Selling Yourself (As a Private Studio Teacher)

     Most private instructors consider themselves musicians, but in reality the successful ones are adept salespeople as well. Why? Well, consider that many successful private instructors do not rely on a storefront to attract students, and must directly sell their skills to a “potential student/parent.” When the telephone rings we need to think about the business end of music - something most musicians rarely do.
     The first contact from a potential student/parent may come in the form of a phone call or an email. If a lesson inquiry is by email, do not return the email, call them and speak with that person directly. In speaking to a person directly you position yourself to better sell your skills, address questions and schedule the first lesson. Simply returning an email lacks a “human quality” and is unprofessional. Furthermore, make a phone call to the potential student/parent within 24 hours after first contact – this is simply good customer service.
     Like it or not or not that first phone call from a potential student/parent relates their impression of you: your personality, teaching style, educational background and of course teaching experience. Potential students want to know who you are before stepping into the studio with you. Fair or not the first impression often determines who parents let their child study with privately. Regardless of what you charge (i.e. more or less than the area “going rate”), if you can sell yourself during that first contact the student/parent will step into your studio and not someone else’s.
   Generally speaking there are two types of students/parents who call about instrument lessons: individuals who have experience with private lessons and those who have not. Those who have usually know what they are looking for: someone who is affordable, has teaching experience (knows what they’re doing), and displays a pleasant personality. Those who have not had such experience need to be convinced that your rates are affordable and that you know how to teach, all while displaying your “endearing” personality. This may sound simple but it’s not.
     When a potential student/parent calls about lessons try to put them at ease by displaying a professional demeanor. In part this means being prepared to answer questions. First calls usually cover two questions: how much are lessons and where are you located.You the teacher need to garner much more information: the student/parents’ name and phone number(s), the age and musical training level of the student, the musical style the student wants to learn, and whether they have an instrument. Having handy answers and asking relevant questions gives your potential student/parent a favorable impression and displays competence and knowledge. Also, don’t forget to have a pen and paper ready to write all this information down; it’s not just for show.
     In anticipating such first conversations, consider how you should best present yourself: what aspect of your teaching and experience do you want to present? Things to included are: how long you’ve been playing a particular instrument, how long you’ve taught, the age range and skill levels you have taught, what students can expect the first few lessons, a brief overview of your teaching style (i.e. songs you use, method books, whether note reading and theory are emphasized) and where you formally studied (if applicable). You’ll be surprised at what first callers are interested to know about you.
     When you are talking for the first time the main objective is of course to sell yourself. Yet, don’t be afraid to tell the caller you may not be able to help them. If for example their goal is to learn jazz guitar and this is not a style you teach let them know and (if possible) provide contact information of instructors in the area who may be able to help them. Honesty about your skill set and being networked with other area instructors shows competence and a willingness to help. Although they may not use the information at this time, the respect garnered from such an interaction may cause students/parents to think of you the next time they discuss private lessons for another family member or friend. In addition, the local teachers to whom you refer will appreciate the “word of mouth”, and hopefully in return they will send business your way as well.
     Teaching private lessons from our homes makes sense given the low overhead costs. However, potential students/parents who do not know you may feel awkward about coming to your residence rather than the typical music store setting. To ease such concern offer to give the names and contact information of current students (if possible). Let potential students/parents know current students/parents will speak to them and are willing to answer questions about you and your teaching methods. Remember to clear this in advance with current students/parents though! This goes a long way in putting people at ease when coming to a strangers’ home – particularly parents. Even if new students/parents do not know these current students/parents simply talking to them lets them know that everything is safe and professional when coming to your home. Additionally, you may consider asking new parents to “sit-in” on their child’s lesson until both are comfortable around you and your home studio.
     Next, keep in mind that potential students may not have a guitar so be ready to discuss: different brands, advice on whether to purchase an acoustic or electric, nylon string vs. steel string, various price ranges and appropriate size/model for their child (if needed). This lets potential students/parents know you are knowledgeable about instruments on the market. Also, consider offering to meet at a music store to “test-drive” or try out instruments with the student – this always goes over well. Two hours out of your day may mean a year’s worth of extra income!
     Finally, keep complete and accurate records which allow follow-up calls to potential students/parents. If they have not called you back it doesn’t mean that they are not interested, rather they may have lost your number or have simply been busy. Always keep in mind that they called you about lessons first – and that you offer a service they are interested in. Moreover, if they are not currently interested in lessons they may recommend you to other people – remember word of mouth is the best form of advertising. 

