Some Help Please - Especially if you're from NOVA

[urbanspice]

I've been working hard trying to advertise my summer piano camp, but so far I have only person signed up.

This is what I've done

* Put out ads in two homeschool online mags\newsletter
* Sent several hundred flyers home with daycare students (very nice, vistaprint glossy flyers)
* Sent out 10, 000 flyers as newpaper inserts (same as above)
* Printed and created about 1500 brochures that are being distributed in 17 different stores (again, very nice)
* Promo business cards
* Ads on craigslist
* Website
* Request for referrals from current students (I made nice packets for them and of course they are all now smashed in their music bags)
* Announcement at studio recital

The result:
One, measly student signed on. (from homeschool)
A few calls of interest. (from day care) No one signed up, even though they said the would or wanted to
One call from the flyers. (We happen to be playing the fun game of phone tag)

That's not even 5% of anything. I think I'm going to have a heart attack. Help, please. I need ideas desperately. I live near DC. The last time a checked there were people, with kids... people who dote on their kids... constantly.

[m1469]

Well, first of all, how long ago was most of this advertising done, and how far from the date of the camp is it now ?

What does your advertisement read ? (how is it set up, etc ?)

Is this your first year ?

Tell us more about the camp itself, if you don't mind .  How many teachers ?  What's the focus ?  How's it set up ?


ps-  sorry, I am not from NOVA 

[urbanspice]

Well, first of all, how long ago was most of this advertising done, and how far from the date of the camp is it now ?

Several weeks really big stuff, and a few weeks before that with small stuff. I started with small stuff and gradually expanded. Began with craigslist and website stuff. Student packets\referral info went out the last week of May, but information has been in the newsletters for about three months. Flyers have been going out since June 1st. I've  been making daily drops (and calls) to many centers in the area. Newspaper inserts went out on Thursday. Brochures went out last week.

The one person I have has been signed up for about three or four weeks already.

The camp begins in two weeks.

What does your advertisement read ? (how is it set up, etc ?)

The Flyers Read: (I don't know how to attach)
Blast OFF With Piano
Summer Piano Program

"An Awesome, Fun, and Exciting Introduction to the Piano!"
• No piano needed at home
• ages five - teen
• Intended for complete beginners
• Students learn the very basics of piano
• Students participate in a Mini-Recital for family members on the last day of class
• Classes are conveniently located ___ High School
• Morning, Afternoon, and Evening classes.
• Three sessions through out the summer
• All students receive a FREE T-Shirt.

Session Dates
June 27-29
July 25-27
August  15-17
 
Enroll Today!

PHONE NUMBER
WEBSITE
EMAIL

Brochures are basically the same, just more info and an application form.
Both are color and glossy, and have a picture of a piano.

Is this your first year ?

Yes.

Tell us more about the camp itself, if you don't mind .  How many teachers ?  What's the focus ?  How's it set up ?

 

I'm trying to do the Blast Off with Piano by Mayron Cole
It's three days, classes are 75 minutes per day, W-F
I divided the classes into age groups, which is what most teachers that use this program do.
Just one teacher, me
The focus is on introducing piano to students who think they might have an interest in learn the piano. 
Classes are at a local high school
Tuition is pretty much the same price for monthly group classes in the area. It also includes books and everything the student needs.


 

[Bob]

Probably just a first year thing.  You can always cancel due to lack of enrollment.  But do it again next year and consider this year advertising.  It's never too early to advertise.

If it just went out to the newspapers last week, people don't have time to respond.  I know a lot of parents "set" their kids schedules before summer starts.  They have a schedule and babysitter, etc.  Not to mention all the other camps. 

Getting it into newsletters in January is not too early I would think.

It takes time to get rolling though.  I wouldn't give up after one attempt.  I do know even the biggest schools with all the support, resources, etc., can't always get new programs off the ground though. 

[m1469]

I agree with the things Bob has said.  These things can take time.   How many students do you need in order for this to be worth it for you to run ?

If you get calls in between now and your camps, DO NOT TELL THEM THE CAMP IS CANCELLED (even if it is) !!!  You tell them that there are no longer any spots available, and that you will place them on a waiting list and if a spot opens up at the last minute, you will contact them (and then you wait until you get more than the right number of people to run your show). 

At this point, I would recommend *not* actually enrolling anybody else and instead, place them all on the "waiting list" until you are POSITIVE that you will have enough enrollment to run the camp.  Also, this way you will have their information to do some individual advertising next year, too  (email addresses ).

This is important because all of the advertising you have done this year, even if the camp doesn't run this year, will still serve you well in the future if you handle it correctly.  No matter what, treat this camp as something very valuable (people want to get something valuable).

