Professional Development

Photo: Emile Holba

Kirsten Peter, ISM’s Digital & Insights Manager, discusses how to approach growing your private teaching business

E L O P M E N T V PROFESSIONAL D E

Whether private teaching is a mainstay of your work or something you’re looking at expanding, there are several ways to grow your teaching business.

First think about your ideal mix of pupils and whether there are certain groups that you would like to teach more, such as adults or early years. Consider this alongside your teaching strengths and whether developing your technical prowess is your forte or if you prefer to teach those who want to play for fun?

Then sense check that your target audience is compatible with your own commitments and on when lessons take place this may appeal to working adults or, if you have availability during the daytime, this may suit someone who is retired. Can you teach year-round or only during the academic year as this could also affect the type of student you appeal to?

Next identify how to reach your prospective pupils and how you can market yourself to them. Consider if there are local venues, rehearsal rooms, activity or leisure groups you can contact or visit to introduce yourself. If you can, obtain a supportive testimonial from a current or former pupil in a similar demographic to use on persuasive when advertising for new students. If there is something about the way you teach that would appeal to a certain demographic, then highlight this in your advertising. This can be anything from teaching students with disabilities or special education needs to offering lessons online.

You may be wary of the word ‘brand’ but think of it as your ‘personality’ – it’s the way you want to present your business to the world. Consistency is key – everything from posters to your website should have a similar look and feel. This ensures you come across as professional and authentic, as well as giving an indication of what your approach or style is. Your musical genre or instrument may may want to look different to someone teaching pop or rock electric guitar. There are a multitude of options for setting up an affordable website. Making the leap to contact a music teacher will be a big decision for many, so your aim is to put potential students’ minds at rest and help them make that decision

Use your biography to detail your experience and establish your credentials. Use FAQs to answer questions about what to expect in lessons and provide useful information about your teaching environment, such as accessibility provisions or proximity to public transport. You may wish to mention your fees and your standard terms and conditions which will be set out in the contract.

short information snippets that come up when you search for a service – is up to date. You might also want to explore online advertising and there are many useful guides online if this is something you want to take further.

Lastly, don’t forget the power of traditional methods of marketing like posters, community business cards with people you meet that point back to your website or social media and ensure you obtain a phone number or email address so that you can follow up with prospective students to see if they want to take the next step and book a lesson.

your business: 1. Think about the people who may be interested in taking your lessons. Put yourself in their shoes and think about where they would look for a music teacher. 2. Develop a consistent brand that is congruent with your personality 3. No two teachers are the same, so use your website to tell your story 4. Apply to be an ISM Registered Private

Teacher to demonstrate your teaching credentials at: ism.org/advice/registeredprivate-teacher 5. you, you never know when you will meet someone who could be a prospective pupil.