Email marketing is the most targeted, trackable, and efficient way to grow enrolments plus build and maintain relationships in your dance studio.
Picture this.... you receive a new enquiry through your website from a family interested in dance lessons for their two daughters. You - or your admin team - personally respond with info about your class offering, a link to your timetable and details about how they can book a trial class. Then, you add them to your 'leads board' in Asana or Trello and so begins a labour-intensive chain of emails, phone calls and follow ups which takes up valuable time and effort.
Now imagine this WHOLE process was automated and you could just set and forget! How much time would you and your admin team save to work on other tasks?
An automated email sequence can do all the hard work for you when nurturing leads, answering common questions and providing clear and details instructions about how a potential student can register for classes at your studio.
There are SO many ways automated email marketing can work at your studio but in this blog we're focussing on two main ways you can utilise email sequences:
Lead Nurture - this type of sequence will look after new prospects with emails that answer common questions about your studio, give details about timetabling, fees & next steps, and follow up.
Welcome - once a new student has enrolled in your classes, this sequence runs them through essential information such as communication, uniform and other frequently asked questions.
Your Lead Nurture email sequence
In marketing speak, lead nurturing is the process of building and maintaining relationships with a prospect at every stage of the buyer’s journey. It engages potential customers in a series of conversations, with the end goal of converting them into buyers.
For dance studios, a good nurture sequence should result in consistent enrolments year-round. Emails in this sequence should progress logically, introducing your lead to your studio culture, opening a conversation with them and pre-empting questions or concerns and addressing them.
You should also think of your lead nurturing email sequence as infotainment. You want prospects to enjoy engaging with it. If you can educate in a fun and unique way, that’s far more compelling than dry, boring content. Think about adding a 'backstage tour' of your studio or even profiling a current student and what they've gained by being a member of your studio family.
In terms of quantity, I would recommend no more than five or six emails in this sequence following the sequence above.
Your Welcome email sequence
Once a student has enrolled in your studio, the nurturing shouldn't stop! Welcoming a new family into your studio is an important step in selling them on your mission, values and - more importantly - your culture.
It's also the perfect opportunity for you to set expectations around communication and provide additional materials to your dance families after they enrol.
Answer their questions BEFORE they have a chance to ask! Let them know that you are here to make the experience of dancing at your studio easy.
Remember, strong communication from the beginning leads to happier customers AND better retention.
I would recommend no more than seven emails in this sequence spaced out over six weeks.
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