Here’s an uncomfortable truth: much of the marketing square dance clubs do isn’t really marketing to new dancers.
Mike Hogan, a beloved longtime caller and marketing professional, points out that clubs routinely promote upcoming dances, callers, locations, and schedules. That information is useful—but primarily to people who already understand square dancing. The much bigger challenge is reaching people who don’t dance and may not even know what square dancing is.
Consider this: one dedicated club member told us he had printed 600 flyers and distributed them—and not one person came to lessons. The problem may not have been the flyer. It may have been the assumption that one exposure to an unfamiliar activity would immediately turn someone into a student.
Marketing Begins With Awareness
Mike describes marketing as building awareness and understanding of what we offer and connecting it to something people want or need. For square dancing, that might be friendship, social connection, fun, physical activity, mental stimulation, or simply getting out and doing something with other people.
That changes the message.
Instead of starting with “Lessons begin September 10”, we need to first answer the question a potential dancer is silently asking:
“Why would I want to do this?”
Mike believes social connection may be square dancing’s greatest benefit. It offers fun, movement, laughter, music, and the opportunity to make lasting friendships.
Don't Expect One Ad to Do the Job
Marketing works through a process. Mike describes a funnel that begins with awareness, moves to interest and consideration, and eventually leads to participation.
Someone might see a square dance demonstration at a community event, encounter a social media post a few days later, see another reference to square dancing, visit a website, and eventually attend a beginner event. Each exposure builds familiarity.
That means “We tried advertising, and it didn't work” may be the wrong conclusion.
Marketing takes repetition. One impression rarely creates action. The goal is to keep putting the right message in front of the right people until they begin to connect square dancing with something they want.
Your Website Is Part of the Sales Process
When someone becomes curious, where do they go?
The internet.
Mike points out that a potential dancer may search for square dancing locally and land on a club website. If that website simply says where the club dances and lists upcoming callers, it may completely miss the opportunity. A newcomer needs to understand what square dancing is, why they might enjoy it, and how they can try it.
Your website shouldn't just serve your existing dancers. It should also welcome the person who has never danced before.
Give People a Chance to Try It
Mike compares beginner events to test-driving a car. People don't necessarily want to commit to a full series of lessons before they know whether they'll enjoy the activity. Open houses, demonstrations, and beginner events give people a chance to experience square dancing with little risk.
And that's important because marketing doesn't end when someone sees an ad. The goal is to move people from awareness → interest → experience → participation.
The Opportunity Is Bigger Than We Think
Perhaps Mike's most encouraging message is that there are people looking for exactly what square dancing offers—real social connection, movement, laughter, and the opportunity to be with other people. The challenge is that many of them simply don't know square dancing can provide it.
Our job isn't to convince everyone to become a dancer.
Our job is to make sure the people who might love it know that it exists.
And that means we have to stop marketing primarily to the people who already dance—and start telling the rest of the world why square dancing is worth discovering.
Leadership Training Registration is Open!
Square dancing doesn’t just need more dancers. It needs leaders willing to rethink how we lead.
Many of today’s challenges aren’t solved by one more flyer, volunteer, or event.
They’re about how we welcome people, develop volunteers, handle change, communicate, and plan for the future.
We can’t solve tomorrow’s problems by leading exactly the way we’ve always led.
Leadership is for anyone who cares about the future of their club or organization — not just presidents or experienced leaders.
You’ll learn practical ways to:
- Build a club people want to join
- Attract and welcome new dancers
- Develop and share leadership
- Navigate difficult conversations and change
- Turn ideas into an actionable plan
The goal isn’t simply to create better leaders. It’s to create stronger clubs.
Imagine a club where new dancers feel welcome, volunteers aren’t always the same few people, newer members have a voice, and everyone is excited about the future.
That kind of club doesn’t happen by accident.
Come learn how to lead differently—and help shape the future of your club.
We are looking for club success stories!
Please send your club's revival story to sdr@squaredancerevival.org!
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Our podcast season kicks off now with
Mike Hogan,
and you guessed it,
the topic is marketing!
He explains not only the what, but the why...
If you missed our 2026 winter/season,
you can find those here
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