Why My Studio’s Phone Stopped Ringing

Last spring as I made the decision to double the size of my studio, I displayed our phone number prominently on our website’s header and throughout the site. It worked wonders, because all of the sudden I was flooded with calls from prospective students and parents.

However, I continued to receive a generous amount of emails from prospective students and parents as well. And most often, those who contacted my studio via email actually followed through with registering for the waiting list and joining the studio.

Once the studio was at maximum capacity with a waiting list in the double digits, those phone calls started to become overwhelming. The emails were easy; I could simply personalize my standard email for prospective students and include a link to register for the waiting list. But with each phone call I received, I had the same conversation over and over again.

Returning phone calls during studio down time became a huge chore, and one that I dreaded. So I asked my colleagues for advice on the matter, and their answers were all the same: remove your studio’s phone number!

To many small local business owners, removing one’s phone number may seem ridiculous. But I breathed a huge sigh of relief as I redesigned the website’s header, this time leaving out our digits. There is a prominent “contact” (via email) link at the top as well as an eye-catching button where students can register for the waiting list.

No more long, rambly voicemails from parents who didn’t bother to read the information on the website, or multiple calls from students on the waiting list, wondering how long it would be until they received a spot. Now I can quickly respond to email inquiries over coffee at 6 am rather than using the prime hours of my day to return calls.

Do you provide your studio’s phone number on your website and elsewhere, or have you fully embraced the digital age?