Finding new students can be the toughest part of teaching
piano. Why? It often involves
‘selling ourselves’. There I said it. Visions of door-to-door salesmen in hilarious
plaid pants come to mind. These salesmen
were bold enough to knock on your door and convince you that your old vacuum was a
thing of the past and you must have the latest one. “Get out there and sell yourself!” their bosses bellowed. Fortunately there is a better way.
I owned retail stores for 3 decades in addition to my musical career. Advertising the stores was a part of the job
description. I attended courses by
McDonald’s (yes, the hamburger chain), read oodles of books on selling and worked with
great advertising agencies. I’ll share
with you the most important thing I learned about advertising over those 30
plus years…
Sell what your product does for your customer. Sell the benefits. Never sell yourself.
What does this mean? An
example is often better than words…
If you were an adult looking to get back into piano, which
ad would you respond to?
This...
Or this?
The first ad shows a solution to what many adults are
pondering. If I start back at the piano
will it be fun this time? Will I be able
to play some Christmas carols for my family?...etc. Of course no one would ever put up the second
ad but I have seen subtle versions of it over the years.
Don’t sell yourself, sell the benefits to your students... the courses you teach and the results your students will get from signing up
with you!
Here are some business card size adds to print and post
around town at fitness centers, seniors centers, coffee shops, … anywhere that shows off local business cards. Print them out on
regular paper or card stock, add your phone number, and cut them to size.
Click here to download a free printable. Put
up a version of your add on Craigslist or Kijiji and always have some cards in your
wallet to hand out.
I’ll leave you with
an inventive add posting in craigslist…
Established string quartet requires 2 violinists and a cellist.
First....
rarely play the whole song when you are practicing. It's too much NEWNESS for your brain to take
in. Dive in and find the tough spots.
Now start your repetition woodshedding.
Select 2-4 bars (no more!) and vary it.
Play it LOUD, play it soft,
play it fast, play it s
l o w, play
it sta-cca-to, play it legato.
Invent your own ways that keep you focused. Now find the next tough spot and do the
same. Finally, repeat these short passages
daily as part of your warm-up. One day won't
do it but 3-7 days surely will.
