Positive Word of Mouth.

EACH YEAR THE PRIVATE-SECTOR DANCE COMMUNITY BUDGETS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING, BROCHURES, AND OTHER PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS TO ATTRACT NEW FAMILIES TO ITS SCHOOLS. I often wonder how practical spending those hard-earned dollars really is. I believe that the most effective form of advertising for a dance studio is positive word of mouth.

If a child is happy, in most cases, so are the parents. In return, you benefit from that most valuable advertisement of all: a glowing recommendation. That means when a neighbor, a fellow PTA member, or maybe a relative asks a parent from your school who they should take their child to for dance lessons, it will be your studio that they recommend.

Of course, the opposite is also true. If their child is not happy, the negative thoughts they have concerning your studio will start to spread throughout the community. Then, no matter how many thousands of dollars you spend on advertising or promotional materials, it will not make much of a difference.

It's the atmosphere of the school that can most impress the parents. Do you offer them a friendly and caring staff that is more than happy to answer the parents' questions? Does the studio seem organized, keeping the parents and dancers informed about what's expected of them? Is your faculty going into the classroom with an enthusiastic attitude?

Most parents have no idea what strong technical dance training is all about. If their children aren't dreaming of joining a company or dancing on Broadway, the trophies you have won will not impress them, nor will they care that your dancers are moving on to professional careers. In some cases, these qualifications may actually intimidate the parent who knows nothing about dance. Showing these parents and children that you value their choice to dance for fun and personal gain is vital to keeping your enrollment up. The students who end up on a pre-professional track are a small fraction of most dance schools' populations. It is in your best interest to nurture that large group of recreational dancers--a group that is essential to the survival of almost any school.

MANY PRIVATE-SECTOR DANCE studios close for the summer. It is vitally important to leave your clientele with a good impression when they leave for the break. Your best opportunity to do this is to present an outstanding annual revue, recital, or concert. My mother (who was also my dance teacher) used to say, "Your fall registration will only be as good as your last recital was!" Go out of your way to give your clientele more than they expect. Make the final performance an organized, enjoyable experience for all involved. Make sure your faculty and staff do not appear to be stressed during the recital season. You are making a final impression; creating a tense atmosphere is not how the season should end.

Keep in touch with your students during the summer break. Consider creating a special summer newsletter, including dynamic pictures of your classes that show the students having a great time. In the newsletter, promote your registration dates, an article about your faculty, and any exciting plans for the new season. To demonstrate your loyalty to your clientele, consider offering an incentive for early registration.

Do everything you can to build loyalty with the families that are registered currently. If you can retain the majority of your students from year to year, you won't have to spend much money on advertising. The best PR is a happy, respectful, professional environment that will keep your students coming back for more.

Dance Magazine columnist Rhee Gold is co-founder of Project Motivate, sponsoring retreats and seminars to reinvigorate dance educators.