starting a group piano studio from scratch webinar outline...starting a group piano studio from...
TRANSCRIPT
Starting a Group Piano Studio from Scratch
WebinarOutline
2007TheMayronColeMusicConservatory,Inc
StepOne:CreatinganIdentityforYourPianoStudio
• Giveyourpianostudioanameo Youarearealbusiness.Ifyoutreatyourselfasarealbusiness,others
willtooo Trytohavetheword“piano”inyourbusinessname
Ø Youwanteveryonetoknowwhatyourbusinessdoes• Youcancreatealogoevenifitisjustaspecificfont
o Usethatlogoonallofyourads,signs,businesscards,registrationforms,everything
o Peoplewillstarttorecognizethelogoandidentifyitwithyourbusinesso Makesureyourlogoiseasilylegible
• Checkwithyourlocalauthoritiesregardinganyrequirementstheyhaveforbusinessesinyourarea• Talktoyourinsuranceagentaboutbusinessinsurancepolicyforyourpiano
studioStepTwo:WheretoTeach
• Areyougoingtoteachathomeorinacommercialspace?o Prosandconsofteachingathome
Ø PRO:Nooverheadcosts!BIGPRO–especiallyforanewteacher
Ø PRO:Youcantaxdeductaportionofyourmortgagepaymentandutilities(consultanaccountantregardingthespecificsofthesedeductions)
Ø CON:NosignagetotellthepublicyouarethereØ CON:PropertyOwner’sAssociationmightnotallowitØ CON:Mayhavetolimitadvertisingbynotpublishingyour
addressØ PROorCON(dependingonhowyoufeelaboutit):Many
peopleinyourhomeo Prosofteachinginacommercialspace
Ø PRO:HighvisibilitywithabilitytohavesignageØ PRO:Havingacommercialspacepresentsamore
professionalimagetothepublicØ CON:Highoverhead(especiallyasanewstudiowhenyou
don’tknowhowmanystudentsyouwillhave)
Ø CON:Asanewgrouppianoteacher,youusuallyhavetofindaplaceandsignaleasebeforeyouhaveanyideahowmanystudentsyouwillhave
Ø CON:Mightonlybeusingthespaceforafewhoursaweek30orsoweeks/year,buthavetopayrent24/7/365
• OtherLocationOptionso Church–ifyouarethechurchpianist,yourchurchmayallowyoutoteachpianoinoneoftheirroomso RecCenter–mayhaveanafterschoolprogramthatyourpianoclassescouldbeapartofo MusicStore-manymusicstoreshaveroomssetasideforteachingo PrivateSchool–makesureyouarehiredasContractLaborandnotasanemployeeoftheschool
• Howmuchspacedoyouneed?o Minimum200’sq–tightbutitwillworko 400’-500’sqisacomfortablesizeo Afewstudiosareaslargeas2000’sq
Ø ifyouaregoingtohaveotherteachersworkingforyouStepThree:Pianos
• Howmanypianoso Thenumberofpianosyouneedwilldependonhowmanystudentsyou
plantoteachatatimeØ Youneedtohave1pianoforeachstudentintheclassØ Mostgrouppianostudioshave4–8pianos
o Youcanwaittoseehowmanystudentshavesignedupbeforeyoupurchasekeyboards
Ø IfyouaregoingtostartbyteachingBlastOffwithPianoand/orBlastOffwithPianoJunior,youcanhave2studentsateachpiano,thenoncetheyhavesignedupfortheschoolyearpurchasemorekeyboards
Ø FormoreabouttheBlastOffcourses,pleaseattendour“HowtoMarketandTeachBlastOffwithPianoandBlastOffwithPianoJunior”Webinar
• WhattypeofpianosØ Needtobedigitalpianossoyoucancontrolthevolumeandallthekeyboardswillalwaysbein
tunewitheachother(acousticpianosdonotworkwellinagroupsetting)Ø Notallofyourkeyboardsneedto“match”–youcanmixandmatchbrands,models,colors,and
sizesØ Keepinmindthatastudentwillonlybeusingyourkeyboard
forabout20minutesperweek,sothekeyboarddoesnothavetobetop-of-the-line
Ø Youdonotneedheadphonesorateacher’sconsole• Thisisaclass,notmultiplesimultaneousprivate
lessons• Headphonescanspreadlice
• Whattolookforwhenbuyingapiano(inorderofimportance)1. Allkeyboardsneedtohavefullsizekeys–thewidthofeachkeyis
astandardpianokeywidth2. Allkeyboardsneedtohavearacktoholdupthemusic3. Allkeyboardsshouldhaveatleast61keys4. Verybeneficialtohaveajackinthebackinwhichtoplug-inasustainpedal(pedalisusuallysold
separately)5. Verybeneficialtohavetouchsensitivekeys6. Lessimportanttohave88keys7. Leastimportantandveryexpensive–Weightedkeysareverynice,butnotnecessaryifyoudon’t
wanttospendthemoney
