Marketing through Travel

Recently I put some additional money toward a marketing endeavor. Since I spend most days at home teaching, I wanted to make sure that when I was out running errands, attending church, etc., that I was doing some sort of advertising!  So, I had magnets made for my car!

I took a picture of my sign and emailed it to a friend who owns a print business.  She added my website to the bottom and produced these great magnets - one for each side of my vehicle.  It cost me about $50.00 and I couldn't be more pleased.  Just about every day someone mentions those magnets to me and often let me know they have seen me around town!

The other day while in the grocery store, I received a call from a woman in the parking lot standing by my car!  She saw my vehicle and wanted to donate a brand new violin to the studio!
I don't teach violin, but often use them when I talk about string instruments and I often hear of kids who can't afford instruments so I was happy to take it and will gladly look for a good home to donate it to!  She was thrilled.  I think the cost of the magnets paid for itself in that call, don't you?

Offering Music Classes

Wow!  I didn't realize how hectic my week was going to be!  I started lessons again this week and as you know, that means geiting used to new students and everyone's new schedule!  I thought I was prepared only to realize that I have to make a few adjustments in my planning!

I also started a weekly homeschool music class.   I was contacted over the summer to see if I would put together a 6 week class for a group of 13 homeschoolers.  Even though the grade levels vary from Kindergarten to 6th grade, the class is working out surprisingly well.  I adapted a camp I did last year and they are loving it!  The kids were all very attentive and excited.  With that in mind, I thought I would share why I believe this is a good investment and would recommend it for any independent teacher. 

1. It's an additional source of income. 
I charged for the class and added a materials fee to cover the expense of booklets I put together for the kids.  I did some quick research to find out what other programs in the area were charging groups like this for their classes (art, nature, etc.) and charged the same.  Within less than a week I had these 13 kids signed up AND all of them paid for the class UP FRONT!  Be sure to insist on this so that you aren't stuck paying for materials you won't be reimbursed for.  I also made sure they understood that it was a non-refundable fee which is common for every other business offering special classes. 
2. It's a way to fill timeslots earlier in the day. 
I have found that generally homeschooling parents like to do lessons in the morning and then take their kids to special classes right after lunch.  As you know, most students are looking for "after school" lessons so filling the time before school ends is an easy fit.
3. It's a way to build your reputation.
I was thrilled to hear that my reputation as a teacher was extremely positive on this homeschool forum.  Of the eight families represented, seven of them were new to me so the additional goal is to give these seven families the best experience I can.  Hopefully when they are looking to do music classes in the future, I'm the first contact.  Another way to ensure this...offer the coordinator of the event something free.  I let the coordinator of this homeschool class bring one of her children for free.  She was thrilled!  It's a great way to add more "buzz" about who you are and what you offer.
4. It's a great marketing tool.
Remember that every family/person that you interact with is a potential student.  If you can get them coming to you on a weekly basis, they get to know you, your teaching style and the quality you offer.  One parent has already contacted me about putting her two children in lessons...after only one week of class!   Believe me, if you offer a quality program, you'll gained several marketers - free of charge!  It's also a way to "interview" the child and her parents.  You see them in action for 6 weeks and you'll probably have a good idea what to expect from the child AND the parents!
5. It's a way to keep you thinking creatively.
It takes time to put together the material, but besides benefiting the "attendees" of the class, your students will gain from it as well.  All that creativity easily transfers to your own workshops and weekly lessons.   When you put together a game/activity for a homeschool class, you've just added to your arsenal of games/activites for your studio.  A win-win!

I'm thrilled with the results and hope you consider trying something similar.  If you do, please let me know how it works for you!

Marketing with Facebook

I'm not a technically saavy person.  Period.  Everything I know on the computer is self-taught since personal computers were "non-existent" when I went to school.  But, I certainly recognize how important new technology is to my business.  So...I depend upon my kids to help me out and a lot of other people who take pity on me!

I've been watching the Facebook craze and will admit that I have a Facebook page.  BUT...I'm terrible about keeping up with it because it seems so time consuming.  I even set up a page for the studio, but wasn't sure that I even did it correctly!  I recently stumbled upon this article and thought I would pass it on to all of you.  It's loaded with all kinds of information - literally everything you ever need to know about Facebook and how to use it to market your studio. 

When I have more time (after camps!), I hope I can read through it all and make changes to what I've done.  If you are using it now or know what you're doing, please stop over!  I would love to meet you!  But please, be patient and don't laugh because...I'm not even sure I can remember my password!!

The Value of a Registered Piano Technician

I can't express enough how important it has been for me to develop a personal relationship with my piano technician.  I don't mean a piano tuner although my piano technician does tune my piano, but an actual registered piano technician.  What's the difference?  The Pianos Technicians Guild grants the Registered Piano Technician (RPT) credential after a series of rigorous examinations that test skills in piano tuning, regulation and repair.  It's like having an actual mechanic rather than just someone who only changes oil!


I met my piano technician several years ago and quickly discovered that both her AND her husband (also a registered piano technician) work together so I gained two for the price of one!  They are wonderful, well trained and well-informed in their skill and I consider them to be the best in our area.  In fact, when I was looking for a new piano, they were invaluable with their advice and even looked at various pianos for me to help me make a well-informed choice. 

I worked to build a great relationship with them, inviting them to dinner and proposing we work together to help them build their business while they helped me to build mine.  I came prepared with some ideas and they quickly saw the benefit.  It has turned out to be one of the most effective ways that I have gotten new students and also a way that I provide value to my students.

