At Happity, it’s one of the questions we’re asked most often by class providers: how do you keep your class numbers consistent? If one week you’re over-subscribed and the next your classes are quiet, it’s hard to plan (a class, let alone an entire business!). But don’t panic – we’ve got plenty of suggestions to help.
Every parent / class / class provider is different, so there’s no one fix for all, but here are our top tips for stepping off the numbers rollercoaster and getting some consistency:
1. List trial classes on Happity
Try before you buy, as the saying goes! Trial classes (see our full guide) can be a great way to bring in new customers and increase positive word of mouth, offering parents the perfect opportunity to test out whether your class is for them.
These don’t have to be free – though that can be a useful marketing tool if you’re a new business just starting out. If you usually do term bookings (see section 2), you could try offering a one-off session Pay as You Go (PAYG) to see if people want to join for a whole term.
Don’t forget that you can list trial classes on Happity. When setting up any ticket type, you have the option to make it a ‘trial offer’. For step-by-step instructions see this help article.
And if customers decide not to sign up following their trial, don’t take it personally. There are so many factors affecting whether or not a parent chooses to come back, beyond your class content itself (e.g. location, whether it fits around their baby’s nap time, etc).
2. Experiment with drops in vs. term bookings
While drop ins can be a great way to bring in new customers and offer parents flexibility, with the PAYG model, it can be hard not knowing who’s coming from one week to the next!
Some class providers find term bookings help them keep numbers consistent. Angela Beswick of baby & toddler movement class franchise Jittabugs comments:
“Personally, I like to offer term bookings as I want to know how many people are in each class so I can plan. They can give their space to a friend if they can’t make it. Then once the term starts, I offer drop ins for any available spaces. Works well for me!”
It’s different for every class and class provider though. Danielle Boder of OB1 Theatre School (which runs children’s theatre, arts & music classes in North West London) finds that termly bookings can be a barrier for some parents, particularly in these cash-stretched times:
“I used to do termly and half-termly bookings for my baby & toddler class but switched to Pay As You Go, mainly due to parents not being able to afford to fork out for a whole term in advance. Things have been very different since Covid,” she says.
Why not experiment with both and see what works for you?
3. Try Happity’s Featured Listings (Members only)
Featured Listings put your class at the top of the search results for local parents searching with your time of day, age range and location in their filters.
Have a particular class that’s a bit quiet? Choose to boost one class (or all of them!) by setting a specific budget amount via your Dashboard. If bookings pick up, you can toggle Featured Listings on and off at any time, making it a super flexible, highly targeted way to advertise.
Featured Listings are available to all Happity Members. See our guide to maximising Featured Listings to boost your class numbers.
4. Offer seasonal / refer a friend discounts
Offering seasonal or promotional discounts on your classes can be a great quick-win option to have in your marketing toolbox. You could try a Father’s Day offer to encourage dads to attend, or maybe a ‘summer fun’ code if the holidays are looking a bit quiet.
Another popular idea is a ‘refer a friend’ discount. Try rewarding your loyal customers with a free class or 50% discount if they bring a friend along to your classes (who subsequently signs up). New customers + happy existing customers = all round win!
Discounts are super easy to set-up on Happity via your Dashboard (select Customers => Discount codes – see below):
(NB The discount codes function is only available on our Membership plan – if you’re not a Member, you’ll need to upgrade to get started).
5. Foster a sense of community in your classes
Creating a sense of community is something we’re all about here at Happity! Our mission is to help connect families and end loneliness among new parents. In our 2024 parent survey, many cited maintaining their mood and mental health as a key reason for attending a baby / toddler class. As Laura N put it:
‘‘It’s lonely. Just needing to get out of the house, in a different environment. […] I base our routine around activities which we can go and do. And I get a lot from that, mentally.”
Giving parents (and their little ones!) a warm welcome at your classes and making attendees feel appreciated encourages them to keep coming back. How about incorporating a ‘welcome circle’ at the start of your class, in which everyone introduces themselves and tells the group how they are / how their week is going? It’s a really nice icebreaker that can encourage friendships between new parents.
You could also offer post-class refreshments (NB ensure you’ve thought about any allergies / your hot drinks policy beforehand), or encourage parents or carers to go for coffee together afterwards.
Lastly, don’t forget your email marketing! (Remember, you can download your Happity customer data by going to Customers => Bookings in the Dashboard). Be sure to follow up after a new booker has attended for the first time (you could automate these emails), so they want to come back. Asking for feedback is a nice excuse to get in touch and let them know how to book again!
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Why not try out some of these ideas – and don’t forget to let us know how you get on! Join the chat on our children’s activity provider Facebook forum.
You may also like:
How to: Use Happity to find new customers for your classes
How to: Give Parents Confidence That Your Class Is Right For Them
