Social media has been a key component in the growth of my studio. In fact, I’ve never actually done any “traditional” marketing such as print ads, fliers, and so on. I jumped on the Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn bandwagon long before it was almost a necessity, and it has most definitely paid off.
But there are some things to consider when using social media to promote your studio. Here are three key questions to ask, along with my thoughts on each.
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.
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”.
In 2009 I had the pleasure of hearing Beth Gigante Klingenstein, author of The Independent Piano Teacher’s Studio Handbook, speak on the question of “Who’s in Charge of Your Studio?” at the University of St. Thomas Summer Music Institute. The main message I took away from her workshop was that if we as studio owners are complaining about our wages or any other aspect of our business, we have only ourselves to blame. We are the captains of our own ships and we can remedy the situation by raising our rates, setting studio policies and enforcing them, and ultimately, by realizing our worth as teachers of music and art.
In 2002, Beth conducted a survey of Independent Music Teachers (IMT’s) in the Music Teachers National Association and found that the average IMT earned $29.00 per hour and had an average gross annual income of $17, 893. What I found shocking was her comparison of the independent music teacher’s salaries to that of other business professionals. The IMT income was lower than a pharmacy technician, janitor, receptionist, file clerk, and even a manicurist! Why are we underpaid? Beth offered many reasons:
• Traditionally female profession – historically, traditionally male professions tend to be paid more
• We are independent
• We do not raise rates often enough or by enough
• We think “per-hour” instead of annual income
• We think “part-time” instead of “full-time”
• We fail to realize the difference between gross and net income
How do we change this? First of all we have to recognize and acknowledge our worth. One of the most disturbing mindsets that Beth discusses in her book is, “I don’t need the income because I am being supported by my spouse.” This attitude is a detriment to our profession. Many teachers support not only themselves, but also their families on their teaching income. If some teachers charge artificially low rates, everyone in the profession suffers.
I 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.