Strategist / Producer / Director / Videographer / Editor
Industry
Dance Studio
Scope of Work
Film Production
Brand Archetype
The Everyman
The Caregiver
Vibe
The largest dance studio in Virginia is hidden in the outskirts of Fredericksburg. Within its walls, dancing on its floor, students and instructors practice the art of nearly every dance imaginable. Whether the students are there for recreation or competition, Strictly Ballroom Dance Studio has space for them.
Pain Point
While students travel across the state to attend classes at Strictly Ballroom, there is a seasonal lull in signups in the late spring and summer. The studio has never truly leveraged video marketing to promote the movement and energy their studio is known for.
Solution
We developed a series of testimonials featuring students who attended group lessons and private classes, engaged in recreational and competitive dance, and actively engaged in community events thrown by Strictly Ballroom as a way to highlight the many different opportunities the studio offers dancers and aspiring dancers.
Resolution
The goal was to build enough business to necessitate hiring more staff and overcome the slower periods of the year (outside of wedding planning season and the new year). Today, Strictly Ballroom’s staff has grown by an estimated 33% to accommodate an influx of signups.
Project Overview
This testimonial series consists of eight videos featuring students of various ages, genders, dance styles, ethnicities, and backgrounds to highlight the studio’s welcoming nature and supportive atmosphere. It was crucial that we let viewers know anyone could join regardless of experience level, from individuals to couples.
Each video consists of testimonial footage and archival dance footage from competitions and gatherings.
Additional Information About The Work
This series was a long time coming. It was the latest maneuver in a long-standing marketing campaign to drive more attention to the studio’s website. Historically, once people were on the website, their conversion rate was rather high – I was never given the exact percentage, but spending a single day in the studio illustrated just how popular its classes and instruction were.
These testimonials followed years of foundational SEO and web design work. They were seen as a “next step” to elevating Strictly Ballroom’s digital marketing strategy.
Personal Statement
I was a student at the studio before they became my client. My wife and I learned our wedding choreography here and became close with the staff. They had a transformative effect on us as a couple and on me as someone who enjoys performing.
After about a year of lessons, it was well known that I worked in marketing and branding. They expressed interest in doing some marketing of their own. They had engaged in random acts of marketing in the past, but they needed a more structured approach. I was honored to be asked to help them grow; it was an opportunity for me to return the growth I gained from them.
