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Author: cconrad

09 Jul

The Importance of Networking

by cconrad
in Marketing
Comments

NetworkingAbout a year ago, my family relocated from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Bozeman, Montana, and I was faced with “relaunching” my piano studio in a new town.  When I opened my studio in Wisconsin the only marketing I did was to place an ad on craigslist — a dozen students soon followed.  After a few unsuccessful attempts at pulling in students in Bozeman via craigslist, I was forced to come up with better marketing strategies that would successfully reach out to my new community.

Bozeman — being an educated, college town and far from a big city — is big on networking.  It didn’t take me long to figure out that I was going to need to find new ways to “plug into” the community of Bozeman in order to create interest in my studio.

Networking with other professionals

One of the first things I did after my craigslist flop was contact the president of my local music teachers association.  Not only was she able to help me understand better how to attract students and brainstorm ideas for my studio, but she also provided me with my first three students.  Since she was no longer accepting new piano students, she gave the families who contacted her for lessons my information, and I was able to begin teaching again just a few short weeks after my initial meeting with her.  When I met other members of the group at monthly meetings, similar referrals soon followed.

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09 Jun

Maintaining Income During the Summer

by cconrad
in Finances, Policies and Procedures
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heaven on earthI own and operate a small piano studio out of my home, and the summertime is always a bit of a financial struggle for me.

When I took piano lessons growing up, we always continued our lessons during the summer.  They were a bit more sporadic, since my teacher usually took a vacation and my family usually took a vacation, but it certainly wasn’t as though we took the summer off.

When I began teaching piano in Milwaukee, I was surprised to discover that teachers in the area gave summers completely off from piano lessons.  Most of my students expected that I would be doing this same thing.  My first year of teaching, though it went against my instincts and desires, I decided to appease the masses and gave my students the summer off.

I will never do it again. 

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01 Jul

Four ‘Asks’ To Grow Your Studio

by cconrad
in Hiring Staff, Marketing
Comments

Now is the time to take active steps to add students for your teachers. Acting now gives you time to implement solutions based on what responses you get to 'The Four Asks.' What are these mysterious questions? 1. Ask teachers if they want more students. It's possible your teachers would like to expand the number of students they teach. If so, adding time slots to their schedule in...

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02 Jun

Turn Summer Down Time Into “Up Time”

by cconrad
in Marketing
Comments

As we know well, the transition to summer often interrupts the flow of our studio. There are issues around student/family vacation schedules, vacations for staff. There's even that 'lack of dedication' from students and others that's common when warm whether and outdoor activities sing their siren song. After a year of hard work, it's certainly understandable. Everybody needs a break. Manage Summer To Your Benefit Plan Something: Scheduling...

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03 May

jumpstart your studio this spring

by cconrad
in Marketing, Staff Management
Comments

As a studio owner, it pays to be "mindful of your business investment." As a teacher & business owner, I always knew when spring arrived; it seemed students, well, were a tiny bit less interested in practicing and more involved in finding things to do outdoors. How can you help teachers manage this issue? Missed lessons and cancellations do, after all, come out of the bottom line....

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