2024 Concert Series: Parent Communication Done Right

Hello, friends, I'm Amanda Barr.

And I'm Rebecca Lou Brennan. And welcome to Dance Principals United, the podcast.

Together, we are passionate about helping studio owners with the business of running their studio.

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This is the Dance Principles United podcast. Hey, friends, and welcome to the Dance Principals United podcast. We are so excited to be back with concert series number two, talking all things parent communication. Hi, my lovely friend Bec. How are you?

I'm super awesome. And fun fact, I just had two concerts on the weekend, so this is a good time for me to self reflect and chat to you about all the things.

Absolutely. How did they go?

They went really well. So we had our Circus Acro concerts. Everyone said it was the best Circus Acro we've ever done, which is.

Wow.

Yeah. Which was nice. We've got a new team and they rocked it. I was so impressed with them.

So, so good. All right, well, let's talk parent communication because probably that's something that, you know, like we're always all trying to improve because we know that parents are busy. They've got so much information coming at them all the time. Doesn't everybody? Right. Regardless of their parents or not, it's like content overload at the moment. So we really need to talk about ways to streamline our parent communication, don't you think?

Oh, my gosh. I even today there was. Because I'm right near Phoenix's school and there was cars parked up and down and it's normally assembly, but then I'm like panicking, going to my emails, being like, have I forgotten something? Like, it's just so much happening at this time of year. It's crazy.

Absolutely. And look, this isn't part of our show, but just on a side note, isn't that so true? I'm finding with schools that the communication is all over the place and sometimes I get it on. We have. We actually have two different apps for our school, which is really annoying. So two different apps and an email. Then they post things on their Facebook group and then there's like parent run Facebook groups as well. Exactly. So to try and find the info, you have the same. Oh my God. Crazy, right?

So impossible to know where to find things, what's happening. I always find things out last minute because I'm that terrible mum that doesn't have time anyway. And then Phoenix will go into a meltdown because something's last minute and it's not what he needs and oh, it's horrible. Horrible.

Absolutely. And so we need to stop that in our studios. We don't want to be what the parents are whinging about going, oh my God. I knew there was something on, but I couldn't find the info. And did they email it or did they post it on band or was it in their Facebook group? You do not want to be that studio. So today we're here to give you a couple of tips around how not to make that happen.

Yes. I think this is so awesome. So what's tip number one, Amanda?

Tip number one is simplify your information. Too many words are too many words, right? I like to, you know, my new phrase is a word salad where you just like use all these words and chuck them in just for the sake of chucking words in. I feel like we always need to simplify our information. And that can look like, you know, really clear headings, not too many words, dot points, bullet points. I think it always needs to just be simple as best, right?

Yeah. Asking things as a question like, you know, like sometimes that works really well. I think like the FAQ sort of style. FAQ sort of style so that they know like, you know, they can go straight to it so that it makes it simpler. But I never read long winded emails. As soon as it's more than one paragraph for me, forget it. It's way too hard.

Absolutely. So really making sure you're simplifying your information. FAQs are a great way to do it. Bullet points, you know, subheadings, infographics. I'm a big fan of infographics. You know, a little, pretty canva design with infographics, you know, around like dates to remember with like a little graphic to save or you know, important things to know this week or something like that. Or even if you've got like a newsletter, like a little like summary at the top in a pretty bold color in an infographic style that can make it so much more simple on parents. It's so much easier to read rather than just writing words for the sake of writing words.

Also like a really clear, if you are sending emails, a really clear email heading that's like exactly what it's about.

Not they can find it.

Hundred percent.

Absolutely. And look, I think talking about, you know, the word salad thing, it kind of goes into my other point around, you know, really making sure everything is benefit driven.

And I've.

Look, this is coming from. Let me tell you the story. Let me go back and tell you the story.

Tell me the story. Tell me.

I was reading a Couple of people's information. Obviously, it's our job to make sure we're up to date with what's happening across, like lots of studios. And I have found that some studios almost apologize for things before it's even an issue. Right. Like very, very like this slight undertone of like an apology. You know, like, I hope you understand that it is necessary for our students to rehearse multiple times in the lead up to the concert. You know, something like it's almost an apology. It's not quite, but it's almost framed like a negative thing rather than framing it as a. Students get to participate in lots of rehearsals so that we can make sure the concerts, you know what I mean? Like, or they get to come along so many times to experience the joy of the theater multiple times, you know, that is more of a benefit driven than like an apology. Does that make sense?

