Simpedia

Kevin M.

If you have any questions related to Introductory Sessions or anything else please let me know.

Karen (USA)
I have lots of questions. Where do you want to begin?

Kevin M. (USA)
Wherever you would like.

Helen H. (AU)
How long are people prepared to wait to get booked into a session after replying to an ad?

Kevin M. (USA)
It all depends I have had people wait for as long as two months.

Karen (USA)
Wow.

Helen H. (AU)
Great – that makes it easier if you get a big response and need to do several because of space limitations.

Kevin M. (USA)
It is best to let them know if you are starting a group for example to say it will begin in about four weeks I will put you on the list and call as we get closer to the time.

Karen (USA)
Speaking of space, what about venues for sessions?

Helen H. (AU)
Okay – makes sense.

Kevin M. (USA)
I have found that piano stores are happy to have you there, or even renting out space in a church if your studio isn’t large enough.

Kevin M. (USA)
Also it is good to keep attendance down to around twenty.

Kevin M. (USA)
So for a big response to an ad, maybe you would have two or three Intro sessions on the day.

Karen (USA)
How large does a home studio need to be? I know it depends on numbers. What’s a bottom number for attendees?

Kevin M. (USA)
It is up to you Karen you could limit the amount to ten people per intro if you want, and hold a few of them.

Karen (USA)
Do you mean twenty bodies or units?

Kevin M. (USA)
Twenty units.

Helen H. (AU)
By “units” do you mean couples or families, not individual people?

Kevin M (USA)
Units refer to lets say a family of five attend that is a unit or if just one person attends that is a unit as well.

Karen (USA)
I’ve seen ads for two FIS, i.e. Sat. and Sun. of the same weekend. Does this work well?

Kevin M. (USA)
Yes it does, it gives you a chance to invite the people who NO SHOWED on Sat to have an opportunity to come on Sunday.

Karen (USA)
I’m asking because I’d like to hold the FIS in my home studio. I can comfortably hold about 25-30 people sitting. But I want to make sure I get enough numbers to fill up some group lessons. Any thoughts?

Kevin M. (USA)
Sunday can be a hard day because of church so it is good to keep that in mind.

Kevin M. (USA)
Karen some of it depends on your closing rate (how many people you enroll).

Kevin M. (USA)
I find it best to have as many Intros as I can per add and be overbooked than under booked.

Karen (USA)
Does it detract if I use an electronic keyboard instead of my piano for the FIS?

Kevin M. (USA)
I use an electric keyboard and it works fine.

Karen (USA)
So you can add on dates and times besides what’s in the ad if you get a large response?

Kevin M. (USA)
If you hold it in a piano store or church lots of times they let you use theirs.

Karen (USA)
How long are people willing to wait for a class to fill if you don’t have enough right away from the FIS?

Kevin M. (USA)
Yes Karen, and you can have private ones for people who can’t make the time if you wish, I usually make those ones around twenty-five minutes.

Helen H. (AU)
When you say in a piano store – do you mean in a separate room or area to the retail part?

Kevin M. (USA)
People generally wait a long time for a class if you keep in contact with them, and let them know about the situation in the beginning.

Karen (USA)
That’s good. Thanks.

Kevin M. (USA)
Plus you have their check already.

Karen (USA)
Do you do anything different with a private FIS than a group one?

Kevin M. (USA)
Yes, the private intro session is shorter and you don’t get the dynamics of the group. A lot of times, with the private sessions, I might teach them part of a song so they see how the method works and it gets them really excited.

Helen H. (AU)
Kevin, what have they paid for if they’re not starting yet?

Kevin M. (USA)
They are paying for the group/private lessons. I tell them the approximate starting date for the group. I also give an incentive to enroll on the day so they can take advantage of the discount.

Karen (USA)
Such as free SHM’s? (Student Home Materials)

Kevin M. (USA)
If they enroll into private lessons I usually tell them I will call in a few days and work out a day and time for them. Of course if we can’t work out a good time or if the group is not starting soon enough, and they have any problem at all, I would refund their money……I haven’t had to do that yet.

