How to Attract More Students

This is part 2 of 7 from the blog and video series 7 Steps to Attract More Students and Grow Your Violin Studio (What I Wish I Knew When I Started My Studio 10 Years Ago). 

​The entire series is available as a download in the Music for Young Violinist store.

STEP 2/7: CRAFT A POWERFUL PERSONAL STATEMENT

Personal statements are a declaration of your beliefs and they showcase what makes you special. You need to craft a powerful personal statement for 2 reasons:

1- Prospective students are looking for a special teacher.

2- You need to get clear about what your superpowers are and philosophy is in order to clearly move forward as a small business owner (more on being a small business owner in Step 3). 

Consider the difference between these 2 statements:

Heather began playing the violin at age 4 and started teaching at the age of 18. She went to a school you never heard of where she studied with a famous teacher who you have also never heard of. Heather likes working with children and playing the violin. Heather has 2 cats.

vs.

Heather is deeply committed and enthusiastic about sharing S. Suzuki’s philosophy that every child has talent and every child can learn. Her energetic and organized teaching style create a supportive and dynamic environment for students to realize their potential. Over the course of her 20 years of teaching she has witnessed firsthand the power learning a musical instrument has to train focus, increase intelligence, and develop life skills such as perseverance, confidence, and step by step mastery.

Can you feel the difference in these statements?

Who would you choose to study with?

Identifying what makes you and your teaching studio special will grow your self-confidence. If you are reading this then you are already passionate about your teaching and seeking students who share this and are willing to do the work requested of them. By expressing this clarity in all communications and actions, your personal statement will attract the specific type of student you are seeking. This personal statement should be clearly presented on all promotional material and exemplified in your attitude and teaching.

To craft your personal statement start by making a list of what makes you special and sets you apart as a violin teacher. Include:
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• Styles you teach.

 

• Your educational background.

 

• Age groups you specialize in.

 

• Philosophy for learning.

 

• Philosophy for music.

 

• Years of experience.

 

• Types of experience.

 

• Beliefs about why violin lessons are valuable.

Let’s keep going - what else makes you special?

Don’t hold back, write anything and everything down when brainstorming content to craft your personal statement. Aim for 2-3 pages by the time you are done with this process.

• Do you perform? 

 

• What stands out in your personality?

 

• Do you play additional instruments or compose?

 

• Have you won any awards?

 

• Do you have degrees outside of music?

 

• What made you play the violin in the first place?

 

• Do other members of your family play music?

 

• How do you feel when you teach?

 

• What makes you smile when working with students?

 

• What was one of the most poignant moments in your teaching to date?

 

• Do you speak any other languages? 

 

• Do you offer any scholarships in your studio?

 

• Do you have another skill set that complements your violin teaching?

 

• Does your program do anything unique (Christmas concerts, play-a-thons, field trips, practice challenges, teen club, parent talks, etc…)

But wait, you are not done with acquiring the raw materials to craft your personal statement just yet. You also need to ask someone who knows you well like a spouse, sibling or colleague to describe you to yourself. You will likely be surprised at what they share and this is important because this feedback will be congruent with how others perceive you. After you have made these lists you are start to whittle the content down to some sentences that really capture your values, your vision and the essence of what makes you a special teacher.

Alternate to a personal statement is a mission statement for your teaching studio. A mission statement will define the vision, purpose and intent of your studio. Here are examples of mission statements from the Music for Young Violinists project to demonstrate:

* Cultivate joy and focus in the learning process.

* Bring out the best in your music making and teaching with 
organized materials and contemporary music. 

* Teach the true satisfaction in life comes from the inside out.
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* Helping violin teachers and parents bring out the best in their young musicians with free resources, innovative teaching materials and multi-level music.

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For a $20 donation you can receive a 26-page PDF download of the entire 7 part series: 7 Steps to Attract More Students & Grow Your Studio (What I Wish I Would Have Known When I Started My Studio 10 Years Ago) . 

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Thanks!

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