How to Attract the Right Private Music Students for You
I don’t know about you, but when I started teaching, I accepted every student who enquired. Like many people starting out in business, I was glad of any enquiries I received, doubly so if they turn into paying customers.
All I knew was that I taught flute, piano and singing.
That was it.
It never crossed my mind to think about what sort of students I wanted to teach - which ones were right for me. I accepted any age, at any stage of learning, without giving it a second thought. I never thought about my approach to music, to teaching, and which types of students I might suit best.
Of course, many of these things evolve over time, largely as a result of experience. But I still meet teachers, often through my mentoring programme, The Reimagined Studio, who are struggling. They’re advertising their services, yet the types of students who sign up aren’t really the ones they want to teach.
So, in this post on The Notebook, I want to share some of the things I’ve done which have helped me to attract the students who are the right fit for me - those who I think will benefit most from my knowledge, skills and music education philosophy.
You don’t have to teach everyone…
Firstly, it’s OK to specialise and it’s OK to set boundaries.
It took me a long time to realise that, as a private music teacher, it was perfectly reasonable to specialise. I didn’t have to be everything to everyone.
Not only does this play to your strengths, but it also sets a boundary which can help protect your energy and well-being.
But I understand that this can feel scary. What happens if you get clear on the types of students you want to teach, but there simply aren’t enough of them to generate your desired income?
I’ve experienced those insecurities on my own journey, and they’re just some of the things I work through with teachers as part of The Reimagined Studio.
But I want to let you into a little secret…
Since I got clear about what I offer and the types of students I thought were the right fit for me, my enquiries have actually increased.
It also means I spend less time responding to enquiries from people whose needs I am unable to meet.
And that feels like a win for everyone.
Start with yourself
As teachers, we all have our strengths and weaknesses - and I see that as a positive.
For example, I specialise in teaching teenagers and adults. Deciding your own strengths are, and recognising the things that don’t feel quite right for you, is incredibly valuable. It requires some honesty - with ourselves more than anyone else.
What do we feel comfortable teaching? What energises us? What drains us? What are we particularly good at? What might we be better off leaving to another teacher?
I don’t know about you, but just as I want my students to enjoy their lessons, I want to enjoy teaching them.
I spent many years teaching some people who just weren’t right for me, simply because they were paying customers. They were the ones I dreaded each week - not because there was anything wrong with them, but because we just weren’t a good fit.
Honestly, there was no enjoyment in that.
And I think we sometimes forget that it’s OK for this to matter.
What matters to you as a teacher?
One of the things which can help you think about the types of students who are right for you is to explore your teaching philosophy.
This is different for each and every one one of us. It sounds daunting, and let’s face it, it’s not necessarily something us private music teachers think about very often. But at its heart is simply a sense of what matters most to us - and to our students.
Here are just a few prompts to get you thinking:
What is your approach to exams and assessments?
What do you want your students to get out of their lessons?
What types and styles of music do you enjoy teaching?
Do you use a particular approach which underpins your teaching - Kodály, Dalcroze, Suzuki or something else?
What part would you like music to play in your students’ lives, both now and in the future?
What sort of studio space do you want to create - not simply a physical space, but an atmosphere?
What is your approach to performance? Do you organise performance opportunities or concerts?
How has your own musical journey shaped the way you teach now?
There are no right answers here.
The point isn’t to create a perfect teaching philosophy statement. It’s simply to start thinking about what matters to you.
Let people see what matters to you
Once you have a clearer idea about your teaching philosophy, you can then think about how you communicate that to potential students.
Whether you have a website - and I personally think this is vital - or a social media presence, what you share and the way you share it should reflect your philosophy.
Here are a few prompts to help you think about the message you’re putting out into the world:
Do the images and graphics you use reflect the types of private music students you want to teach?
Does your text draw potential students - or their parents - in?
Can potential students - and their parents - recognise themselves in what you share? Do they say “that’s me!”?
Will they feel at home in your studio?
What’s your story - your musical journey - and how does that shape your teaching now?
Do students - and their families - feel welcomed by the message you share?
Have you clearly stated where your boundaries lie?
You don’t have to appeal to everyone.
In fact, perhaps the opposite is true.
The clearer you are about who you are as a teacher, the easier it becomes for the right people to recognise that you might be the teacher they’ve been looking for.
And it’s OK to say no
Over the past few years, I’ve spent a lot of time exploring these ideas. The text on my website has undergone many revisions, and I’ve thought deeply about the kinds of things I share on social media.
But even I still get enquiries from people for whom I’m not going to be a good fit.
And do you know what?
It’s OK to say “no”.
Not because those people aren’t good enough, or because there’s anything wrong with them. It’s simply because I’m not the right teacher for them.
Maintaining boundaries is important - and ultimately, that’s as important for them as it is for you.
Remember too that none of these things are fixed. They evolve over time, and they’re things you can return to again and again.
Life changes. We change. Our students change. And our teaching can change with us.
Above all, I’d love every private music teacher to enjoy their teaching - not because they feel they have to teach everyone who knocks on their door, but because they are teaching the students, and working with the individuals, who fit best with their teaching philosophy.
Perhaps you don’t need to attract more students.
Perhaps you simply need to become a little clearer about which students are right for you - and give them the opportunity to find you.
If this got you thinking…
If some of these questions have got you thinking about your own teaching, you might enjoy Letters for Your Musical Journey - my gentle weekly Monday email with a little encouragement, inspiration and space to reflect.
If this entry in The Notebook has encouraged or supported you, you are warmly invited to buy me a virtual coffee on Ko-Fi. Support starts from just £3 - whether as a simple one-off gift or a monthly subscription - helping this freely offered work to continue and quietly grow.
Perhaps you don’t need to attract more students. Perhaps you simply need to become a little clearer about which students are right for you.