Kevin M. (USA)
Karen, you could give the SHMs for free if they enrolled on the day, but I find that too costly. I usually give them a twenty percent discount on their first four lessons.

Karen (USA)
OK, an even better idea.

Kevin M. (USA)
That way they can try it out for four lessons, and if they don’t like it they don’t have to continue – but I always charge for the materials. Again, no one has ever quit after four lessons – the program sells itself!

Helen H. (AUS)
How many private students do you have compared with how many in groups? Also, how often do the groups turnover, i.e. do you have to merge groups if numbers drop off and then start a new one. And how often would this happen?

Kevin M. (USA)
Currently I have sixty-five private students and just one group.

Kevin M. (USA)
With groups there is a little more juggling, but for the most part they stay intact pretty well.

Kevin M. (USA)
I like the group because if they miss a lesson they can make it up in another group.

Kevin M. (USA)
Also if they are going faster they can move into a more advanced group.

Helen H. (AU)
How do you do that if you have only 1 group?

Kevin M. (USA)
Helen, since I only have one group right now I can’t, but before I had lots and did it all the time. I am currently starting a campaign to start more groups, since I like teaching groups the best.

Helen H. (AU)
Thanks Kevin, I was under the impression you only taught groups for some reason, it must be because you used to!

Karen (USA)
I have a question. If you used to do groups all the time, and they stay pretty well intact, why are you only doing one? Don’t mean to be flip–it just seems odd to me.

Helen H. (AU)
I wondered that too Kevin.

Kevin M. (USA)
Good question Karen … it is along story and has to do with helping Simply Music/Neil in the development of the program. I had to put the groups on hold for a while.

Karen (USA)
Is there anyone in our area who does a lot of groups?

Kevin M. (USA)
No, Kerry is starting in midtown… I will be starting my promotions in the next few weeks.

Karen (USA)
I have several mini demos in the works – at home, at a homeschool site, at a local fair. Any input on doing these – similar or different from the more formal FIS?

Kevin M. (USA)
Tell me what a mini demo is to you, and a little more of the situations please.

Karen (USA)
I have a “unit” coming to my home for a demo, I’m doing a demo (and staffing a table) at a charter school site in August when students/families sign up for classes, and I’m thinking of doing a demo/booth at a local merchants’ fair.

Kevin M. (USA)
For home it would be like a mini FIS.

Helen H. (AUS)
I have all private students, but space to start one adult group during the day.

Kevin M. (USA)
For the charter school it depends, you could have a sign up sheet and a sign that says for example next presentation at one then the people that signed up could come back at one and see a mini FIS.

Karen (USA)
OK, good idea.

Karen (USA)
Can we talk about advertising for FIS?

Kevin M. (USA)
Kerry and I have done the most groups in Sacramento, apart from Neil.

Helen H. (AU)
Can you answer my question about where you do an FIS in a piano store – yours might be different to ours.

Kevin M. (USA)
Yes Karen.

Karen (USA)
Our local piano store (only one in town) is way too small for an FIS. Besides, the owner teaches traditional lessons in the back room.

Kevin M. (USA)
Our piano stores usually have a hall they use for recitals they let teachers hold recitals there in hopes of getting exposure.

Karen (USA)
Yes, my oldest child used to have recitals at Flemings. Remember them?

Helen H. (AU)
Now I understand – very different to the 2 stores near me!

Kevin M. (USA)
Karen, in advertising for the FIS, I have found ‘The Sacramento Bee’ to be the best, but very expensive. My last ads, two in one week and two in another, cost three thousand dollars. Of course, you make that back, but it is a big amount to put out up front.

Karen (USA)
So, my question about advertising is …do I have to spend thousands of dollars to put together an FIS? Please keep in mind I’m not planning to run a large studio at this time.

Karen (USA)
I think you just answered my question.

Kevin M. (USA)
I only started learning piano six years ago – I was a TOTAL beginner.

Karen (USA)
What about smaller newspapers and other advertising venues?

