Author Archives: Abigail Green

About Abigail Green

Abby has overseen content development for higher education degree programs related to education, technology, business, and healthcare. One of her first jobs after college was working with children’s programs for the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. She is an experienced and versatile writer and editor whose work has been published by Johns Hopkins, the University of Baltimore Alumni Magazine, and The Chicago Tribune.

1. Run a summer arts camp? Here’s how to set your program up for success this season

   January 7, 2025 7:05 am Leave a Comment

   Summer arts camps tend to be in high demand for kids and parents alike. If you’re part of a children’s theater, arts organization, or community college that runs one of these camps, you’re almost certainly juggling multiple projects and programs. But thinking ahead can help make summer camp registration season a breeze for you and your customers. 

   How you handle summer camp registration can have a big impact on your staff and on whether you fill your camps with satisfied, returning customers year after year. Now’s the time to set your arts camp up for success next year. Registration season will be here again before you know it!

   The unique challenge of summer arts camps

   Many arts organizations run programs all year round. These could be weekly classes, afterschool enrichment programs, or other types of educational offerings. You most likely take registrations for these programs on a rolling basis.

   Summer camps require a different registration process than other classes. Parents may be signing up multiple children months in advance and competing for limited spots. There also tends to be more paperwork involved.

   Parents want to make sure they have summer childcare and activities taken care of. That’s part of why camp registration usually starts months in advance. Time is of the essence since the demand is often greater than the number of available spots. After all, an arts camp may have only so many pottery wheels or 3D printers. 

   Camps also tend to require more involved paperwork than an hour-long class—such as medical forms, emergency contacts, supply lists, etc. All of these factors mean that it’s critical to have a flexible registration system that meets your needs and the needs of your customers.

   What streamlined registration can do for both customers and your arts program

   From our years of serving organizations that offer theater camps, art classes for kids, and summer arts camps, we know that summer camp registration season can be hectic. Organizations want features that streamline the process, both for their customers and for their administrative team.

   The right summer camp registration software delivers three valuable benefits to help you fill spots with less hassle. Here are three ways you can use quality software to streamline the registration process and support your whole program.

   

   Offering early registration as a membership incentive  

   Many community theaters and arts organizations offer memberships or sponsorship programs. In exchange for an annual donation, members get certain benefits, such as discounts and early access to purchase tickets or register for classes. 

   Let people know that becoming a member will let them jump the line and register early for your in-demand summer arts program that fills up every year. You could even offer a discounted tuition rate for members and their families. 

   CourseStorm class registration software includes custom promo codes so you can easily configure and share discounts with members. 

   Perks for customers: Early access to summer camp registration; discounted tuition

   Perks for programs: New memberships and full summer camp programs

   User accounts simplify registration for returning campers

   Online registration is more than a convenience, it keeps families coming back year-after-year as 

   Laramie County Community College (LCCC) in Wyoming learned first-hand. They run several week-long summer youth programs on campus, everything from arts camps to sports and fitness programs. These summer camps are so popular that most completely fill within the first 6 hours on the day registration opens. “Some classes fill within the first 5 minutes,” said program manager Christie Goertel. 

   Make it easy for parents to cross register the kids for summer camp off their to-do list. 

   Because LCCC uses CourseStorm to take online registrations, returning customers have a major advantage. They have already created an account with all of their child’s info included from last time, and they may have even saved their credit card in the system. That cuts down on paperwork and helps parents finish registration faster.

   “Theoretically, if there’s a returning parent and they know what camps they want and they’ve done it before, they may be done in less than 4 minutes,” said Goertel. Don’t underestimate the motivation of a parent crossing “summer camp registration” off their to-do list in March!  

   Perks for customers: Ease and speed of summer camp registration

   Perks for programs: Eases administrative burden; supports long-term relationships with campers’ families

   Making waitlists work the way they should  

   Again, you may be thinking of camp waiting lists as a necessary administrative detail or even a deterrent to customers. After all, why would a parent add their name to a waiting list when these lists are often black holes? We can all think of a time we gave our name to someone over the phone while waiting for a coveted appointment slot or other opening, only to never hear from them again. 

   This is where an automated waiting list can make all the difference. With CourseStorm, for example, customers trying to register for a class or camp session that’s already full will be prompted to add their name to the waitlist. 

   Then, if a spot opens up, CourseStorm users can choose to send people on the waitlist an automatic email that expires after a certain amount of time. The person on the waiting list can either click to register immediately, or decline the invite, which passes to the next person on the list. 

   Either way, it’s a great way to show customers that you haven’t forgotten about them. And it gives them hope that maybe they will get a desired spot in a popular camp or class. 

   Perks for customers: Better experience that can encourage more registrations

   Perks for programs: Eases administrative burden by automating the entire waitlist process

   Make summer arts camp registration simple

   Setting up membership discounts, user accounts, and waitlist systems now can turn summer camp registration season from a nightmare to a dream. Start now to make sure everything is in place when sign-ups open. 

   For more tips on optimizing the sign-up process for your summer arts camp, see our post on The Best Summer Camp Registration Software for Nonprofits.

2. Teacher Retention Strategies to Keep Teaching Artists Happy

   September 19, 2024 9:02 am Leave a Comment

   Want to grow your arts education program? You need quality instructors. Skilled teaching artists help create the best possible student experience. As a result, learners feel like they’ve gained something valuable, and are more likely to recommend your classes to others. They might even follow their favorite instructors to whichever class they happen to teach. 

   A CourseStorm customer shared that their popular watercolor classes attract some new students, but most seats are filled by returning students “who are absolutely in love with the teacher and will take any class that she teaches.” In short, when you retain teachers, you retain students and grow your program. 

   Of course, retaining teachers is easier said than done. That’s why we’re offering some powerful teacher retention strategies to help keep your teaching artists — and by extension, your students — happy. 

   5 Useful Teacher Retention Strategies

   1. Promote Their Artistic Work

   Your artist teachers are not just instructors, they’re also artists with their own creative practice and body of work. Promoting their artistic careers is a win-win strategy. As their prestige as artists grows, so does their desirability as teachers. 

   How to promote the artists who teach for you:

   • Host a show or event featuring their work
   • Sing their praises on your social media channels
   • Send them to classes and conferences to support their development
   • Bring in guest artists to run special workshops for your instructors

   You probably have some valuable connections in your local arts community. Wherever possible, look for ways to help your teaching artists connect with people who can help their careers thrive. Happy instructors stay with your organization and help attract more students.

   2. Listen to What Your Teachers Need

   You might be great at listening for student feedback, but few programs are as tuned in to what teachers need. Too often, decisions about arts education programs are made from the top down. Just like your students, teachers appreciate being heard. They want a voice in the decisions that will affect them and their work. 

   How to learn what teachers want and need:

   • Offer an email address or suggestion box where they can share ideas
   • Find occasions for informal conversations with teaching artists
   • Send out a yearly or quarterly survey to all instructors
   • Provide them with a supervisor or mentor who can answer questions

   This might take some time. Some instructors may worry that you don’t really want to hear what they have to say or that their feedback will be held against them. Assure them that you are looking to improve their experience and your program. Follow up with instructors to let them know if and how their input was used. The more responsive and transparent you are, the more likely they are to trust you with their great ideas.

