So I'm just starting to teach piano in a studio near my university, and thus far I've only got one potential student. Granted, I haven't done much to promote myself except that the owner of said studio is referring newer students to me. One thing that I want to get clarified is how to get new students despite being a male teacher, as I was told that was a problem in finding new students for me.

Besides being a male, my other problems include a lack of certification (partially due to still being new to this; I've just finished my first year in college working towards a music degree), lack of students thus no word of mouth, and lack of directly related experience, though I have experience in tutoring math, and dealing with younger children from babysitting my neighbors' kid before they moved away.

Some of the advice I've seen here includes flyers, advertising in the newspaper, etc., but I guess I'm looking for a bit more specificity in how I can assuage* any doubts in my trustworthiness or musical capabilities within these types of advertisements.


* assuage may not be the word I'm looking for. Perhaps allay is the verb I'm looking for

I'd like to suggest that you plan an outline of what you feel qualified to teach the students that you do get.

Perhaps having an introduction package of 10 lessons ($ one fee) will help get you started.

Knowing the profile of a student you would gladly accept and likewise, what would not be acceptable to you is helpful.

If you are working for the studio you may not have a choice in acceptance you may be assigned to a student.

Come up with a program of music teaching (even thinking about the music you will teach and coming up with lesson plans will help your confidence. You will constantly be adjusting your thoughts to include new ideas coming to mind, and you will remove anything that does not work at all for your students.

You will develop at philosophy of:
What is music teaching about?
What steps occur at what levels?
What is in your syllabus and pedagogy point?
What are the benefits of piano lessons?

Start researching:
Pedagogy
Pedagogues

Start reading:
Books on the subject
Videos

The PWF has lots of contents in archives of Piano Teachers Forum about recommendations and subjects we tend to be interested in.

About advertising, a simple business card of introduction is advantageous. Don't put your fees on your business card. You might want to put your picture on the card.

Keep asking questions here, and you'll find the help you need.

Also look at my signature below to find link to Learning Musician which opens to my profile, then you can get around the site there and see the musician teachers listed there. I receive quite a few inquiries from music directories like this. The other most productive for me is GetLessonsNow.

Can I ask where you are? You can PM me if you'd like.

Betty

It's also a bad time of year to be getting new students. Most parents enroll kids in lessons when school starts in the Fall; you'll likely have more success then.

In the meanwhile, let everyone you know, even casual acquaintances, that you're looking for students. Be able to answer questions - how much you charge, how you handle scheduling, what method you use, where you teach, etc...

Hello...

Adler Augen, I understand your situation completely...I struggled too, at my first year, when the principal in my studio gave me only ONE student for the whole 8 months I was there, and even that, it was because parents were at her neck, for not being able to deliver her promises...and I had to cover for it...

And as unhappy as I was, I had sympathy for this kiddo for being sandwiched between the war of parent and teacher...so I pressed on...and WALLA!!...this parent was so impressed with my persistence and the fact that I was able to deliver at the short given time, that she asked me to teach her son on a private basis...and even recommended me many of her friend's children!!...

I am now happily teacher a couple of private students...and have moved on to a new studio, where I am better treated...and find myself useful...

I agree with Betty, that you should plan a music outline...but while at that, do not give up...the treasure is out there...and it is rewarding...

work on your one potential student for now...when you have bought his/her trust, you can be sure that he/her will be your 'word of mouth'!!

All the best!!

Do you have any piano related achievements? For example, private recitals or competitions? Do you have a list of your repertoire? Although these actually have little to do with your teaching abilities, you can leverage off of these in your marketing. Combine this with your tutoring, there should not be a problem getting new students. You will have to be more lax in your criteria for accepting students when you first start but once you have a few, you can start filtering potential students.

As mentioned, work with your one student. I only advertised for my first student and the rest are through word of mouth. It can be very powerful.

Although some may disagree, I advocate honesty with your potential clients. Let them know you are just starting out but that you are passionate about your work.