     When trying to develop a successful home studio one of the key ingredients is the professional demeanor of the instructor. The strategies discussed within are those that I have found to be beneficial in developing and maintaining my own studio. I hope that these approaches are valuable to those who may be just starting out, given a new concept to someone teaching for years or even led to a re-evaluation of old ideas for others.

Higher Education and the Young Guitarist, Pt. I - Classical Guitar

     Here is a link to the article Higher Education and the Young Guitarist, Pt. I - Classical Guitar which I co-authored for Tempo - the magazine for the New Jersey Music Educators Association. It offers music educators with a limited guitar background information about guitar studies on the university level. This is the first of a three part series and examines classical guitar programs from some well respected players. The article is on pages 30 - 33.

                

What It's All About

     Welcome to The Guitar Teaching Blog which is geared towards those who teach the guitar. Each month’s post will discuss aspects of guitar pedagogy (the art/science of teaching), as well as contain viable lesson plans. This blog hopes to provide new and different approaches to those teaching for years and offer “from the ground up” lesson plans for someone just starting out. Lesson plans begin at the most simplistic level (such as teaching the parts of the guitar) and build as if teaching a student week by week. There will be periodic breaks between lesson plans where various pedagogical topics will be discussed.
        The main thrust of The Guitar Teaching Blog is to assist guitar teachers in becoming better at the craft of teaching their instrument. To become a better instructor it helps to understand your own teaching style and where it comes from. Most teachers teach the way they have been taught, meaning that for better or worse we as instructors teach material in the same order and manner as we have been taught. Furthermore, instructors tend to emphasize areas of study taught to them as students. It is now easy to understand how instructors become closed minded about new ways of teaching because “it is not the way they were taught".

         It is important to be open to new ideas and approaches to teaching the instrument because not everyone learns in the same manner. Some students learn better from visual representations, others from sound and some when the instructor models examples. Whatever the case, having multiple ways of explaining the same material is helpful so if a student does not understand a concept another approach can be offered. I always tell my students, “If you are not getting something, I must not be explaining the idea clearly enough.”
        The time frame of a weekly lesson is between ½ an hour to 1 hour in length. In this short span of time there are two things that need to be accomplished: review the previous week’s lesson and introduce new material. It may not seem like much but it encompasses a good deal of work. Reviewing the previous week’s material can take half your lesson time or more if you are not careful. However, reviewing material is essential to a student’s musical growth. It not only requires a student to reference prior lessons, but also enables the instructor to view material with fresh eyes each lesson. For example, if technical suggestions such as hand position or alternate picking were made in the prior lesson, the instructor should check a students’ progress in these areas week to week.
         Each week any new material presented should in one way or another build upon the prior knowledge/skills a student may already possess. For example, students playing major scales might be taught: how they are constructed, why they are important and/or how they relate to one another. This enables the student to reference previous materials and build upon a prior knowledge base. In the simplest of terms this means that lessons should be like building blocks: each lesson lays the foundation for what is to come next. If lessons are thought of in this manner, then teaching Stairway in a students’ first lesson doesn’t make much sense when they have yet to move their fingers.
        A good teacher not only caters to the need of each student, but also to his or her larger role. And just what is the larger role of a guitar instructor? We are of course in the service industry, and must provide the best service possible. That means: talking to parents about their child’s progress, discussing what their child is working on, letting parents sit in on lessons, returning phone calls in a timely manner, taking trips to the music store to review various method books, scanning magazines for helpful articles pertinent to our lesson topics, brushing up on techniques and styles we may not be too familiar with and of course talking to your students to find out about them and their interests. All of this leads to a better service which teachers can offer their students. Remember, if your students like you and they are progressing, then their parents like you. If this happens, you will get referrals from parents and find yourself with more and more students. This is because parents talk to other parents about where and particularly with whom their children study an instrument with. Keep this in mind if you are looking to build a guitar studio – no amount of advertising can take the place of word of mouth.
      The role of a guitar instructor is also that of a motivator. Yes, students must have the internal motivation to play guitar, but part of the teachers’ job is to keep them interested and excited about playing. This includes: letting students know when they are doing well, demonstrating how mastery of one skill leads to breakthroughs in other skills, not boring students with the same material for an entire lesson – mix it up and tackle several topics in one lesson. Variety is the spice of life and for guitar students as well. Students need and want more than one item to focus on; it gives them a sense of accomplishment and can break up the monotony of practice. Try to set a level for which students can aspire and constantly raise the bar. Setting goals is part of motivation; it gives students something to look forward to achieving.
      I hope this short discussion was enough to get you excited for the next month's post because I’ll be discussing business skills.