   3. Communicate About Changes Before They Happen

   As a director or executive, you make decisions for the good of the organization based on the information you have available. Often, those decisions will affect instructors, both directly and indirectly. 

   Nobody likes feeling that their career is out of their control. Teaching artists are no exception. When you make changes that will affect them — especially if those changes affect workload or compensation — keep instructors informed. 

   How to involve instructors in change management:

   • Invite teachers to attend planning meetings
   • Ask for their opinion before making big changes
   • Explain the reasoning behind decisions
   • Provide training or guidance to facilitate change

   This kind of change management shows teachers that you respect them and their work. It helps them feel more empowered, even if the change is ultimately out of their control. Teachers who feel empowered are more able to show up for their students. 

   4. Get Creative With Compensation

   Compensation is a sticky problem for many nonprofits. You’re likely under pressure to keep payroll costs low. But you also want to keep teachers happy and support their wellbeing. If pay is an immovable point, you may be able some valuable non-monetary compensation in lieu of raises. Whatever you do, publish pay scales on your job postings so instructors know what they’re getting into.

   How to creatively compensate teachers:

   • Pay for prep and administrative time
   • Offer free studio space
   • Develop multi-year contracts
   • Equip them with supplies (including snacks and coffee!)

   Remember, teaching artists have at least two careers. They’re making art and they’re teaching students. Many also pick up other jobs to make ends meet. That can leave them fragmented and overwhelmed. When you increase a teacher’s wages, you’re not just giving them more money, you’re helping them stay focused on their art and their students.

   5. Make Class Administration Simple With CourseStorm

   Teaching artists have plenty to do already. They don’t want to waste time and energy using complicated class administration tools. When you choose CourseStorm for class registration and payment processing, you also get a set of valuable resources for instructors. They can view classes, print and export rosters, view individual student info, email students, and view cancellations or waiting lists. 

   How CourseStorm helps keep teachers happy:

   • Empowers teaching artists to manage their own classes with administrative oversight
   • Simplifies communication between teachers and students
   • Helps instructors monitor enrollments in their classes
   • Offers tools to help instructors promote classes on social media

   Find out more about how CourseStorm empowers instructors.

   With built-in mobile access, your teachers can manage classes anytime, anywhere. Whether they’re taking a break in the studio, or riding the bus home after a long day — mobile access connects them with their students. 

   Resources to Share With Teaching Artists

   Sharing resources with your teaching artists helps them grow and shows them you care about both their artistic and instructional careers. Here are a few useful resources worth sharing with your instructors: 

   • 5 Ways Art Teachers Can Balance Teaching and Creating Art
   • Keeping it Fresh: Career Sustainability for Veteran Teaching Artists
   • 6 Places to Find Art Teacher Professional Development Opportunities

   You can give instructors more time to focus on their students and their art. Start your free trial of CourseStorm to test out all of its time-saving features.

3. How to Use Social Media Trends to Attract More Arts Students

   August 21, 2024 11:07 am Leave a Comment

   It’s a fact: Many of us love social media. Maybe you like to swap memes with your besties, send your father-in-law funny sports videos, or check out the latest social media challenges on TikTok with your tween niece. (If you’re not familiar with the hilarious “paint your partner challenge,” read on.) 

   Wondering how to use social media to promote your classes? What should you post, and where? We’re here for you with trends and examples!

   But if you’re an arts education director, you may be wondering about how to use social media to promote your classes. Is it worth the time and effort? And what should you post, and where? 

   Don’t worry! We’re here for you. We’ve pulled together some examples of social media trends and how others are using them – including other arts orgs like yours. We’ve also included data from marketing experts and our own State of the Arts Report to show you exactly how to use social media to grow your program and keep loyal students coming back. 

   2024 Social Media Trends You Should Know About

   Social media is more than a way to see pictures of your cousin’s cat. It’s also a powerful way to reach a wide range of people. About 87% of adults report that they spend time on some type of social media. Figuring out how to use social media trends to your advantage lets you tap into this massive audience. In fact, our State of the Arts Report (SOAR) found that social media is the second most powerful marketing tool for classes (after email).

   Trend #1: Facebook Is Still the Headliner

   According to CRM software company HubSpot, 82% of consumers used Facebook in 2023, making it the most-used social media platform of the year. Our SOAR data bears that out. Among CourseStorm customers, 56% of visitors to their class websites come from Facebook. 

   If you’re only on one social media platform, Facebook should be your platform of choice. But keep an eye on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Younger audiences tend to prefer these more visual and video-based platforms, and they may one day topple Facebook’s throne.

   Trend #2: Short-Form Video Is the Format of Choice

   The rise of TikTok and continued popularity of both YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels points to another important trend: Consumers love video content. The most engaging videos on social media tend to be short — less than 60 seconds. 

   If you primarily post text or photos, consider adding some video into the mix. You might share a quick tip from an instructor, a clip from a recent class, or an art reveal video like the one below. 

    

    

    

    

    

   View this post on Instagram

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

   A post shared by katy (kmctcreative) – artist (@kmctcreative)

   


   Don’t worry about making movie-quality video for social media. HubSpot’s survey found that most consumers think it’s more important for marketing videos to be authentic rather than polished. 

   And keep in mind that social media video should almost always be in a vertical format. Most social media platforms are designed for vertical and most users access these platforms from mobile phones. 

   Trend #3: Make ’Em Laugh

   People go to social media looking for entertainment. They want relatable content and often that means content that makes them laugh. Try to inject some humor into your social media posts. That might include sharing a meme, using a trending sound on a Reels or TikTok video, or participating in a humorous trend like the “paint your partner” challenge.

   If humor isn’t your style, look for ways to share creative ideas and artistic inspiration. People on social media are often looking for something that will get their creativity flowing. So offer tips, advice, insight from your teaching artists, and, of course, links to your class catalog.

   How to Use Social Media to Increase Class Registrations

   Now that we’ve explored the big trends, let’s get down to details. How can you use social media to increase registrations? Using the trends above will get you part of the way there, but here are a few things you can do to fill every seat. 

   1. Link directly to specific classes in your social posts

   Few things frustrate a user more than seeing a social media post about a class that looks interesting, clicking the link, and ending up wading through dozens of course catalog listings trying to find the one that caught their eye. Some visitors will just give up. Don’t make learners hunt for the class they want. Wherever possible, link directly to the specific listing for that class.

   

   2. Create Facebook events for your classes

   One reason so many people still use Facebook is because it’s a quick and easy way to find out what’s going on in their area. You can create Facebook events for each of your classes to make them easily discoverable on the platform. Just make sure that you’re including a registration link. 

   

   3. Sing the praises of your teaching artists

   These are the people who actually teach your classes and these folks often have a following of their own on social media. Introducing your instructors and sharing their work on social makes your organization look good—it highlights your high caliber instructors and celebrates their work and the work of their students. Plus, it allows you to tap into their social network and attract new potential students. Basically, it’s an all around smart thing to do. 

   How to Engage Loyal Learners on Social Media

   Social media doesn’t just help you attract new students, it also keeps you connected to loyal learners. Make sure you’re making content for them as well. If you can turn your social media pages into a virtual community where loyal learners enjoy spending time, they’ll be more likely to sign up for another class and share your posts with their friends. Here are a few things you can do to engage your existing student community. 

