS your angle. I'm no expert on the genre, but I don't think the costuming, makeup and hair in the gallery carries out the Vintage Orientale theme, at least in my mind. Lots of dancers are selling 'standing on a beach with my hair blowing freely in the wind.' You, however, have a different business plan. Work it! PS I'm not crazy about a couple of those pix. PPS I'd move the cartoon to some place like Classes or Workshops.

Set Sail: A very unusual product, I'm jealous actually. Could we have a few more details like How, How Much, Who?

Links: everyone has links pages. Why did YOU pick THESE pages? Get personal.

Classes: what does Coming Soon mean?
Why are there no prices, session start dates, or short descriptions for these classes?

Contact form: a phone number is really important to many customers.

Book: We've come to the conclusion that putting some prices on your website helps folks understand what ballpark figure you are talking about before they contact you.

Font in general: Headings in a fancy font are okay, but for the text you want them to read then something easier to scan is best.

PS I DO like the red and black theme.
PPS There's a famous book on web usability called 'Don't Make Me Think.' That also means 'Don't Make Me Contact You For Essential Info.'
That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.
Good luck!

Maurazebra: *blushing* well, yes, I have been intending to change my website (for a while actually) - now I think I will have to get motivated and do it! Also been meaning to do another photo shoot more in line with what I do. Thank you so much for the ideas - I agree with all of them. I have my work cut out for me there! I guess it pays to pay more attention to the website.

Artemisia: I will have a look at the magazines/newspapers, see what I can do about TV and radio. Funny - I also direct plays, and find them a far easier sell than dance classes.

Liza: I have a Facebook page, was employed by a gym (but no interest in classes beyond the free taster apparently), etc. There is a University club I could try...problem is, once people get used to getting something for free it seems like they don't want it unless it stays free.

Re: the residential homes thing - I assume that is free as well?

I suppose I could go busking again. ..g.:

Originally Posted by BreaMorgiane

Maurazebra: *blushing* well, yes, I have been intending to change my website (for a while actually) - now I think I will have to get motivated and do it! Also been meaning to do another photo shoot more in line with what I do. Thank you so much for the ideas - I agree with all of them. I have my work cut out for me there! I guess it pays to pay more attention to the website.

Artemisia: I will have a look at the magazines/newspapers, see what I can do about TV and radio. Funny - I also direct plays, and find them a far easier sell than dance classes.

Liza: I have a Facebook page, was employed by a gym (but no interest in classes beyond the free taster apparently), etc. There is a University club I could try...problem is, once people get used to getting something for free it seems like they don't want it unless it stays free.

Re: the residential homes thing - I assume that is free as well?

I suppose I could go busking again. ..g.:

No..... residential homes have entertainment budgets as do some charities. I was asked to do a charitable gig this weekend and because it was Help for Heroes,everyone would happy to do it for expenses or even nothing. Sadly I have a bad back (hip-spine joint)and am taking a weekend off..it's been a hectic month..hence the bad back.
There are also gigs on schools on "culture" days and these too should pay well.It's worth approaching schools re teachers having a class. A friend has been asked to do sessions for teachers after school.
the problem with our local rags , they are so full of ads that small ones get lost and many people can't be bothered opening them because there is no news to read.
One place where you might pin up an ad( no flyers flying around) apart from uni's is the local library or community centre.
All th time you have to ask yourself..how many other classes are there in an area..is it saturated? Is there another nearby town I can get cheaply to with no one offering a class?
Have you followed a teacher training course like JWAAD's that you can ad to your CV?
At April's JoY Sara Farouk is running 4 workshops aimed to prospective teachers with a good base .It should mean something to prospective students and employers that a dancer has made an effort like this.

Hi, How I found my teachers. I had actually been looking for a belly dance teacher for years. Found one in a small, local, monthly fitness magazine that would be at my choreopractor's waiting area. 1 month, a cabaret teacher was featured in article. I was like finally a belly dance teacher in area! The article went into her background and how belly dance is a great/fun way to keep fit and develop grace, etc. It also had the most important listing of her website. Her website was very well done, pointing out features made by other poster here.
2nd teacher, tribal, met while taking classes with cabaret teacher. At that time, never even heard of tribal but saw class coming in after mine. Became intriqued and decided to try that one out. Been going since.
Both teachers had performed at restaurants and all different kind of events. 1 would perform at 1st friday's in nice local towns. People would see how lovely they performed. Some would then become interested in taking classes. Of course, they always had business cards on hand.
You can also post video's of you on facebook, etc to promote your fine dancing ability.
Best of luck to you.

Originally Posted by artemisia_danst

yeah, local radio, and local tv are great too!

Have you done tv ads? I always imagine that they are too expensive. Did you find it worked for you?

I did a Facebook ad campaign and had great success with it. Cost me about $130, but I did pull in about 10 new girls from the Facebook add for my grand-reopening free class.

