Talking About Simply Music
Found in: About Business
Robin K. Washington
Hello Teachers,
I’ve had a question about “The Talk” come up twice this week so I thought I’d ask for your input.
1) Let’s say you are in an elevator and someone asks you what you do for work. You have 30 seconds….what do you say about Simply Music that grabs their attention and makes them call you (after you hand them your card)?
2) Say you are at a convention or have a booth at some event. Quick, you have one minute to capture someone’s attention and imagination before they go to the next booth where there is a traditional piano teacher or a violin teacher. What do you say about Simply Music?
3) Someone calls you because they saw your ad somewhere and wants to know about Simply Music. You have three minutes…what do you say?
I’d love to hear from LOTS of you about what YOU say that captures people’s attention and has them dreaming of playing the piano Simply Music style. I think we could all benefit from this discussion!
Karina S.
I actually have a couple of pitches in song!
1. My official tag line “At dream2play, you’ll find the way to make music, simple, fun.”
2. I also have an entire theme song that I wrote (that is easy to sing acapella) that I share instead of talking…works like a charm and people ALWAYS remember me!!
Terri D. North Carolina
Here are a couple of approaches I use:
Simply Music is like total immersion into speaking a foreign language. The best way to learn, say, Spanish, is to move into an all Spanish speaking environment for several months and begin learning by listening, practicing and communicating. With the Simply Music Piano method, the student is taught how to communicate and speak the language of the piano by listening, practicing and playing (communicating) with the instrument. When we are born, we are totally immersed in the English language by not understanding one word, but learning from hearing everyone else speak it. However, we are not handed a book when we are 6 months old, we learn how to speak the language first. Reading comes much later. With Simply Music, we learn how to speak the language of the piano first and reading music comes 40 to 50 songs later.
Another analogy I use with the reading music aspect is that when we wear glasses, our eyes get dependant on our glasses and when we take them off, we can’t see as well – if at all. With the traditional reading-based approach to learning how to play the piano, take the music away and you can’t play a thing or have a hard time remembering how to play a particular piece of music. You get dependent upon the music in front of you just as you get dependent upon the glasses on your face. With Simply Music, you learn how to play songs immediately, you learn variations on the same songs and some very advanced arrangements of the same songs very early on. Your friendship has begun and you have developed a deep and satisfying comfort at sitting at the piano and playing many different styles of music – you are able to see without your glasses on.
Victoria S. California
30 seconds:
“You know how a lot of people wish they could play the piano but think they aren’t musical, or it would take too long to learn, or they don’t have enough time to practice, or they had a bad experience with traditional lessons at an earlier time in their life and they don’t think they have what it takes? (Don’t wait for an answer)
Well, I show people of all ages a non-traditional way to play by putting both hands together from their first lessons and playing a variety of musical styles such as contemporary, classical, gospel, blues and accompaniment. Later, they learn to read music with the songs they already know how to play.
My piano studio offers a free introductory session so people can learn more about this unusual approach. Would you be open to being contacted about the next FIS my studio has scheduled?
(Yes) Great, all I need is your name and two ways to contact you by phone and email. (Have your paper and pen ready).
(No) Thank you for listening. By the way, do you know anyone who might be interested in learning about my studio?
(Yes) Great. Here’s my card. Thank you for sharing it with them.
(No) That’s okay. Thank you for your time and have a great day.
1 minute at a booth:
I’d have our very colorful laminated posters, a huge banner with the name Simply Music Piano Method on it, two pencils/pens attached to the table so no one could walk away with them, and two FIS notification sign up sheets with columns for names, phone numbers and emails and instructions to PRINT ONLY, and a keyboard at which I would be playing a medley of SM songs.
When they pass by, I’d smile and ask if they have ever played or wished they could play. Then I’d begin the conversation as above with whatever modifications the moment called for.
A 3 minute phone call:
I think Neil covers this very nicely in our training.
I would ask more questions and listen to find what their problem is (ie. they want to play, or they have a child who wants to play and they need a teacher), if they are motivated to take action if they find the right teacher by first coming to an FIS or signing up for lessons immediately, and if they feel the SM approach (as revealed in conversation) will fill their needs.
Annette S. California
I teach a revolutionary method of learning to play piano and keyboard that’s fast and simple.
Laura L. California
When I am “walking and talking” or at a street fair or community event handing out flyers/postcards, I approach people with “Are you interested in the best piano lessons on the planet?!” I say this line with enthusiasm and playfulness. While this does not address your questions below, it has been a great first line for “blind” encounters for me at which point people are often very receptive to going on to the 30-second, 60-second, or 3-minute conversation!