How do you promote your business?

maylynn

New member
I have been lucky enough to mainly get by on personal recommendation and word of mouth, assisted in no small part by my website. These days I've been thinking of stepping things up a bit though, and so have been thinking about this topic.

There are so many ways to promote bellydance business, and I'm wondering what you've had success with? Paying for online advertising, postering/flyers, etc? Those things seem like logical steps in promoting a business, but things can be a bit different in the bellydance entertainment world (niche market, etc) - so would be very interested in hearing about your experiences.
 

Samira_dncr

New member
Well...I guess it depends on if you are a dancer, teacher, vendor, or promoter. I organize the Las Vegas Bellydance Intensive and I have gradually increased my advertising to include most of the major print magazines, some online sites, and tons and tons of postcards. But I think that being active online in the chat forums has been especially helpful as well. As people get to know me, they get to realize that I'm a trustworthy and reputable organizer...and that leads them to check out my website...and then eventually the actual event.
 

Maria_Aya

New member
Well... we gave as a dance school more than 4.000 euro (around 3.000 $) for advertizing withing this year, and in total we got all our money back and doubled it also;)
We did some statistics from our students to come, so to check which way of advertizing worked the best.

Results:
Crazy but the cheapest way (but hard working from our side) worked the best.

Just us getting coloured A4 papers, and printing in the school flyers (cost around 100 euro) about offering FREE lessons for 2 people on specific hours, and going at 8 o'clock at 10 schools (kindergarden to highschool) giving the flyers at the entrance of the schools worked the best.
We have the last week around 60 new students with this method, on various classes: Oriental, Bellyfitness, Tribal, Theatre game for kids and Pilates.

We have a site under construction not full working so cant have stats on this.

We printed 20.000 flyers that costed 900 euro, and we gave 400 euro for a special company to put the 15.000 of these around our studio at the letter boxes, till now around 30 people from this method.

Word by word about our work is the best, till now, and doesnt cost (ok we forget all the workshops we have attented to learn all these right? lol)
As my husband says: we could have another house with the money you give for workshops (and I hide some from him lol shhhhhhhhhh dont tell him;) )

Maria Aya;)
 

maylynn

New member
Hi Maria Aya,
What great information! Thanks!
I also found that word of mouth and strategically distributed posters/flyers was the most effective for promoting my classes. Great that you have the actual figures though, and congrats to you for all that hard work - looks like it paid off!
 

Maria_Aya

New member
thanks !!!
Now our next plan he he
We have 2 students teenagers from last year, that they havent payed as 2 months :mad: and doesnt seem that they are gonna pay.
So instead of fighting over this, near our studio there is a metro station.
They will take flyers of the studio and go for one week, 2 hours per day (the hours people finish their work usual around 3 to 5) to give flyers;)
 

Amri_

New member
Well, now I dance on weddings mostly, sometimes on some other holidays that require some " showing off" like expencive food, anomation team, dancers etc... And as for my sister is a camera girl( makes wedding videos), she usually promotes her ad dvds, same time she promotes me:) So that's how I get promoted:)
 

Sapphira

New member
Hey Maylynn,

Good luck breaking into the scene in London, it's getting more and more competitive. I remember when I first moved over here there were only a handful of belly dancing teachers. Now there are so many.

I think the most important methods for advertising are:

1. Good website - optimised on the right keywords for major search engines like Google so new students can find you (you can even use your website for e-commerce if you plan to sell items/tickets online)
2. Being linked into as many belly dancing teacher directories as you can be
3. Handing out flyers at belly dancing events and workshops across London (check with the promoters that this is OK)
4. Performing and then distributing flyers after every show
5. Networking in forums on the internet, chat rooms and other places where discussion goes on
6. Having a good product and a unique selling proposition
7. Being consistent and reliable in communication, always responding promptly to emails and new enquiries. Good customer service.
8. Ongoing PR and self-promotion are also very important

Word of mouth is without a doubt key but it takes all of the above to get enough people through your door to start set the word of mouth recommendations in motion.

Good luck!

Sapphira x
 

Aniseteph

New member
...going at 8 o'clock at 10 schools (kindergarden to highschool) giving the flyers at the entrance of the schools worked the best.

That is clever - if people get the flyers with their friends they would be more likely to arrange with each other to go, and talk about it and encourage each other. Rather than thinking oh that sounds interesting but I'm too shy/busy, not for me etc etc.

Smart :cool: :clap:
 
Well between my website and facebook I get most of my advertising done! I have printed out very small flayers, business card sized almost, (done at home on PC 8 to an A4 page) and handed them out at markets and at the main gate at the capital city. It dose work, but you must have a hard heart as you see most of them thrown away later on, but be persistent! Have considered the under the car wiper approach at some of the main car parks too, haven't done it yet though, need to find out if its legal over here first!
 

Samira_dncr

New member
That is clever - if people get the flyers with their friends they would be more likely to arrange with each other to go, and talk about it and encourage each other. Rather than thinking oh that sounds interesting but I'm too shy/busy, not for me etc etc.

Smart :cool: :clap:


Check with your local laws. There are some areas that have marketing restrictions surrounding schools.
 

