Teaching private music lessons is an excellent way to help the next generation of musicians develop their skills, and you have endless opportunities for teaching in the way that works best for you.
From starting your own private studio to seeking a position as a lesson instructor through a local music school or conservatory, your path to becoming the best music teacher you can be as customized as your own experiences as a music student. No matter what route you choose, finding enough students to meet your goals can be challenging, especially if you are considering teaching for a full-time income instead of a side gig.
You wouldn't buy a car without taking it for a test drive, and the same concept is true when it comes to giving potential students the opportunity to see if your teaching style is a good fit for them or whether they are interested in committing to lessons at all. Although you will generally want your students to pay for lessons upfront, such as at the beginning of each month, once they decide to join your studio, offering a free lesson to new students gives them a risk-free way to get to know you and explore everything you have to offer.
Connecting with the local middle and high school band, orchestra, or choir directors gives you the opportunity to reach several students who may be interested in private lessons but don't know where to start at once. Depending on the instrument or voice you teach, you may be able to arrange to teach a sectional or otherwise work with students during their regular music classes to give them a preview of how working with you can help them progress beyond what they are learning in their regular school ensembles. Some directors may also already know of a student or two that are interested in private lessons and send them your way to see if you are a good match.
Your potential students spend far more time on their phones than they did even a decade ago, and establishing a strong social media presence that highlights your qualification and what sets your studio apart can give you an advantage over other music teachers in your area when they are searching for options and considering who might be a good fit for them. Students that come across this information when searching for a teacher will appreciate finding someone who puts effort into connecting with them on their level!
At a minimum, you should have a professional Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube account to direct potential students and their parents to learn more about you and connect with you online. These pages can feature your current studio if you have one or simply be your own professional profiles that highlight your qualifications, past performances, and teaching philosophies. Your social media pages can be used to share instrument-specific tips, teaching policies and student expectations, details about upcoming performances, and videos of past performances in a way that is fun and familiar to your students.
You can also consider creating a private Facebook group for your students and their parents to share tips, ask questions, and generally get to know one another if you are interested in creating a studio environment that gives students opportunities to perform together or otherwise collaborate with one another, rather than only working one on one with each student.
You should still be performing regularly to maintain your technical skills and credibility in the modern music industry, even if you prefer teaching over performing. This does not mean you have to perform at the professional level throughout your entire life unless you teach only pre-professional students that require the best musicians and teachers available, but students and other music teachers are more likely to trust someone who makes an effort to be involved in the local music community than someone no one knows anything about.
Both auditioned and non auditioned community and church ensembles can help you get started by giving potential students opportunities to hear you play, and you can consider performing solo recitals and joining or creating a quartet, quintet, or another small ensemble as your credibility increases.
Students and parents that know their questions will be answered quickly will be more likely to trust you with their musical development, and using a chatbot for music teachers is a simple and inexpensive way to make sure your students can get basic answers at any time of day or night. Rather than making students wait hours for replies to emails sent in the middle of the night or while you are teaching, programing a chatbot to answer basic questions about lesson time changes, repertoire, payment schedules, upcoming performances, and other studio information saves you from having to reiterate these details dozens of times and gives your students immediate answers.
Taking the time to develop an intentional plan for finding more students can be far more effective than simply hoping they find you on their own. Contact us today for more tips for using our chatbot to take your music studio to the next level!
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