Simpedia

Carrie L., Michigan

I’d say examine your mindset. Are you in the place that you aren’t “needing” students but are confident that they will come? Envision where/who you’ll be in a year or two years and come from that mindset. I can say that late in my recent pregnancy everyone that attended FIS’s signed up. I was excited and energetic (surprisingly) and people felt that. I also wasn’t desperate for students.

When we opened the new studio I wasn’t wanting new students and some that came to FIS’s didn’t sign up. This week I met with 3 new families and they all signed up as I’m again in the mindset of “we have places to fit new students”.

If YOU feel like you are young and inexperienced they will sense that in some way and may pick up on that. If you are looking at yourselves from a standpoint of what you’ll be in the future, it may be different.

Follow up a day or so after and ask if they have any further questions. Ask if they want to be on your newsletter (if you have one). Sometimes people aren’t ready to make the commitment that minute but are willing to in a day or two or even weeks later. I have had students sign up six months later because I’ve kept in touch through facebook, newsletter or otherwise.

Page S., California

Sounds frustrating. I have had some of my FIS’s go that way. My sense is that when they went that way, that I probably talked too much and was “attached” to the outcome (hard not to be when one doesn’t have many students).

One FIS in particular comes to mind where at the end of my FIS, after questions had been answered, I allowed an uncomfortable “pregnant pause” to occur. I should have done exactly what Neil does at the end of his FIS which is to say…(and this comes after you have explained your tuition costs and offered a 20% discount off the first months tuition if they sign up now) “Thank you for coming…if anyone has any further questions please feel free to approach me while I am cleaning up.” When you close this way do your best to not be attached to whether anyone signs up or not, go about your business of cleaning up and contain any anxiety you may be experiencing.

Easier said than done but it builds character. Remember each “no” or “not yet” means you are one step closer to hitting that home run. Keep the faith, it will happen.

Winnie B., Colorado

Last time I was I running the FIS’s I did offer a 20% discount for the 1st month’s tuition and book I cost, paid at the time of the FIS or within 24 hours, with a hand delivered check. Many people got on board with that offer. In the big picture of students who come for months or hopefully years, this is very affordable for me as a teacher.

Bernie A., California

I’d like to share my story with you as a way to encourage you. It’s a little bit long.

I started teaching about 10 years ago and I never thought that I would be where I am at now. When I first started I lacked an extensive traditional background so I was very fearful of rejection and failing. Good thing I loved playing. I first advertised in the newspaper and spent about $1000. I set up my first FIS at a Yamaha store. I was very nervous but did all the right things. Memorized the FIS, taped my notes to the back of the room, etc. I received about 20 calls with about 12 people RSVPing to the event. And they came including an editor from the San Jose Mercury News. As I went through my presentation, I fumbled on my words and played poorly. Guess what? Nobody signed up. Talk about bummed!

I decided to take a different approach. I began to take flyers and started telling everyone about my studio. The first day that I did this, I got one student just by handing out a flyer. Over the course of a few months, I had 10 new students. It was a slower way to go. It worked well and students/parents were happy. I was happy. I didn’t spend anymore money.

I’ll tell you what sells. Passion and belief. I made a comment above, “Good thing I loved playing.” If you were to see me do an FIS now, I have about a 90% sign up rate. I didn’t have that at the beginning. I think the difference is the experience and practice of doing FISs over and over and over again. Over time you get better and more enrollments will come. But what I feel most importantly about is the excitement that I have about Simply Music when I am doing these FIS. Parents see this. I am passionate about Simply Music because of the story that I’ve lived. I know what piano lessons can offer to students/parents and my actions say that if you take lessons with me, your life will change. I really believe that because I’ve seen it in my students. Parents buy into it because they want the best for their kids. It took me awhile to strengthen my belief system and confidence in myself and Simply Music but I’m living proof that a life can change. It came with time for me.

Your youth, I would have to say that some will be concerned about that and decide not to sign up. The same was the case for me because of my lack of traditional background. When this happened, I learned to accept it, despite the disappointment. To decrease my risk of losing prospective students, I decided to work on my skills to the best of my abilities so I could be the best teacher I could. Of course, again this took time. You both have such wonderful enthusiasm. I’ve seen it on your website and the posts you have on the forum. Your passion will take you far as far as closing the deal. Your energy as a young person will only be to your advantage.

I hope these words of encouragement will only spur you on. You have a powerful gift in your hands through Simply Music. Be careful how you wield it because it will change lives. Be faithful to share and it will come. Time is on your side.

Peter S., Australia

Similar to what Carrie L. suggested about keeping the right frame of mind, I’ve found rather than being disappointed with the students I don’t have, it’s important to give more energy to being grateful for the students I do have and to being a good teacher for them.

April H., Utah

I am also a very new teacher- I have yet to start my first lesson- so I am still in the finding student phase. After my first few initial people had signed up, and I had quite a few “maybes”. More than two months went by without any more signing up- I wasn’t really doing anything. I am getting closer to starting my first groups and I wanted them full, so I forced myself to begin finding more. I put some flyers out on cars at our local pool/rec center and got zero response. So, I swallowed my brave pill and began calling anyone I had ever talked to that had ANY amount of interest. I called all the people that had either said they would think about it, or get back to me or whatever. And I was amazed at how 100% of them are still interested, and a lot of them enrolled. Some are still thinking over the next few days, but most said they had been meaning to get back to me but hadn’t yet.

So, I would call any prospects that you have and tell them you are starting a group soon and put a little urgency behind it if you need to. A lot of people won’t make a decision unless they have too. They have to have a deadline. I have been amazed at how having a deadline has helped my enrollment.

Dixie C., Washington

I’m a bit hesitant to share my mindset as I don’t want to be misunderstood. Although I am grateful for the students I have & for those who choose to enroll, I also think it’s a privilege for a student to be able to take lessons from me. In fact, I feel so strongly about this, I even present my FIS by saying toward the end that this program isn’t for everyone, & “before I will accept a student, I need to be convinced that the parents understand the basic requirements of the program & are in a position to follow through on the commitment necessary for their child’s success”. (Or for their own success if it’s an adult). I’ve had families wait over a year to get into my studio because they feel it’s a privilege as well.

This mindset has come after several years of struggling to grasp the true value of what I offer through Simply Music. A year ago I was ready to throw in the towel–I was so burnt out, & still not confident enough to require what’s needed for my students to be successful. But I thought, what would I do that would generate this much income & where I can set my own hours? When I realized SM was my best option, I decided to become the most knowledgeable & confident SM teacher I could possibly be & began carving out time to educate myself more. It’s transformed the way I teach as well as my confidence in what I’m doing.

If you’re not feeling confident in yourself, be confident in the program. Read the Forums and Simpedia and save ideas in your files that will be useful down the road if they aren’t yet relevant. SM has a steep learning curve & can often feel overwhelming. As I gained in ideas & understanding, I made a list of changes I wanted to make & gradually began incorporating them. Change is a bit hard for students & parents, but it keeps them on their toes, and I think they appreciate that I’m constantly learning & growing right along with them. And, of course, try to get to at least one conference a year. The camaraderie alone is worth a lot, but you’ll gain tremendous insights as well.