Overview
Every year, I look at the same thing first: the numbers. Not opinions, not trends, results. What worked last year? What didn’t? And what actually drove enrollments?
When you do that consistently, one pattern shows up every single time:
- January matters more than any other month.
- January consistently generates more leads than any other month of the year.
That’s not a belief. It’s an observation.
When this month is handled correctly, enrolling 100 or more students in January alone is realistic. Not because of hype or bigger budgets—but because the market is already leaning toward a decision. What follows is the thinking that consistently leads to those results—so you can focus on what actually matters, and put yourself in position to win January.
Why January Is Different
January works not because we work harder, but because the timing is right.
- After the holidays, families are resetting.
- Kids are getting back into routines.
- Adults are recommitting to goals they’ve been putting off.
The demand is already there. The real question isn’t whether people want lessons in January. It’s whether your school is positioned to meet that demand clearly and confidently.
Treat January Like an Enrollment Season
One of the biggest shifts I made years ago was this:
We stopped treating January like just another month—and started treating it like an enrollment season.
- A focused window.
- A clear message
- A strong offer
When you approach January this way, your marketing gets simpler—not more complicated. You’re not trying to do everything. You’re doing a few things very well.
Spend More When Demand Is Highest
One of the most common mistakes I see is spreading marketing dollars evenly throughout the year.
That might feel responsible, but it ignores reality. When demand is higher, your marketing needs to work harder.
January is the month where:
- Cost per lead is often lower
- Follow-up converts faster
- Families are ready to decide
If there’s one month to lean in, this is it.
Look Back Before You Look Forward
Before you try anything new, look at last January. Ask yourself:
- Where did your leads actually come from?
- What turned into enrollments?
- What costs you money without producing results?
Then:
- Repeat what worked
- Increase spend on proven channels
- Remove distractions
January is not the month for experimenting.
It’s the month for executing what you already know works.
Visibility Beats Cleverness
Most enrollments don’t happen on the first interaction. A parent might:
- See your Google ad
- Notice your building sign
- Read an email
- Hear about you from a friend
And then finally reach out. The goal isn’t one perfect marketing tactic. The goal is consistent visibility that builds trust over time.
My Top 5 Marketing Channels That Consistently Produced 100+ January Enrollments
These are the five channels that, when executed correctly, consistently drove the majority of January enrollments. Not theories, not trends, just what actually produced students.
- 1
Google Ads & Local Search
This is the foundation.
If someone is searching for lessons, they’re not browsing—they’re deciding. Google captures demand that already exists, which is why it consistently outperforms almost everything else in January.
What I see over and over is this:
Schools don’t lose on Google because it doesn’t work—they lose because they underfund it, pause it too early, or don’t follow up aggressively enough.
In January, Google works especially well because parents and adults are actively typing things like “piano lessons near me” or “music lessons for kids” with intent to act now, not someday.
- 2
Former Students
January is one of the highest‑leverage times to reconnect with former students.
These families already know you. They already trust you. They don’t need convincing—they need reminding.
A simple email saying, “We have January openings and thought of you,” often outperforms brand‑new lead sources. Text messages and even basic mailers work here because familiarity lowers resistance.
This is one of the fastest ways schools add new students early in the year.
- 3
Current Students
Most schools underestimate how much growth is already inside their current roster.
January is a natural moment for conversations about siblings, second instruments, longer lessons, or adult lessons for parents.
These aren’t hard sales. They’re alignment conversations—“Is this the year we go a little further?”
When done intentionally, January upgrades quietly add a meaningful number of new students without any additional marketing spend.
- 4
Local Signage
Signage works because it compounds.
Families drive the same routes every day. Seeing your name consistently builds familiarity long before they ever need lessons.
In January, that familiarity turns into action. Yard signs, feather flags, and building signage don’t rely on algorithms—they rely on repetition. And repetition works.
- 5
School Flyer Platforms
In some markets, school‑approved digital flyer platforms like Peachjar perform surprisingly well. The reason is simple: they borrow trust from the school system. When your message shows up where parents already expect school communication, response rates tend to be higher.
This isn’t a primary channel everywhere, and availability can vary by district. In some areas, platforms like Peachjar require nonprofit status or district approval, so it’s important to check the rules before planning around it. Where it is available, it can be a strong supplement during January pushes.
A Strong Offer Matters
A weak offer can still produce in January—because demand is already there. But a strong offer is what turns a good January into a great one.
High-performing January offers often include:
- Free or bonus lessons
- Waived registration fees
- Materials or instrument credits
- Limited-time incentives
The goal isn’t complexity. It’s momentum. And more value isn’t always the best offer. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it isn’t. The only way to know is to test.
Use Deadlines to Help People Decide
Deadlines aren’t pressure, they’re clarity. People are busy, a clear end date helps them act.
I see this every year when schools compare an open‑ended offer to one with a real deadline. When there’s no end date, families think, “We’ll circle back.” When there is an end date—”January bonus ends Friday” or “Only 10 spots left”—the same families make a decision. Not because the offer changed, but because the timing did.
Follow Up More Than Feels Comfortable
Most schools don’t lose enrollment because people say no. They lose them because they stop following up. Consistent, thoughtful follow-up is one of the biggest drivers of January success.
The schools that win in January aren’t doing anything clever—they’re just staying in the conversation longer. A parent fills out a form or takes a trial lesson, gets busy, and momentum stalls. The schools that add students are the ones that follow up again… and again… and again. Not aggressively, but helpfully. A reminder email. A quick text. A simple check-in.
Most families don’t decide the moment they first inquire. They decide after they’ve been reminded a few times that this matters to them.
Final Thought
January demand is real—but it’s also temporary.
The schools that benefit most aren’t doing anything flashy.
They’re paying attention, making small adjustments, and executing with focus.
If you want a simple next step, download this worksheet to create your start-of-year plan to drive 100+ enrollments.
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