Would you allowed your new student who wants to try out piano lesson for a month with discounted price take four weeks of lessons wihout having a piano or keyboard at home?

I actually did this once, although I didn't offer a discount. Here's what happened: the student loved the lessons. When the trial period was over, suddenly the parents decided that a piano would take up too much room and they refused to buy one. I was placed in the unenviable position of discontinuing the lessons, which the parents resented. Therefore, they diligently spread stories about how I was unwilling to work with anyone who wasn't rich enough to buy a piano. Never made that mistake again.

Wow! I've never had this happen to me, but then again, I am upfront with students that they need to borrow or rent one, and then after 2 months or so they can decide if they like lessons enough to invest in an instrument of their own. As long as the student has something to practice on, I understand 100% if money is tight. But if money is tight, why would you waste it on lessons when it won't help you progress without being able to practice? Unless you're having lessons daily or at the very least 4 days a week, but it's actually cheaper to buy a decent digital piano at $500 than to go 4 times a week to lessons. After 5 or 6 weeks you've broken even on the price of a piano.

I wouldn't, since the families mostly likely to continue in lessons see the value of buying or renting a piano and won't need a trial period. I wouldn't discount my rate either. If you want to give parents an incentive to try piano lessons, you can offer them something once they continue past the four-week trial.

Because one or both of the child's parents are narcissists (or worse). I've tripped over more than one of these monsters in my teaching years. They want to ensure failure in the child but also be able to say "it wasn't my fault" and pretend they were supportive the entire time. Consider yourself lucky to be rid of this vermin and say a prayer for the child who will have much damage to overcome in later life.

I've run into this situation enough that I devised this plan.
I purchased a decent used keyboard from my piano teacher, who no longer needed it. Now, when people contact me inquiring about lessons and answer "no" when asked if they have a piano or keyboard, I offer them a trial set of lessons (4) at a slight discount, and let them borrow the keyboard for the trial period. I make it very clear that this deal ends after the four lessons and that the keyboard must be returned at that time. So far, it's worked like a charm. Everyone I've offered this "trial deal" to has ended up purchasing a piano/keyboard and continuing with lessons.

You mean they won't even shell out $100 to buy a used toy keyboard. Heck, for $100 you can even buy a beat-up acoustic that's fit for a landfill.

Just say no. Students like this are not worth your headache.

This customer bought a 4-lessons at discounted price. After our first lesson, she promise she will get a keyboard. However, now she is telling me that she is not going to get a keyboard.

I told her in email:
"I will give you piano lesson if you have instrument to practice at home. Or, I have to give you "music lesson" (without piano) where do you not need an instrument to practice at home."

Then she said:
"Thanks for the offer, but I bought the deal with the intent of playing the piano....Piano lessons should be applied to the instrument. I am disappointed that your company is refusing this service."

How can I convince her that she need a keyboard to practice at home for a piano lesson, or I will just have to teach a music lesson?

Thanks

Buy a paper keyboard for her to use for practice....they are $1.99....

rada

Suggest that she take all four lessons back to back in one session. Then she can go ahead and quit.

That seems to be her plan, might as well save her a the cost of driving back and forth to your studio three more times. Get it over with.

No. It's a waste of money, for student, time for everyone involved.

I don't agree. The discounted trial lessons with the borrowed keyboard approach has worked well for me. All the students I have started this way have purchased a piano or keyboard and continued with lessons far beyond the trial period. In these tough economic times, people are understandably careful with their money I don't blame them for making sure that their child is REALLY interested in piano lessons before purchasing a decent instrument for them.

Can you explain to her that she will make very little progress without any practicing, and then go ahead and teach the four lessons anyway, proceeding at whatever snail's pace her lack of practice necessitates?

But a month of lessons where nothing is difficult isn't indicative of anything sonataplayer.

Part of our job is to explain the absolute necessity of having an instrument.

I absolutely agree, Candywoman. I tell them right up front the necessity for having a decent instrument, but understand that buying a decent instrument involves a significant outlay of $$$. Perhaps the trial period could be longer, too. I'm just sharing my experience. It's worked for me.

May I ask how many of your students (or what percent) belong to this unique category of piano students? I'm not being sarcastic. It's just that, in my experience, these students don't usually work out. But I haven't had these students since 2004, and as of three years ago all of my piano students have at least an acoustic piano to practice at home. I'm getting a brand new piano student next week, and she already has an acoustic piano at home; her parents have already made an investment in their child's music education.

We're living in two very different worlds! I teach in rural New Hampshire. Enough said?????

It takes only a few "bad parents" to make the piano teacher to revise their policy. Check this out and let me know what you think:



If you do not have a piano or keyboard now, you can buy one from Target, Best Buy or Fries. If you do not want to buy one keyboard before your first lesson, EZPiano offer a keyboard rental program as follow:
1. Monthly rental fee for keyboard is $40
2. A deposit of $100 is required; this will be returned when you return your keyboard in a nice shape.
3. You will pick up your keyboard at your first lesson after you pay total of $140.
4. When you finish your four lessons promotion and do not wish to continue, you have to return the keyboard and have $100 deposit back.


Thanks!

This seems a bit odd to me. The core of your business is instructing piano - why do you want to get into the business of renting musical instruments as well? Renting an instrument would entail a fairly detailed contract covering loss, theft, damage, etc. It could be a nightmare if the student abuses the keyboard. Plus, what is your course of action if the student does not return the keyboard to you by the agreed date?

Thanks very much for your approach. This will give a chance to some kids whose families are limited in means or knowledge for a proper piano education.

If the OP is in an area where people have easy access to rental pianos, that might also be a recommendation to parents who sign up for trial lessons. A low-end acoustic rental piano costs very little per month.