   1. Share examples of student work (with permission, of course)

   Images and video of student work helps learners feel like part of your community. They feel seen and valued and are likely to share with their own social networks. So a single post could engage previous students and attract new ones. 

   2. Post memes, jokes, and insider content

   Everyone likes to feel like part of the inner circle. Memes, jokes, and other insider content can tap into a shared language and sense of humor among your learners. Consider asking your instructors for examples of content that represent their particular community of artists. Here’s a YouTube Short from our customer Mile Square Theatre that actors will relate to. 

   3. Create polls or one-question surveys

   These can be funny or serious, like what classes would you like us to offer next season. You don’t even have to use the built-in poll feature. Sometimes asking people to drop an emoji in the comments to cast their vote is just as powerful.

   What Audiences Want on Social Media Now

   Across the board, people want personal, funny, and entertaining content on social media these days, according to HubSpot’s 2024 Consumer Trends Report. Consider the examples above and see what might work for your program. Experiment with some social media trends and see how your audience reacts. Share a meme, repost students’ Reels, or participate in a challenge. Most of all, have fun with it! 

   For more insights that can help your arts education program grow and thrive, download our State of the Arts Report 2024. 

4. Seniors and Technology: How to Make Class Registration More Accessible to All

   August 7, 2024 9:19 am Leave a Comment

   If you want to get more class registrations and boost your bottom line, it’s time to start thinking about older adults. Census projections show that by 2035, people over 65 will outnumber children for the first time in U.S. history. That means seniors are likely to be a growing audience for your nonprofit education program. Even programs primarily aimed at children should consider the needs of parents and grandparents who are completing the registration process. 

   Meeting the needs of seniors does not mean avoiding technology. Many older adults are capable of using online registration systems as long as those systems are simple and straightforward.

   After 10+ years dedicated to class registration and payment systems, we’ve learned that designing for seniors improves the registration experience for everyone. 

   Class Registration Myths About Seniors

   Myth: Seniors aren’t a big audience for us. 

   Reality: Many seniors are committed to lifelong learning for themselves. They also register children and grandchildren for classes. 

   If you’re not already marketing classes to seniors, you may be missing a major opportunity. People aged 50 and older account for 51% of consumer spending although they represent just 45% of all adults. In short, this audience is spending more per capita than younger shoppers. Some portion of that spending is going to classes.

   Many seniors are interested in lifelong learning. According to the Seniorlist, 19% of older adults say they have taken an academic course in the last six months. That word, “academic,” may be artificially limiting this result. According to AARP, 55% of Americans age 45 and older are actively learning new things either through classes or independent study.

   Even if your education program primarily provides classes for kids, seniors are still a key audience. Consider the grandmother who enrolls her young granddaughter in a drawing class. The class may be for the little girl, but Grandma is the one navigating your registration system.

   Myth: Seniors won’t use online registration options.

   Reality: Seniors will use online options as long as you make them simple and straightforward.

   Seniors may be more tech savvy than you realize. A Pew survey found that 61% of adults 65 and older own a smartphone and 75% use the internet. Making purchases is the second-most popular online activity among people age 50+ (email holds the top spot).

   During and since the pandemic, seniors have learned to use technology to do everything from buy groceries to book doctor’s appointments. About 24% of respondents in a survey on aging in place said that they use grocery and food delivery apps. There’s clearly openness among older people to engage with more digital experiences—the key is to make sure those experiences are simple and seamless. 

   Since the pandemic, seniors can and do use technology to buy groceries online, book doctor’s appointments, and more.

   Myth: Seniors are uncomfortable with online payments.

   Reality: If it’s easy and safe, seniors will pay online.

   Many seniors have spent a lifetime paying with checks or cash. Some are more comfortable with these methods, but others welcome the convenience of online payments. In recent years, more seniors learned how to pay for products and services online as a result of the pandemic. 

   But seniors are concerned about the security and privacy of online payments. A 2020 survey by Lightico found that people over 65 were more likely to say that they don’t feel online transactions are secure. Nonprofit class providers will see the best results if they show seniors that their payment systems are dependable and secure. Post links to privacy and security details on your payment pages so they’re easy to find.

   

   How to Make Course Registration Easy for Seniors (And Everyone Else)

   It’s not just seniors who benefit when you simplify your online registration process. Easy registration helps everyone. Apply these tips to improve the registration experience for people of all ages.

   1. Remove extra steps and complexity

   Seniors may get frustrated if asked to enter information in multiple places or complete a long series of steps. One 72-year-old told AP news that she has no problem shopping at Amazon or Target.com but that the grocery store app has too many steps and she often ends up starting over.  

   Map your registration process to understand how many steps it includes. Does the user need to access more than one website or service to complete registration? If you’re asking people to fill out a form in one place, but make a payment somewhere else, they’re likely to get confused.

   The best class registration systems seamlessly guide the user from the course catalog through registration, to payment. With CourseStorm, registration and payment is one seamless process that starts with a button on your course catalog. We don’t even ask registrants to create a user profile first. Instead, they have the opportunity to automatically create a profile as part of the registration process. 

   2. Prioritize accessibility

   Older adults are more likely to have vision or motor challenges that can impede accessibility. About a quarter of adults 71 years old and older have visual impairments. These could prevent seniors from using online systems unless accessibility tools are in place. 

   Simple design changes, like creating high-contrast color schemes and including alt text for graphics can improve accessibility. Check with your website designer and class registration software provider to make sure accessibility options are in place. 

   CourseStorm course registration and payment processing software complies with Level AA guidelines set by the Web Accessibility Initiative. That means we’ve put the work in to ensure that our registration software is as accessible as possible for people with disabilities. 

   3. Share safety and privacy information

   Some seniors are hesitant to use technology for safety or privacy reasons. They may have heard of or experienced scams where older people have been taken advantage of. In fact, seniors lose more than $3 billion each year to financial scams, both online and offline. 

   Help your senior registrants feel secure by posting your privacy policies prominently on your website. Let them know how their information will be used and let them opt out of storing payment information. 

   At CourseStorm, we take security seriously. Our credit card information handling process is PCI compliant and all stored cards are safely encrypted. Our servers are located at state-of-the-art data centers with multi-tiered security systems. 

   4. Market beyond social media

   Social media is a powerful way to reach potential students. But it may not be as effective in reaching older adults. Only 45% of adults age 65 and older use social media. Programs may have better luck reaching seniors through search ads and email marketing. Our State of the Arts Report found that email accounted for the highest percentage of visitors to our customer’s class registration websites. Traditional direct mail campaigns may also be more attractive to seniors. 

   As a CourseStorm customer, you get personal automated marketing tools that will send personalized email recommendations to students based on past registration history. We keep an eye on marketing trends and best practices, sharing them with customers on our blog.

   The Class Registration Solution for All Ages

   By now we hope you see that what’s good for seniors is good for registrants of all ages. When you simplify processes, prioritize accessibility, ensure privacy, and market beyond social media, you make registration easier for everyone. And improving the student experience is ultimately what’ll help you fill classes and extend your program’s impact in your community.

   Whether you offer classes specifically for seniors, or primarily for children, CourseStorm can help attract this growing and motivated audience of older adults to boost your bottom line.

   To see the impact of this simplicity in action check out this case study featuring American Stage. Integrating CourseStorm with their ticketing software helped this nonprofit theatre education program improve the customer experience and save staff time.

