Expanding your private music teaching studio can be a daunting task. But in this time of economic uncertainty, it is prudent to strive to grow your private studio in order to keep a steady stream of students coming in your door. No matter how good you are at retaining students, there will, unfortunately, always be some that move on to other activities. You will always need to have new students at the waiting. So if you want to expand your studio, you’ll need to do some marketing. Newspaper and magazine ads are expensive and not too effective, so here are ten attainable, inexpensive strategies to hep you find the best, most reliable students for your private music teaching studio.
Word of Mouth. Your absolute best method of marketing is word of mouth. Because birds of a feather flock together, your favorite students will probably know other potential students just like themselves. Keep a good relationship with your students and their families and they will be pleased to pass your name on.
Incentives. Sometimes a little incentive will help your students to spread the word about your terrific music studio. Offer a free iTunes card, a free lesson, or a free metronome when they refer a friend who becomes one of your students. Find out what gets them really excited and offer it to them for sharing you with their friends.
Free lessons. I like to give a free, no obligation lesson to new students. It gives them a chance to see if they like you without any pressure. It gets them in your door and gets them excited. Another studio that I’ve read about offers a month of free lessons with no obligations. Most of the students stay on to become paying, regular students and the studio never lacks for enough people coming in its doors.
Advertising materials from Vistaprint. Vistaprint is a great way to get inexpensive, quality advertising materials in small amounts. You can find everything from business cards to vinyl banners at a reasonable price and a quick turnaround. I’ve purchased everything from business cards, to mugs, banners, and even tote bags and have been very pleased with their products. They have templates that are simple to work with, or you can upload your own designs. I often leave postcards from Vistaprint on bulletin boards in the neighborhood. Visit www.vistaprint.com for more info.
Play out. The best way to get known is to show your skills. Play at any small venue you possibly can – restaurants, weddings, country clubs, etc. Large venues are fine, but the more you can build a relationship with your audience the better chance you have of meeting potential students. Make sure you bring along some professional looking business cards, too. Try to avoid printing cards on your computer. They’re o.k., but professionally made cards look much better.
Get involved. Join a community group, take an art class, lead a music club. Anywhere you are involved with people, you have the chance to meet potential students. Just one satisfied, new student can lead you to a host of other potential new students. But don’t just join to meet people; folks will see straight through you if they feel that they are being used. Find something you are passionate about and give it your best.
Volunteer. Be a part of your church’s music team, share your talents with a community music group, or go to a nursing home and play for the residents. You never know who you’ll meet (the activities director’s three children might just be looking for a new piano teacher) or what opportunities might open up from there. Be generous with your time and talents, and be kind to everyone you meet.
Network with other music teachers. Talk to public school music teachers, and get to know other private teachers in your area. Sure, they may feel like the competition, but really they are your best allies. If they like you, they’ll send you the students that don’t fit into their schedule or their philosophy. And they’ll help you know what resources are available in your area.
Don’t ignore social networking. Facebook may seem like child’s play, but you’d be surprised how much it helps get the word out! If you’re not already a facebooker, it’s time to start. Start a studio page, too, and ask all your friends to ‘like’ it. Post occasional tips and incentives, but don’t overwhelm people with desperate pleas. Be self-assured, but not arrogant or desperate.
Create a website. This is a no-brainer these days. Get yourself a simple, easy to maintain, studio website. A blog is a great idea. Keep your schedule on it, your policies, lots of praise for your students, and some fun stuff, too. Just be careful about the privacy of your students and keep everything safe for them. You can get a great free website along with an easy-to-use studio software package at www.musicteachershelper.com . It’s worth every penny.
All in all, remember that building up a great studio takes patience, persistence, and time. Invest in your students, invest in yourself, and enjoy what you do. Work hard and don’t give up.