Music Teachers Blog

Summer is a great time to market your studio. The studio is typically less busy, with students away on extended vacations and camps, and you have time to re-evaluate your previous marketing strategies and actively find ways to reach your target audience for the upcoming school year.

For my studio, I teach mostly high school and college aged singers, specializing in classical and musical theater styles, but also incorporating many other styles. My target audience is young, mostly beginning and intermediate students who are learning singing basics or building off of previous training. So what are some ways that I reach them?

1. Do demonstrations at your local high school or middle school. Music teachers are always looking for an engaging activity, especially at the beginning of the school year. For singing, one of the demonstrations I do is a class on breathing. I talk about what is actually going on in our bodies as we breathe, and then the whole class gets of the floor for a series of breathing exercises and explorations. This is great for the students because they are really learning an important tool in singing, and teachers love it because it gets their chorus class started on the right foot.

2. For instrumentalists, I suggest doing to the same thing, but bring in a few instruments and play some familiar tunes for the students. This is a great, short activity for elementary and middle school students. Remember to stick around after the class to answer questions for curious students, and be ready to hand out business cards. Leave cards for the teachers to have on hand as well.

3. These same demonstrations can be done at bookstores. The stores are always looking for quality children’s entertainment over the weekends and in the summer.

4. Lead a sectional at your local high school, middle school, or summer music camp. Over the summer there is lots going on- summer musicals and music camps galore. Get involved, and get your name out there. Students participating and working with you over the summer may lead to a budding student participating in your private studio.

5. Try advertising at a senior center or retirement community. Many seniors are looking to be involved in extra activities, and lessons can help people rekindle their love of music. In this case, you may have to travel to your students because of mobility issues, so take that into consideration.

6. Get noticed! Notify your local paper about your volunteer activities, your students’ upcoming recital, or an upcoming performance. The article coverage can give you free advertising, and send a very positive message to prospective parents and students.

7. Identify excellent referral sources! Students who want to start lessons often approach chorus or band teachers, asking for referrals. If you have been successful in your volunteer efforts, this could be the start of your initial referrals through the school where you volunteered. You could get an introduction from the music teacher to other teachers at nearby schools. Teachers can also be solicited by mail. This is done most effectively at the beginning of the school year.

8. Become a loyal customer! Contact your preferred music store, and leave information about your studio with them. Music stores with a large base of rentals on your instrument or a large inventory of sheet music can be a lucrative source for prospective students.

9. Try online advertising. With my handy Music Teacher’s Helper website, I have plugged my URL onto every piece of advertising I send out. I post frequently on Craigslist, with a direct link to my website. This gives validity to my posting and studio, and students get more information than from just the original ad. Also try advertising where your target audience visits the most, like Facebook or MySpace. Both sites offer advertising on a per click or per impression basis. If your target audience is in the 13-23 age range, this is definitely worth a try.

What ideas work for you and your studio development? What marketing strategies have you tried turned into a total bust? Please share your thoughts with us!

Posted in Promoting Your Studio, Teaching Tips |