15 Jul
Technology is the "native language" of this generation. What can we do to engage the students at their level and with their language?...
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Studio Booking Software Articles
12 Jul
Almost nobody likes a deadline, but sometimes, deadlines are the only way something gets done.
In pondering the subject of this blog entry, I decided to use an example from my own studio – and hope the strategies and thought-processes I have used will be helpful to you. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on the matter.
Scheduling is a convoluted mess at best, and a nightmare at worst, but it does not always have to be that way. When juggling so many families, students, schedules, and conflicts, the teacher’s job is rarely (often never) just teaching.
How many times have you put off that deadline until last minute? Or, how many times have you assumed the teacher or organization would make an exception for you, because your situation is so unique? Many teachers spend hours coordinating the schedule and arranging time-frames so students are given the best possible scenario for their lessons.
09 Jul
About 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.
04 Jul
This month, you have probably noticed the new Feedback & Support tab at the bottom of every Studio Helper page after you login. This feedback system will allow you to submit and vote on new features for Studio Helper, allowing us to see which items are the most important to our users. Please take a few minute to visit our Feedback page and vote on...
Read More 24 Jun
Yesterday during a break between lessons, I checked my voicemail to find three messages from parents seeking a voice teacher for their children. Three inquiries in a week? Completely normal. But three in the span of two hours?
I got my explanation when a teacher from another local studio called and revealed himself as the referral source. He is in the process of downsizing his student load in order to take on other projects, and has been recommending that his students continue their studies with me.
To most teachers and studios, this would be a jackpot situation (literally and figuratively). But when you already have a completely full studio with a growing waiting list, receiving a slew of new referrals all at once is a bit overwhelming.
The good news is that if you find yourself in this situation, your reply to potential students and parents doesn’t have to be “no”.