• Howmuchdokeyboardscosto Comesdowntohowmuchyouwanttospendo Pricesvarygreatly,butmanyofthebells-and-whistlesarenotitemsthatyouneedfor
teaching(ie:hundredsofinstrumentsounds)o Youcanspendaslittleas$125foranewkeyboardthathas61full-sizekeys,touchsensitive,pedaljack,
musicrack,andusuallycomeswithastandØ Thesekeyboardscanrangeuptoabout$250
o Inthepricerangebetween$400-$600,keyboardjusthasmorebells-and-whistlesthatyoudon’tnecessarilyneedforteachinggrouppiano
o Inthe$900anduprange,thereareverynicedigitalkeyboardsthathave88weightedkeysandnicestands
• Whereisagoodplacetobuykeyboardso Checkyourlocalstores
Ø LargediscountelectronicsstoresØ Largemusicstores
• ThesestoresalsousuallyhavesomeusedkeyboardsforsaleØ Large“bigbox”storessometimescarrykeyboards
• Someonlycarrykeyboardsduringthewinterholidayso Internet
Ø Ebay.com,Amazon,andlotsofothersites• Lookattheshippingcharges
o AdvertisethatyouarelookingtobuyusedkeyboardsingoodconditionØ PlaceaclassifiedadØ Placeasigninyourstudiowindow
• Whensettingupthepianosinyourstudio,havethepianosfaceeachothero Thisisaclasssoyoudon’twantthepianosfacingthewallso Allowsthestudentstointeractwithyouandwitheachother
Ø Willmakepianolessonsmorefun
StepFour:Whatelsedoyouneedtogetstarted?• Ifyouareinacommercialspace,youneedtohaveasignforyourbusiness• Adjustable-heightfoldingtablestoholdpianos
o Availableatlargeofficesupplystoreso CanuseXstandsthatcomewithmostpianos,buttheyarenotverysturdyandhavebeenknownto
collapseonstudents• Gametableorareaonthefloor• Pianobenchesand/orstools
o Most“BigBox”storescarryavarietyofstoolsØ Foldingstoolsareaslowas$10-$15each
• Aselectionofpens,pencils,and/orcrayonsfortheoryfunsheets• MayronColePianoMethodboardgames
o Youcanstartoutwithasfewas1game,butthekidsliketohaveavarietyofgamessoeventuallyyoumightwanttopurchasemore
• StudioStart-UpKito 20ItemsspecificallyforteacherswhoarestartingaGroupPianoStudio
soldat$100offregularpriceso plusafreegifttoyouisourStudentAuditionBook
• AMayronColePianoMethodtextbookforeachstudento Thisisapass-throughexpenseo Youneedtochargethestudentforthebookandshippingontopoftheirtuitiono Teachershouldorderallofthestudentbookstogethertosaveonshipping
StepFive:BriefOverviewofAdvertising&Marketing• Advertisingisextremelyimportant
o Thepublichastoknowyouarethereo Don’trelysolelyonwordofmoutho Budgetapercentageofyourincomeeachyeartoadvertisingo Advertisingistrialanderror
Ø Placeadsinmultiplepapersandseewhichonesgetthemostresponse
Ø Perhapsinyourareapostcardsaremoreeffectivethanads,perhapsvice-versa
Ø Don’tjustplaceoneadthengiveupifyoudon’tgetaresponse• Placeadsinsmallnewspapers
o Moreaffordablethatlargepaperso Targetsaneighborhoodratherthananentirecityo Schoolnewspapersalsotargetyourcustomers
• Postcardmail-outo Purchaseamailinglist
Ø Mailinglistcompaniescanbefoundon-lineØ Givethemyourcriteria
• Certainzipcodes• Certainincomebrackets• Householdswithchildren
o Useyourchild’sschooldirectory,orborrowschooldirectoriesfromfriendso Mailoutpostcardsadvertisinganopenhouse
Ø Peoplerespondtodeadlinesratherthanopen-endedinformationØ Perhapsofferadiscountiftheybringthepostcardtotheopen
houseØ Attheopenhousehaveadvertisingbrochureand/orcoloringbook
forpotentialstudents/parentstotakehome• Marketingcanbeaseffectiveasadvertising
o Brainstormabouthowtogetthewordoutaboutyourstudiowithoutspendingverymuchmoney
Ø Thesetacticsusuallytakemorework,butsaveyoumoneyØ Alwaysbrainstormfornewanduniquewaystoreachyour
customerso OffertoteachMr.ChristoforiInventstheSoft-Loudinmusicclassesatarea
elementaryschoolso Perhapshiretheboy-scoutsinyourareatoputflyersondoorsoroncar
windshieldsinthegrocerystoreparkingloto Perhapsputupsignsinthemedianofabusyintersectiono Perhapsputamagneticsignonyourcaro Contactyourlocalreccenterorschooldistrictoutreachprogramabout
offeringaclassthoughtheirprogram
The Only Piano Method That Takes Students from Kindergarten to College