Primarily, I put their business information in my studio policy as my "technicians of choice" and when I sit down with prospective students I make sure to mention that section and provide them with a business card.  When I ran my Mystery Music Camps, one of the days included a study of the piano.  My piano technician came (free of charge!) to the camp, took the piano apart and showed the kids how it worked.  When I sent notes home with parents that day, I was sure to feature information about her and the contribution she made to the camp.  Almost every one of my students now uses them and like me, are extremely happy!  I get asked about a "good tuner" in the area quite frequently, sometimes at the strangest times!  I carry my piano technicians business cards with me and pass them out whenever I can.

In return, they also recommend me exclusively.  They are constantly asked about a "good" teacher they might know and yes, they carry my cards too!  The key is that we have both worked hard to build professional, well-respected businesses so it's easy for us to feel comfortable with the referral.

I would encourage you first of all to make sure you are using a RPT rather than just a tuner so that you are properly caring for that the huge investment you use to make your living and secondly, I would encourage you to consider building a personal relationship that helps both of you build your business. 

It's been well-worth the investment for me and....I've also gained some great friends!   

The Gift of Music

I periodically send an e-mail out to all my studio contacts - piano parents as well as friends/family and people who have contacted me with interest in the studio.  These e-mails are my version of a newsletter and they simply highlight "current" and "upcoming" events and discuss the latest happenings in the studio.  I intend to convert to a newsletter form, but haven't decided exactly what format I want so it's still in the building stages. 

In the e-mail I sent out today, I briefly mentioned that my studio offers gift certificates for lessons and camps and suggest they consider giving "the gift of music" this Christmas.  This is a great way to get potential students.  Because I offer music camps that aren't restricted to my current students, I can offer gift certificates for the full or partial cost of any camp or a month or 1/2 month of lessons.

They're easy enough to put together by using a free on-line template or using Word or Publisher.

Just something to consider this Christmas!

New "Beginning" Students

I've added several new students recently and have had several inquiries within the last 2 weeks so I thought I would share what I do when this happens.  I usually get inquiries through e-mail or by phone which is why I always make sure that my advertising includes both my phone number and my e-mail or web address!  I also try and find out how they heard about the studio because this helps me to figure out how to spend future advertising dollars. 

1. During this first contact I always take the time to talk about the studio and what I have to offer.  I have found that running camps adds a HUGE appeal to parents so I explain those as another benefit to taking lessons with my studio. I also talk about the incentive programs that I use and the games and activities I use to teach and reinforce learning.  Since I have added the computer lab, I also now touch on that as well.

2. I then send parents a copy of my studio policy as an e-mail attachment.  Because I also charge an enrollment fee, I have put together a one page information sheet describing what this charge is about.  I always include this sheet as well so parents have a full understanding of what I expect and what they can expect from me.

3.  The other thing I offer is a chance for each parent and their child(ren) to make an appointment to meet with me and see the studio.  During this time I spend time talking with parents and do a few activities with the kids.  Here is a sample of some of the things I do with elementary kids.

- I always introduce the musical alphabet and using flashcards, have them put them in order and then put them in order backwards. I also show them on the piano how the notes repeat themselves up and down the piano. 

- We also discuss the highs and lows and the 2 and 3 sets of black keys. Things I am looking for during this time is their interest level, their ability to follow directions, and their learning style.  I'm also looking for a "connection" between us to make sure that we can work together well.

- I always end with a game or two between me and the student or if it's a sibling group or a couple of friends (like my last interview), I let them play together.  One quick game I use quite a bit is "What's that Note" from The Big Book of Music Games.  I let the student(s) pick a small game piece similar to the "little friends" I showed you in my last post.  This game focuses on the musical alphabet and I haven't found one child who hasn't loved it!

 I usually spend between 1 hour to an hour and a half.  It may seem like a long time, BUT I have found this time is critical and well worth it.  It sets parents and children at ease with me and with the studio.

4.  I ALWAYS add the parent's e-mail address to my contact list.  Because I periodically send out e-mails, anyone who has contacted my studio even just to inquire about lessons gets these periodic updates about the studio and all the happenings!   I want them to be reminded of all the things I am doing and what I can offer  them.

I hope this gives you ideas!            

Signage

Like many teachers, I have been working diligently to get things ready for the fall. Getting the word out that I'm taking new students is always a challenge. What's the most cost effective way? One of the ways I wanted to let those in my town know was to add a sign to the end of my driveway. My husband was so wonderful and made the actual sign. I designed it and painted it so it was super inexpensive! After I got it all done, I discovered that I made it too big for town regulations...Ugh! So, my husband put it up at the studio entrance and we made a new one for the end of the driveway! Within a couple of weeks of putting it up, I have already had several calls!


While I'm still planning to put together some other ideas, this one has proven to be extremely effective! I would love to hear how others are getting the word out and working to get more students for September!

Marketing Summer Camps

I don't limit my summer camps to my piano students. I encourage kids of all levels of music - including "no" musical background - to participate. The camps are not usually centered around the piano, but around music - reading the staff, rhythm, musical terms, listening skills and introducing all kinds of instruments. The town that I live in has a "Sign-Up" day for all the recreational summer programs this Saturday and they asked to include my studio camps! I'm thrilled, since this opens up the opportunity for more kids to experience music and my studio. As part of the planning, I decided to put together a poster and some "props" to take with me.


Since most of the programs include sports, music camps are a nice alternative! I wanted to "stand out" while sitting beside all those coaches so I went for bold and colorful! I also had a friend embroider the name of my studio on a bright shirt for me to wear for the morning. I'm really hoping the extra work leads to lots of kids signing up!