5. 4 Ways Arts Ed Organizations Can Defend Against Nonprofit Burnout

   July 10, 2024 9:26 am Leave a Comment

   Does your staff regularly work through lunch and answer emails on weekends? This might seem like the norm for understaffed nonprofits. And besides, most people working in the arts are there because they love it, right? But perhaps you’re noticing in your staff what you may have experienced yourself: the moment when work you used to love becomes an impossible burden. 

   If your previously cheerful employees are snapping at coworkers and missing meetings, if they’re taking more sick days and productivity is slipping, if you’re seeing a negative impact on how staff interact with your customers and community … nonprofit burnout could be the culprit. 

   “Burnout is about your workplace, not your people.” – Jennifer Moss, author of Unlocking Happiness at Work

   The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that 69% of nonprofit leaders are concerned about employee burnout. According to a Council of Nonprofits survey, more than 50% of respondents said stress and burnout were causing workforce shortages. But it doesn’t have to be this way: leaders in nonprofit organizations can develop a strategy to detect, prevent, and deal with nonprofit burnout—both for themselves and their teams. Here’s how. 

   Where Nonprofit Burnout Comes From

   According to the World Health Organization, burnout is a syndrome that results from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by:

   • feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
   • feelings of negativity or cynicism related to one’s job; and
   • reduced job performance.

   In some ways, people working in arts nonprofits are especially susceptible to burnout. They care deeply about the work they do and tend to selflessly go beyond the call of duty to keep serving their stakeholders. Being deeply invested means they may not feel like they can say no or take time off when they need it.

   Many nonprofits are chronically understaffed and constantly scrambling to secure next year’s funding. At the same time, they may be working on intense projects with hard deadlines. And they’re doing all this with a small team of volunteers, part-time employees, and no real HR oversight to speak of. 

   According to the American Psychological Association, burnout is most often observed in professionals who work in service-oriented vocations; nonprofit arts education certainly qualifies. Experts have written whole books about how to identify and fix burnout, but we’ll summarize the essentials for you.

   How to Spot Nonprofit Burnout Before it Consumes Your Staff

   The best time to get rid of burnout is before it happens, but you may already suspect your team is suffering from burnout. 

   It might seem like common sense to just ask if people are burned out, but that doesn’t always work. Some employees will feel shame or discomfort if they are burned out—that they should be able to power through to keep serving your community. On top of the stigma, people don’t always know they’re burned out. Often, they need an outside observer to point out the problem. 

   Signs of burnout include being available 24/7, skipping lunch, taking more sick days, and having a short temper.

   Look around and see if you spot any of these common signs of nonprofit burnout among your team. 

   Signs of nonprofit burnout: 

   • Working more to do less
   • Skipping lunch, breaks, or social events
   • Available at all hours
   • More sick days
   • Short tempers or tears

   Any of these signs on their own could be a personal quirk or the result of a bad day. Taken together, they point to just one thing—burnout.

   What Nonprofit Organizations Can Do to Prevent Burnout

   The good news is that since burnout is often an organization-level problem, you have the power to help your team avoid it. The following systemic changes can help shield your team from some of the stressors that can lead to burnout. 

   1. Encourage restful time off.

   Time off is more than a benefit, it’s essential to avoiding burnout. People need time to rest and rejuvenate their mind and body. Studies show that productivity falls off sharply when people hit about 50 hours of work per week. So while some nonprofit team members wear overwork as a badge of honor, your most valuable employee is one who is well-rested and burnout free.

   Some subtle changes can help give employees permission to fully unplug. For example, you can use the scheduling feature in your email if you need to send a message after hours to avoid accidentally triggering after-hours work. Also, pay attention to how you talk about time off. Comments like “I hope you had a good time while the rest of us worked” or “I wish I could afford to take the afternoon off” leave employees feeling judged and guilty. If you find yourself thinking these thoughts, that may be an indicator that you, yourself, are on the verge of burnout.

   Encourage restful time off by:

   • Limiting off-hours messages and emails
   • Reminding people to use their vacation benefits
   • Avoiding statements that make time off sound like a luxury

   2. Offer as much flexibility as possible.

   Flexible schedules allow people to shift their work time to match the demands of their life. Giving people the power to control their own schedule helps them avoid burnout by managing their tasks and energy. 

   Of course, there are some times when you need staff and volunteer coverage. An instructor can’t just not show up to teach a class. But wherever and whenever possible, make it okay for employees to flex their schedules, work from wherever they want, and come and go as needed. 

   Offer flexibility by:
   

   • Allowing remote work
   • Letting employees flex schedules
   • Crosstrain so no one person is carrying too much responsibility
   • Offering mobile-friendly work tools

   3. Model self care as a leader.

   As a leader in your organization, you set the tone for the workplace. If your team sees you always working late, never taking vacation, and working through lunch, they may feel pressured to do the same. On the other hand, if you regularly unplug and take a walk during lunch, they’re more likely to feel free to care for themselves as well. 

   Model self care by:
   

   • Leaving work on time
   • Taking your vacation days
   • Pausing to eat lunch
   • Flexing your time for family events

   4. Praise and thank your people.

   In nonprofit work, it’s easy to run from one major project or challenge to another. Often, we forget to stop and appreciate what we’ve accomplished. Endless work with no reward is a fast track to burnout. Put the brakes on by stopping to thank your employees and volunteers and find ways to reward them for good work.

   You can get as creative with this as you want to. Sometimes an old-fashioned thank-you note strikes the right chord. Other times you might want to make a special trophy or entrust someone with The Team Plant.

   Acknowledge success by:
   

   • Publicly thanking staff and volunteers
   • Building in a rest day after a major project closes
   • Celebrate birthdays and life milestones
   • Handwrite a thank-you note

   5. Evaluate your systems.

   Nonprofits often operate on tight budgets. Your organization may be using free tools, software or programs designed for larger or for-profit businesses, or cobbling together some combination of solutions. It may be the way things have always been done, but it’s important to recognize that these hacks and workarounds take a toll. The first step in affecting change is taking inventory.

   Identify areas for improvement by:
   

   • Survey your employees on what’s working and what’s not
   • For more detail, have staff track a typical day — how many steps does it take them to do certain tasks? Are there any blockers that prevent them from completing things?  
   • Talk to other organizations like yours to learn how their systems work and what solutions they use

   Awareness and praise alone won’t solve the nonprofit burnout problem, but a culture of gratitude and self-care can go a long way. For more tips on reducing the administrative burden on your staff, subscribe to our blog.

6. How to Market Art Classes to Fill Every Seat: New Data on Scheduling and Promotion

   June 20, 2024 9:10 am Leave a Comment

   Arts education is a huge opportunity. Art classes top the list of the most popular afterschool enrichment activities for kids. More adults are getting creative, too, with some even funding their arts classes with employee stipends. Nonprofit arts organizations that can meet their communities’ needs for arts education are well-positioned for growth. 

   But why do some arts classes fill up with minutes of opening registration, while others struggle with low enrollment? Why do some classes have waitlists a mile long but other classes have to be canceled? What do arts organizations offering the most popular classes know that others don’t? 

