Low On Students? Here's How To Fix This

"Where did all of our students go?!"

Every dance studio at some point will go through this. Much like everything else in life, you have ups and downs, good days and bad days, full rosters and... not-so-full rosters.

And while this seems like a problem you are stuck with, with the right steps you'll be bringing new students through the door in no time.

Here are some tips/ideas on how to get more students.

Having An Open Mind

I know. This is not one you want to hear, or you have heard too many times. But this will be a game changer when it comes to seeing those first changes in your results.

When I work with studio owners who have not seen many new students in a while, I will first ask them what they are doing to bring them in. Most will say an Instagram and Facebook post here and there, maybe putting up a few flyers around town, and that's about it.

So to help I will give them a list of ways to help market their studio, but most, if not all, will get shot down with the response "I've tried it and it didn't work".

This mindset will kill your chances of getting new students faster than anything.

So the first step to this process is being open to trying new things as well as re-trying the ones you got little results from. There is a chance that you could have just been approaching things the wrong way

Marketing is all about trial and error, so you have to be open to experiencing the error.

Community Outreach

The only way to make people know your studio exists is by being everywhere, all the time. You ultimately want to be the first studio to pop up on Google, the first flyer they see at the coffee shop, etc.

You could have the best training with the most impressive teachers and the most beautiful studio, but without marketing, no one will join.

So seek out the best places to hang flyers, meet parents and students, festivals/parades, and events to showcase your studio.

Most importantly, you cannot be afraid to show your studio off.

Drop-in Classes and Masterclasses

A really quick and effective way to get new faces in the studio is to host a masterclass or drop-in classes.

Masterclasses:

Advertising a masterclass will help to bring in talented dancers looking for a challenge. Depending on who is teaching the class, you could easily bring in 10-20 new dancers! And don't feel like you have to go and get someone famous to teach these. A choreographer, professional dancer, or ex-professional would be perfect for this.

(If you are low on connections at the moment, try looking at who is in or around your area, looking on LinkedIn for guest teachers, or Instagram/Facebook for guest teachers as well. Don't be afraid to reach out.)

Drop-ins:

When it comes to drop-in classes, timing will be your best friend. Try setting up a drop-in class around holidays, spring break, summer break, or before the fall season begins. These are the moments when dedicated dancers could be stuck at home without a class because of their studio's schedule.

So giving these dancers a chance to dance on their breaks means getting to meet a few new ones and helping them to get to know your studio. Sure, it will mean your breaks might get shortened a little, but nothing will change if you don't put in a little extra work.

(If you want to heighten your chance of seeing new dancers, even more, host a "bring a friend to class" and they both get a $10 class voucher or something along those lines.)

Choose The Right Area To Market Your Studio

When you're low on students, it would be a good idea to push your advertising to places like schools, afterschool clubs, daycares, YMCAs, churches, and other places where families and kids will be.

If you reach out to schools within a decent amount of time, they would love to have smaller shows at the school. This is a great way to make an impression on those kids.

In Conclusion...

It is more than okay to not bring in a ton of new students all of the time. You just need to know what to do when the roster is low and have a game plan to start building it up again. Putting in the extra effort and having the right mindset will bring your studio to new levels, and will help you bring in the students that your studio needs.

I hope this helps you understand your situation and how to start bringing in new students. Let me know what you think in the comments!