You likely know that a freebie (aka: lead magnet) is a great way to encourage people to sign up for your dance studio’s mailing list. People don’t sign up for just anything, though, so how do you ensure your freebie is good enough to pull in new subscribers?
Consider your freebie as the first purchase from a new customer (they’re paying with their email). You want to prove to them they can trust you and your studio. You want them to come back for more! Don’t just tell your audience what they already know, get them excited, get them thinking, teach them!
So, what makes an irresistible freebie? Consider the following questions when deciding what to create for new subscribers:
Which Specific Type of Prospect Are You Targeting?
Don’t target your full target market with your freebie, especially when your goal is specific. For better results, consider which smaller swath of your audience you’re aiming at.
⭐ Are you trying to connect with parents who may be interested in your Arts Club program??
⭐ Are you reaching out to people specifically interested in recreational dance classes?
⭐ Are you aiming for parents who could sign their toddler up for a free or discounted trial class?
Targeting your ideal customer makes crafting compelling freebies easier and interestingly tends to result in greater success. Therefore, focus on WHO you’re selling to (parents needing summer activities for their daughters) as much as WHAT you’re selling (your summer dance programs).
What Are You Trying to Accomplish with This Freebie?
This is a great brainstorming stage! Don’t just throw out a freebie for “freebies sake”. Take a deep dive into your reason behind the freebie. What do you truly want to accomplish? Have a clear goal in mind and you’re more likely to have success!
Perhaps your goal is to:
⭐ Have people give you their phone number as well as email address, so you can call them to schedule a trial class for their child
⭐ Send people an info packet about your studio’s programs and classes
⭐ Get more prospects into your studio’s open house event
While full enrollment is the overarching goal, it’s smart to remember that it typically takes a number of “touches” before a prospect registers for classes. In fact, enrolling a person on the very first contact is a rare and wondrous thing. It’s much more likely they’ve driven by your studio a number of times, heard great things about your programs from a neighbor, have spent some time on your website, and are only now ready to make their move.
Make it easy and available for people to register when they’re ready, but also consider they may be in an earlier stage of their decision-making process!
What Problem Is Your Freebie Solving for Your Prospect?
If your lead magnet doesn’t solve a real problem for your prospect, or if it doesn’t give them something they really want, it won’t compel them to sign up for your mailing list. Think in terms of how you can help readers through your freebie, and your chances for new subscribers will increase greatly.
Here are a couple of freebie examples, each chosen to attract a specific type of customer with a certain type of problem:
⭐ If you’re targeting young parents who might be nervous about their 3-year old’s first day at dance class, your freebie could be a checklist named: “Top 5 Things to Bring to Your Child’s First Dance Class”. List important dance-related items, but also include things people wouldn’t normally think about (water bottle, healthy snack, hair ties etc).
⭐ If you want to attract seniors or lifetime learners who are nervous to take the plunge, consider sending a short freebie video that introduces your studio (you can upload your video to YouTube and then provide a link to it once they’re signed up to your email list). Make it warm and inviting so they feel comfortable. Have a catchphrase that draws people in such as, “Join our family and dance through life!”
How Will You Follow Through?
Is your freebie easy to access? If people have to jump through multiple hoops, they are less likely to become and stay engaged. In this tech era, most people are used to instant gratification… Don’t make them wait!
⭐ Many email services, like ConvertKit, allow you to send a digital freebie automatically when someone signs up. This type of automation means new subscribers will get your opt-in freebie right away (and will mean less work for you)!
⭐ If you’re offering a free video, make sure it’s successfully uploaded to your studio’s YouTube or Vimeo account and unlocked. Have the video link ready to include in the introductory email you send to new subscribers.
⭐ If you’re offering a discount, create a code and have a method in place to accept the discounted payment.
⭐ If your freebie is the promise of a phone conversation to discuss placement for a trial class, be clear about the timeline. Letting a new subscriber know that someone from your staff will “call them within 1 business day” will give them a proper heads up so they know what to expect.
Who’s Going to Be In Charge Of Creating the Freebie?
“Ugh, I don’t have the interest or bandwidth to create a freebie right now!”
If that statement resonates with you, remember that you don’t have to be the one to create your freebie! You should definitely be involved in brainstorming and deciding on the best freebie(s) for your studio, but you can then delegate (a magic word!) the creation of it to your office manager, a tuned-in instructor, or a teen dancer with content creation skills. Allowing others to help will alleviate some of the work, allowing you to focus on other studio tasks.
A nice perk to having your studio manager or other team member create your freebie is that it may grow your reach in the community. People are proud of the work they produce and are more likely to share with their friends, family and social media groups if they have a part in creating the content (this can grow your reach exponentially!)
Also, freebies don’t always have to come from the same person. So ask yourself, who’s the best fit for this particular freebie? And then proceed from there.
A Final Tip on Creating an Irresistible Freebie:
Oh boy, this one’s important! Remember to plan the delivery of your dance studio’s freebie and set it in place before you offer it! Test the signup and freebie delivery process more than once (trust me on this one 🙄).
After all, if you promise a freebie and don’t produce it, your good intentions will have a negative effect on your dance studio’s business. You want to prove to the community that you’re reliable and give them a great first impression!
Having an irresistible freebie is an important part of building and using your dance studio’s mailing list. I hope this blogpost has given you some tools to get started creating your own!
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May your studio flourish & grow!
Stacey