If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to grow your dance school and build stronger connections with your local community, hosting an open day might be the perfect solution. Not only does it showcase your studio and teaching style, but it also opens the doors—literally—to potential new students and their families.
At our dance studio, we’ve hosted several types of open days over the years, each tailored to meet specific goals. From small, targeted events to larger, all-day events, we’ve seen how impactful they can be in growing our student base and building a sense of community. Let me share some insights from our experiences and tips to help you make your open day a success.
The Benefits of Hosting an Open Day
Attract New Students Without High Costs
Unlike paid advertising, an open day provides a low-cost way to engage directly with potential students. For example, we’ve hosted Sunday morning open days for early years children, themed around our Mini Movers sessions. Parents and children received goodie bags filled with vouchers, colouring sheets, and branded items, which helped create a memorable first impression. This approach not only brought in new students but also laid the foundation for long-term enrolments.
Build Relationships
Meeting staff in person builds trust and familiarity. When we hosted a Pilates and Yoga open day, we offered tea and coffee afterwards and chatted to attendees about which class might suit them best. This casual, friendly approach helped people feel at ease and more likely to sign up.
Generate Great PR
A well-planned open day can generate buzz. For larger events, we’ve invited the local press to come along, and the extra publicity helped to boost enrolments. Whether it’s through local newspapers or social media, an open day is an excellent opportunity to shine a spotlight on your studio.
Strengthen Your Studio’s Brand
An open day showcases what makes your studio unique. Highlight your approach to teaching, commitment to inclusivity, or anything else that sets you apart. At our large-scale open days, we’ve run multiple classes in different rooms and featured student performances to really show off the talent and atmosphere at the studio.
How to Run a Successful Open Day
Start Small and Targeted
If it’s your first time hosting an open day, my advice is to keep it simple and focus on one niche area. For example, we’ve had great success dedicating events to early years children or fitness classes. These shorter, more focused events are less overwhelming to plan and can be a great way to test the waters.
Plan Ahead
Organisation is key. It’s no good announcing your open day two days before and hoping for the best. For our larger events, we’ve advertised months in advance, using countdowns on social media and offering prizes for shares. This builds excitement and ensures a good turnout.
Make It Interactive
A registration desk where attendees can sign up for classes and ask questions is a must. Include tours of your studio and encourage your existing customers to chat with newcomers. Their enthusiasm is contagious and helps create a welcoming environment.
Prepare Goodie Bags and Refreshments
Even a small gesture, like a branded pen or voucher in a goodie bag, can leave a lasting impression. Providing tea or coffee (as we did for our Pilates open day) also encourages people to linger and chat, building stronger connections.
Showcase the Fun of Dance
Consider a short performance by your students or teachers. It’s a wonderful way to demonstrate the energy and talent at your studio and inspire attendees to join in the fun.
Capture the Day
Don’t forget to take photos and videos. Share these on social media to highlight the event’s success and create buzz for your studio even after the open day is over.
Lessons from Our Experience
Start Small, Then Scale Up
While our full-day open days with multiple classes and a team of staff have been successful, they can also be more challenging to organise. If you’re new to open days, begin with something manageable—like a single programme or class—and build from there.
Get Your Existing Customers Involved
Having your current students and parents on hand to chat with newcomers can help build excitement and make people feel at home.
Stay Organised
Ensure everything is planned well in advance. Structured promotion, such as weekly updates on social media or email newsletters, ensures your event stays visible and generates interest.
When Is the Best Time to Host an Open Day?
Choosing the right time for your open day can make a big difference. At the start of the year or in September, people are often looking to try new activities, making these ideal times for general open days. However, if you’re focusing on a specific niche—like early years classes or fitness programmes—these can be held at any time of year to suit your schedule and the needs of your target audience.
Is It Right for Your Studio?
Open days are a brilliant way to attract new students, but they do require time and effort to organise. With careful planning, they can be the boost your studio needs. So, will you give it a go? Start small, get creative, and see how an open day could work for you.
