My wife teaches piano to buy our groceries and fund our sons ESA (Educational Savings Account). Each student gets one lesson per week, four per month.
She told me last night that the things that suck the life out of her and suck the fun out of what she does are students that don’t want to be there and parents that don’t care either.
I asked her how many lessons it takes for her to know that a student is not serious about learning to love the piano the way she does. She said, “I can tell after 3 lessons.”
The students progress is proof that they are internally motivated to learn what she teaches them. It is also proof that there is a support person (usually a parent) that creates a supportive environment around them that is conducive to practicing, learning, and progressing.
I had an idea for her business. All current students and new students will undergo a one month (four lesson) assessment period during which Kacey will decided whether or not to keep the prospective student on.
Qualifying prospective students up front:
• Saves parents money (by not continuing to take their money for lessons for a student that does not want to learn)
• Builds a group of passionate learners (allowing her to enjoy teaching piano to her students)
• Adds value to her businesses (parents are happy to pay for something that brings happiness to their kid)
• Respects her time (by only teaching those who are willing and interested in being taught)
• Adds credibility as a teacher (by playing to her experience, education and expertise)
• Creates a unique selling point for her business (by using self-developed methods that set her apart from her competition)
All of these things justify a steadily increasing teaching rate and help to create a happy piano teacher by only teaching students that learn.
During the assessment period, she will be able to track a students progress. Doing so will create a success metric which she can then project onto the coming month as a goal for her students to work toward.
This bit of trackable progress will add clarity to the process of learning for the students parents. It will allow parents to clearly see the goal their student is working toward which will help them to encourage their student.
I’m a parent. I’d feel good about that level of clarity if my kid were learning something. I’d be able to give honest encouragement to my kid and celebrate with them when they reach their goal.
Every student is different and will progress at different levels. There is nothing standardized about a kid. Each success metric will be different for each student that takes lessons from my wife. That will be stated upfront to parents interested in getting their kid enrolled.
Trackable progress is motivating. I allows you to glance behind you and feel proud of what you’ve accomplished and motivates you to get where you’re going. Tracking these “little wins” is the icing on the cake of a student who is already passionate about learning.
I was struck by the idea that my wife is not selling piano lessons, she is serving parents and students by giving them an opportunity to experience the passion of her soul.
I wrote the following for my wife to use on her promotional hand-out to parents:
“Hi, I’m Kacey. I am passionate about songwriting and playing the piano.
I started learning to play at the age of seven and went on to graduate Summa cum Laude from the University of Central Oklahoma with a degree in Piano performance because playing fills me with joy and light.
I love to spread that joy and have developed a series of trackable methods that allows me to focus and reveal it in a such a way that others can experience it as well.
I do that by teaching piano lessons. I pour all of my experience, education and expertise into igniting that same passion in the heart of your student. Enrollment is currently open. Would you like to sign up?
Call: 405 615 8973 to reserve your spot. I’ll talk to you soon.
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