Yes. You know what else? I hate the word compulsory.

Oh.

Stop using that word. That is the worst word to use. Like compulsory photo day or, you know.

Just a photo day.

Photo day for all of our students in.

Yeah.

In the studio. Like, isn't that a better way of putting it than compulsory photo? Like, it just sounds like, yeah. And it's like, screw you, then I'm not coming to the photo day if it's compulsory. That like people just take such a negative sense on it.

Like, Absolutely. Which is actually so hard.

I was staff training on the weekend and I. I find that at this time of year, my staff do tend to start to get a bit negative with their emails because they're tired and stressed as well. And so I said to them as part of the training session, every email now needs to go into chat GPT and you need to write. Please write this in a more positive frame just so that we constantly are getting that positivity out and it's not such a negative. And that's such a simple thing to do. Absolutely. Write that in a compulsory photo day and then get chat GPT to write it positively.

Absolutely. I love that so, so much. Now, our other big thing that we wanted to talk about is using dynamic info. And what I mean by dynamic info is info that can be updated because there is nothing worse than then sending an email. You know, the times then change slightly, but the parent on, you know, and you send an updated email for sure, or an updated PDF attachment or whatever that is. And then the parents go back to the first email because they're in a rush and they just search their inbox and it was the first one that came up and they look at the old times. That is so annoying. Right? It's annoying for you, but it's also annoying for the parent. So I love dynamic info. We really, you know, teach through all of our programs using like concept mini sites. You could use like a live Google document or a live canva site or anything like that, but something that you always point parents to. You can always find our info here on this website and then you just can keep updating it if it changes rather than having to send a new email and. And please disregard the old one or anything like that.

Right, yeah. So what you mean is like a live page, like a Google page. You can go to Google Doc.

Yep, yep.

Google Doc, which just has like a link and then they can go in. You change your information in there and that way they're not going to the emails like you said, they're always just going to the link. And I think that's been a game changer for a lot of our SGC members.

Absolutely.

Yeah. Me included. Because, you know, I think you told me about that maybe five or six years ago, Amanda.

Yeah.

And that has been a massive game changer for us because all our parents just go to the concert website and so they know where to find all the information. It's not so last minute and crazy and it's awesome.

Yeah. So I think, you know, making it a website is really the great thing. That's what I mean by a mini side. A website. You know, Canva has a great way to do it. You can do it on Google site. You know, you can do it on so many different ways that you can do it to make it look pretty that are free and accessible and that way you can just create a little URL and you can always point parents to that information. So rather than them reading the email, the email says go to this website to get all the information. Then the band post says go to the same info website to get information. The Facebook or the Instagram post says go to this place to get. So then it's not like this conflicting information everywhere. They just learn that that's where they find all the information. Information so much easier.

Genius. You're a genius, Amanda.

I don't know about that, but I think it does make everything so much easier. So if you're not doing that, really, really think about how you can do that. There's so many great, like YouTube tutorials, we teach it in tribe as well. And it's such a great way to really, you know, enhance the concert experience for all of your parents. And I guess that comes back to as well, making sure you have all your ducks in a row before you send out information. You know, there's nothing worse than dribs and drabs of information coming slowly. You need to be prepared if you decide that you're sending out your concert information eight weeks before the show, which I think is perfectly acceptable. Like, eight weeks before is great. You know, make sure eight weeks before you know everything. You know what time they're to arrive, you know, you know how they have to purchase their video link or their DVD or whatever, you know, their hair and makeup, you know the exact price of tickets, you know the date that goes there, Everything, every single piece of information needs to go out at that eight weeks before, if that's the date you choose, or six, whatever it is. Not like, hey, we'll tell you that later. And hey, we'll tell you that one later. And this info will be ready later. Just have it all together.

Yes. And plan it well so that you don't have to go back. Like, there's nothing worse than changing things last minute on parents. They hate that. And I totally get it as well. And so I think, like, get it out early and then just stick to your guns.

Absolutely.

It's gonna cause angst with them if you keep changing it up, changing it up, changing it up. Don't you think?

Absolutely. There is nothing worse than like a last minute rehearsal being called, you know, a change of showtime, A, you know, whatever that is. There's nothing worse for parents because not just parents, but all of us this time of the year. I don't know about you bet. But my weekends are booked solidly from down till Christmas. Like, literally, there is not a free date in there so far.

