Networking for Piano Teachers: Why not put yourself out there?

This article is written by Stephen Hughes, a teacher in Texas whom I met on Facebook.  He moved to a new community and grew his studio from 3 to 23 students in 5 months in very creative ways and I asked him if he would write an article about the ways he marketed piano lessons in his community.  Stephen is trained in both classical and jazz styles and also possesses a degree in business. He is a teacher, performer, accompanist, composer and is an active member of TMTA, MTNA, and his local association.

Networking for Piano Teachers: Why not put yourself out there?

by Stephen Hughes

Networking, in our profession, is often overlooked as a great way to grow your student base. In a nutshell, networking is building business relationships. When you first hear this word, you may cringe at the thought of meeting new people or just think that it’s too much work. Yes, to effectively network, you do need a plan, be able to follow-through, and follow-up. Building that network takes some patience at the beginning but the results are more than worth it.

About a month ago, I responded to Wendy’s ComposeCreate’Facebook status update asking about marketing ideas for expanding your teaching studio. I initially responded because I have been successful in my first full year of teaching as a studio owner and wanted to offer up my advice to others. After responding, Wendy asked if I would contribute to a series of articles on marketing/networking she was putting together for her blog, ComposeCreate. Why am I mentioning this? Well, this is a perfect example of how to network…putting yourself out there is the first big step. The fact that I was asked to participate and share my success story is a direct result of me putting myself out there, meeting people, sharing ideas, etc. Perhaps a local teacher will read this article and remember my name down the road. Maybe a parent will type in a certain google key word and land on this article. Networking does not always directly lead to new students but it does provide more exposure, visibility, and create opportunities. The possibilities are endless for what visibility can do for you as a business owner. Just like in Sales 101, a lot of ‘maybes’ usually end up in a lot of good results…filling up that pipeline with quality leads.

My music teaching business, Musical Accents, has been open full-time since the beginning of this year, January 2011. I taught full-time as a piano instructor at a local music school for about 5 years before my transition into a studio owner. Since January, I have had steady growth in students, along with a steady growth in inquiries. I am to the point now where I am thinking about expanding my business (which has always been the plan) but I never imagined it could happen so quickly. I whole-heartedly believe that Networking & Google Visibility are the two most important factors for the studio growth.

Networking should be an extension of everything that we do to promote our studios. The key is having those relationships create & generate new relationships. How much does it cost to Network? Absolutely Nothing!! That’s the beauty! I’ve spent about $1000 in advertising (3 different ad campaigns) since last November. How many current students saw my ads? 0. Now, that’s not to say that it’s ineffective. Over the course of time, I’m sure that Google Adwords will end up being an important marketing tool. The problem is that my marketing budget is not where I need it to be for AdWords to work for me.

I try to implement a little bit of networking in my everyday life, even if it is subtle. Here’s an example of subtle networking that actually generated several positive leads. I wear my polo, that shows my studio logo, not just in my lessons but when I go to business/networking functions, run errands, or just to get my haircut. Branding your studio is another topic within itself but it leads to building relationships as well. When I get my hair cut, more often than not, I am asked what I do because of my logo and have given out 3 or 4 business cards to different hair stylists this year (yeah, I don’t have a preference!). Just from those encounters that didn’t add any time to my day or require effort (outside of throwing on a shirt!), I had several inquiries about music lessons. Having business cards on you at all times is a must! I constantly have to refill my business card holder and occasionally forget (when I need it the most!).

Okay, now to the nuts & bolts of Networking. Here are some tips on how to get started building your network:

  • School Music Teachers:
    Contact and setup an appointment to meet with your local school band directors, piano lab teachers, and any other type of music teachers. If you don’t feel comfortable with ‘cold-calling’, then have one of your students’ parents introduce you. Most school directors will give you their time because they are always looking to build relationships with quality private instructors & piano accompanists. You can also send a friendly email to teachers introducing yourself and followup with a phone call, if you prefer. Volunteer to stay around and listen to the Concert or Jazz band – show your interest. If you’re lucky enough, they’ll ask you to stay and possibly give some pointers to the jazz pianist, if they have a jazz band. Last year, just by chance, I played a gig with a saxophonist who was an assistant band director at a local high school. After telling him about me starting a new studio, he asked me to come to his school and tell him what I had to offer to their program. I was then able to meet the main director and in turn, all of the other directors and piano lab teacher. The following week I made a point to followup. I was then asked to sit in with the Jazz Band and spent the entire class talking about jazz theory & improvisation. In the mind of the director, the importance of learning theory & how to apply it to your instrument would be a more powerful message coming from a guest. The next month, I was asked to conduct a workshop on ‘Teaching Improvisation & Pop Styles’ to group piano classes. The immediate impact of meeting with the band director resulted in 3 high school students signing up for piano lessons. Long-term impact? Since then I’ve had multiple inquiries & 2 other students sign up for lessons. Hopefully, I have gained the trust of the faculty to the point that I become the top recommendation for piano lessons.
  • Music Teachers Association:
    If you haven’t already, join a local music association! Don’t just pay the fee and think that you will automatically get students. Become an important asset to your association. Show up to meetings & share your ideas. Participate in the volunteer activities. Why go through all this trouble? Well, you establish a solid reputation among your peers which is beneficial on so many levels. Less than a year of being part of my association, I was asked to become Vice-President. This is a group that has been established for close to 50 years. Yes, it’s more responsibility. However, with a little organization, you should be able to fit these tasks into your schedule. When I tell prospective students, parents, or teachers/directors that I am the V.P. of my association, their ears perk up just a little. You must be doing something right if you bear more responsibility. You can also join multiple associations and connect with teachers in other areas. Where I live, there are probably 5 associations within 10-15 miles. That means there are probably 50-75 teachers in the area that are part of an association. You can probably at least double that number to get an estimate of how many actual teachers there are. Another reason to join is a more obvious one: you get listed in the handbooks, website, etc as a piano teacher in so-and-so area. Getting referrals from teachers in your association (or one that you are not a part of) is a sign of mutual respect. If they have a full schedule, it’s a great feeling knowing that others trust you to do a great job.
  • Business Association/Networking Events:
    Yes, we run a business. We wear many hats and one of those is being a business owner. If you don’t think this way, then you will continue to fight an uphill battle in your hopes of achieving financial success. In Google, type in your ‘city’ and the word ‘business association’ and you’ll find a lot of resources. I have my studio listed in the local business directory & and am registered on various websites linked with my communities businesses. This will increase your web presence as well. Find out when your city or community has Networking events. Check your local businesses to see if they have any network events posted. When you attend, make sure to bring a smile, firm handshake, and your confidence. This may be the first time that the local business owners network with a music teacher so make it a good first impression. Don’t forget your business cards! Also, make sure to have flyers (attractive) just in case you exchange offers with other owners.
  • Attending conferences & conventions:
    With Summer on the horizon, this is also the time for music conventions & conferences. As teachers, we attend these events for lots of different reasons. We all love to be inspired and have that renewed sense of motivation. Whether it be from amazing performances, mind-blowing seminars, or finding the next best technological gadget to use for teaching. This is also the best opportunity for you to meet others in our field & start building relationships. If you really want to build your resume and get noticed, look into conducting your own class. I am currently brainstorming ideas and hope to be up on the stage presenting to others within the next couple of years. Make it a point to converse with experienced members, whether it be to get advice, pick their brain, or exchange contact information.
  • Social Networking:
    By now, I’m sure most of you realize the importance of keeping up with the times in this tech age. The question is: How to use these sites effectively? Start with the basics. Connect with your students & parents. Keep them informed of the studio events. You don’t have to blog or post daily tidbits…doesn’t hurt though. Connect with other teachers, studios, music-related sites. You can learn how to be effective just by observing other studio & teachers posts. I like to post daily if I can to establish a consistent presence on the internet. You can link all of your social networking sites together so that you only have to post once. Once you get the hang of it, then start communicating & share advice with other teachers & colleagues. This is when you start to build those relationships and become more visible in the online community.
  • Pay It Forward:
    Even though the initial act of performing is not networking, the result of volunteering your musical services will give you networking opportunities down the road. You want to create as many ‘give & take’ relationships as possible. Connect with your local downtown associations. Contact them to see if you can setup your keyboard at various events and provide free music in exchange for setting up a table with your business cards & flyers. Even if you don’t get any inquiries (which you probably will), you will be appreciated and called on again for more opportunities.

In summation: Connecting with people and developing relationships, either in person or online, is an effective & invaluable way of generating business. If done properly, business can generate itself as long as you keep yourself & your studio visible. Make sure to always follow-up with people that you connect with. Make a list of everyone or group that you have contacted and/or started to establish relationships with. People lead busy lives and sometimes we have to make it a point to ‘remind’ them that we are here.=

Read more on marketing for piano teachers here:

Marketing Piano Lessons 102: Moving to a new community

Marketing Piano Lessons 101

8 thoughts on “Networking for Piano Teachers: Why not put yourself out there?”