Karen (USA)
Not sure if “venues” is the right word–and me a retired English teacher!!

Kevin M. (USA)
Not really Karen , you can place cheaper and smaller ads in local newspapers i.e. ‘Arden Times’ You could call a paper and see if they will write a story/editorial on you, or advertise in the school newsletter. You could put up flyers and talk to the people in the stores you are putting them up in, as they can become your allies. Ask students if they know anyone who might be interested etc.

Karen (USA)
Is that usually successful? I ran an ad in the Elk Grove paper last week–got no response whatsoever. The paper went out to around 23,000 homes.

Kevin M. (USA)
It takes more time with the smaller papers.

Kevin M. (USA)
A lot of the time it has run more often.

Karen (USA)
The ad man suggested a 4-week run. I thought if I get at least some response, I would then follow up with a larger ad for an FIS. Any thoughts?

Kevin M. (USA)
It helps if the area is supplemented with flyers, and you could ask them to do an editorial. My first editorial got me my first twenty students.

Kevin M. (USA)
I would run the ad with a date for the FIS, and also a “call now space is limited” type of thing. It helps a lot. People need an incentive a lot of times.

Karen (USA)
So, let’s suppose we’ve had a successful ad campaign, booked up a bunch of units for an FIS. Any advice on actually conducting the FIS?

Kevin M. (USA)
Yes, do either of you have Neil’s outline of how to run an FIS?

Karen (USA)
Yes.

Karen (USA)
We pretty much need to follow the script, right?

Kevin M. (USA)
Yes. Usually I have a ninety percent enrollment rate, and recently at one of my Intro Sessions I didn’t follow Neil’s outline, and that time I had about a five percent enrollment rate. Don’t learn the hard way like I did. It sucks.

Karen (USA)
How about advice on keeping cool and handling the hecklers in the back row?

Helen H. (AU)
Yes!!

Kevin M. (USA)
Give me an example of a “heckle” and I will try.

Kevin M. (USA)
I rarely get hecklers; it is just a matter of controlling the crowd most of the time.

Helen H. (AU)
What if they ask you something you don’t know the answer to?

Karen (USA)
“How can you promise those kind of results?” “Aren’t all students different?” “Isn’t this music engineered for simplicity?” Take your pick..

Kevin M. (USA)
“I can promise those results because I see people doing it every day.”
“These results actually happened to me.”
“I have never had ONE student not learn to play.”
“A lot of people think they will be the one to fail, but thus far, they have all been proved wrong.”
“The great thing about Simply Music is that we operate on the premise that everyone is musical without exception end of story.” And I then use the speech and walking analogies etc.

Kevin M. (USA)
If someone asks an inappropriate question, or one that might ruin my presentation, I usually say I will answer that in a few minutes. Or, I might say that their question requires a more detailed answer, and that I will talk to them at the end of the session and try to answer that for them.

Karen (USA)
Well done.

Kevin M. (USA)
If I thought it would affect my ability to enroll students, I would politely ask if I could answer that with them at the end of the session, and after the sessions was done, I would tell them I am sorry but I don’t know the answer to that, and explain my background or the method if I needed to

Kevin M. (USA)
If I didn’t know the answer and I did not feel it would affect my presentation I would say, “I don’t know, sorry.”

Helen H. (AU)
What Neil did in Perth one time was say “I don’t know” and then asked audience if anyone knew and a 7 year old student put up her hand with a great answer which Neil then repeated so everyone could hear – it worked well!

Kevin M. (USA)
That’s a good one. Neil always has the best answers. I love it. I think I will use that one! THANKS!

Karen (USA)
This chat has been very helpful. Thanks so much, Kevin and Helen. I’m being called away for bedtime stories. A mother’s work is never done. Thanks so much and take care.

Kevin M. (USA)
You’re welcome Karen .

Kevin M. (USA)
Helen any final questions?

Kevin M. (USA)
Hi Kerry.

Kerry V. (AU)
Hi Kevin, am I late?

