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Advice on teaching


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Posted

I stumbled onto a cheap space and going to start teaching lessons in febuary. Any advice on advertising for students, setting up the studio space, advioding pitfalls, etc.

 

Any advice would be greatly appriciated...:thu:

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Posted

I hope you have some savings to pay the rent on the teaching space ... it can take some time building a business if you're on your own and just starting out. Word-of-mouth is the best advertisting -- everything else costs too much money and may not be as effective. YMMV.

 

Try to not to be all things to all students.

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Posted

1. Children have short attention spans. Teach them songs, and mix in theory here and there.

2. Try and make it fun, and not tedious. Throw in things like the BCEF, Big Cats Eat Fish, or other sayings, to teach them to remember...

3. Have a open space, enough room for both you and them comfortably...

 

Try posting on Craigslist? I know lots of High School/Middle School/Elementary School band teachers recommend instructors - try and geti in on that. How? Thats up to you to decide.

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I get my students from ads I put up at music stores, craigslist.org, and local online musician forums.

 

What I've found is every time I put an ad up I get at least one response from every place I put an ad up. So, if I put an ad up in 5 different places, I get at least 5 responses.

 

So, find a couple high traffic areas and you'll ge the word out better.

 

Also, continue to advertise while your schedule is full. This way you can build up a waiting list of students. This is VERY important.

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What I've found is every time I put an ad up I get at least one response from every place I put an ad up. So, if I put an ad up in 5 different places, I get at least 5 responses.

 

 

Do they all become students?

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Posted

 

Do they all become students?

 

 

I've only been back into giving private lessons about a year and a half now and I've only had two inquiries that didn't sign on when they were called back. Now that means they are either in as a student or want to be put on a waiting list.

 

I advertise about every 3 months or so, so I have a good waiting list at this point.

 

The students I currently have are pretty solid. I only teach one evening a week (4-5 hours, each student at least an hour) and two of them have been with me over a year now, and another about 8 months. So, I'm rotating one to two other hours worth of guys about every 3 months or so...that's about the normal length of the rest of the students.

 

Just thought of something to mention...

 

the funny thing is with the guys who have been with me over a year now...the lessons morph into different things. Like one guy I taught over at his house helping him learn how to use the Internet more effectively for learning. And both the guys at one point or another...I was giving them PC recording lessons. I've also given Effects lessons...they both buy a lot of gear. It's up to them what they want the hour to be. Keeps things interesting too for all of us.

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Posted

 

Just thought of something to mention...


the funny thing is with the guys who have been with me over a year now...the lessons morph into different things. Like one guy I taught over at his house helping him learn how to use the Internet more effectively for learning. And both the guys at one point or another...I was giving them PC recording lessons. I've also given Effects lessons...they both buy a lot of gear. It's up to them what they want the hour to be. Keeps things interesting too for all of us.

 

 

I've had the same experience. Some lessons can be about gear, computers, songwriting, general music theory, history, gigging.

 

I also try to teach them all how to track down tunes, tabs, utilize youtube for lessons or to watch the original guitarist play the original version of the song, and whatnot. A published book of tab is going to cost them less than having me transcribe a tune for them ... plus, the book will have many more tunes in it and it adds to their music library. Even when they track down the tunes, the tabs, or the youtube stuff, they still have questions.

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Posted

I stumbled onto a cheap space and going to start teaching lessons in febuary. Any advice on advertising for students, setting up the studio space, advioding pitfalls, etc.


Any advice would be greatly appriciated...
:thu:

 

It would be better if you could do it from your home, unless this place is really cheap and in a good location.

 

Here are some ways for cheap advertising:

 

1) A sign board by the roadside of your home or studio

2) Craiglist if it's free or real cheap

3) Kijiji This is free. not as popular in USA as Canada but it is growing. Here is a link for you. http://newark.kijiji.com/f-Services-Art-music-decor-W0QQCatIdZ100075QQExpandCatZ1

4) Some grocery stores and others have free message boards where you can leave your business card.

 

It's best to have the students pay for a month in advance. That way, they'll show up.

 

Hope this helps. All the best with the new business venture.

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Posted

 

I've had the same experience. Some lessons can be about gear, computers, songwriting, general music theory, history, gigging.


I also try to teach them all how to track down tunes, tabs, utilize youtube for lessons or to watch the original guitarist play the original version of the song, and whatnot. A published book of tab is going to cost them less than having me transcribe a tune for them ... plus, the book will have many more tunes in it and it adds to their music library. Even when they track down the tunes, the tabs, or the youtube stuff, they still have questions.

 

 

Wow, music lessons have really changed with the internet and all the effects products that are out there.

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Posted

It would be better if you could do it from your home, unless this place is really cheap and in a good location.

 

I teach all my lessons in my students' homes. Most of them are in the same neighborhoods (word travels fast) and, by having that situation, I keep my travel time down.

 

I've also used a contractor to help build my business and have had solid success.

 

My father had a home-based business where he had a steady stream of clients everyday. Though davidwebb sounds like he has another location besides his own home, here are a couple of considerations based on what my father went through running something similar.

 

Make sure you have a designated lesson room and a waiting room with a bathroom. Since you'll have folks coming in and out of your house, you may want to have (if possible) a separate entrance so that clients don't come into the areas where you do your day-to-day living. If you aren't a neat freak, consider hiring a maid service to clean your work area and bathroom. The lesson area should be a tax break as well as (iirc) the maid service (you'll need to check w/ your accountant).

 

You'll need enough parking space at your house for at least two extra cars ... one space for your current student, and one for the next student. And you'll need to let students (and parents) know where to park.

 

Having clients come in and out of your house all day long could arouse suspicion and aggravation amongst your neighbors. Check with your city's zoning laws (or neighborhood association) to make sure that what you are doing won't get you fined or forced to close shop.

 

Set a cancellation/no-show policy and be consistent about it. Even though you are at home, you don't want to twiddle your thumbs between lessons due to no-shows or last-minute cancellations.

 

Also, set rates that are consistent with the going rate. If you are too inexpensive, you won't look professional; too expensive and competetion will eat you alive. Both extremes usually mean an empty calendar.

 

YMMV. ;)

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