Slow weekdays transformed

An empty Tuesday afternoon is your best inventory, not your worst.

For a lot of customers, a quiet Tuesday is the best version of your studio: no crowded tables, no wait for the restroom, no noise drowning out an afternoon with a friend. Staff can spend more time with a first-timer instead of bouncing between tables and the POS.

Your quiet hours come with real upside — more space, more attention, more calm — and you should put it in writing instead of hiding it.

"Visit the studio without the Saturday crowd." "Walk in anytime before 4." "Come as you are — wiggly toddlers included." And "Older siblings in school? Tuesdays are perfect for time with younger kids." Yes, it's a very specific invitation. And yes, there are many people who can paint on weekdays. And yes, you need market directly to those people. Who? Read on ...

Who's free on weekdays and how to reach them:

• Moms and stay-at-home parents: their window is once school drop-off is done and before pickup starts. Promote these more "kid friendly" hours (versus busy Saturdays with limited seating) in your emails, website and social posts. Share info in local mom Facebook groups or mom groups (a good customer posting on your behalf goes a long way). Host a bi-weekly story time or activity for toddlers.

• Empty nesters, retirees (55+ communities), and nursing homes: the younger side of this group is mobile, social, and wants to be active — reach them through your emails, website and social posting. Offer a standing bi-weekly/monthly class or a featured "piece of the week," and collab with a neighboring coffee shop to pair painting and coffee (same goes for wine and wine tastings!). These ladies are often still working, so promoting they book their own ladies night after work, or you host a monthly outing, is perfect. For nursing home residents, work directly with the senior center or activity director to book a monthly outing, van and all. Each visit is a new piece to paint. It could be more logistically feasible to go to them monthly. Work together to plan the most beneficial outings for their residents.

• Office teams: a short email to HR or an office manager with a simple per-person group package with a phone call follow up can work, but cold sales pitches can be hard to close. What's better? Look for ID badges on the ladies dropping in for a quick pickup, or strolling through the studio on their lunch break. Those IDs mean they're working for a larger company like a bank, insurance company or tech firm. And are they stopping by in scrubs? They (obviously) work in the medical field: dentist, pediatrician, hospital, elder care, vets. All of these businesses have budgets for team development, but they don't know you offer it unless you tell them. (And these corporate and medical folks may not realize how simple it is to plan a visit with their colleagues! Make it easy for them: have a flat rate per person for a few standard pieces like mugs and pencil holders.)

• College students have the loosest weekday schedules of anyone — a gap between classes, a free afternoon, a study break that needs more than just hanging in a dorm room. Meet them on Instagram and TikTok, and partner with a nearby dorm, sorority, or student organization. Sororities host outings often! Get to know your local college students and plan an open house at the beginning of the school year to introduce them to your studio.

• After-work groups and young professionals: from about 5 to close is perfect to market as an easy, low-key alternative to happy hour. Pair up with a nearby restaurant or bar for a paint-then-dinner combo.

• Thanks to Covid, many people will be forever working from home. Sure, some companies have called their people back in, but for many, their work schedule looks different with hybrid hours, flex hours, and even four-day work weeks. Often these people aren't tied to an office for work, meetings, or breaks — giving them the time and freedom to get out and spend it somewhere else.

Weekday ideas

• Technique classes: a rolling, casual class between 11am and 2pm to learn a simple design, brushstroke or tip.

• Collab with a neighboring restaurant. Discounts aren't necessary, it's just an opportunity to amp up your exposure by teaming up with another small business to promote a morning or afternoon out.

• You have to plant ideas in people's minds. Don't stop marketing your weekday angle. What's obvious to you is often not even a consideration to someone browsing your shelves.

Your slow hours should not be invisible; to the right group, at the right hour, your studio is perfect.

Reframe the quiet. A quiet weekday isn't empty. It's unclaimed.