   CourseStorm has some answers. With more than 250 customers in the arts, from youth orchestras to community theatres and arts centers, we have access to more than a decade’s worth of data from 1+ million class registrations. The data reveal patterns and insights about the best times to schedule arts classes, when and where to promote your classes, and how to market art classes to specific audiences. Read on to find out more!

   Download our State of the Arts Report (SOAR) for insights and strategies to help any arts education program thrive.

   How to Promote Art Classes: Schedule Them at the Best Times

   According to CourseStorm’s exclusive customer registration data, Monday is the most popular day for arts classes. The next most popular day is Saturday. We recommend organizations avoid scheduling arts classes on Fridays, since it is only about half as popular as other weekdays. 

   

   Of course, you’ll need to consider your own customers to decide if these are the best days to offer arts classes in your community. If you have lots of young families in your area, afterschool classes scheduled around the academic calendar may be your best bet. If you cater to retirees, weekdays may be a good time to offer arts classes that fill up consistently.

   For more on this topic, check out our related post and download our customizable course scheduling survey template. 

   Speaking of times, you’ll want to consider time of day as well as day of the week when scheduling your arts classes. Our data show that evening classes are the most popular overall. More than a third of arts-related classes offered by CourseStorm customers start between 4pm and 6pm. On Saturdays, classes that start at 9am or 10am have up to 3x the registrants of other class times. 

   Open Class Registration Far Enough in Advance

   Speaking of scheduling, it’s important to consider when to open registration for your arts classes. Too far in advance and people may put it off and forget to enroll. Too close to the class start date and people’s calendars may be filled already. 

   According to our data, there’s a big difference in enrollment trends between youth art classes offered during the school year and those offered during the summer. It makes sense – for many arts organizations, summer camps are by far their most popular programs. When school’s out, parents want their kids engaged in enriching activities and kids have more time to explore non-academic interests. Summer camps tend to fill up fast – sometimes within minutes of opening registration!

   Among CourseStorm customers, people register an average of 71 days – 2+ months – before a summer arts camp or class.

   For arts classes that run during the school year, people register an average of 28 days before the class. For a summer arts camp or class, you’ll want to open enrollment even earlier. Customers register an average of 71 days – 2+ months – before arts programs offered during the summer. 

   Spread the Word About Your Arts Classes

   But what if you are scheduling your classes on the most popular days, opening registration well in advance, and your classes are still not filling up? The problem may be that people just don’t know about them. So how do you get the word out about your arts classes?

   Social media is one of the top two most effective digital marketing channels. Facebook, specifically, is the most popular social platform for marketing arts classes. Among CourseStorm customers, 56% of visitors to their class websites come from Facebook. 

   Our data show that email is the #1 best way to get visitors to your website. Of course, you have to capture people’s email addresses first. A great way to do that is by offering self-serve waitlists for your classes. 

   To simplify your course communications, download our complete package of email templates.

   Let’s say someone searches “pottery classes near me” and finds your website. They are delighted to see that you offer an Intro to Handbuilding class but, alas, it’s already full. Conveniently, there’s a button to click to add themselves to a waitlist. They happily enter their email to be notified if a spot opens up in the class. Of course, you can always say “Call or email to be added to a waitlist.” But that’s an extra step many people may not take. 

   Once you have students or prospective students’ email addresses, you can send them suggestions for other classes they might be interested in. Pro tip: Make sure they can unsubscribe if they choose to. Customer experience best practices allow users to decide whether and how they wish to be contacted. 

   Promote Your Arts Classes by Targeting Them to Specific Audiences

   While your organization’s mission may be “arts for all,” all classes are not meant for all people. It makes sense to break up your classes by age, but you can get even more specific than that. Here are some ideas that CourseStorm customers have found to be popular with learners: 

   Family classes. When kids bring a parent, grandparent, or other adult in their life to a class, it’s twice the fun – and two registrations compared to one. Multigenerational classes are a powerful way to bring together people of all ages and expand the reach of your educational program. Here are some ideas to make your existing classes family-friendly. 

   Couples and friends. Speaking of two registrations vs. one, couples classes are a popular offering for many arts organizations. From paint-and-sip classes to pottery, art classes make for a fun date night, parent’s night out, or friends’ activity. And couples classes make great gifts, too. 

   Working professionals. Don’t think of your classes as strictly after-hours leisure pursuits. In fact, recognizing the need for lifelong learning and managing mental health, a growing number of employers are offering employee stipends that cover arts classes. Your classes also might make great corporate team building activities for local businesses. 

   Special populations. Arts organizations across the U.S. offer classes in theater, music, and art-making for veterans to foster connection and self-expression. For ideas for your own classes, check out these creative art for veterans offerings. Many arts organizations are also finding success with creative aging programs geared toward older adults. 

   Rebuild or Grow Your Arts Education Program with CourseStorm!

   While many arts organizations struggled or closed during the pandemic, those with education programs like CourseStorm customers survived and are still growing. To share the secrets of their success, we published the 2024 State of the Arts Report (SOAR). 

   This report is for anyone offering noncredit, open-enrollment enrichment classes in the visual or performing arts, or any programs offering similar classes outside of the arts that want to learn from their peers. It’s especially geared toward nonprofit arts and culture organizations that want to make data-informed decisions about:

   • How to save time and be more efficient
   • How to make their programs more cost-effective and profitable 
   • How to reach more people and grow enrollments 

   Whether you’re building your arts education program or have more enrollments than you can manage, SOAR can help you navigate your challenges and thrive going forward.

   Download the report today and SOAR in 2024!

7. CourseStorm Case Study: American Stage

   June 12, 2024 9:13 am Leave a Comment

   Integrating CourseStorm with their ticketing software helped a nonprofit theatre education program improve the customer experience and save staff time

   The Background

   Like many theatres, American Stage is still feeling the effects of the pandemic. COVID shut down the professional theatre company’s live performances as well as their summer camps and all classes that weren’t moved online. They are now in the process of “rebuilding everything,” said José Aviléz, Director of Education. 

   American Stage is rebuilding and expanding their education program post-pandemic.

   Founded in 1977 as an educational theatre, American Stage produces about 6 shows a year and runs a drama school for adults as well as one for youth ages 5 to 17. Their classes cover all different aspects of musical theatre, acting, and improv. They currently offer about 40 classes per year, depending on how many they can fill. The education program’s “bread and butter” is summer camps for kids and teens. These run from 1 to 3 weeks, and culminate in a musical production. 

   American Stage wants to expand their educational offerings, particularly their youth programs, to meet a growing need in their community. Previously populated mostly by retirees, St. Petersburg, Fla., saw an influx of young families during the pandemic. 

   The Challenge

   American Stage uses Spektrix, a ticketing and CRM platform. Like many arts organizations, they tried to use the same software for class registration, too. But while they were happy with the solution for ticket sales and customer data management, it wasn’t meeting their needs for camp and class registration. 

   “Everywhere I have worked has used the ticketing service for education and it just never quite fits. Everybody’s always confused. CourseStorm is so much clearer and much more user friendly.” – José Aviléz, Director of Education

   Classes were purchased as a ticket, which was confusing to registrants. It was complicated to collect important student information, such as food allergies or emergency contacts. There were no class rosters, so the staff had to create them manually by copying and pasting names into spreadsheets. Even worse, the person registering a child was often a parent or grandparent, so on the first day of class instructors wouldn’t even know the children’s names. 