  1. This is a very helpful article. Would you have specific advice for first steps for the older, less-techno teachers in the world? In our small local MTA group, most of the active members (ie the ones who serve as officers, chairpersons, festival heads, etc) are older (50+) established teachers who don’t, as a whole, have any idea where to start with the big, bad world of online, techno-networking. Some barely use email, none has a website or has any idea how to start one. Many cannot afford to pay for such aids. I can’t tell you what the newer, younger members of our group do, because they rarely if ever come to meetings or involve themselves with the group! Yet in the current economy some of the best, most experienced teachers really need more students and the old ways, even word-of-mouth, don’t seem to be enough. Any suggestions for the oldies-but-goldies among us would be much appreciated.

  2. I believe in the oldies-but-golides! Many of my teachers had so much knowledge and experience and it doesn’t really matter if you are the “new generation” or the “old generation” all have contributed and affected my life! So thank you to all the “oldies” and “newbies” out there! I love ya!
    As far as websites go, I personally can’t afford a website right now either. There are many sites out there that do offer free service however, that can really help get your name out there. You could start by creating a blog, even if it is only for your students, to help with at home assignments and things like that. I use yolasite as well and my site is absolutely free. Just go to yola.com and create your own site! As far as setting it up, they have some pretty good layouts and all you have to do is click and edit the text or pictures or whatever you want to put in there. You have the option of publishing your site right away or not so you can edit as long as you want before you actually publish it to the web.
    I also think fliers work to some extent. I know that I put some up around town and I got a few phone calls about piano lessons.
    As far a technology, I like learning things on my own as much as I can, but sometimes I need help from someone. Usually I just ask friends if they know anything about a certain topic and they are more then willing to help out. Some people suggest to take a class. Its really up to you. I know that just looking something up online can really help out too. Sometimes I just go to Google and look things up and am amazed at how quickly I find an answer.
    Hope this helps a little.

  3. Hi Kathleen,
    I’m glad you asked this question because it gives me a chance to clarify something very important. Actually, the real “meat” of marketing is not about technology, but good ol’ connecting with people. You might read Stephen’s first 4 suggestions again and just ignore any reference to technology (for now). You’ll see that the majority of what he says is to call people, take them out to lunch, send them a note, rub shoulders with other teachers, go to a convention, etc.

    If you look at Marketing Piano Lessons 102: Moving to a New Community, you’ll see again that all but one of the suggestions is web-free! Here’s that link: https://composecreate.com/marketing-piano-lessons-102-moving-to-a-new-community/

    In your case, doing it the “old-fashioned way” is actually where everyone should start. Having a website just adds to the tools that you can use and contributes to greater efficiency in some cases, but it doesn’t in any way replace good old-fashioned connecting with people.

  4. Hi Kathleen. First off, Wendy is absolutely right. Don’t concern yourself too much with the techie stuff- just get out there and meet new people in the music community.

    Just a quick suggestion before I get to what I really wanted to say: Google Maps! Create a listing in Google Maps with your music studio listed as a business. Get your parents and students to write reviews. You can list all of the basic info for your teaching studio. It is a great way to increase inquiries.

    I think you also bring up another great point that needs to be discussed further. There does seem to be some kind of disconnect between the ‘experienced’ & ‘young’ members. My association, which has a fairly large membership, has only 2 active teachers under the age of 35 (me included).

    It is my opinion that technology, even though it is extremely efficient and convenient, has deteriorated our sense of togetherness. Young teachers have become very independent and don’t feel the need to connect & be actively involved with their local associations.

    With that said, how can we change things for the better? Well, first off, the newer generation of teachers need to realize the benefits of being actively involved in their association. Secondly, the ‘Golden Oldies’ (wink) need to embrace technology and learn to take advantage of what’s right there in front of them. I really think that working together, we can all benefit.

    So Kathleen, how hard have you tried to get the younger teachers in the meetings? Have you thought of maybe assigning them a chair or offering them a position of higher responsibility? With youth, comes fresh ideas & energy. Maybe you can organize a piano teacher party at a local piano store and invite students, parents, and their friends. Just a thought…

  5. Stephen, thanks for this great article. Where did you get your polos made? Is your logo embroidered or screen printed? I looked into this a while back, but didn’t find a company that would do small orders. Maybe I should ask how many you had made, and whether you have had success selling them to students.

  6. Hi Suzanne. I had my polos embroidered at EmbroidMe in Dallas. They did a terrific job setting up the initial stitch file and the embroidery work was flawless. Got them made just in time for the TMTA convention. Along with several black polos, I had a short sleeve button up shirt (rayon material) embroidered for a different look- that turned out pretty cool. Wish I could upload pics here…I’ll upload to my facebook page soon.

    As far as selling them to students, I haven’t gone to that extent…yet. It’s on my to-do list though. I’m sure I can probably sell at least 10-15. My idea was to have my students enter a contest (and pay a fee) and the shirts would be a reward to the top 3 participants.

  7. Hi Stephen, If you do post pictures to your FB, can you put a link here so we can go there directly? Thanks for the extra info.

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