Helen H. (AU)
Thanks Kevin this has been great, guess I have just to work out what I’m going to do and do it!

Kevin M. (USA)
A little we are just wrapping up… Sorry.

Kevin M. (USA)
I can answer a question or two but I have to finish up in about ten minutes.

Kerry V. (AU)
I thought it was a 2pm start here. I was really looking forward to hearing what you had to say.

Kevin M. (USA)
Bye Helen, please email if you want to ask anything further

Kerry V. (AU)
OK Kevin, I have many questions.

Helen H. (AU)
Kevin are you going to change any of your private students over into groups?

Kevin M. (USA)
No, all my private students I will keep. I want to start a group with beginners.

Kerry V. (AU)
Do you have anything written down as in your ideas for these sessions, the do’s and don’ts etc.

Kevin M. (USA)
Yes, the biggest Don’t is to not follow the FIS outline Neil has designed.

Kerry V. (AU)
I remember you saying that on the forum.

Kerry V. (AU)
Not sure exactly how to go about it…

Kerry V. (AU)
Not from the info we have….

Kevin M (USA)
Neil gave me a trick so I did not have to memorize everything.

Kerry V. (AU)
What was that trick.?

Kevin M. (USA)
He said to put a sheet of paper in the back of the room that only I could read. He had me write a series of single letters, one under the other, down the length of the page. He had me draw a big ‘W’ first, which was to remind me of the welcome. He had me write a ‘?’, which was to remind me to ask “Who’s here”.

Kevin M. (USA)
and then a big “4”, which was to remind me of the four reasons why Simply Music is getting so much attention. I had a single letter or prompt for each one of the key points I had to cover. It really helped.

Kerry V. (AU)
Great idea.

Kevin M. (USA)
Saying almost exactly what Neil said in the first tape on core conversations really helped me as well.

Kerry V. (AU)
that does make me feel better about the actual session. …..

Kerry V. (AU)
It’s also being strong enough in me.

Kerry V. (AU)
That will come I am sure.

Kevin M. (USA)
Are you nervous speaking to crowds?

Kerry V. (AU)
Not really, I have spoken in front of over 400 people.

Kerry V. (AU)
I think it is getting out there first, not the FIS it self.

Kerry V. (AU)
It’s getting the interest from people to want to come to an FIS

Kevin M. (USA)
What have you tried so far?

Kerry V. (AU)
It’s only been conversations with people who contact me via the phone book etc.

Kevin M. (USA)
I have found a lot of things help…..

Kevin M. (USA)
The first is speaking about it often…..

Kevin M. (USA)
When I meet people I ask what they do for work and of course they always ask what I do………

Kevin M. (USA)
So that is a great opening….

Kevin M. (USA)
Also when you go and put out flyers, it is a great opportunity to speak about the method….

Kerry V. (AU)
So really it comes down to CONVERSATIONS – having as many as possible.

Kevin M. (USA)
It is funny almost every person I talk to wants to learn how to play the piano or has thought of or dreamed about it

Kerry V. (AU)
Yes I have found that too.

Kevin M. (USA)
It is really all about conversations.

Kevin M. (USA)
Neil used to say that to me all the time.

Kevin M. (USA)
I did not buy it at first, but as soon as I did it and was consistent about it, I saw that he was right – as usual.

Kerry V. (AU)
I am a Kindermusik educator…..

Kerry V. (AU)
Just beginning……

Kerry V. (AU)
I found that a few people wanted to know more, so I arranged a demo class.

Kerry V. (AU)
I suppose I could do that with SM as well. Build up the interest.

Kevin M. (USA)
I have taught a few kids very young four and a half and five………..

Kevin M. (USA)
That were from the Kindermusik program – from Neil’s wife actually…

Kevin M. (USA)
and those kids learned faster and better than any other kid I have ever taught at that age………….

Kerry V. (AU)
Yes exactly, that’s what we have found. Kevin, I really appreciate your staying on for me. I do have to go too. Thanks again.

Kevin M. (USA)
Nice talking with you Kerry, take care.