Don’t Let Your Midyear Concert Go to Waste!

Hello, friends, I'm Amanda Barr.

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

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

Join us as we talk everything from marketing systems, studio culture, motherhood, life and everything in between.

This is the Dance Principles United podcast. Hey, friends, and welcome back to the Dance Principals United Podcast. Bec, my love, how are today?

I am so, so awesome. It's getting to the end of the term.

It's all happening mid year concerts coming up. We were just telling Brendan, our lovely producer here about your. What you have is a pep rally in replacement for a mid year concert and the incredible content that you got out of it last year. Right. Do you want to tell the story about the bus? Because I just feel like that is the best story. It's hard to know without saying, but we'll have to post it on our Instagram.

Oh yeah, I'll post on the Instagram. Yes. What we do every year at our pep rallies and pep rally is all of our troops and we have 32 troops that go in.

Yeah.

So we have a lot of troops that rather than putting them on stage in comp the first time, which is always shady the first time you put them on stage. Right.

Absolutely.

We put them up as a mid year concert kind of thing, but we call it pep rally and you know, we make it like a pep rally. So all the parents are encouraged to bring signs and pom poms and cheer for their kids and dress up and do all the things. So in the middle of it we have the par fashion parade or dance off where they come out and they, you know, wear their outfit and walk down the catwalk kind of thing. And then the judge, we have a judge there who gives feedback about all the routines and the judge picks one of them and they get like a 200 voucher off their fees. Right. So they go all out for this. But last year they did the eras to a bus and they took photos of me from my Facebook of different years. So I think they went back like five years. And the windows in the bus, they ripped the photo off and then they'd have one of the mums dressed in a blonde wig of me looking exactly.

Wearing like a similar. Like one was a pink suit.

Right.

Like an expo suit.

Right. That was one. And then when I won, when we won business of the year in Penrith, one was in my green suit from that and then had the actual business of the year trophy that they stolen from the studio from the Studio and like pushed that out the window. Yeah, it was like, it was super epic and fun.

That is so, so, so cool. I love that. And that's what we wanted to talk about today was using your mid year concert to create great content that drives enrollments in your studio. Because that's what that's all about. And now the photos of the eras of Beck might not grow enrollments. Although maybe it does because it shows dedication. It does grow engagement though, posting that. I'm sure when you posted that on your socials, the comments and stuff went off, right?

Yes. And like parents are still talking about it today. And I just said to you like we've just, you know, we've got our mid year concert posters all around the studio. We're very big on that. And one of the pictures on the mid year poster is of that bus from last year. And now everyone's like oh what are they going to do this year? And you know, it creates that excitement within the studio.

Absolutely. I love that so much. But let's talk about at mid year concerts if you haven't already planned, planned your content like today is the day that you need to do it. Because to me so many people are doing MIDI concerts now, which is great. I love MIDI concerts. It didn't used to be a thing. It should be. You know, I've did MIDI concerts from the first year I opened 21 years ago. 20? Oh no, more than that. I had my studio for 22 years and I've sold it three years ago. So it was a long time ago.

25 years ago, I think.

20. Oh God, me, I'm old. But at 40, it's really hit me hard this year, tell you what. But I think that you know, we know now that content is what drives our enrollments but we need to go into it with a plan. And so often we go into our concert seasons with like oh yeah, and make sure you share some stuff to stories. And that's not a content plan. Right. It's hard because there's so many hats we need to wear at mid year concert. You know, we've got to organize the kids, we've got to have the music. There's, you know, there's so much stuff going on but, but a plan to get good content at it. There's no other day like it in the year, especially if you wear uniform. I think there's no other day like it in the year to get great content.

Yep, I totally agree. And there's so many times after concert like all the time. When I'm like, I wish I'd captured that moment. I wish that moment would have been captured. Wow, that was incredible. But we didn't get that. Like you just don't. It's impossible to be you and to get all the things. And yes, it's, it's crazy.

It's a tricky thing. But I think you need to put, invest in it and not just always staff, but invest time and energy and all of those things beforehand to plan it. Because if you wear uniform for Midgie concert, it's the best time. Because we know that that content works better than end of year concert stuff where they're in costume because that can scare future dance parents off. They're like, oh, I don't want to sew a costume. Not that anyone actually sews costumes anymore but you know, that scares people off. Whereas if they're in your branding, that is such a good thing. And so investing in content from your mid year concert that you can use for a whole year's worth of enrollments is so, so valuable.

Okay, I love it. So I'm going to say this to you to start with and just throw this at you.

Okay. Okay, I'm ready.

