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Opened a Studio!!! (it’s scary) What brought YOU into pole?
Hi All!
Been awhile since I’ve reached out on Veena forums. I just moved to a new city in June, and since there wasn’t much here in terms of pole dancing, I decided I’d just have to show the Hudson Valley what is up… so I’ve spent the last couple months putting together a small, grassroots pole studio. It was never something I yearned to do, but I LOVE teaching more than words can say. So here I am. You can check out the site still under slight construction here: http://www.hudsonvalleypole.com
I have a handful of instructors/friends ready to bounce up here from NYC to host workshops or specialty classes. Marketing, however, is not really my thing. Any advice on how to reel people in? How were you converted to pole? Tell me everything!
I have not done Google adwords yet or Yelp, but they are definitely on my radar. Just wondering WHAT it was exactly that brought you in to pole!
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34 Replies
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I know absolutely nothing about marketing but I can tell you I started going to a pole studio because of a Groupon.
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A coworker invited me to come with her to a class. I was looking for a new workout at the time and it sounded like fun. I was hooked after just one class!
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Well I spent 4 years at school in NYC and I had always meant to try a pole fitness class (I’m not sure how I first heard about pole… but there are plenty of places to do it in the city). I don’t remember WHY I wanted to do it, just looked fun I guess.
Well I never got around to it… school was demanding and time just kind of slipped away. Well being back in NJ after I graduated I hit a bit of rut. I missed the excitement of the city, I missed my friends.. I needed to get out. I set a new years resolution to just get out of my comfort zone and finally do the things I kept saying I would always do…
So I looked for a pole studio… (btw I think I used Polenation.com to search). I really didn’t know much about pole so I chose mainly on convenience.
So I looked at location (is it far? is it in a nice area?) and times.
Seems like all studios were about 45 min away. And to be honest, I knew I’d be driving solo and probably at night to class… so I made sure to look google street view and make sure it didn’t look like a bad area. I was definitely deterred from one studio. It’s funny how the city doesn’t bother me, but sometimes the suburbs just freak me out!
The times were a BIG issue for me. For some studios beginner classes were at a good time.. but if I progressed out of beginner, the intermediate would be impossible for me to get to… So those studios were out. I chose a small studio run out of the instructor’s house. All classes were mixed levels so it wasn’t an issue about progressing out of the class. I just like having my Wednesday night pole sessions. I didn’t want to keep hoping around times!
I imagine starting a studio would be really hard! Good luck! If I’m passing through upstate I’ll be sure to book a class!
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Sheika kelley’s talk on TedX – let’s get naked. Really struck deep with me in so many areas, and wow did pole wake me up, physically of course, but mostly spiritually and emotionally:)
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When I started poling there was only one option besides learning on my own. Much of what I did was off videos and the internet. I don’t even remember how I even found the studio in went to because at the time she did not even have a website.
Now if I am visiting an area I will check out studios. I will drop in a class or two to get a feel for a studio before signing up for classes. As with Zumba for me convenience is a factor but I have no problem driving to a farther studio if there are quality instructors.
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I was a studio owner for 5 years. Groupon will get your name out there, but don’t expect a huge return. Many will buy the coupon, but never show up. Be very careful of Yelp. They filter your good reviews, but will broadcast any bad review you may get, and they will not take it down. Best marketing I did was my website and a heavy presence on Facebook. I also did a lot of community events, produced and directed several pole/aerial/burlesque shows, competed, and performed locally to draw people into the studio. Workshops were ok, but don’t expect to make any money on them. It will all go to the guest instructor.
I started at a girls’ night out party. Out of 20 who attended, only 3 of us continued with pole and committed to classes. Parties are big money makers, so that is also an ideal way to market, and maybe you will get a few committed students from them.
Best of luck!!!!! It’s a lot of hard work, but also fulfilling and creative!!!!
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Facebook ads and a good product is the best advertising 🙂 good luck 🙂
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I’ve been starting pole dancing during my Erasmus. I had always wanted to try it, however in my hometown the price was way too high and the studio at the opposite side of the city…
I looked on the internet to find my studio. Their website was great and everything was clear. There was even a discount on the price of classes when you buy several ones at the same time. Its location was perfect: a huge bus station nearby and a car park for those who needed it.
The teachers were amazing and I knew I wanted to stay with them after the first lesson!
🙂
Oh yes, all the classes were at night which was really cool for me as a student! -
I started poling because I was a exotic dancer and got bored just walking around the stage. Lol. I ordered Pantera’s Pole Tricks 101, then found other DVD’s and Youtube. I opened my own (tiny) studio last year in Morgantown, WV.
I’ve found that posting often on social media and flyers have been the best ways to reach people. I post pole& fitness info, motivation, and try to make a combo video at least once every couple of weeks and post it on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube with all the relevant hashtags I can think of; I’m always amazed by how many views I get! As for flyers, I hit every place that has a peg board and leave a flyer and some business cards.
I’ve also tried to list on all the pole websites I can find: United Pole Artists, PoleNation, X-pole, Pole Dancing for Fitness, etc.
Hope this helps!
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I work in Market Research and Facebook ads are NOT a good way to spend your money. Please don’t waste your money on Facebook ads! You get the views that you’re promised, but the demographics are not accurate and the ROI doesn’t cut it.
Facebook presence is good.
Create a site for your studio (Wix.com or any other free site builder, or even just create a facebook page) and spread the word via friends and such. -
I wonder if you could try to find students in your area who are already doing other forms of dance? Ballroom dancers, belly dancers, dancers at the local college?
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If you have access to a stand alone/stage pole maybe you could set up in a populated area and have someone so tricks while another person can be there to hand out fliers and talk to people? I dunno what the legal parameters would be on that but I’ve seen people do it at festivals and stuff for pole and for aerial
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Also, leaving cards at the front desk of places like yoga or Pilates studios can help. I’ve done that for my massage practice and owners have been keen to help, but at the same time I wasn’t advertising another fitness class. Other ideas can be fliers at juice bars or university centers near you. Yknow those fliers that have little sideways tabs on the bottom so people can take your number and info with them? I see them around at my campus and they usually have most of the tabs gone, so people are at least taking them and showing interest I dunno about the follow up but every bit helps 🙂
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How much is your lease? Im thinking of opening a space eventually and the going rate over here for space is $1100
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@Lucca Valentine, you and I are on the same wavelength! I live near a college, so i’ve jogged through campus and left fliers in fun places! I’m def thinking about purchasing a stand-alone stage to host demos in festivals and art fairs, as there are many here, especially in the warmer months. I’ve been doing the drop-off at local studios I go to, and they don’t seem to mind (probably because I give them a lot of business as a patron myself). I think it’s working. The lead-up has been slow, but when I think about the fact i’ve been open a week and I’ve already have a handful of new students, I don’t think thats so bad. #optimism
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