As far as advertising goes, there is not much that can be done about this year.  But, I have a couple of ideas for next year. 

A general rule of thumb is that people want to feel like they are really getting something "special" or, at least, what they have paid for.  And, we, as teachers, need to help them realize that they are.  One way to do this is to create some sense of accomplishment for them, by them just having been able to enroll at all.  Putting something like this on your advertisements :

"Spaces within the camps are limited so please contact us early to reserve your spot !"

Will create a stronger curiosity than this :  "Enroll today !"  -- while we may think there is some sort of excitement in that, most people are procrastinators (!! !!) unless they have a wee bit o' fire under their bums.  You need to help them feel motivated by giving them some kind of deadline -- "enroll today" is too open-ended and doesn't impact them the same way.  "Today" could mean tomorrow ... or the next day ... or next week ... or next month ... to a lot of people.

Also, you may want to include on your advertisments some kind of photo that represents what would "happen" in the camp.  A small group of kids at the piano, or even an individual one (you can use your private students for this -- or even the 'kid next door' if you don't want to use your private students for this).   Photos can work wonders when one is wanting to authenticate any circumstance.

Don't give up altogether if this is something you really want to do.  Just concentrate on improving your efforts in whatever way you can.

[m1469]

Hey !  Urban !  How's it going here ?  Inquiring minds want to know 

[urbanspice]

It's not going. I "cancelled" the first session but I'm still trying hard to salvage the rest. I refuse to give up. I'm not that kind of person. I'm going to run a newspaper ad, put an ad in a parent magazine, and maybe mail out the rest of my flyers and brochures to homes in the area.
I still welcome any tips, advice or even discussion on what I've done wrong- that is the point of the forum, correct? I'm sure more than two people have an input on or have dealt with advertising in some way.
The only reason I put in NOVA (norther virginia for all those wondering aka DC Metro area) in the topic was because I figured if anyone on the forum was from this area they might have more insight to advertising for students then I do. Even if you're not from the area, I would appreciate your thought or opinions.

[urbanspice]

I've already thought some on what I've done wrong. I think one of the things was too many choices AND too much ambition.

I think it should have just been one or two classes a day
Another person on another forum suggested to make the camps longer and more like camps.
And of course, next time. I'll start advertising earlier. That might make a difference.

[m1469]

I still welcome any tips, advice or even discussion on what I've done wrong- that is the point of the forum, correct? I'm sure more than two people have an input on or have dealt with advertising in some way. (...)

(...)Even if you're not from the area, I would appreciate your thought or opinions.

Okay, I guess Bob and I are chopped liver then  


Anyway, good luck !  And, thanks for the update.

[Bob]

mmmm.. chopped liver.

I thought everyone else must have agreed with us if they didn't have anything to say.

... except it's hard to post a quick "I agree (with Bob)" with the 60 second rule....

[urbanspice]

Okay, I guess Bob and I are chopped liver then 


Anyway, good luck !  And, thanks for the update.

No, I appreciate your responses very much. Case in point...
* August is "cancelled" - by that I mean I will still advertise but it is "full"  (m1469's advice)
* Next year I will start a lot earlier (Bob's advice)
* The area I live in is wealthy and full of type A parents and their schedules ARE set before some, including 'au pairs' and treks across the ocean. (Bob)
* Next year I will do a spaces limited\enroll - (m1469's advice) I'm a very logical person. As well as somewhat knowledgeable of advertising techniques. All that limited space\enroll now seems just silly and it's just a gimmick- - but I guess it works because people keep doing it.

So no one is chopped liver. I guess I am somewhat disappointed at the response from the forum. Especially when I'm antsy and waiting on responses to a question that to me "is like the most important question in the world, like you know, a matter of life and death, like  ... really... you know"

[Bob]

Au pairs?

[urbanspice]

The rich way to say nanny- They are usually from a different country.

a person, usually a young foreign visitor, employed to take care of children, do housework, etc., in exchange for room and board: We sent the children to the beach with the au pair.

A young foreigner who does domestic work for a family in exchange for room and board and a chance to learn the family's language.

Since I'm bored (and Jay Leno is coming on late so everyone can watch the Wimbledon Highlights) I went straight to dictionary.com the source of all intelligence.

[m1469]

*Sautees chopped liver in olive oil and garlic*

*sprinkles in parsley flakes and freshly ground black pepper*

*eats while it's still hot*

*mmmmmmmm*


Anyway, Urbanino, the teaching board is often pretty slow ... if you were around answering more of our burning questions you would know that  .  Who you holdin' out for anyway ? 


*pokes Bob (just to see what happens) with fork*

[Bob]

Hey!