   American Stage needed a solution that would simplify class registration for their customers and staff. 

   The Solution

   CourseStorm makes signing up for classes quicker and easier for people registering. Customers can register multiple people in one transaction and save their info for next time, eliminating the need to enter the same things over and over. And for administrative staff, CourseStorm automates processes they may have been doing manually, like creating rosters and managing waitlists. Programs can even give instructors limited access if they wish, empowering them to manage their own classes.

   Arts programs that send students personalized class recommendations using CourseStorm’s automated emails attribute 14% of enrollments to this feature.

   CourseStorm also offers marketing features to help arts organizations fill their classes every time. For instance, automated emails can be sent to current and former students, suggesting other classes they may be interested in. Arts programs that use CourseStorm’s automated emails to send students personalized class recommendations attribute 14% of enrollments to this feature alone.

   CourseStorm integrates with ticketing, donor management and CRM systems—such as with Spektrix, PatronManager and Little Green Light—an added benefit for American Stage. Whether through Zapier, plugins, or direct integrations, combining CourseStorm with these other tools leverages the power of organizations’ existing customer data and CourseStorm’s class registration software.

   The Results

   American Stage loves how much clearer and simpler CourseStorm has made the registration process—both for customers and staff. Classes are now listed by name, not sold as a ticket. Staff used to spend hours walking customers through the registration process on the phone. Now, they get almost no calls. And people enter all their information upfront at the time of registration, eliminating the need for staff to follow up with additional requests. 

   Staff can now do things automatically or in one step that used to require multiple steps or workarounds. With CourseStorm, they can email the entire roster of students at once, send text reminders, and give student discounts via promo codes.

   American Stage now gets fewer complaints and calls from confused registrants, and has saved countless admin hours.

   Since they’ve started using CourseStorm, American Stage gets fewer complaints and phone calls from confused people trying to register, and has saved countless hours on administrative tasks. “I think the fact that it’s simplified our lives is great [but] secondary to the user experience,” said Aviléz.

   American Stage is well positioned to achieve their ambitious growth goals. “We’re about to have a major growth spurt.” 

   To learn more about how CourseStorm might help your program or more information, email contact@coursestorm.com or call us at (207) 866-0328.

8. What’s Hot for Fall? 2024 Marketing Trends to Fill Your Classes

   June 5, 2024 9:00 am Leave a Comment

   Glassblowing is big right now. So is stained glass. Sustainability and shopping local also continue to be popular. As you’re creating your fall classes, it’s good to keep a pulse on consumer marketing trends so you can offer courses that match what learners are interested in now. 

   Fall will be here before you know it, and students of all ages will be buzzing with “back to school” energy. They’ll be looking to enroll themselves and their kids in art classes, afterschool enrichment activities, and other community education programs. Can your organization capitalize on any of these trends for Fall 2024?

   How Consumer Marketing Can Influence Your Class Offerings

   Whether we’re talking about Pantone’s color of the year (Peach Fuzz, FYI) or wide-leg jeans replacing skinny jeans, people care about current trends. Knowing what’s trending can work to your advantage when planning and marketing classes. If you know what’s hot and what’s not, you have a better idea of what’s likely to grab students’ attention. 

   Keeping a pulse on current trends can work to your advantage when planning and marketing classes. 

   Consumer marketing trends are a good place to start when considering what people care about now. In 2024, consumer trends center around consumer values and needs. People want to do business with brands, including education providers, that value sustainability and community. Luckily, that’s right in many arts nonprofits’ wheelhouse.

   Searches related to sustainability are surging

   Reduce, reuse, recycle. Environmental impact has become a serious issue for many consumers over the last few years. The youngest generations are most concerned, with 75% of Gen Z shoppers (those born between 1997 and 2010) saying sustainability is more important than brand names. You can see it in the trends toward electric cars and minimal product packaging. Plastic bags are out, DIY projects using repurposed materials are in. 

   Searches for “small scrap wood projects” are up 1,200%, according to Pinterest Predicts, a report that shares emerging trends for the coming year, based on what people are searching for and pinning on the popular platform. “Zero waste sewing patterns” is up 80%. 

   Do you offer art classes using upcycled materials? How about sewing T-shirt quilts or making rag rugs? If not, this fall may be a great time to jump on the sustainability trend with some new eco-friendly classes. 

   

   Support of local businesses is still trending

   The “shop local” trend is still going strong and has even risen post-Covid. It doesn’t just apply to retailers, either: 64% of Americans are actively seeking to support local businesses, according to 2024 data. That includes searching for art classes, noncredit courses, and enrichment activities near them. 

   Most arts and community education providers focus on providing educational opportunities to people in a specific city, region, or state. Good ways to target your offerings to your local community and help people find your classes is by partnering with a local business and by optimizing your website for “near me” searches. 

   People are craving connection and better quality of life

   The 2024 Consumer Experience Trends Report from experience management company Qualtrics reveals that people are putting a higher value on human connection. Local education providers are uniquely qualified to give students a personalized experience. If you approach your classes as a way to build ongoing relationships with students, they are more likely to come back again and again and make referrals to your program. 

   Forging personal connections with your students and community is not only a smart business strategy, it also helps your education program stand out from others that treat classes like transactions or simply seats to fill. In general, Americans are overly stressed and feeling disconnected. Your classes may not directly solve these problems, but you can highlight the proven benefits of art, community, and lifelong learning. Highlighting the community aspect of your courses can be especially helpful if you offer creative aging programs. Many seniors are isolated and seeking connection and opportunities to build skills.

   Trending Enrichment Classes for Kids

   We know that afterschool enrichment programs are very popular in the fall. Art classes are the top after-school activity – especially since more schools are cutting art from the curriculum. So what specific kinds of art classes can you offer this fall that might appeal to kids?

   Searches for “drawing classes for kids” are up 250%, according to Google Trends data. “Toddler art classes near me” is up 70%.

   Google Trends is a useful tool to get specific, real-time data on what people are searching for online. You can explore what’s trending now, like the latest celebrity news or sports scores, or type in your own word or phrase to see related search terms. For example, a recent search for “art classes” revealed that searches for “drawing classes for kids” are up 250%. “Toddler art classes near me” is up 70%. Those can be clues for classes to add to your course catalog. 

   Since adults are the ones registering children for classes, you’ll want to keep them in mind with your marketing. We offer some tips in this post: How to Make Art Classes for Kids Appealing to Parents.

   For a deeper dive into tools and strategies for finding cultural trends and trends in your community, read our blog post How Cultural Trends Can Help You Create Popular Classes.

   Popular Fall Classes for Adults

   Good news for arts organizations and makerspaces offering classes that build skills and teach trades: Google Trends data also revealed that among the top trending art classes are glass art classes, digital art classes, stained glass classes, and glassblowing classes. 

   As we mentioned above, Pinterest Predicts reports that searches for DIY projects using wood scraps and fabric scraps are trending upward. Another popular trend for Gen X and Millennials is “aquatic architecture.” Searches for “small aquarium design,” “turtle terrarium ideas,” and “planted fish bowl” are all growing. If you offer a class on terrariums or succulents, perhaps you can tweak it for fall to jump on this trend. 

   

   Other Trends in Continuing or Adult Ed

   Of course, for many adults “back to school” means completing a degree, pursuing a job certificate program in preparation for a career change, or enrolling in other types of workforce training. 

