How to use Facebook to fill your classes quicker

Fill your classes quicker with Facebook

Facebook is one of the most effective tools you can use to not only create interest in your club but also inspire people to book classes directly through your profile page. 

Keep reading to find out the many ways you can use Facebook to take your club or classes to the next level and increase your revenue.

Use eye-catching banners 

The banner is the first thing your potential customers will see when they come to your page, so use visually exciting images to get people’s attention. You can also make the most of these by using them to advertise upcoming events or offers you’re running. 

Ideally, these should be changed every other week to keep your page looking dynamic. It’s never good to have out-of-date information on your page, so be sure to be consistent in how often you post.

Optimise your “About” section

Anyone who’s interested in your club will automatically head for your About section. They’ll expect to see a clear description of what you do, the different classes you run, the age group you cater for, your contact information and what your operating hours are. 

It’s worth finding out what the most popular search terms are for your sort of club or class, so you can make sure it’s included in your bio. This will not only appeal to more people but will also give you a greater chance of being discovered via search engines.

Reply to enquiries

This should be a given, but sometimes messages can go undetected or unnoticed unless you actively check them. Let this become part of your routine at the end of every day. A message is a strong buying signal so it’s up to you to follow up as soon as possible and make an excellent first impression.

Use automated responses in messenger

Parents love clear communication and if you manage to communicate clearly and quickly then you’ll be well on your way to securing a loyal, satisfied customer. It’s not always possible to reply to all messages immediately, which is why automated responses are an excellent way to hold their interest. 

Make the most of your automated message by offering them a realistic and achievable response time as well as key information that parents often ask for like, prices, location and opening hours. When you answer their queries within that time, then you’re instantly building up their trust in you. It’s also worth bearing in mind that the quicker you respond the better your quality score will be. The better your quality score, the better your organic growth will be, so you’ll end up having to spend less on paid ads!

Make sure you pin visually appealing posts

Your pinned posts should always show your club at its best. They’ll be one of the first things potential customers see on your page, so showcase events, special offers and captivating images. Again it’s important to keep these posts fresh and relevant so that the whole feel of your club is vibrant and upbeat. Always remember to use calls to action on these posts, so your potential clients know you are thriving but will welcome new members. 

Test the waters with offers

Your Facebook page is the perfect place to try out new ideas or offers on your potential members. Sometimes it’s trial and error working out what works and what doesn’t, so your Facebook page can be the place where you try out “exclusive offers”. Not only does this make the offer feel more exclusive than a generic offer, but it also gives you the chance to find out the sort of things that appeal to your target market. If something works really well then you can try it out on your website and other social network platforms.

Enable Facebook reviews

Recent research suggests that 93% of customers will read reviews before making a purchase or booking a service. That statistic alone shows how important reviews are to your future members or customers. By enabling reviews on your page, you’re not only showing confidence in your offering, but you’re also showing how happy and impressed your current customers are. 

Even if you get a negative review, you can still positively influence the reader by responding politely and professionally.

Engage with your audience

Engaging with your audience does two things. Firstly, it boosts your status in the Facebook algorithm and secondly, it makes your followers feel valued and appreciated. People love to feel a part of something and when you interact with both potential and existing customers you can start to build up your online community. People buy into brands that engage with them because it makes them feel part of something dynamic. 

Over time, you can build up a rapport with the people who comment regularly and ask them to actively like your posts to help boost your page and your club’s visibility.

Video and visuals are key

Videos tend to get more interest than pictures these days, so make sure you film sessions that you can share online. Remember, if you work with children then it’s essential to get written parental consent from parents before you post their images. Once consent is given though, make sure you capture your members either smiling or in deep concentration as they master new skills. If you’re a dance school, then post progression videos each week so parents can see their kids improve. If you’re a football club then try to video matches so you can show highlights. Also, record training sessions and showcase any skills you’re working on. Videos on Facebook can be shared to WhatsApp, so also set up a WhatsApp group so the video can be shared far and wide.

Another fantastic way to use video is to ask members or parents to share their good experiences and what they enjoy about the club. Personal testimonials are an incredibly powerful way to grab the attention of potential customers or members.

It’s possible to directly target anyone who has watched your Facebook videos. So, if you’re running an ad campaign, you can use that information to target those specific people. Anyone interested enough to watch your video may well be curious about joining your organisation.

Utilise the services tab

Your Facebook services tab, found by clicking the Edit Page thumbnail, allows prospective customers to see exactly what your club offers. For example, if you’re a rugby club, you can show that you offer touch as well as full contact rugby, or if you run a dance studio you can show you do ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop and ballroom – all in your services tab. You can also display your class prices and times there so that as much essential information is instantly accessible as possible.

Use a Call To Action button 

A great way to advertise your offering or even upcoming events is to create a bright, eye-catching banner that includes a CTA or Call to Action button.  For example, your banner could say, “Join us for our Easter training camps”, include all the relevant information and have a little blue, “sign up” or “book now” button so potential customers can book easily from your home page. By taking an extra step away from the booking process, you’re making it much easier for people to get involved and much more likely to book. To add one of these, go to your edit page and select Buttons.

Use a vanity URL

A vanity URL makes you easier to find and also enhances your search ranking.  Again to change this, just press the edit thumbnail, select Page Header and then enter the name you’d like to use. If it’s available, then you’ll see a green check mark next to it.

Optimise your FB for SEO

Your Facebook page doesn’t directly impact your search engine optimisation on search engines like Google. However, now that Facebook uses a semantic search, SEO is still important within Facebook itself as it interprets search terms in a human way, rather than just using the exact typed search term. So, when you post something, make sure your heading contains searchable terms that will lead people to your page. Also make sure that within the text of the post, you use words and terms that indicate what you do. 

Enable ratings and reviews

If you want people to have the option to leave a review on your page, then you’ll have to have a local business listing. Personal testimonials are always the best advert for your offering, so if you do activate reviews, then encourage members who really enjoy your club or class and ask them to leave a positive review. Most people are very happy to leave positive reviews if they feel connected to your business, so don’t be afraid to ask!

Use paid advertising 

Alison Jones, from Alison Jones Coaching, recently hosted a webinar on, “How to effortlessly fill your activity classes” for us here at LoveAdmin and she’s a huge fan of Facebook ads.  She shared, “… they’re effective because they can be very targeted. You can specify what your ad should be within this postcode, with children of this age, who are interested in this thing.” Alison even admits, “… in the spirit of being open and honest about what’s working really well in my business right now, Facebook is where we’re spending our money and seeing a good return.” If you’d like to read the key points from Alison’s webinar then please click here.

Make shareable fresh content

All of the points above will certainly help you fill your classes, but the most important thing is to create dynamic and interesting content. Your images should be bright and clear and your videos should be entertaining and filmed in good light. Social media can sometimes feel overwhelming, but as you start to build your online community and start getting positive feedback about your posts, it can actually be enjoyable. Remember, if you post a video that really captures people’s imagination then it can go viral and spread the word about your business or club far and wide. 

–

Facebook is one of many platforms that can boost your visibility, but remember the 80/20 rule, only twenty percent of what you post should be promoting or selling your brand. The other 80 percent should be about sharing the sort of content that’s important to your followers, namely pictures of them or their kids having fun and learning new skills. So, create an enjoyable community, get creative and enjoy the process!