Anyone else out there participate in DECA in high school? Nerd alert- I was the 1999 state champion in the Automotive and Petroleum Individual Event. DECA competitions included multiple choice tests and several role plays where you had to act out various business situations. All jokes aside- one of the BEST things I did in high school.
One of my biggest takeaways? A first impression is a lasting impression. Eye contact, firm handshakes, a smile, professionalism… these things ALL matter. Surprise surprise, I didn’t know a lot about petroleum- but I did have good instincts when it came to making a strong first impression.
In the dance studio world, especially today when more and more people are enrolling online, your opportunity to make a first impression may not be in person- it may be through email. Today we are going to break down the welcome email you send to clients after they enroll at your dance studio.
This email will set the tone for all further communication, help to set them up for success at your studio, and also make a GREAT first impression for your dance studio. This is something super simple you can implement that will set you apart from your competitors.
Let us pretend a mother enrolled her daughter online at your studio. Here is how things could play out.
Scenario #1:
She doesn’t hear anything from the studio and has to assume that everything is good to go. She will arrive at the studio a little unsure about what she should do, where to go, and where to get her questions answered.
Scenario #2:
Within 24 hours of registering her daughter, she gets a personal email from you welcoming her to the studio and confirming her daughter’s classes. You’ve included links to your parent handbook, and where on your website she can find information about the dress code. You’ve also included a link to a blog post you’ve written about what to expect in her first class. You let her know that you are available for any questions she may have.
I think it is pretty clear which scenario will go better! Even though it takes a little more thought and planning up front- taking the time to craft a warm, thoughtful welcome email for your dance studio is going to save you time in the long run. Right from the start, you are setting the precedent that YOU are the professional and that their child is in good hands.
They do not need to bug you with a million questions- you’ve thought through the process and given them all they need.
Want help drafting this email? Check out our welcome email series template!
Ready to start crafting your welcome email?
The first step is to think through those questions you get again and again.
What information does a new family need to be successful at your studio? Do you have all that information available online or in a note? Things that come to mind are policies, dress code information, yearly calendar, recital information, hair tutorials, and where to get dancewear.
You may have to spend some time gathering or creating this information. Blog posts are a great way to elaborate a bit more on what someone needs to know BEFORE they take a dance class. You can send them the links they need and avoid overwhelming them with a long email.
The second step is to write your email.
I recommend saving this email as a template in your email provider. You are going to use this same email over and over again, just changing the details to customize it for each student. Copy and paste. Easy peasy!
Learn from me and please, DON’T write this email from scratch each time.
Once you feel comfortable with your email, this is something you can easily delegate to your front desk staff. Set a time each week when your front desk is going to email the new enrollments from the week. Make sure you think through a system to keep track of new enrollments and when they receive their welcome email. If you take registration over the phone or in person- still send them the welcome email and reference it in your conversation. Let them know they can expect a welcome email that will contain more information about their first class.
Again, you are establishing that you are a professional and that their success is important to you!
If you are using dance studio software to keep track of your enrollments, double-check what is happening when someone enrolls online. Do they get an automatic email? You should be able to edit this email from something standard to something personal from you. Make sure you are getting notifications when someone enrolls so you can follow up appropriately.
Let’s get into the anatomy of a perfect welcome email for dance studios:
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Introduction
Welcome to Meagan’s Dance Academy. We are so excited to have your family at our studio. Include a personal detail or something interesting about your school. Letting them in on something that makes YOU or YOUR school special.
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Confirmation
We have Susan enrolled in Combo 2 on Thursday from 3:30-4:15. Miss Alex is looking forward to meeting her this coming week.
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What to do when you arrive
When you arrive at the studio, Susan can head into the dressing room to find a cubby for her belongings. She should wear her ballet shoes and bring her tap shoes into class. Miss Alex will meet the students outside of studio 2. You are welcome to watch Susan through our observation window. This all may seem really obvious to you- but this eliminates the “deer in headlights” look that many first-time parents and students get when walking into the studio for the first time. Clue them in on what you would like them to do!
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Support and clarification
For your convenience, we’ve included links to our parent handbook, dress code details, and our annual calendar. We also send out a monthly newsletter that contains information about studio happenings. We are so excited to get to know your family! Here is a blog post we wrote all about what to expect in your child’s first dance class. This is where you would include anything else you have available that provides additional information or support.
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Questions
Please let us know if you have any questions before we see you and your daughter in class next week. Our office hours are posted online and we reply to emails daily. We look forward to seeing Susan in class! Have a preference for how someone reaches out? Let them know!
Before Susan and her mom walk in the door, they will have already formed an opinion about your studio. If you follow this basic format, I can guarantee it is going to be a positive one! Make sure you have the information you need, write the basic email template, and develop a system for sending them out. People WILL notice and you are setting new studio families up for success.
Need a little inspiration getting started? We have a welcome email series template that is ready for you to customize. This goes beyond ONE welcome email for dance studios… we are going to help you get 6 emails in place that welcome your new dance families. Learn more and grab it here!