Yep. It's so crazy. And things like last minute hair, like, I've done that before, I have to admit. Like back in the day where I was like, oh, no, okay, that parent complained about braids. I'm now going to do buns. And then there's that poor parent that turns up with the braids because they didn't read the last minute info. And then he feels so sorry for them, feel sorry for the child. Then we're ripping the child's hair out to redo it. Like, so dumb.

Yeah, absolutely. And I guess that goes into, like not being reactive as well. Like, just because one parent complained about the braids or whatever, don't go and change every information. Like, make your decision and stick to it. I think generally, like, you know, sometimes I Agree things need to be changed, but generally, like, make a decision and stick to it. Don't be reactive because one parent complained or because, you know, this one thing happened because happens. Right. Parents are going to complain. That's just the nature of business.

There's always one, sometimes two or three, but it's two or three. And I think we listen to them so hard sometimes. And then exactly what you're saying. Be reactive. And that's a never.

Great. Absolutely. Hey, and I think also, just like, it's a little bit of a reminder to all studio owners listening at the moment. Don't let that get you down. Like, I, you know, I always see on Facebook groups, you know, there's a negative Nelly, you know, studio owner going, oh, I'm just feeling exhausted. My parents are complaining. Like, absolutely. Like, I'm not. I hear it like, it is hard when you get complaints. But we are business owners and it's not just dance studios that get complaints. It's every business. So it's not our industry specific. It's just business owners get complaints and it. It sucks. But you've got to remember it's generally a small percentage of people, and most people love what you're doing.

Yep, absolutely. And also sometimes you need a complaint to listen and change what you're doing. Like, I think that's the key as well. You know, we always try so hard to listen to our clients as much as we possibly can to take that feedback on, to try and see it from their perspective. You know, we've had people complain so much about communication in the past, and I've been really bad at that years and years ago. I was probably the worst for communicating quickly and reacting and doing all the things. And I think when people give you that feedback, you've got to look at it from their point of view and go, actually, possibly a fair call there, you know, but yeah, and that's great. Like, if you can say to them, yep, I totally get where you're coming from. And that's on the list to fix next year. That's going to make them happy. It's when you defend what you're doing and say, I'm, you know, I've done that great. And I don't know what you're talking about. That's when they get annoyed. And I totally get that as well.

Absolutely. Hey, the last thing we wanted to talk about today was training your team because there's such a big thing. And I know you're so passionate about it, Beck, but training your team to actually Know your constant information and be able to confidently answer questions. It's important, right?

So important. And not just giving them the notes to read and then expecting them to know exactly how you want them to react to parents when they have questions and stuff, because they won't know from reading the note. But I think actually playing that out, even if it's a zoom meeting, even if you can't get everyone into the studio at once, because that's something that I hear from a lot of people. Oh, I just can't get my team all into the studio at once. Then do a Sunday night zoom. I guarantee they're all sitting at home on a Sunday night or, you know, like early morning zoom or whatever you need to do to get them all there and then make sure that you have questions that parents are going to come at them with and how you want it answered. There's nothing worse than answering things and it's not the way that it's meant to be answered. Because you haven't trained them properly.

Absolutely. A bit of role playing in that is always such a good thing, right? Like a little bit of, you know, like, hey, what are you going to say to the parent who says, oh, my God, costumes are so expensive, you know, makes a sly comment about that? Like, actually saying it out loud and practicing it together is so exciting. So exciting. Sorry. So important to do. And, you know, you need your teachers to be able to confidently answer the parents questions, but you also need them to build that hype with the parents and the students in class because, you know, the concept's meant to be exciting. You need to build hype around it. So you need your team on board to help you build that hype.

Yep, absolutely. And giving them those tools and teaching them to do that stuff is. Is, I think, the key to a amazing business.

Absolutely. Absolutely. Hey, I hope you've been liking our concert series so far. We love chatting all things concert. We're going to continue this next week, so make sure you tune in. Hey, and if you like the show, could you do us a huge favor? Could you jump on Apple or Spotify or wherever you listen to this and like, write a little review? It means the world to us. We would say so. So appreciate it. It's how we can reach more people and help more studio owners and we would love that. It would mean the world. Thank you so much.

Absolutely. Thanks so much, guys. And we will see you next week.

Bye.

Bye.

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