And I know we'd hear this from someone. I don't have enough staff to even be backstage, let alone having them trying to also take videos and pictures of the kids.

Okay, awesome. So you want to know what we did at Expo for those people listening, Beck knows because so you were there, you're part of it. So just to be completely honest, at Expo this year, because it was in the Gold coast, we were short staffed, we knew we were going to be short staffed because we've always had help from students, all of the things, friends from Sydney, all of that that have helped with staff. But because we're in Gold coast and also because we had to leave a lot of your staff behind that normally work for us at the event, we had to leave them to run. Yeah, yeah, we were short staffed at Expo, we knew that. So our solution was to get baby in to do content. Right. Like obviously we paid for content as well and I do think it's like it was an expensive investment, but it's a good investment. But you know, have, if you haven't got staff backstage, great, that's fine. Find a 14 year old, 14 year olds can be really great at doing that. Or if you can afford it, budget it in as part of it and, and pay for it like and we're going to talk about some actual plans of things to get But God, Babes did a great job of content.

She did. She was great.

She was a rock star.

I also think, like, we put so much money into marketing and, you know, you spend so much money on that, we should spend money on that. And sometimes we choose things that aren't so great. But getting someone in to actually do that, there's no way you and I would ever have taken content from Expo. Like, we are so crazily busy in that. And as you said, we did invest money in getting someone in to take that content. But we now have a year's worth of content to put on our Instagram.

Absolutely. And I would really. Absolutely. I'd really think about that as well. If you're a studio who wants to grow, spending $1,000 on a content creator, $2,000, like, whatever it is, you know, if that gets you 10 new students, it's totally worth it. But it needs to go with a plan. So should we talk about the types of content you should be creating? However you find them is so important.

Tell me, tell me.

Number one. Number one is in uniform, happy smiley kids backstage doing what they love and celebrating with teachers. I love those kind of photos or reels of them celebrating with the teachers. Whether that's them coming off stage and getting a high five from their teacher when they're running up and giving Ms. Beck a hug when they first saw her, whether it's the teacher adjusting their bow before they go on stage. Those moments, they're so valuable.

So valuable.

Tell a story.

They mean so much more to a parent than a leg mount or a back walk over.

Yep.

It's absolutely. It's saying so much more about your studio.

Absolutely. So. So when we would run Midgie concerts, we would have a photographer there. If it was now, I would also have someone creating reels for me. Like, things have changed. When I did, it was a photographer. I actually didn't get any on stage photos because I actually like on stage photos. Like, who are they for, really? They're not marketable. Like, yes. And the parents might like them. But what I can put in an ad, what I can put in socials is the kids playing, you know, clappy hand games backstage in their uniform, the teachers giving them high fives, all of that. So my photographer was actually backstage and I actually think that's a better place for them to be. And they got so much better. More things that showed community and showed told so much more than the dancing on stage, because we're about so much more than that.

And I love, like, with Mid year as well. Again like at end of year, as you know, backstage. We can't have anyone backstage because we're changing into 5,000 different. Absolutely.

And it's not appropriate to have photographers there and all of that.

There's immediate ease because you know, they're not changing into costumes.

Absolutely. That's why I love that backstage kind of thing. So that would be my number one tip is backstage photos and videos.

Okay, cool. Testimonials.

Absolutely. Yeah.

And this is kind of what Bibi did at Expo. She went around and just asked people, what are you loving about expo? What's your favorite thing? You know, and just getting even a 14 year old, as you said. I mean also Jordan, her best friend who's also 14, was filming with an iPhone. He was doing great job and he did a great job. So she had the microphone, he had the iPhone. And just imagine going out into the audience. Not audience, but auditorium.

Yeah.

Before the show starts or even after the show and just being like, what did you like most? What are you excited to see? You know, and just asking what are.

You proud of most? You know, lots of little snippets like that that are like 15 seconds is smart. I'd be doing that. I'd be getting as many of those 15 sort of second sound bites. So I probably pre prepare a list of, you know, seven or eight questions that they ask as many people as they can. And I wouldn't ever play them as a full reel, but then I'd like pick bits out of them and do it. So like what were you most proud of for your daughter today or your little dancer? What did you love most? What do you like most about. Pause. Tell me about your daughter. You know, something like that as questions and imagine the great like little snippets you could get that could become a testimonial or just a really cute moment. Doing that with parents. But then what about doing it with kids too?

Oh yeah, I love it.

What was your favorite moment of today?

I always interview when we have like mess ups, especially with preschool concert. There's always something like a kid goes to the bathroom. Just.

