Dance and Fitness Studio Uses Constant Contact® to Reach Visitors and Members with Relevant Information

Designed for those who want more from fitness and recreation activities than just sweat and sore muscles, Studio: Dance, Arts & More offers activities for adults that emphasize creative expression and mind-body integration in a comfortable, peaceful environment.

With suspended wood floors, large dressing rooms with lockers, artistic decor, all-new equipment, variable lighting, and a great sound system, this 2,400 square foot facility was designed and built from the ground up to provide an upscale setting for dancing, working out, or just relaxing.

According to Robin Parker, owner of Studio: Dance, Arts & More, the studio seeks to project a premium image. "There are lots of dance studios for children, and there are gyms and health clubs for adults," she said. "We're creating something different - a dance and fitness studio for adults that's welcoming, where there's a sense of community and strong relationships."

Demographically, there's a strong correlation between Parker's clientele and Web/e-mail usage. "Our Web site is an integral part of our business strategy," affirmed Parker. "About 95 percent of our customers use the Web and have e-mail addresses. We're using our Web site to attract new customers and to stay in touch with our current members as well.

"We recommend the Web site to prospective members," explained Parker. "When they visit our studio and walk around, I don't like to inundate them with paper - we just give a brochure and class schedule. Our Web site is the resource where people can get more detailed information."

At Studio: Dance, Arts & More, the Internet strategy involves capturing names of visitors and adding them to an opt-in distribution list to receive regular communications from the studio. The key to making that happen: Constant Contact.

CONSTANT CONTACT - THE EMAIL MARKETING MANAGER FOR SMALL BUSINESS

Constant Contact helps small businesses reach their visitors and customers easily and affordably with targeted, relevant email communications such as newsletters, promotions and service updates based on their interests. Constant Contact is both simple and powerful, enabling businesses to automatically target and personalize communications and build lasting relationships with customers.

Constant Contact helps Web site owners capture the e-mail addresses, interests, and preferences of site visitors who "opt-in" for more information. Site owners can use this information to easily and quickly create relevant messages for targeted audiences. That enables businesses to quickly deploy permission-based marketing and encourage return visits. What's more, you can implement Constant Contact in just minutes with only very small modifications to the Web site.

"We're technically not an e-business, but we're using Constant Contact to capture the names of site visitors so that we can provide them with information, news, and schedules that make their lives easier," Parker said. "That helps us build and retain loyal members."

Parker has created a monthly e-mail newsletter that includes features on different dance, yoga, and new exercise trends and techniques - material that members find very valuable. "I've had tons of encouraging comments from our members," said Parker. "I've been getting e-mails back from customers and non-customers alike saying 'This is great, and I plan to come in soon.'

"They're impressed because the typical expectation from dance studios and health clubs is having to remember to pick up Xeroxed information, schedules or announcements at the front desk. The schedule can change with short notice. We might add workshops or change instructors. Now we can let our members know immediately without designing a mailing or waiting for postal delays to send it out or relying on them to come in and get a copy. Constant Contact is so much more professional and high-tech - which aligns nicely with the image we hope to project and the demographic we're pursuing."

Parker also notes that Constant Contact makes communication far more cost-effective. "Previously, we were sending these kinds of mailings through first-class postal mail," she said. "With several hundred members and prospects, that really adds up quickly. Constant Contact is much less expensive than sending out postcards or flyers. We'll save about $4,000 just in materials and postage. And we believe Constant Contact will increase the lifetime value of our members by encouraging more frequent visits to the studio and strengthening our relationships with our members."

"Constant Contact is a perfect complement to our business strategy."

SOLUTION OVERVIEW

Company Profile

• Exclusive dance and fitness studio for adults
• Hundreds of members and visitors
• Rapidly growing visitor base at Web site

Challenge

• Encouraging repeat visits and building relationships with members
• Maintaining upscale image and positioning
• Increasing timeliness and reducing costs of relevant communications to members and visitors

Solution

• Constant Contact - The Email Marketing Manager for Small Business. Constant Contact enables businesses to capture e-mail addresses, interests, and preferences of site visitors and customers who "opt-in" for more information and automates targeted, relevant, and professional e-mail communications using that information. With Constant Contact, businesses can quickly and affordably deploy permission-based marketing, build relationships, and encourage return visits.

Benefits

• Rapid deployment - Add Constant Contact in minutes without any significant change to the Web site.
• Very cost effective - Saving thousands of dollars on printing and postage.
• Upscale image - Constant Contact makes it easy to send out high-quality, timely communications.