Maximising Revenue During School Holidays

School holidays often come with uncertainty for class-based businesses, but instead of seeing them as a slow season, you can turn this time into a major revenue opportunity. With the right approach, you can attract more bookings, increase profits, and keep your classes full. Here’s how you can maximise revenue during the holidays.

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1. Introduce Flexible Class Packages

One of the biggest barriers for families during the holidays is scheduling. Parents are often reluctant to commit to term-long enrolments when holiday travel or unpredictable plans get in the way. Offering flexible class packages can open up a new revenue stream for those who need more casual options.

Revenue-Boosting Tip:

• Introduce holiday passes or voucher-based classes. Charge a premium for flexibility, like a Holiday Flex Pass, allowing students to attend any available class during the break.
• Provide bundle offers like “Book 3 classes, get the 4th free,” encouraging larger upfront purchases.

Flexibility is a win-win, helping you fill classes while catering to families with varying holiday schedules.

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2. Run Early Bird Holiday Promotions

Time-limited promotions are a great way to encourage families to pay upfront for holiday programs. Offering incentives for those who book and pay early locks in revenue well before the holidays start, giving you cash flow security.

Revenue-Boosting Tip:

• Create Early Bird Discounts for families who book classes before the holidays even start. Reward early action with exclusive savings or additional perks such as a free class or holiday-themed merchandise.

Urgent, time-sensitive offers drive decision-making and can quickly fill up your class schedules, locking in revenue ahead of time.

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3. Offer Skill-Based Workshops

Holiday periods present a great opportunity to offer intensive classes or skill-specific workshops, allowing students to make quick progress in a short amount of time. These are typically higher-value offerings that can generate more income per student than regular classes.

Revenue-Boosting Tip:

• Charge a premium for short, intensive programs that help students master a particular skill, such as a 5-day swim intensive or a week-long dance boot camp.
• Use these workshops as a chance to upsell additional services, such as private lessons or specialised training for more advanced students.

By offering something unique during the holidays, you can justify higher pricing, while attracting students looking to boost their skills over the break.

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4. Encourage Family and Group Bookings

Families are always looking for ways to make the most of their time together during the holidays. Bring families together by offering group discounts or family bundles that encourage more people to join in.

Revenue-Boosting Tip:

• Offer discounted rates when families book multiple children into the same classes or workshops.
• Encourage current students to bring along a friend or sibling by offering a discounted rate for both participants. This not only fills more class spots but also introduces your business to potential new long-term customers.

Upselling additional spots for friends or family is a simple way to boost class numbers and increase revenue per booking.

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5. Make Booking Easy with Technology

Convenience is key when families are juggling holiday schedules. Make sure your booking system or app is easy to use and allows for last-minute bookings.

Revenue-Boosting Tip:

• Ensure that bookings, cancellations, and payments are quick and easy to use. Offering mobile booking through an app or website will increase the likelihood of securing last-minute spots.
• Use your booking system to send automated reminders to families who haven’t yet booked classes or those who have attended in the past. Include calls to action like “Don’t miss out! Only a few holiday spots left!” to create urgency.

By making the booking process as seamless as possible, you can capture those last-minute sign-ups and fill your classes to capacity. Udio is the ideal platform to handle all your booking needs.

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6. Offer VIP or Exclusive Classes

Parents are often willing to pay more for exclusive experiences, particularly during the holidays when they're looking to keep their kids engaged. Consider offering ‘VIP’ classes or private sessions for those willing to pay a premium.

Revenue-Boosting Tip:

• Offer exclusive one-on-one sessions or small group classes with a limited number of spots. Market these as “premium” experiences that provide personalised attention or a special focus on mastering specific skills.
• Private Holiday Workshops: Create bespoke experiences for students who want to excel over the holidays. Whether it's private dance choreography sessions or swim stroke correction, charge premium rates for these exclusive opportunities.

This premium offering caters to parents looking for extra value, allowing you to charge higher rates and increase your overall revenue.

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7. Run a Referral Program

Word-of-mouth referrals are one of the most effective ways to bring in new business. During the holidays, parents are often chatting with other parents about activities to keep their kids busy—this is a great opportunity to implement a referral program that benefits both your business and your customers.

Revenue-Boosting Tip:

• Offer referral incentives for parents who refer friends to book holiday classes. This could be in the form of a discount on their next booking or even a free class.

Referral programs increase your customer base without any major upfront costs, helping you maximise revenue with minimal effort.

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