| Simply having a website is not good enough anymore. | | | | - Search engines, like Google, when "crawling" your |
| Your website can be the most cost effective way | | | | site cannot see images or pictures of text. It is very |
| to communicate to existing and perspective | | | | important on the home page to put common search |
| customers. Your website can serve as a powerful | | | | criteria in text in the upper portion of the page |
| round-the-clock marketing tool for your studio. I | | | | - Typical search text examples include: "Dance Studio |
| know there are many owners who still view a | | | | in Charlotte", "Learn to Dance in Charlotte", "Charlotte |
| website as a necessary evil, but if you look at the | | | | Dance Studio" |
| typical "buyer profile of young children's activities" - | | | | - Ask your visitors or non-dance parents what |
| these parents, mostly moms, spend a large amount | | | | phrases they would use to search for your facility |
| of time "buying" on the web and want information | | | | - Don't let a web designer talk you into using "Flash" |
| NOW. | | | | or cool graphics/imageso Submit your website to |
| - It is important to have these types of strategies in | | | | Google - it is FREE - |
| place: | | | | - Google's local search capability is gaining huge |
| - Drive perspective & existing customers to | | | | momentum |
| your website | | | | Tip #5 - Class Descriptions / Schedules |
| - Guide perspective customers through the "buying | | | | - Class descriptions are very important when a |
| process" in "baby" steps | | | | perspective customer is trying to understand your |
| - Have a simple "call to action" like "schedule your a | | | | offerings. It is important for each description contains: |
| free trial", "schedule a free tour" | | | | activities, benefits and age range. |
| - Allow existing customers to get to information | | | | - Websites tend to focus too much on the activities |
| quickly, they know what they want, let them find it | | | | and not the benefits - remember you are typically |
| easily | | | | competing against non-dance alternatives and the |
| Tip #1 - Drive Traffic to Your Website | | | | non-dance parent usually will not automatically |
| Your website address should be on everything: | | | | understand the benefits from this great art/sport. |
| - Brochures, flyers & posters | | | | - Use Pictures on this page to enhance your |
| - Refrigerator magnets & window decals | | | | descriptions, especially ones that pertain to the exact |
| - Yellow Page ad, letters, email signatures | | | | classo Use Videos - I believe this is an area that |
| - Voice mail greeting (be sure to visit our website for | | | | websites do NOT take advantage of. Videos can be |
| the latest information) | | | | a huge selling tool - it can help close a sale without a |
| - Google Search Engine - | | | | visit or at least convince someone they should come |
| - Google Local Search Engine - - "See website for | | | | to visit the facility in person. |
| details" | | | | - Call to Action - Make this really simple and a small |
| - "See website for current class calendar & | | | | step - a couple of examples include: "call or email to |
| schedule" | | | | schedule your a free trial", "call or email to schedule a |
| Tip #2 - Using Pictures / Graphics to Enhance Your | | | | free tour", or "call or email to schedule a free |
| Message | | | | evaluation". |
| - Put pictures of kids having fun on every page | | | | Tip #6 - FAQ Page |
| - Pictures/Graphics are to enhance text (not visa | | | | - Take all the typical questions your front desk |
| versa) | | | | receives and put them on this page |
| - Use real photos from your studioo Do NOT use | | | | - Maybe group it into two sections "New/Perspective |
| stock photography | | | | Customers" and "Existing Customers" |
| - Send the message: Dancing is SAFE | | | | - This page can save you a lot of precious phone |
| - Send the message: Dancing is FUN | | | | time and help eliminate your customers' frustration |
| - Send the message: Dancing is for kids of all ages | | | | Tip #7 - NO Flash introduction |
| - Send the message: Dancing is for kids of all shapes | | | | - Many web designers want to do a "Cool Flash" |
| and sizes | | | | introduction to your site - Don't do it! |
| - Make sure the pictures are low resolution (around | | | | - I personally think this is a waste of time and money |
| 72 dpi) so that they do not slow down the website | | | | and can cause frustration to your frequent visitors |
| - Be sure to use a variety of ages and equipment | | | | by always having to click on "Skip Intro" |
| - Make sure you have a "photo release" paragraph on | | | | - There is a good reason why all the popular sites |
| your registration form | | | | (e-bay, Amazon, Google, MSN) do NOT have |
| Tip #3 - Make "Contact Us" & Directions page | | | | introductions |
| super easy to find | | | | - A "Flash Introduction" looks something like a |
| - Mention nearby restaurants/stores (so parents can | | | | commercial with lots of motion and graphics |
| run errands / go shopping / eat a meal) | | | | Tip #8 - Testimonials |
| - Mention other benefits of your location | | | | - Keep a digital camera in the studioo Anytime a |
| - Do not put individual's email addresses on the | | | | customer sings a praise about your business, ask if |
| website like: o - instead use: o | | | | you can take their picture and put their quote on the |
| - Make sure you have all the contact & map | | | | website |
| information on one page because many times a | | | | - Put their quote & picture on the website and |
| visitor will print this page and throw it in the car. So | | | | use only their first name (do NOT put their full name) |
| when the visitor cannot find your facility, they can | | | | - Testimonials are powerful just like pictures - have |
| call you. | | | | these all over your website |
| Sample "Contact Us" Page | | | | - The testimonials page is one of the few pages that |
| The Best Dance Studio | | | | can be long - it is amazing how many website visitors |
| Phone: 123-123-1234 | | | | will scroll down a long testimonial page and read each |
| 123 Main Street Google Map LinkCity, ST, Zip | | | | of the quotes |
| Directions from I-75: | | | | Tip #9 - Top Navigation Bar |
| Step 1 | | | | - An older style of navigation was to have the |
| Step 2 | | | | website "Navigation Bar" (Table of Contents) on the |
| Directions from Downtown: | | | | left. The drawback to this left navigation style is that |
| Step 1 | | | | is takes up precious space on each web page. |
| Step 2 | | | | - Now that websites are growing with more and |
| Local restaurants, shops & attractions | | | | more information, Top Navigation is better because it |
| Tip #4 - Make it easy on the Search Engines | | | | can stay the same on all your pages and does not |
| - Use text on your web pages, not pictures/images | | | | take up as much space. |
| of text | | | | |