Many pianists wish to become piano teachers but are intimidated by the task. It is natural to question your ability to teach or build a business. Fact is, in order to succeed as a piano teacher, you have to be very competent in many areas – piano performance, music history, music theory, piano pedagogy, and basic business. I created the Wyndham Academy of Music to train prospective or current teachers in each of the aforementioned areas of study. We offer an online Diploma in Piano Education that can be completed in just 3 months and only costs $499! Visit our website at www.becomeapianoteacher.com
Step 1: Become a Good Pianist
While this should be obvious, I have seen many teachers jump into teaching before they were competent pianists. This does not mean that you have to be a concert level performer. You should, however, have a good grasp of the classics such as Fur Elise, Mozart’s Sonata K545, Moonlight Sonata, Bach Inventions, etc. If you can play at this level, then you should have no trouble teaching beginner-intermediate level students. If you wish to teach advanced students, you should play at concert level. It is important to stay sharp as a performer and always play for your students at your recitals. This proves your ability, inspires your students, and shows that you wouldn’t ask your students to anything you won’t do yourself!
Step 2: Get Training in How to Teach Piano
A good pianist does not always make a good teacher. These are are two different skills. At the very least, you should shadow and assist an experienced teacher for a while. Learn what works and what doesn’t work. It is far better to earn a proper credential. Credentials show your potential clientele that you are legitimate and qualified. This will help you get business and charge more for your services. Options include earning a music or piano degree, getting your diploma online from the Wyndham Academy of Music, or getting MTNA certified. You may be thinking, “I don’t have any credentials but I play very well and think I can teach.” This may be true, but what happens when a client asks you, “What are your qualifications?” You’re not going to look very good if you answer, “uh…I took piano for a long time..”
Step 3: Establish Your Business Model, Policies, and Procedures
At this time, you have to determine how you are going to set up your business. Many teachers have a home business, teach at their church, at a piano studio, or in their client’s homes. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. I find that having a home business is unprofessional and possibly violates zoning ordinance. Your phone may ring, your kids or pets may interrupt, your spouse may be forced to be quiet or be out the house while you are teaching. Teaching at a church or at a private studio can be a great choice provided that the environment is quiet and conveniently located. I strongly recommend setting up a full-service piano business where you travel to your clients’ homes for lessons. Though you will suffer the distractions of the environment, you will reap unbelievable customer retention, professionalism, variety, and be able to charge more. These clients are far less likely to quit and are willing to pay more because of the convenience factor. Plus, it keeps your expenses down. No rental space, no utilities. I currently teach 23 students this way. I often get free meals while teaching. I enjoy the change of environment every hour. The only expense associated with this model is your gas. But it is minimal and you get to write it off on your taxes; just keep a mileage log! You also need to establish your cancellation policy and payment method. Never charge per lesson and seldom offer refunds for missed lessons. If you do, then you are giving the message that this is not a commitment and that your time is not valuable. Instead, charge per month. I charge $90/month for one 30-minutes lesson per week. If a student cancels a lesson, no refund. In the rare event I have to cancel, then I pro-rate the next months payment or re-schedule.
Step 4: Market Your Business
You have to advertise heavily at first to build clientele. Chances are that your first students will come from your circle of friends. The most effective method of advertising by far is word-of-mouth. Encourage your first students to spread the word and offer them an incentive to do so such as a referral kick-back or a gift certificate. Another effective method is to get business cards and shamelessly hand them out to virtually everyone you meet. It is amazing how many people will light up when you hand them your card and they will launch into a story about how they regret never learning or quitting when they were young or how they want their kids to learn. Less effective methods have their place such as passing out fliers or advertising in a local paper. It’s also great to set up a simple website so that people who do an internet search for a teacher in your area can find you easily. There are several very easy website builders out there such as “Website Tonight” offered by GoDaddy.com. You should consult a professional on how to market a website effectively.
Good luck to you as you build your business! Building a thriving business takes lots of patience and hard work. If teaching piano is your passion, then by all means pursue it with all your might. The world needs positive experiences for children and adults alike. There is no greater gift than that of music (in my extremely biased opinion).
