[Organizers] Welcome email to new dancers -- bit of an exciting success story

Hi All, I wanted to report on a new engagement strategy that we've been using in Ottawa these past two months which seems to be working really well and I'm excited about! It's sending a personal email to new people as we add to our email list. (Full disclosure - this is an idea that Alex DL from Country Dance New York mentioned at the dance organizers discussion at the Dance Flurry in 2017. I loved the idea at the time but it took a while to implement.) ===================================================== Before I get onto the idea and implemention ---> a question for the group! Has anyone had success getting email addresses of most BRAND new people who show up at their dance? Right now, we get new dancer email addresses in two ways: 1. They sign up on our email sign up sheet at the front table. 2. They put their email address on the second dance free card AND check off the box saying 'add me to your email list'. (So they actually have to have come back a second time and hand in the filled-in card for us to get their email address.) ... ... ... I'd love to be able to figure out a way to collect the email addresses of more FIRST TIMERS without it seeming creepy. ======================================================== Anyway... here's what I wanted to share on adding new people to our email list. WHAT WE DID BEFORE: We would collect email addresses through one of two ways (see above). We would then go into mailchimp and add those email addresses. The new person would get a form welcome email from us (carefully worded but in mailchimp format). They would have to hit 'confirm' before being added to our email list. WHAT WE DO NOW: I send them a personal email from my personal account (which looks very different than a mailchimp message). I then go into mailchimp and add them but check off that I already have permission to add them to the list. (I also keep a photo record of them giving us permission) WHAT WE ARE NOTICING: - More email addresses are being added because people don't have to do the confirmation stage. (Yes... we do have to keep proof of permission to meet with Canadian email spam laws but the pick up is well worth it). - We are getting a fair number of emails BACK from new dancers with encouraging messages. They express how much fun they are having, offer suggestions and even say they want to volunteer. For instance, I added about 14 people last week and I got 6 responses back, two of whom offered to volunteer! I've included the responses we got last week as inspiration for y'all. It is work to send the personal message and to respond but it's also exciting and is part of building that sense of belonging for those new folks from the start. I've also included a copy of the "personal email" I've been sending out. Would love thoughts or suggestions!!! :) Emily in Ottawa, ON ================================== Hi, we love to take part in your dances. It's a very fun way to exercise and a great cardio workout. People are so friendly and supportive. The only thing that I would suggest is adding a few more fans on the floor (or walls?) Otherwise, everything else is great. Will be back for sure. ======================= Hi, Yes, I did have a great time both times I went. Everyone was so welcoming and I enjoyed the live band and the dancing was great. I have no suggestions re improvements as I felt included in all the dances, even though I was just learning. Have to miss the June 16th dance as I will be in Victoria but plan on enjoying Contra Dancing when it starts up again in the Fall. Thanks for getting in touch. Appreciate the opportunity to provide input. ====================== Thanks! I love how friendly everyone is, how accepting and willing to teach. Everyone has made me feel very welcome, I've been to 3 dances now and will definitely be back. I should have listened to Jane sooner and gone out when she first suggested it to me. If you need another volunteer anytime, let me know, I'm more then willing to help out. ============================= Thank you for your warm welcome! Unfortunately we will be out of town on the weekend of June 16th, but we will look forward to the next season. We have nothing but positive things to say – even though we were new to contra, we felt confident after the excellent instructions plus we enjoyed the happy friendly smiles from everyone, and loved the live music. See you in September. ====================== Thanks for all you do to make and keep contra fun. I love how welcoming people are, the mix of ages and “types” of characters, the non stop smiling. Having zero dance or memorization experience, I would love if the calling continued for the entire dance. Maybe for the first half of each event. Or even if it tapered off starting with the whole first song being called and then one round fewer each song, for example. My fervent wish is to become very comfortable with contra Eventually and to make it as absolute often as I can — and to stay the whole event. (Right now I can only tolerate up to half of an event.) I would be happy to volunteer either with set up or publicity committee etc next season. Let me know how I can help. See you June 16, ===================== Hi XXXX, Thanks so much for joining us at the contra dance this past Saturday. We hope you had a great time! If you would like to share what you especially liked or didn't about your experience, we always love hearing from new folks as we try to make the dances as accessible and fun for new people as possible. (If we don't hear feedback, we won't know what to work on!) You provided your email and checked off that you'd like to be added the main contra dance email list so I'll add you now. We send out one email a week so just watch for those. And here are few links in the meantime: Our fun facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ottawacontra/ Our website: http://www.ottawacontra.ca/view/default.asp?home I've also attached our beginners handout. Our next dance is the last of this season.... it happens June 16th. We start back up in early September for 2018-2019. Welcome to Ottawa Contra and I hope you'll join us on the dance floor again soon! :) Emily