Imagine this: We are chatting on a zoom call, and I ask you, what is your follow up process when someone contacts you through a form on your website or after you have a one-time class or camp? Do you have a process, do you wing it as you go, or do you not follow up?

In this episode we will talk about why following up is not just formality but a golden opportunity for signing up new students or re-enrolling the once who just took your class or camp.  Because the fortune is in the follow up.

 

It comes down to 5 key moments when following up can truly make a difference. Let's explore them together:

After initial inquiries: When someone expresses interest in your art classes—whether through your website, a phone call, social media, or a text message—don't hesitate to reach out right away!

After an amazing individual or trial class, camp, or open studio: this time is even more important to follow up and be in front of them.

After providing class details when someone reaches out: If you've shared specific details about your classes or your studio, make sure to follow up and check they received the information

Prior to class registration deadlines: it's a great idea to send friendly reminders to potential students who have shown interest but haven't signed-up yet.

Follow-up after missed opportunities: If someone expressed interest but didn't end up signing-up for some reason, it's also important to follow with them.

In a nutshell, following up and staying top of mind is super important! It's all about providing the information potential and existing students need, standing out from the crowd, showing off your professionalism and building meaningful connections. When you reach out to people, you greatly increase your chances of signing them up. So don't underestimate the power of following up—it's the key to growing your studio!

 

I hope this episode was helpful and now I would like to get your wheels turning and think about how you can follow up in these 5 key moments, so you stay top of mind and ahead of other studios.

And if you have not done so yet please join our private Facebook group Creative Studio Owners to be with other like-minded Creative Studio owners, exchange ideas, learn from each other and spread your wisdom.

Let's start by understanding the power of your words. When your words inspire and connect with potential students, they'll line up to join your classes. But if your copy is boring or uninspiring, it can kill your sign-ups. It is is a powerful tool. Whether it's flyers, websites, social media, emails, or any marketing material, your copy can make a huge difference in getting students to sign up for your classes.

Before even writing a word, the first step is to focus entirely on what is important to potential students (not the studio owner). 

In this episode, we give you a concrete example of why that step is so important. Then we explain the 6 elements for your copy that will make you the absolute choice for your ideal students.

Emphasize the Experience and Benefits

Use Strategic Keywords

Add Visual Storytelling

Include Testimonials

Make the Layout Easy to Scan

Include a strong Call to Action (CTA)

Listen for examples and details in this episode.

Your Action Task:

Review your website, social media descriptions, and flyers. Assess whether your messaging is centered on your students' perspective and if you have implemented these 6 steps. If not, it's time to grab that red pen and make the necessary revisions for maximum impact. Because a boring copy will make your potential students click away faster than you can say, "class dismissed." So, let your creativity shine, use words that speak to their hearts, and show them why your classes are the absolute best choice.

I hope this episode was helpful on how to focus on your students with steps to create a class description that stands out from the crowd. Get creative, speak from the heart, and show potential students why your classes are the absolute best choice. Good luck!

And if you have not done so yet please join our private Facebook group Creative Studio Owners to be with other like-minded Creative Studio owners, exchange ideas, learn from each other and spread your wisdom.

The 4 absolute benefits of offering ongoing programs

 

Picture this: You've just finished an amazing class where both you and the students had a fantastic time. You're feeling great and ready to relax. However, there's another class coming up and it's only half full. The stress settling in, and the uncertainty of the next class prevents you from fully enjoying the success of the previous one. But what if you could have the same students return for the next class?

 

That would be awesome, right? Well, you can achieve that by offering monthly classes or seasonal programs lasting 6-8 weeks. This approach could truly transform your art studio.

 

In this episode, we will explore the benefits for both you and your students when you offer ongoing programs. I will also share strategies on how to effectively communicate the value of ongoing classes to your students and motivate them to sign. We will give you several real-life examples you can implement for your own situation.

Let's explore the benefits together:

Save you a lot of marketing effort. Because instead of constantly promoting individual classes, you can focus on advertising the whole program as a package. That way, you need to reach your students once you are done.  

Bring recurring revenue for your studio you can rely on. Instead of relying on one-time class fees, you get students to either pay for the entire season once or have ongoing monthly payments and have a steady stream of income.

You can showcase your students' progress and show the ongoing benefits your classes offer. That is really motivating and keeps them engaged and excited about being with you.

With their ongoing progress, you will have a bunch of success stories. To use in your sales. Showcasing real-life examples of artistic development and transformation will attract new students but also proves to them that your program is worth it.

Hope this episode was helpful, and now I would like to get your wheels turning and think about how you would add ongoing classes to your program.

If you are not sure where to start the conversation with your existing students and invite them into your ongoing classes, listen to episode #15 How to make Students come back for more.  

