Quick Summary
Salsa dancing taught one studio owner, Dailyn Martinez, more than rhythm—it taught her effective sales retention strategies. Despite having consistent marketing, real growth came from personal touches: following up with every lead, checking in with absent students, and reducing payment friction with a portable POS. These relationship-driven actions boosted monthly sales significantly. The story illustrates that in service businesses, human connection is a powerful growth lever. While automation scales, personalized outreach retains—proving that sales success often lies in empathy, not efficiency.
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Salsa dancing has changed me.
It’s made me more confident in my body and feminity. It’s taught me about followship and “letting go”. And, oddly enough, it’s taught me about sales.
Let me explain.
A Studio Serious About Growth
I help out at a local dance studio. In exchange for free classes, I help Dailyn Martinez with her marketing. Since 2022, her business has grown year after year:
- 2022: 438 sales
- 2023: 3,861 sales
- 2024: 4,893 sales
The next big goal is leasing her own studio. It’s a major commitment in Toronto, where rent ranges from $4,000 to $8,000/month. To make it happen, her sales need to be strong and steady.
Between 2024 to Now
Her marketing is dialled in. About 60% of new students come from digital. They find her on Google, check the schedule, and register online. No sales person needed. They even get automated emails before their first class.
The challenge? Retention.
In Q1 of 2024, sales took on a U-shape: strong January, then losses in February and March.
This year, sales have gone up and to the right. Every month has outperformed the last. Incredible growth!
What Has Changed?
IBetween last year and now, she has the same studio, teachers, classes, and even marketing strategy. The growth came from three small and personal changes in how she sells:
1. No Leads Left Behind
Every message gets a reply. Every week, Dailyn follows up on any half-finished conversations in her email inbox or Instagram DMs to make sure no lead slips away.
2. Care Enough to Check In
When a student misses a few classes, she sends a personal text to check in. Often, they’re dealing with stress, illness, or life. Just knowing someone noticed helps them return. Sometimes she even offers a free extension.
3. Remove the Friction
She bought a $300 portable POS machine. Now, if a drop-in student attends a class, she offers a $25 credit if they sign up for a monthly membership on the spot.
Some Things Work Because They’re Personal
Maybe you’re thinking: “That’s nice, Daniela, but my business is different.”
And you’re right.
But like Dailyn, your services are intimate. In her studio, students are vulnerable. Students are physically close and dancing with strangers.
In your firm, clients are vulnerable too. They let you into their world. They trust you with their vision. You work together for months, sometimes years. It’s a different kind of intimacy, but just as real.
In today’s business landscape, we’re encouraged to productize, scale, and automate to grow. Take away the human-ness.
Are personal text messages efficient? No. But, as Dailyn has shown, nurturing relationships is one of the most powerful growth strategies we have as small and medium businesses.
If you want help making your marketing just as personal, I’d love to support you. Leave a comment or book a call.
Until next Thursday,
Daniela
CEO at Findable Digital Marketing
PS. Want me to write more like this? Send in your own question!