Second class is tonight and we'll see if they come back to actually pay for the class!

Please keep us updated!

4 of the 11 new girls that saw the FB ad came back to pay for the second class and the rest seemed to be there for the free class only, but now I have their emails to entice them back :)

college town + anything free = great response
college town + paying for things = not so great response)

no, no ads, but sometimes they advertise community stuff we are in, have a dancer in a show/program and we get free advertising that way, etc. there is a local news section that sometimes covers shows/community events we were in;, stuff like that

Originally Posted by janinna

Have you done tv ads? I always imagine that they are too expensive. Did you find it worked for you?

Originally Posted by crystalllized

4 of the 11 new girls that saw the FB ad came back to pay for the second class and the rest seemed to be there for the free class only, but now I have their emails to entice them back :)

We have the same experience with college students. Thanks!

I found belly dance through an article in the local paper - there was a taster class (already full!) and a course, which I booked on to anyway.

I don't know how typical my experience is, but I had NO IDEA that belly dance existed apart from cheesy harem fantasies in films. Never thought about it, never seen a live performance, never gone "ooh I wanna do that" and gone looking for classes - so all the websites and facebook pages in the world would have missed me.

IMO it could be worth pitching your efforts towards non-students as they may have fewer money constraints and be more likely to turn up after the free session. Pinning ads and leaving leaflets if you are allowed, in places like lizaj mentioned - libraries, adult education places, leisure centres, health centres? And I know there are issues about the "anyone can do it" thing, but IMO pushing the accessibility and fun aspect makes it less scary to go to a dance class if you aren't already in to dance/fitness etc.

I wasn't really targeting students, but they have a telepathic sense to detect free things. I know because I'm a student :)

We did go after moms by partnering with a non-profit dance/arts organization that let us distribute flyers to elementry/middle schools. Not many moms showed up and the ones that did said they would have a hard time staying in the class because of the little ones at home or couldn't afford to pay a babysitter or find one weekly so they can take classes.

So another thing the studio director and I were thinking about is trying to find a professional baby sitter to watch the kids for a reasonable price in one of the other dance studio rooms during my class.

Don't know if it will work out price-wise and insurance wise....

Originally Posted by crystalllized

I wasn't really targeting students, but they have a telepathic sense to detect free things. I know because I'm a student :)

Actually, college students aren't too different from the rest of the population. We don't give free classes anymore; it ends up being more a social event for people who go to free classes. We don't do drop-in classes, but we will allow a $10 no-commitment first class; we figure if someone isn't solvent enough or adventurous enough to 'risk' $10 on a class then they are not the kind of customers we need.

Working on a refurbishment of my website as we speak. I haven't had Internet access so haven't been able to visit the thread.

I'm looking into doing JWAAD actually. Although I've been told that 'certification programs' aren't necessary I think it might help to at least show that I am committed to this.

Also - funding is a real issue. A lot of advertising takes funding (ie, newspaper adverts).

I'm starting a new class in a good dance studio outside of the city. I hope that will help. I'll try flyering at libraries and community centres too.

Originally Posted by crystalllized

So another thing the studio director and I were thinking about is trying to find a professional baby sitter to watch the kids for a reasonable price in one of the other dance studio rooms during my class.

Don't know if it will work out price-wise and insurance wise....

not just insurance wise- if *you* are offering it on your premises , you may have to be licensed by the state as a childcare provider. If, however, the moms organize a babysitting coop, or if there is a sitter nearby you can promote/coordinate with, that could be legal- just be careful! Great idea, but the liability & legalities make my head spin!

not a free class, not a drop in per se, but I am offering a 2 hour beginning bellydance workshop geared towards all the mamas who have been telling me they can't make regular class- it's been a great response as far as people asking about the class, we'll see next week who actually shows!

Originally Posted by Lara L

not just insurance wise- if *you* are offering it on your premises , you may have to be licensed by the state as a childcare provider. If, however, the moms organize a babysitting coop, or if there is a sitter nearby you can promote/coordinate with, that could be legal- just be careful! Great idea, but the liability & legalities make my head spin!

Good call. I'll also bring this up with her. An off site, but close sitter might be a better option.

Over wine one evening a friend and I were brainstorming regarding new ways to promote classes. For mass appeal she advertised her first session as Bellyrobics. Response was amazing. Under the large font Bellyrobics she listed 'low impact'. Still bellydance but it was eye-catching. She taught exactly the same as previous sessions. Her first session was packed, over 75% returned for the next session. With the economy it is wise to tweak things and devise new ways to market products - including dance classes.

Brea, I saw that a lot of you website aligns with the suggestions made. It looks good. I don't have anything to add, but I've taken workshops with Ava Fleming and Cassandra and I loved it! The "Set Sail" part of your site is very intriguing too. That sounds like a lot of fun!

I hope you’ll attract some new students.