And if you have not done so yet please join our private Facebook group Creative Studio Owners to be with other like-minded Creative Studio owners, exchange ideas, learn from each other and spread your wisdom.

Embracing Your Role as a Business Owner: Becoming a Creative CEO

How to embrace being a business owner first and teacher second

What makes you a CEO?

Remember when you first started your Studio? You had dreams of teaching whatever you wanted, having free time for your family and art, and making more money. However, the reality turned out to be quite different. You found yourself constantly seeking students, managing finances, and dealing with the complexities of running a business. This is not what you had in mind, right?

In this episode, we will discuss the practical steps you can take to change your situation, eliminate the overwhelm, and reduce frustration. We will also explain how these steps will change how you see yourself and ultimately grow your Studio. 

 

Here is the first, and most important step: shift in your mindset. I want you to see yourself as a business owner who happens to be a teacher, rather than a teacher who simply has a business. You are the CEO of your Studio, with the ultimate decision-making power. You choose the vendors, determine the classes you offer, decide whom and where to teach, and most importantly, envision the future of your business. Regardless of the size of your Studio or how long you've been in business, whether you have employees or not, you are a creative CEO.

Once you embrace this mindset shift, you'll start thinking like a true CEO. You'll focus on building a business that allows you to do what you love while delegating other tasks to free up your time and increase your income. It's a game-changer, believe me.

Then take these 3 steps:

Believe that you have true Business, even if it is small at the moment

Have a vision of what you want to achieve and make every decision based on that.

Never stop learning. leave your comfort zone daily. If you grow, your Studio business grows.Remember, you are more than an Art Teacher. You are the visionary CEO of your Business.

Hope this episode was helpful and now I would like to get your mindset switch to see you Studio business grow.

And if you have not done so yet please join our private Facebook group Creative Studio Owners to be with other like-minded Creative Studio owners, exchange ideas, learn from each other and spread your wisdom.

Picture this: You've just finished an amazing class where both you and the students had a fantastic time. You're feeling great and ready to relax. However, there's another class coming up and it's only half full. The stress settling in, and the uncertainty of the next class prevents you from fully enjoying the success of the previous one. But what if you could have the same students return for the next class?

 

That would be awesome, right? Well, you can achieve that by offering monthly classes or seasonal programs lasting 6-8 weeks. This approach could truly transform your art studio.

 

In this episode, we will explore the benefits for both you and your students when you offer ongoing programs. I will also share strategies on how to effectively communicate the value of ongoing classes to your students and motivate them to sign. We will give you several real-life examples you can implement for your own situation.

 

Here is the simplified list, the podcast has examples and detailed explanation:

  

1. Save you a lot of marketing effort. Because instead of constantly promoting individual classes, you can focus on advertising the whole program as a package. That way, you need to reach your students once you are done. 

  

2. Bring recurring revenue for your studio you can rely on. Instead of relying on one-time class fees, you get students to either pay for the entire season once or have ongoing monthly payments and have a steady stream of income.

 

 3. You can showcase your students' progress and show the ongoing benefits your classes offer. That is really motivating and keeps them engaged and excited about being with you. 

 

4. With their ongoing progress, you will have a bunch of success stories. To use in your sales. Showcasing real-life examples of artistic development and transformation will attract new students but also proves to them that your program is worth it. 

 

Listen to this episode to get your wheels turning and think about how you would add ongoing classes to your program.

 

If you are not sure where to start the conversation with your existing students and invite them into your ongoing classes, listen to episode #15 How to make Students come back for more.

 

And if you have not done so yet please join our private Facebook group Creative Studio Owners to be with other like-minded Creative Studio owners, exchange ideas, learn from each other and spread your wisdom.

Let's start with a question: who is your website for? 

 

Existing students or future students? If you answered, future students, you're right. So, whatever information you put on your website has to convince your prospective Students or Parents to stay, look around, and sign up for your classes, camps, or other activities.

When a potential student lands on your website, the first impression is everything: you have 10 seconds to grab their attention. Otherwise, they click away and move on to their next option, which is your competitor's website. Once they have stayed, you also need to see who is interested in your activities and make it easy for them to take the next step.

In this episode, we will cover the 3 mistakes to avoid and what to do instead so people stay on your website and ultimately choose you as their only option. 

Imagine your studio website as an online dating profile where people focus on making a lasting impression on potential matches—or future students in your Studio! Just like in the world of online Dating, you want to captivate visitors by choosing your Studio over the competition. 

 

The online profile is clear on who the person is. They facilitate a way to find out who is interested (swipe left and right) and how to take the next step. 