Yeah.

They're about to go on stage or oops, we haven't got our tap shoes.

On yet or Daisy.

I always interview the little ones backstage or on stage and it's just the best content. Like they're so funny with what they say.

Yeah, I love that. And so you currently use that as like a filler.

I do.

Which is awesome. But what about doing that like on purpose? Yeah, that's in the auditorium as kids.

Walk in or as they're leaving stages, they're waiting. Like, how cute. Because they do say funny things, especially the toddlers. Like, they are hilarious.

So funny. Like, you know, imagine getting every kid as they're leaving, or not every kid, but a whole heap of K. Show me your best dance move.

Yes.

What was the thing you love most about today? Like, all of that kind of content. So cute. And then using real, like, using that on your socials and using it as really great content with, like, you know, want to join the family? Want to have your confidence sore like this little ones. Check out how confident this kid is, you know, do you want your child's confidence to score the saw? Let me get my words straight, you know, call us now for your free trial. Like, all of that stuff is gold, right?

I love it. And, like, I know for Expo Nath had the expo mic.

Yeah.

Like, that is so easy to get, right?

It was so easy. Like, and probably some people have seen that. And I know Kiko girls did a great job. They've done this and they've been doing it as well. Like, it was like 15 from Amazon and you put it over one of those, like, mini mics, like, so good. But it looks really professional. You can, you know, get it branded and do all that sort of stuff. Like, so many clever ways to do that kind of content now. And it only needs to be with an iPhone, but, yeah, it's so, so clever. And there'd be so many moments in.

There that you could get transformation reels.

Oh, yeah.

They're doing really well at the moment. I'm a bit of an addict, actually. Yeah. You'd be surprised to know that my algorithms are filled with dance studios. And that's pretty much it. I'm so addicted to looking at all the dance studios and what they do. Like, seriously, I'm. I'm addicted to it.

Yeah.

But they are really big right now, the whole transformation.

That's interesting. I thought you were going to tell me. Fitness transformation. So there you go. You've thrown me. We're having a. Welcome to my algorithm. I'm obsessed with. I don't know if anyone else listens to Shameless podcasts and they have this cool music and I want to play this cool music. Welcome to my algorithm. I do not know that off topic. But, yeah, I think transformation stuff's really great. And, like, we've seen that in the fitness world, right? Like, you know, I was. Was overweight, I was unhappy, and now look at me now. Right. And obviously how can we do a dance studio version of that? Like, you know, asking parents for photos of them at their first concert or a video of them not wanting to go on stage with them now, like, that is a great transformation. But what if you can't even get the old content? What if it's just the story, oh, I just hit my podcast mic, I'm getting excited about it. Haven't even had my spicy mug and I'm still getting excited. And I think that there's so much value to that, whether that's even just like coaxing those stories out of parents by asking the right questions. Because if you've prepped the right questions, it doesn't matter if you've got a 14 year old doing it. The problem would be if you have a 14 year old doing it who doesn't have any direction. But if you've told them the questions to ask, for example, they've got to be a bloody good. Like BB and Jordan are fantastic, you.

Know, but I think everyone has one or two of those in their studio. Everyone has the. I'm sure you're all thinking of the person that you'd get to.

Absolutely. But if you give them the right questions and set them up for success, that makes such a difference. Show them what you want it to look like in the end, you know, that is so, so valuable. And asking questions like, oh, how many years is your, how many. What number concert is this for your child? Awesome. Tell me about their first one and how it's different to now and then. You don't even need to use the child talking or the teenager or the content creator. You just use the parent talking. And that could have so much value. And telling that transformation, even if you can't show, show it through pictures or videos because that's too hard. Just the story of it. Right?

Yes, I, I remember. I don't know if you remember, last year we had a transformation video of a little girl who for the first three years refused to walk down the red carpet by herself. So she was 2, 3, 4, absolutely point blank refused. Teacher had to carry her down the red carpet and hold her hand to wave. And then the last one is her strutting down confidently and, you know, doing a trick at the end and waving and being really confident.

Yeah.

The power in that as an ad is insane. That's crazy. Exactly what every parent.

Because that's what parents want to buy, right? That's exactly what they want to buy. They don't always want to buy, you know, the Onstage photo. Like, if you're not in the dance world, like, you're like, what is this? What am I looking at? But what they do want to see is their kid getting more confident and their child going through a journey. And that's like, that's a motive and that actually matters, right?

Yeah, I love it. So what sort of of things would you suggest to your owner? Plans for the day? Like, obviously, we need someone to do the content. That's the first thing.

