When talking to prospective parents, it's tempting to rattle off statements that sound great ("music makes you smarter!") but don't really persuade parents to sign their kids up for lessons.
It took me awhile to realize that how I was talking about my offerings - with phrases full of high falutin "education-ese" - didn't really resonate with the parents or students I wanted to attract. It wasn't what I offered that was the problem, but how I was speaking about it.
To effectively attract new students, it's important that you understand and speak to parents' deepest needs and desires when talking about your music studio.
Based on my 25 years of teaching, I've found that by and large what parents want most for their kids is to set them up for success while also ensuring that they're engaged and enjoying themselves.
When it comes to music lessons specifically, most parents want their kids to
be motivated to practice (parents hate nagging their kids)
have fun playing their instrument
be supported and encouraged by their instructors
be appropriately challenged
Once you understand parents needs and desires, it becomes a lot easier to speak to them about your studio in a way that will make them eager to sign up for lessons.
To help you hone your message, I've written some draft talking points below. I also provide prompts to help you think about your offerings so you can complete each statement based on what makes your studio most unique and appealing.
TOPIC 1: motivating practice. How will you provide the support and resources necessary to help students establish and keep a self-motivated practice routine at home?
Talking point:
"I want your child to succeed in lessons, and consistent practicing is so important! To help motivate your child to practice I use ______________________________.If they get stuck or bored, I help them get unstuck by _________________________________."
Here are some prompts to help you fill in the blanks:
Do you offer practice incentives such as a prize for so many weeks of consistent practice?
Do you run periodic “practice challenges” within your studio?
Do you provide tips to help parents help their kids establish effective practice routines?
Do you teach students how to practice effectively with practice "tutorials" in lessons, youtube videos, etc.?
TOPIC 2: making learning fun. There are so many academic and other pressures on students these days, that parents often want to ensure that their kids enjoy themselves in their extracurricular activities. Parents want their kids to learn and grow musically, but they also want music to be fun. How do you make sure kids are having a good time while learning?
Talking point:
"I know that kids have a lot of academic pressures these days, so I want to make sure your child is having fun while learning their instrument. One of the activities I do that students love is _________________________________. I also make sure that we regularly ________________________________________ in lessons - something my students really enjoy."
Here are some prompts to help you fill in the blanks:
Do you do music listening exercises where students can hear a variety of interesting music?
Do you regularly select, or let students select, music that they enjoy playing?
Do you encourage students to start and end each practice session with a song they really enjoy?
Do you have music games you play in lessons that are both fun and educational?
TOPIC 3: providing support and encouragement. Parents are often willing to pay top dollar to ensure that their child is taught in a nurturing and supportive environment. They'll want to hear about any strategies you use to encourage their kids. What's your "secret sauce" for creating a positive learning space?
Talking point:
"A nurturing environment is so important for students to grow musically. I love to support my students by ___________________________________. I ensure a positive learning environment by offering _______________________________________________."
Here are some prompts to help you fill in the blanks:
Do you have rubrics or other guides that help them take charge of mastering their music?
Do you offer video check-ins between lessons for students who are stuck?
Do you remind students on a regular basis how much they've learned and improved?
Do you praise students for not only their accomplishments, but also for demonstrating committed effort?
TOPIC 4: challenging students. Most parents understand that for students to learn, they need to be appropriately challenged. How to you appropriately challenge your students without them becoming overwhelmed or discouraged?
Talking point:
"I'm committed to making sure my students are appropriately challenged so they can learn and grow musically. Therefore, I pay special attention to __________________________________ in lessons and then adjust by __________________________________________. I also make sure each student ________________________________________."
Here are some prompts to help you fill in the blanks:
Do you sometimes ask students to play or sight-read music that is a bit more advanced than their current level?
Do you ask students to periodically try a musical activity outside their comfort zone, such as composing, or playing a style of music they've never played before?
Do you provide rubrics that outline steps students can take to achieve music mastery?
I hope these tips help you develop your own ideas for how to talk about your music studio. I encourage to write specific talking points down, hone them over time, and revisit them frequently.
Here's why:
The more familiar you become with the most appealing aspects of your studio and the phrases that help you convey these, the more likely you'll be able to convert potential clients into full-time students.
Developing talking points will also help you better understand your particular brand - in other words, what makes your teaching style and studio offerings stand out from the others. And that will help you build a robust studio filled with students that are a good fit for what you offer.
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