   Interestingly, popular adult and community ed programs follow some of the same consumer trends highlighted above: training programs in sustainable fields like solar power and wind turbines are growing, and many programs are partnering with local businesses to fill regional needs. 

   Stay Informed of the Latest Marketing Trends

   Here at CourseStorm, simplicity is part of our mission. We don’t want you to waste time scouring the internet for current marketing trends. You have more important things to do, like build student relationships and deliver quality courses. 

   That’s why we keep an eye on what’s working for arts education and other community ed programs, so we can share what you need to know. 

   Subscribe to our blog to get the latest marketing trends and advice delivered right to your inbox. 

9. How 3 Community Education Providers Are Boosting Enrollment and Student Satisfaction With CourseStorm

   May 22, 2024 9:21 am Leave a Comment

   Many organizations offering non-credit courses struggle with a clunky registration system. These systems are often designed for for-credit classes and don’t meet the unique enrollment and payment needs of non-credit education. 

   Community college workforce training programs, community health education programs offered by hospitals and healthcare organizations, enrichment classes, or other types of adult education programs often have registration processes that just aren’t user friendly. 

   These types of classes come with unique registration needs because:

   • Enrichment classes or courses to learn new skills typically don’t require prerequisites
   • They don’t earn participants credit hours or credentials
   • Non-credit courses are usually open-enrollment self-paid programs

   So they don’t need a complex registration system like for-credit degree programs require. But manual processes aren’t a good solution, either. 

   Some community ed programs require people to register in person or by phone during certain hours. This can be a big deterrent for busy working adults. 

   Some noncredit programs may require people to register in person or over the phone during certain hours, for example, which isn’t possible for a lot of working adults. This also requires time, effort, and even unnecessary frustration for the program’s administrative staff. A poor registration experience can be a big deterrent for busy adults. 

   That’s where CourseStorm comes in. Designed specifically for noncredit providers, like those serving adult learners, CourseStorm allows people to register and pay online at any time it’s convenient for them.

   One non-credit course provider, in the first 6 months of using CourseStorm, processed almost as much revenue in registrations as the previous 2 years combined. Another customer added an online registration option through CourseStorm and increased enrollments by 316% in the first year.

   In this post, we’ll look at how non-credit course registration software like CourseStorm can grow enrollments while improving student satisfaction and automating manual administrative processes. We’ll explore three real-life CourseStorm customers offering adult classes that have used the features of our non-credit course registration software tool to:

   • Offer convenient online registration and payment so people can register whenever is best for them — a must for busy adult learners

   • Improve user experience to reduce registrant complaints, encourage returning students, and keep programs growing

   • Increase awareness of their many course offerings without endless scrolling to ensure students can easily find what will pique their interest

   • Reduce the administrative burden on staff caused by in-person or phone registration and other manual processes

   Is your registration system for non-credit courses complicated and time consuming for students and program staff alike? See how CourseStorm’s impossibly simple online registration software can streamline signups and payment. Try it today! 

   Features of non-credit course registration software: What community education programs love the most

   

   At CourseStorm, we work with a lot of organizations that offer non-credit adult classes. Many come to us because: 

   • Their current registration system is clunky and inconvenient for working students to access outside of standard business hours

   • Students and administrative staff complain about the course registration experience

   • People in the community aren’t aware of their program or able to browse their classes easily

   With simple online registration and accessible course listings, here’s how CourseStorm solved their problems and boosted enrollments.

   Increased enrollments for non-credit education with online registration: Manchester Community College

   

   Like many community college programs, Manchester Community College’s Workforce Development and Community Education program struggled with a clunky registration system designed for credit classes. It did not meet the unique enrollment and payment needs of non-credit classes. Because of this, the MCC program didn’t use any formal registration system before CourseStorm. Students were required to register in person and pay by cash or check during daytime office hours. 

   This was a problem, since their target audience was either busy job searching or looking to improve their skills in a current job. Not allowing students to register for classes outside of business hours and conveniently pay online affected the program’s growth. 

   “When you looked at our audience who were either looking for work or trying to improve their work skills, it just wasn’t convenient for them to have to come to our office to register for a class. Because of this, we missed a lot of people,” said the program director. 

   MCC realized they needed a system geared toward non-credit classes if they planned to grow their enrollments.

   Since switching to CourseStorm, students are now able to view classes, register, and pay online whenever it’s convenient for them. The system is more user-friendly for administrators, too, saving them both cost and time. 

   MCC has been using CourseStorm to manage its online catalog and registration system for several years now. The program has increased the number of overall registrations and early enrollments. These features also helped increase student satisfaction — giving MCC a strong positive presence in their New Hampshire community.

   Improved customer satisfaction and freed up staff time: Shasta College Community Education and Business Training Center

   

   Managing non-credit class registration was a challenge for Shasta College in California. They offered a diverse catalog of community courses, but it was difficult for learners to find classes — students had to scroll and scroll until they found a class that was of interest. 

   The college got complaints from frustrated customers that they couldn’t find the courses they wanted to register for. These calls were time-consuming, and disheartening, to staff. “Last year I had one customer call and complain that our registration system was so difficult to use that she said, ‘Now I remember why I quit taking your classes.’ It wasn’t the only complaint, and it’s what prompted me to seek out a new system,” said the program coordinator.

   Additionally, with no way to add images to grab a student’s attention, their online course catalog felt plain, uninspiring, and unwelcoming. Another administrative hurdle was that instructors had to rely on program staff for access to information. 

   Implementing CourseStorm has helped streamline Shasta’s entire class registration process. The image-rich online catalog allows students to browse and find classes of interest effortlessly, and its three-click registration is quick and straightforward, so fewer students call with issues. Unlimited admin user accounts, improved data entry, and instructor accounts are just a few of the things making life easier. And CourseStorm’s customer success team is available to answer questions and provide assistance whenever it’s needed.

   Within the first few months, Shasta College Community Education and Business Training Center noticed a big difference in the amount of time they saved not having to help students with registration via phone and manually entered registrations. 

   Instructors are now able to self-manage their classes, cutting out the middleman and freeing up admin staff to focus on more significant projects, like program growth and innovation. Overall, managing registrations, classes, and students is much more streamlined with CourseStorm. 

   Increased awareness and enrollments to save a struggling program: Sacopee Valley Adult Ed

   

   The Sacopee Valley Adult Ed program is located in a small, rural community in Maine. The dedicated staff provides a variety of non-credit adult and community education opportunities to a large district, but before CourseStorm the program was struggling and considering closing. 

   Without a website or online course catalog, it was difficult for Sacopee Valley to promote upcoming classes — the team had to rely on printed brochures and word of mouth. The program was struggling with low (and sometimes no) enrollments. 

   Like many non-credit course providers, Sacopee Valley also struggled with an inefficient registration system that was inconvenient or even inaccessible for interested learners. For years, students had been required to register in person and pay by cash or check. 

   A large part of a non-credit education program’s success is based on its online presence. Even though some skeptics were unconvinced that the smaller, more rural community of learners at Sacopee Valley would respond to online registrations, they were mistaken. The adult ed program built an online class registration site using CourseStorm with a user-friendly, online interface for both registrants and administrators. It was an easy transition, and in only one year, the program saw results.

