These days, most piano teachers receive emails and texts when new piano students are inquiring about lessons.
In the past, you wanted to have a “phone script” for potential new piano students, but now the tides have turned and the written word is much more relevant.
And with this switch comes fantastic opportunities! We can convey much more in an email than we can during a phone call and we have a completely captive audience who wants this information.
What do I mean? Read on!
The 5 “Must-Haves” In A Piano Lesson Inquiry Response
1. A “Get To Know Me” Moment: Your potential clients are looking for someone to spend time with their children. This means that they really appreciate getting a glimpse into who you are as a person. You don’t need to write to them like a long-lost friend, but a sentence or two that lets them “in” goes a long way. Avoid sterile responses that seem all business. You want them to connect with you immediately.
2. An “I Already Like You” Moment: Ramp up the friendliness factor by commenting on their children’s name, their part of town, or anything that they have included in their own email. This lets them know that you are invested in your piano students and that this is more than just a business to you.
3. The Normal Stuff: Keep your email short and sweet. “Yes, I do have a few spaces left in my schedule.” List your openings (avoid an exhaustive list of empty spaces so as not to seem desperate), your rates, and answer any questions. Avoid long and drawn-out studio policy discussions for now. A simple “Once you choose a time I can send along more information on my studio.” works for the initial contact.
4. The Reason They Want YOU: Never miss this opportunity to sell your piano studio. A carefully crafted sentence or two that effectively conveys what makes your studio unique goes a long way; especially if this prospective client is contacting multiple teachers or activities.
5. A Call To Action: Tell them exactly what they need to do to book a space. If you can (without seeming pushy), give them a deadline. People are more likely to make a decision if they know exactly how to do so and when they need to do so.
Wondering how this all looks? Peek inside my most recent reply to a family with 3 children signing up for lessons below…
Hi Elisa,
Thank you so much for your inquiry into lessons! I’m really looking forward to meeting your children. I hope your move from Nova Scotia went well – my husband and I were there about 5 years ago and we thought it was just beautiful! Were you living close to Liverpool? So pretty!
I do have a few spaces left in my schedule. In fact, I could coordinate your 3 kids back-to-back to make life easier. You’d only have to come out to the studio once a week! The spot is Thursdays at 4:15-5:45 (30 minutes each). Let me know if this works for you or if you’d like to hear of alternate possibilities. Once we settle on a time I can send you more detailed information on my studio.
We’re really excited about this year of lessons. Our focus is on creating relevant lessons that are motivating and enjoyable. At age 12, your son will really appreciate our ability to make the piano “cool” 🙂
This is a really busy time for registrations so if that Thursday time works, let me know right away and I can “scoop it” for you. Just pop me an email back to let me know.
Thanks so much,
Andrea
Simple, effective, friendly, and hard-to-ignore on the part of a potential client looking for an enjoyable environment for their children. Give it a try… I’m betting your response rate will soar!
What To Do When An Adult Wants Lessons
If you are receiving inquiries from adult students and older beginners, in addition to the information above, you’ll also want to tell them about WunderKeys Pop Staff Piano Library For Older Beginners. This exciting program is quickly becoming the go-to resource for teachers who work with beginning teens and adults.
Click here or on the cover below to learn more.
Eleni says
Wow! Even I was intrigued to send my future children to you 😛 Lovely advice as always! I am just starting as a piano teacher so I hope you’ll be hearing from me.
Cheers!
Andrea says
Ha ha! Well there you go – proof that it really does make a difference 🙂 We’d love to hear from you as you start out! Cheers.
Jamila says
Great Post!
Thanks for sharing !
Andrea says
Your welcome Jamila! Hope your fall has got off to a great start.
Nancy says
Yes, thank you for giving words to those of us who aren’t very creative!
Andrea says
Thanks for commenting Nancy! We’re happy to be a part of your piano teaching life 🙂
Deb says
How would you respond if you do not have any openings in your schedule and you would like to place them on a waiting list?
Morag says
Hi…. I don’t have an openings for ….. at the moment but I sometimes get last minute cancellations. Would you like me to put …. on a waiting list and get back to you if a space becomes available?
Ethel J Harris says
I object to your spelling of WONDER incorrectly. If we were learning German, it would be great, but I hope we’re still speaking English! It’s hard enough to learn to spell in English, why make it confusing and difficult? You do so much else that’s excellent!!
Andrea says
Hi Ethel! WunderKeys is a play on the German word “Wunderkind” which is “a person who achieves great success when relatively young”. This is our goal for children who use the WunderKeys program – which is why we chose that spelling 🙂 There are millions of companies who choose alternate spellings to allude to certain aspects of their company – we’re just doing the same.