Nur Al Leyali

New member
help again

what do u do if the area your in just isnt buying into the bellydance at parties thing and never keep a flyer or business card and its just a bunch of country people whom dont want to see a arab rather on a arab dance i live in alabama and i am having the worsttttttttt time finding a gig ... i dont do restrauntes they only pay about 45 dollars here... not that big of an interest in it . i have 7 years dancing and im lost i dont know what to do....i did the flyers i did the business cards i did self advertisment website public dance and then hand out cards ionly got one call and when i told them the rate they were the exact words OMG you cant charge that ... thats highway robbery. she wanted 2 dancers for a 20 min routine i told her 150.00 per dancer and travel costs and it was extremely resonable because i know the groom and was very nice this time ... and i didnt want to undersale my experiance to much for friendship... people look at this dance as its a game here and i dont really know how to advertise to a group like that. and there are dancers here doing well.... but i seem to be having trouble .. i dont want to undersale my art as it will hurt other dancers later on... but they are doing something im not ... Any Ideas???? Any one liveing in Alabama got a lil clue for me? any one had this experiance before? Regards and best wishes Nura;)
 

Nur Al Leyali

New member
ps sorry for not being able to answer your question but im in the same bind myself...hope u get a better responce then me though!!!! business here is lacking for me seriously!
oh and some of the girls with good business here doesnt have but 3 monthes schooling in middle eastern dance and maybe 3 monthes dancing im LOSTTTTTT.
 

Shanazel

Moderator
Nur, I posted a comment on this subject on the thread you started re: comments on your dancing on your online site. It concerns the lack of professionalism in your advertisement and may explain some of your problems finding work.
 

Samira_dncr

New member
Nur, I posted a comment on this subject on the thread you started re: comments on your dancing on your online site. It concerns the lack of professionalism in your advertisement and may explain some of your problems finding work.

Do you have a link?
 

Nur Al Leyali

New member
shanezel

If i am being unprofessional .. please give me advice on a class to take or a move to make ... I by no means will not take healthy advice.
I told my mother and my family that I would do something I love Or die trying. And I mean it . I want to do this and i will if I have to fight for something I love I most certainly will.
Shanezel I know that you are being as helpful as possible but I do not check this post reg. If you have time to write me please do so using my email. and i would loe you to explain more on that subject. nur_al_leyali@ymail.com
tmagill@ymail.com

Regards Nura
 

ali72naji

New member
dear dancers

this subject is so important for ur as the bellydancers
but all the professional dancers should have appointed agent or formal reprentative . and the duty of this person is to seek for a good job in every in this world
and also the dancers have to know that the bext place to perform is in the arab world
and i dvice them to visit the arab world .

and finallly
if u want to performe in (jordan)
i can help ur agents to arrange very goood thing in jordan

thx for this site
 

Amri_

New member
ali72naji Well, if one has it as a constant and the main job, or preforms at some TV shows, like Didem or any other famous dancer, indeed U can afford having an agent.. Or if ur mom is a persioneer and has nothing to do but still feel powers to do smth useful, she may become the one who make all the appointments & all( that's how my teacher & her mom work)
But I really like the idea of a manager...:think:
 

Aurelia

New member
what do u do if the area your in just isnt buying into the bellydance at parties thing and never keep a flyer or business card and its just a bunch of country people whom dont want to see a arab rather on a arab dance i live in alabama and i am having the worsttttttttt time finding a gig ... i dont do restrauntes they only pay about 45 dollars here... not that big of an interest in it . i have 7 years dancing and im lost i dont know what to do....i did the flyers i did the business cards i did self advertisment website public dance and then hand out cards ionly got one call and when i told them the rate they were the exact words OMG you cant charge that ... thats highway robbery. she wanted 2 dancers for a 20 min routine i told her 150.00 per dancer and travel costs and it was extremely resonable because i know the groom and was very nice this time ... and i didnt want to undersale my experiance to much for friendship... people look at this dance as its a game here and i dont really know how to advertise to a group like that. and there are dancers here doing well.... but i seem to be having trouble .. i dont want to undersale my art as it will hurt other dancers later on... but they are doing something im not ... Any Ideas???? Any one liveing in Alabama got a lil clue for me? any one had this experiance before? Regards and best wishes Nura;)
I can empathize with you since I am in north Georgia, and the attitude toward bellydance is the same. When there's no market for what you have to offer, it's hard to think about having an agent! What we've done here -- where most people think bellydancing is just another word for stripping, plus there's the prejudice against middle eastern culture here in the deep south, as you know -- is try to create a market for dance. People have to see what you do to want it and value it. So we dance (yes, for free) at local international festivals, arts/craft festivals, local college world music festivals, etc. because we love to dance and share it with others (and love having opportunities to show off our awesome choreographies and costumes!) Try hooking up with a local band that plays music you could dance to, even if it's only one song. Also, haflas where families of students are encouraged to attend helps people see what you do. They are always, almost without exception, impressed and excited by what they have seen. After the performance is the time to have flyers for classes, or about your performance rates/what kinds of "products" you offer (bellygrams, bridal showers, or whatever) or business cards -- and those cards should always have links to your business web site and business email. Once that starts to pick up, word of mouth will also be a big help. Think like a business owner! :) Also, and please don't take this the wrong way, but part of professionalism is clear communication with your clients -- things like correct spelling and complete, grammatically correct sentences are important for building clients' trust in your ability to give them something of value.

Hope that helps!
 
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