Marketing is a Skill: How to Find—and Master—Your Recipe for New Students
Why Your Marketing Isn’t Working—And What To Do Instead
By Jackie Murphy, Host
Let’s talk about one of the most misunderstood parts of running a studio: marketing.
For many studio owners, marketing feels like a never-ending task on the to-do list. You post, you write, you talk about your offer… but deep down, it doesn’t feel strategic. It’s not getting results. And when it doesn’t work, you start second-guessing everything—your pricing, your copy, your offer.
Here’s the truth:
It’s not you. It’s how you were taught to think about marketing.
Why Marketing Feels So Hard
Most of us were taught how to teach, not how to market. We were told to be consistent, post often, and build a list—but not how to name a class, frame an offer, or write a compelling subject line.
So we “do marketing” without understanding the strategy behind it. And that gap is where the burnout and confusion begin.
What It Looks Like When It’s Not Working
You launch a workshop. Build a page. Send some emails.
Crickets.
So you change the price… then the copy… then the graphics. And still, you’re not sure what helped—because you changed everything at once. You’re not learning. You’re just spinning.
That’s default marketing. What we need is intentional marketing.
Marketing Is a Skill—Not Magic
Think of marketing like baking.
A baker doesn’t guess their way through a recipe. They test one ingredient at a time and adjust with intention. More sugar? Sweeter cookie. Less flour? Chewier texture.
Marketing works the same way. It’s not a mystery—it’s a recipe. One you can learn.
Real-Life Example: Small Tweaks, Big Results
We once had a retreat that wasn’t selling the way we hoped. Instead of scrapping the whole thing, we made one small change: the name. And it clicked.
Same with a webinar. We changed the title—and suddenly, the right people started registering. Then we fine-tuned the copy, adjusted the email timing, and watched our results improve with each intentional tweak.
That’s what skilled marketers do. They don’t guess. They test.
What Changes When You Learn the Skill
Without marketing skill, you:
- Second-guess every move
- Copy others without knowing why it works
- Feel like your results are out of your control
But when you have the skill, you:
- Test, tweak, and lead
- Understand what drives results
- Know how to fix things when they’re not working
Suddenly, your marketing feels predictable—not personal.
Start Practicing Today: Ask Yourself These 3 Questions
Before you launch anything, ask:
1. Who is this for? (Be specific.)
2. What do they want? (Not what you’re teaching—what they desire.)
3. Why now? (Why is this relevant today?)
If your marketing doesn’t answer those clearly, it won’t convert the way it could.
Want Help?
If this resonated, join my free marketing webinar where I’ll show you:
- How to diagnose what’s not working
- What to adjust (and what to leave alone)
- How to build a repeatable system that brings in new students
Click Here to Register
It’s free, and it’ll change how you think about visibility forever.
You don’t need to guess your way through another launch.
Marketing isn’t a mystery—it’s a skill. And you’re allowed to learn it.
See you next week on The Studio CEO Podcast.
