Effective Business Practices for the Mission-Driven Music Teacher

Do you feel like teaching is your calling? Do you believe you were put here on earth to nurture kids, share the gift of music, or be a positive light in your students' lives?

If teaching isn't merely a job but also your vocation, you might well be a mission-driven music teacher. In other words, you teach not just because you can or because you're good at it, but because doing so feels like a higher calling.

If you're a mission-driven music teacher, you may find that going the extra mile for your students is easy, while making strategic business decisions and protecting your time and energy are more difficult.

If you feel that giving your all is easy but stepping back to make strategic business decisions is more difficult, here are 3 strategies that can help you:

1. Turn your mission statement into an effective studio advertisement.

   
   

   I've learned over the years is that the more specific my lesson advertisement is, the more effective it is in attracting students. Perhaps you love teaching worship music, or feel called to nurture young people, or love sharing how fun and rewarding playing an instrument can be. Whatever your particular passion, it's important to include language in your ad that shares this.

   
   

   Rather than advertising, say, “guitar lessons”, use descriptive words about the type of guitar lessons you offer, such as "sign up for rockin' guitar lessons" if you love to teach rock music, or "Fun is my middle name - I'd love to teach you to play clarinet!" if that's your teaching style.

   
   

   Descriptive advertising is more likely to inspire potential students into action. It’s also a good way to attract the students you'll most enjoy working with, which is always a good thing. 

   
   

2. Develop a marketing plan that reflects your mission.

   
   

   Growing a studio that reflects your values and attracts students who share them depends on a marketing strategy that is designed around these values. Of course, an effective strategy must also take into account other things, like your budget, growth goals, and studio demographics.

   
   

   Developing a marketing plan that's uniquely suited to your teaching mission and situation takes time, but is well-worth the effort. It allows you to attract students you're most likely to connect with, convert to full-time students, and keep long-term.

   
   

   If you need help putting together a personalized recruitment plan, learn about my Jumpstart Your Studio Marketing coaching services here.

   
   

3. Develop comprehensive and thoughtful lesson policies.

   
   

   Being a mission-driven music teacher can be meaningful and rewarding. But it's possible to become so focused on your purpose that you forget to protect those things that allow you to do this work in the first place: your time and energy.

   
   

   Well thought-out lesson policies are essential for the teacher who loves to give their all in lessons. They establish guidelines that ensure you don't burn out, and have some additional benefits as well.

   • They ensure that you, the parent, and the student are in agreement on lesson protocols before the lessons begin

   • They prevent you for making decisions on the fly about issues that come up, when you're more likely to agree to something you regret later

   • They help you maintain good personal boundaries so you don’t start to resent your job or your students

For more about building a values-based teaching business you love without burnout, check out The High Value Music Studio newsletter!

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