Number one.

I think you probably need to be specific about the types of photos you want. Absolutely, yeah. So you kind of probably need a few people here, if you think about it.

Yeah, yeah. Quite possibly, depending on the size of image, your concert, how many kids, and all of that, you might want a few different people. But the more specific you can be, the better outcome you will get. So I would be really specific with, hey, I want these type of backstage photos. And I'd actually show them some and go, hey, like, find it from another studio. Just Google image, search it. Like, it doesn't matter. I want something like this. I don't want something like this. And like, print them out, give it them a guide so that they have a visual reference for them on the day. I also think, you know, give them a number, goal, not, I want some photos. Get as many as you want. That, like, many can mean 10, or it could mean 5,000. Be specific about how many photos you want. I want at least X amount per show or whatever that is. Right. The same with other sort of content. Like, you know, if we're talking about, you know, both you and I always did like a red carpet at the concert where the kids, like, would strut down and get their trophy or their medal or whatever. And I did say I only had my professional photographer backstage, but I did get them to do that because to me, that's an important moment. Yep. Not so much the dancing.

I agree.

So I think, you know, being really specific about where you want them, what do they want to see? All of that kind of stuff is so important. How many reels you want them to create, how many stories you want them to post per day. If they're posting in lifetime, you know, what's your number? If they're doing stories and you're getting someone young to do it because you can't afford a content creator, like, give them some guidelines. Hey, I'd like you to post stories, but just so you know, I always want you to use this font, this color. I want it to look like this. Like, you know, don't just leave them to their own devices. That's when you get let down, right?

Yes, absolutely. So really planning this out and also seeing the value of it, I think.

Absolutely.

That's the big thing. Like, you know, we hear so many of our studio owners in our group saying that they just. That one, they hate social media. Two, they don't have time for social media.

I get it.

I do too. It's so important. But if you actually put the time, effort and potentially money, if you need to do that, into getting someone out to do that, then you're going to have probably a term's worth of content and then some. Yeah, like, and that's the thing. Like it doesn't. Your content on your page doesn't always have to be what's happening in the studio right now.

Oh, definitely.

Yeah. You're trying to attract new clients and so, you know, it can be anything that you think is going to attract new clients. That's what your social media should be all about.

Absolutely. It's not a newsletter for your current parents.

Exactly.

And it's something we're seeing working better and better. Like Canva stuff. I love Canva. Obsessed with Canva. But Canva posts are very out. They're, they're just overdone. They all look the same. Like, but this kind of real content. Funny moments with kids, funny stories, kids warming up backstage, even things like, you know, I remember I've seen a video of you doing cha cha slide with your students on stage.

I do do that every year.

But like that's a, that's a what a great. And if you are listening to this, like, aren't you thinking, God, I want to see Beck do the cha cha slide. Like that's exactly what everyone's thinking. Right? Like, because that's interesting. A photo of a perfect ballerina. Yeah. Even for me that's not interesting, let alone for the parent that doesn't know anything about dance.

Yes.

But seeing kids laughing and you know, dancing with their middle aged dance teacher, that's fun. Sorry, bear to call you, Miller. Watch it. But you know what I mean. Watching them do the cha cha slide, that's fun. That's fun for me to watch, but it's fun for any like potential client to watch as well. So much more than that, you know, perfect pirouette.

That's what we always say, Amanda. Like we have so much content as dance studio owners. It's crazy. Like you have unlimited content in your studio. And as I've made the joke before, unlike the plumber who's, you know, what.

Are they going to show a toilet like. Yeah.

You know what I mean? Like at the end of the day, they have nothing to show. We have these incredible cute children. Amazing moments, hilarious people, confidence.

Yeah. Confident kids as well.

So much cool stuff. And yet, you know, we're just pushing it to the back. We're pushing it to the back. We're not making it important. And I think mid year concert you could make this really important, realize how great it could be and go all out with it.

Absolutely. Hopefully we've inspired you to create a plan for your content. Get all those moments actually like list them down, put it in the list, show them what you want so that you can create it and actually use it to promote your business going forward.

Absolutely. We hope you enjoyed this podcast and got lots of inspiration friends and let us know what you end up doing at mid year. We'd love to know all the things.

Yeah, I want to see the reels. That sounds great.

Thanks guys. Bye.

We hope you enjoyed this episode of the Dance Principles United podcast. If you'd love to learn more from us, we have a special offer just for our podcast listeners. Go to the link in the show notes right now to get two weeks free in Dance Principals United Tribe. We would love to see you there.