October is here with Winter around the corner. Now is the time to start thinking about the festivities and recitals before winter break. The new year is less than three months away. We have allocated all of our programming resources this month in upgrading Studio Helper's underlying framework to increase speed and reliability. Meanwhile, you can submit an idea, or vote on features you would like to...
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Last week I received a nice surprise in my email inbox: an invitation to have my studio featured on a local news program.
Of course I accepted this invitation, and the interview and filming took place this past weekend. I’m thrilled that my business is getting such nice exposure…and the price is pretty nice, too: $0.
This isn’t the first time I’ve been contacted for publicity opportunities; in the past three years, my studio has been featured on numerous times on television, radio, and in the newspaper. And while I feel incredibly fortunate to have these opportunities, there are some strategies I’ve put into place that helped attract such attention.
Problem
This year I am celebrating 10 years of being a music studio business owner. In 2002, I opened my studio and had 17 students within the first year. I now carry a load of about 40 private students. My dilemma is that I am completely full, teaching six days per week, but just a little stressed! After some attrition and a drop in enrollment about two years ago, I am once again at full capacity, which means that any prospective students must go on my waiting list.
One of the challenges in scheduling piano lesson
s is that most of my clients are school aged children. This means that by the time a student gets out of school and over to my home studio it is typically 4:00. Most school aged children–especially the younger ones I tend to work with–are at their best if their lessons are over by 6:30 or 7. And since we live in an area where people tend to go camping or skiing on the weekends (myself included), Friday and weekend lessons are not a viable option. This means that I really only have about 12 hours of weekly teachable time (and income earning potential).
This past year, I’ve tried to get creative by expanding my studio offerings, and I have also observed many fellow studio owners in our area that have done the same. Here are some ideas from my experience:
The Fall season is here, and the new school year is beginning. Now is the time for you to implement your strategies for the new school year. Studio Helper is always willing to assist you, continuing to improve each month, thanks to your valuable feedback. And remember, you can contact our support department by phone Monday - Friday at 1-800-517-2811 ext.2 between the hours of...
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