Pardon my naivete but how is being male a problem? I would not hesitate to send my kids (and I have girls) to a male teacher, as long as he taught at a reputable studio or I had a good recommendation from a friend. (same as for female teachers)

Anyway I have to agree with Kreisler, with it being the end of the school year the timing is pretty bad. But that gives you the summer to read up and develop a plan, as Betty suggested

I would also recommend putting together a letter/mini resume to send out to elementary and middle school music teachers. They get inquiries all the time and I'm sure they would be happy to add your name to their list.

To take this a step further, offer to do some accompanying for them (for a fee of course) - that way you can get to know the teachers, and meet lots of potential students and their parents. I get tons of "do you teach?" inquiries every time I play for a school.

Good luck!

Elaine

My experience this year with summer lessons is that one student (Jan 2001) took the summer off as she always does. One new student (Jan 2008) took a break and may come back in Sept. (All others are here with few planned absences each. The parents are already giving this information for the entire summer.)

This coming week I am starting 4 beginners (2 sisters, and 2 boys). In August a high school student will start.

I'm looking forward to the three weeks of my studio being closed this summer, the first week of July to celebrate July 4th, and the last week of August and the first week of September.

Open for lessons Sept 8 through mid December. Closed through the 1st of January.

I am one fortunate person in that my students have always planned to be here as much as they can during the summer.

AdlerAuden could be recruiting for September now. But, I really think he should have some plans in the computer or on paper for how to proceed with everything.

Betty

I'm recruiting for whenever students want to start really, since I'll be taking mainly beginners. I have a policy written up which the studio owner looked over already, plus information sheets and a system for organizing it all and my finances, and of course I have more professional clothing than what I normally wear to school for use in the studio. Now it's more the problem of getting students.

I was going to post a craigslist advertisement for my area, but I was curious what would be good to put in it and bad to put in it; for instance I'd prefer people email me at first through craigslist, but would people prefer to call? I would put down the general studio location in the ad, plus maybe rates, but I was thinking of saying something to the effect of "new piano teacher looking for students, has prior experience tutoring other than piano and working with children" to counteract the "new teacher" part.


I also plan on teaching year round with the exception of major holidays (christmas, thanksgiving) and when I'm out of state (I'm playing for my sister's wedding on august 31st).

I would suggest that you contact local middle school and high school band & choir teachers. Many public (and probably private, too--all my personal experience is with public) schools maintain a list of qualified private teachers whom they recommend to their students at the beginning of each school year.

Also, express your interest in accompanying students for contests and recitals. I've gotten several students this way, often when parents hear me play and their child's sibling needs a piano teacher. A bonus is that I already know the family from accompanying the other child.

And being a male teacher can be a real advantage with middle-school-aged boy students. Many times they need male role models at that age, and time spent with a respected piano teacher gives the boy a "boost" that he might not have otherwise.

Best of luck to you--welcome to the wonderful world of piano teaching!

"Free Piano Lessons During the month of July."

First you gotta get in the door. After that, its up to you to keep em in the door.

That is very true! My studio is 60% boys, and that's much higher than all my female piano-teacher friends. For some reason, more girls take up piano than boys. One of my friends is ready to send her teenage boys students to me because she can't handle them anymore.

But the downside is, we get fewer calls because the girl student doesn't want to study with a man teacher.

From student perspective, I like the free month idea mentioned by Akira. Also what State are you in?

Starting is hard...I had 3 students for my first year, 4 the next, and 6 the next....finally things got rolling and I've had a full studio (24) students for the last few years now. I wish I could take more. It takes a while to get your name out.

I donated a GC to the local private school for their silent auction and got a great new student that way.

Darn. Now I can't concentrate on anything else, cause I keep trying to figure out what a GC is. Please, Stanny, put me out of my misery.
(green car? geriatric computer? grape cooler?)

AH The light went on. Gift certificate.

Ok, I'll just slink quietly away and get on with my life...

I had to donate GCs to local schools for my first few years here. They used them for their fund raising auctions. Does work well.

Possibly tax deductable as well?

Yes, under the IRS code, artists, including musicians, can deduct fair value of services donated. If you give away a gift certificate to a school fund raiser, fair value would be what you would normally charge for the product.

I'm so glad you got it figured out! I posted a thread last spring when the auction was. My neighbor asked me to donate it and I thought it would be at least goodwill since about 1/2 of my students come from that school. It ended up doing both...goodwill and a good new student!