Let’s Nail Your Studio’s Values

It sounds simple, right?

Working out what your studio values are – and if you’ve looked at other dance studio websites or marketing material, you’ve probably read the exact same words over and over.

“We value quality dance training”
“Our studio is a safe and nurturing environment”
“At our studio, we embrace every dancer’s creativity”

These are great values to have of course, but when you think about it they are really just words that could apply to 99.9% of the dance studios out there. And this is where finding and living your studio culture comes into play so that you can not only stand out from your competition, but also engage your team, your students and your extended dance family into living the culture you have designed.

When you are looking at the branding and culture within your studio, one of your most powerful (but also overlooked) tools you can have is to really nail your mission statement or studio manifesto.

Why?

Because essentially It is your mission that should drive everything else that your business does, and even though it may not yet be articulated in print or in your handbook, your mission is already there in your heart and the heart of your studio.

Now it’s time to put it down in writing.

Your mission is about getting yourself, your team and your supporters 100% clear and focused, and will also ensure you are attracting the right customers. Write and post it somewhere that every teacher and admin team can see it, live it and breathe it.

The 7 Key Questions To Nailing Your Values

It’s time to brainstorm, so grab a sheet of paper and some coloured markers and answer these 7 key questions thoughtfully and honestly:

1/ What do we do?
2/ For whom do we do it?
3/ Why do we serve our clients in the way that we do?
4/ How do we serve our clients in the way that we do?
5/ Why are we in this industry?
6/ Why did we start this business?
7/ What image of our business do we want to convey?

If you’re stuck for inspiration, here are some amazing famous mission statements that I love because they give a crystal clear indicator of the company’s value and focus:

Nike: To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.

Starbucks: To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.

Amazon: To be the most customer-centric company in the world, where people can find and discover anything they want to buy online.

Notice something?

They are all short, succinct and to the point. Your mission statement and studio values don’t need to be an essay. Write as much as you like while brainstorming and planning, then start cutting away the excess until you have an evocative and honest representation of your studio.

If you’d love more inspiration in finding your studio’s values and getting your team on board to live and breathe these with you, join our team of experts and family of studio owners inside the Dance Studio Owners Association