   Even if learners are not tech savvy, CourseStorm is easy for them to use and has helped increase student satisfaction. Half of their learners have used the website to register for classes and enrollments grew over 316% that first year. CourseStorm’s streamlined online payment system gives students convenience and more options when it comes to paying for courses, like friends and family signups, promo codes, and early-bird discounts. 

   “CourseStorm helped our program survive,” said the director of adult ed. “It really gave our program a new lease on life.”

   See What CourseStorm’s Non-Credit Course Registration Software Can Do for Your Adult Education Program

   Many programs offering non-credit courses, such as community colleges, adult education or continuing education programs, struggle with registration. Maybe students and staff are frustrated and overwhelmed by manual processes like in-person and phone registration. Or programs are trying to make a system intended for credit classes work for non-credit offerings like continuing ed and enrichment classes. 

   For non-credit course providers that want to give learners a streamlined registration experience, CourseStorm is an ideal solution. Automated registration and payment functions empower registrants to sign up when they want, taking the burden off program staff. And user-friendly features like attractive online course listings, payment plans, waitlists, promo codes and more make CourseStorm a win-win for both students and program administrators. 

   Is your registration system for non-credit courses complicated and time consuming for students and program staff alike? See how CourseStorm’s impossibly simple online registration software can streamline signups and payment. Try it today! 

10. How to Market Your Arts Classes to Professionals With Education Stipends

    April 24, 2024 10:54 am Leave a Comment

    CourseStorm’s new State of the Arts Report found that 129 million adults in the U.S. — more than half of those surveyed — created and/or performed art during the previous year. Did you know that some lucky people get to do that on their company’s dime? It’s true! CourseStorm is among the growing number of companies offering education stipends as part of their benefits package. 

    More companies are offering education stipends to employees. These benefits may cover the arts or adult ed classes your program offers.

    CourseStorm employees can use their annual educational stipend to invest in any resource that helps them learn something new. And it doesn’t have to be related to their job. Our team members have used their education stipend to subscribe to Masterclass and National Geographic, to take fitness and parenting classes, to buy books on computer science and mushroom foraging, and to sign up for stained glass workshops and ukulele lessons. 

    Is this the reason CourseStorm has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Maine for two years in a row? Likely so! But this article isn’t about us. It’s about how your arts or adult ed program can serve professionals who may be looking to spend their education stipend on the classes you offer. Read on to learn how to reach this customer segment you may be overlooking and grow enrollments and revenue.   

    What’s an Education Stipend and What Does it Cover?

    To tap into this high-potential group of customers, it’s helpful to  understand what stipends are, who offers them, and what they do and don’t cover. That way, you can target your outreach in a way that makes the most sense for the classes you offer. Compt, an employee stipend software company, put together a roundup of 63 examples of employee stipends at top companies. They include accounting firm Deloitte’s $500 annual well-being subsidy as well as the developer of the dating app Hinge, which offers employees a $100/month date stipend. 

    Visit the benefits page of top employers’ websites in your area to find out what types of employee stipends they offer.

    If you have large or popular employers in your area, it may be worth visiting the benefits page on their websites to find out if they offer employee stipends and what they cover. Here are some benefits they might offer: 

    • Education stipend
    • Professional development stipend
    • Personal development stipend
    • Continued learning stipend
    • Well-being subsidy
    • Wellness allowance
    • Health & wellness subsidy

    All employee stipends are not created equal. LinkedIn’s $5,000 annual education stipend is intended for tuition reimbursement for degree-granting higher education institutions. Some stipends are specifically earmarked for professional development related to a person’s job, or for commuting, home office, or childcare expenses. But plenty of other stipends are more open-ended. And that’s where your program comes in. 

    Classes to Market to Employees With Education Stipends

    Speaking of employee benefits, flexible spending accounts (FSA) for health care expenses are a popular perk, but many people lose out on these funds by failing to spend them before they expire. Never underestimate the power of “use it or lose it” to motivate someone to take action. With the right marketing, you can position your classes as a great way for employees to use their education stipend before it expires. 

    This could mean speaking directly to professional learners on your website, social media, or email newsletter. Or you can do targeted outreach to specific employers in your community. Here are a few ideas for classes that may be covered by employee stipends. 

    Wellness-related classes. If your program offers yoga or dance classes for adults, that’s a no-brainer to pitch to people with health and wellness stipends. But many cover meditation and mindfulness-related offerings, too. Art therapy is its own specific discipline offered by licensed therapists, while mindfulness art is a broader category that doesn’t require a certified practitioner. 

    Do you offer any classes that could be considered mindful art? This article shares 20 examples of mindfulness art activities, including Zentangle art and splatter painting with essential oils. The benefits of art on mental and physical health are well documented, so it’s not much of a stretch to see how a wellness subsidy could cover most any art class. 

    Many arts organizations offer couples classes — a smart marketing strategy, since you’re getting two registrations at one time. 

    Couples classes. Remember Hinge’s “date night stipend” mentioned above? Even if a company doesn’t offer that specific benefit, other stipends could be used for this purpose, like a “learn something new” stipend. Many arts organizations offer couples classes. For example, CourseStorm customer Studio Arts Boulder offers popular pottery class date nights: “Bring a Bestie, your BAE, or even your Baba for a night of creating.” Couples classes are a smart marketing strategy, since you’re getting two registrations at one time. 

    Arts instruction. This is the most straightforward option for targeting people with education stipends that cover any type of instruction related to learning something new. Music lessons, watercolor classes, jewelry making workshops, woodworking courses, knitting classes — all of these would qualify for most personal development education stipends. 

    

    Other Ways to Market Your Arts and Enrichment Classes to Professional Audiences 

    In addition to encouraging employees to spend their stipends on your classes, there are other ways to tap into this valuable segment of customers. You can market your offerings to appeal to both employers and employees. For example, classes can be positioned as: 

    • Team building activities – suggest a metalworking workshop in lieu of golf outings or escape rooms
    • Customer appreciation perks – businesses can give their best customers gift cards for classes or tickets to performances
    • Professional development of soft skills – improv classes to build collaboration and public speaking skills; art classes to develop creativity, etc.)
    • Personal enrichment – employees (and employers!) are people, too, and many will be interested in your offerings for their own interest and enjoyment, whether their employer is subsidizing it or they’re paying for it themselves
      

    You may be wondering where to advertise and promote your arts and enrichment classes to a professional audience. While our data show that Facebook is the most popular social media platform for promoting classes among our arts customers, LinkedIn is used by more than 1 billion professionals and companies. You might test out both platforms and see what works for your program.

    Offer the Features Corporate Customers Need

    If you’re marketing your classes to professional groups or corporate customers, you’ll need to provide a professional experience. These customers will likely require:

    • Group registration, so they can sign up an entire team or department
    • The ability to pay online, e.g., on a corporate credit card
    • Receipts for accounting and reimbursement purposes
    • Clear followup messaging – say, email confirmations to all participants and perhaps suggestions for what to wear, what to bring to class, etc. 

    You can manually provide most of these things, or cobble them together from free tools like Google Forms. But if you want to present a modernized, professional experience that encourages word-of-mouth referrals to other businesses, consider investing in class registration software like CourseStorm that has those automated features built in. 

    To learn more about how to grow your arts education program with new audiences, check out our article on partnering with local businesses to reach more students.