 

Same for your website. Does your website capture people's attention in 10 seconds so they do not click away? Do you have a way to find out who is interested and get them to sign up with you? If not, don't worry. We will cover these 3 essential elements right now: 

 

1. It is easy to understand.   

What you do

Who you serve

How to find out more

2. Has form to capture leads

3. Has easy online sign-up

While a nice design is important, your website's success depends on effectively answering these questions and providing a professional, user-friendly experience. By ensuring a seamless and informative journey for potential students and parents, you'll position your studio as a top contender in the industry.

Your website is only one element of your marketing. If you want to see the complete list of your marketing, go listen to episode # 12, which shows you how Marketing is like Dating. Once you listen to episode # 12, it will be clear how marketing works and the exact steps to fill up your classes. 

I hope this episode was helpful, and now I want to get your focus on your website to make sure you have all 3 elements: simple and clear to understand, capture leads, and a smooth sign-up process.  

And if you still need to do so, please join our private Facebook group Creative Studio Owners to be with other like-minded Creative Studio owners, exchange ideas, learn from each other, and spread your wisdom.

If you're an Art Studio Owner who primarily relies on revenue from art classes, camps, and birthday parties, there are numerous creative ways to expand your offerings and bring in extra revenue. More financially stable business with revenue even in slow months of the year. 

 

So, in this episode, we will give you 10 outside-the-box ideas to earn more money by having more new students and bringing back existing students for more while creating a super dedicated tribe that will cherish what you get to them. In this episode, we will also give you examples and exact steps to easily add these revenue streams to your offerings. 

 

What are the 10 outside-the-box ideas?  

Teach offsite

Assemble Portfolio after workshops, camps or end of year

Facilitate Team Building

Offer Family Classes

Sell seasonal Merchandise

Exhibitions for long-term students

Rent your Studio during off hours

Add VIP Programs

Add complimentary activities 

Offer Membership

This list may look like a lot of work upfront, and you don't need to implement all these at once. Take one at a time and come back to the list later. Use this list as a starting point to adjust to your needs.

Take a moment and see what resources you have to implement the above list now and in the future. Then, go to our Facebook Group, Creative Studio Owners, https://www.facebook.com/groups/creativestudioowners, and share with us what is already working… or if you have additional ideas to add to the list. See you there!

Here is an evergreen question: what is the easiest way to fill up your classes with the least amount of effort?  And the best answer is: with the students that you already have. Because it is 7 times easier to keep a student than to acquire a new one.

In this episode we will talk about the 3 easy things you can do to always make students come back for more.

So, if you have always asked yourself, how to fill up your classes with the least amount of work, the easiest answer is to get the students who already participated in one of your activities to come back for more. For instance, if you have summer camps coming up, you can start there, and I will tell you how in a moment.

But first. Imagine binge-watching your favorite Netflix series for hours in a row. What's the magic that keeps you hooked? It is that feeling of always wanting more after each episode, right? Well, here's a secret: You can use the same idea to your advantage. When students take part in one of your activities, do these 3 things:

Build anticipation for what is next

Offer extended classes

Treat your students like VIPs

By following these steps, you'll keep your students enthusiastic and eager for more adventures in your Studio. Remember, the key is to foster a warm and vibrant learning community where everyone feels welcome and inspired.

After this episode, I would like to get your wheels turning and think about how to implement these 3 steps and get your classes full in no time.

Imagine this: We are sitting at a coffee shop together, and I ask you to tell me about your Studio business. In fact, I ask you to write down on a small napkin what you do and how you do it. 

In this episode we will talk about high-level overview of 3 different business models and why it is so important to be able to clearly and simply explain it on a small napkin.

It comes down to 3 simple questions:

If I asked you how you are attracting your students, would you be able to tell me?

If I asked you what you are using to convert those interested into paying students, would you be able to tell me?

And if I asked you, how do you continue to serve and keep those students, how would you respond?

Explain in a simplified way, in a high high-level overview, that fits on a small napkin. And this is the way that I would encourage you to really simplify and think about your business. I will explain why is so important in this episode.

Have you ever worked all day, were exhausted, but felt nothing important was done? Other than the day being gone. That will never come back. No matter if people are rich or poor, famous or not, money can buy time back. So, time is the most valuable asset we all have. In this episode, we will reveal the mistakes business studio owners make with their time and how to fix them.

When working for someone, people do what they are supposed to do to keep things afloat, and a team of executives decides how to grow the company. But when it is your business, everything you do directly affects your studio's direction (growth, stagnation, or closing).

Studio Owners must wear many hats, and the mundane tasks can eat up the day, every day.

You've probably heard the saying, "working in your business," versus "working on your business." Let's break it down. When you work in your business, you handle the day-to-day operations that keep things running smoothly, but these tasks may contribute little to its growth. Those are low-value tasks. On the other hand, working on your business means prioritizing high-value tasks that have the power to grow it. Find out how to do both.