As you are preparing for the new season of dance, you’re probably putting together ideas for your marketing plan and looking at the BIG picture of where your studio will be over the next nine or ten months. You may be considering which programs need the most marketing when you should focus on each one, where you want to spend your advertising dollars, and who your efforts will target.
One aspect of marketing that I LOVE to create with my team is our key message (or messages) for the year. These are the go-to phrases that promote who we are and how we serve our dance families; they speak to our customer avatars and what they desire from their experience with us. Our key messages inform and influence just about everything we market! We use them around the studio, in our print materials, and on social media.
Key messages can also tie into your recital theme, celebrate an anniversary studio year, appeal to specific goals, or even serve as the lead-up to a big reveal, like for a new building or new branding. Your key messages establish the vibe of your ENTIRE year … AND they help your marketing efforts stay consistent throughout the season!
To help you brainstorm key messages for your studio, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite ideas. Take one of these and run with it, or just use them as inspiration for your own interpretations! Either way, you’ll have many options to consider and share with your team.
- Confidence that Shines
If developing character qualities in your students is an important theme for you this year, this key message can easily apply to dancers of all ages and skill levels. You could also add key messages about other qualities, like teamwork, resilience, artistry, or commitment. It could also coordinate nicely with a recital called Shine Bright or Let Your Light Shine where you honor your students’ unique strengths.
- Leading with Grace
Perhaps leadership is a critical message for your studio this season, especially if you are adding or improving programs with your student assistants, performance teams, social media ambassadors, or honor society members. This key message allows you to continue leaning on the lessons of leadership throughout the season, and presents fun opportunities to show your big kids and little kids together!
- Lessons for Life
As we all know, dance lessons and life lessons go hand-in-hand, so if you are trying to appeal to parents who value the opportunity for their children to learn life skills through dance, this simple key message aligns perfectly. A monthly key message about a specific lesson could also keep this idea going strong.
- Shaping the Community
Many small businesses are big influences in the community, and dance studios are no different! If you consider your studio an influencer (or you want to increase your influence) this key message says that you care about giving back and celebrating your hometown. It could open up opportunities for cross-promotions too, especially with other kid-centered businesses
- One Family, Many Hearts
This may be a season where you are striving to rebuild connections at your studio; perhaps your retention is lower than you’d like, or you’ve noticed that you need to encourage more unity. Taking action on a key message like this one can show that you are moving forward with new motivation, where the studio is one big family.
- Stronger Together
Research tells us that everyone’s potential goes up when a group supports one another and feels encouraged. A positive self-image results when students can see themselves being successful; they feel stronger because they are inspired. This key message emphasizes that every child’s strength is limitless.
- Celebrating a Legacy
Whether you are recognizing a studio anniversary, revealing a new project, designing a new logo, or commemorating a milestone, a celebratory key message keeps the momentum going all year long and is super-fun to incorporate into your recital!
No matter which key messages you use at your studio this year, remember that you can get a LOT of mileage out of just one or two ideas if you create a plan for putting them in action. Capitalize on your team’s strengths and involve them in how to implement the messages too; their personal connection to the message is essential!
I hope YOU find a key message or two that fits perfectly at your studio this year, and I encourage you to put your key messages in the comments below, so we can ALL benefit from sharing ideas. Wishing you much success as you put your choices into action!
