I spent a great deal of time today re-vamping my piano studio policy. And while I agonized over every single sentence, I got to wondering just how many parents would actually read it. My guess is 60%. And I think I’m being optimistic.
My family will tell you that I have an odd sense of humour and so my mind naturally went to crazy ways to ensure that my piano studio policy gets noticed! If you also find yourself shaking your head as you reiterate, remind.. (and want to retire!)… enjoy my list and then add your own zany ideas in the comment section below 🙂
1. It’s a Secret
Print your piano studio policy in invisible ink. Hand out a blank sheet of paper that must be heated over an open flame to reveal the words.
2. Be The Willy Wonka of Piano Teachers
Embed a “golden ticket” in your studio policy. Hide a secret code amongst the text. The first person to find the code and phone you with it wins a free chocolate bar at every piano lesson for a year.
3. Kick it like Oprah
Give a free car to the first person who can recite your piano studio policy entirely from memory with no errors. Make it a micro-car. It’s all in the fine print.
4. Get Dramatic
Stage a dramatic reading of your studio policy at the end of your recital. Hire local high school students to re-inact common piano studio scenarios and involve members of your audience in finding a solution to the problems that arise.
5. Make it Permanent
Get a tattoo with your most important studio policies clearly laid out. Wear only tank-tops for the entire year to constantly display your informative art.
6. Go Viral
Deliver your studio policy in a video format directly to your client’s inbox. Hire the “Charlie bit me” boy to read your policy aloud in his adorable English accent. 473 million people have watched and loved this little guy. You’ll totally have their attention. (Okay..I’ll include the link for those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about.)
7. Use Your Pet
Make your dog or cat a t-shirt and iron transfer your studio policy to the back of the shirt. As your clients pet your adoring animal in your waiting area, reading your words will be unavoidable!
What crazy ideas can you come up with to ensure your clients read your piano studio policy? Share by commenting below.
Alice Peterson says
Love the “dramatize at your recital idea”. And I just might do it! Next recital is January, however, and that’s a long time to go without parent’s reading policy…
Jolene says
Seriously, I put a space on the policy sheet for the parent and student to sign and return to me. (Just like school papers!) You won’t be surprised to hear that I have received only 2 out of 17 back. 🙂
Jeannie says
For those of us who use Fearless, why not use those characters tell everyone the policies — make signs big enough to hang on the walls in the waiting area?
Andrea says
Yes! Threaten them with Silver Shriek 🙂 Love it! LOL
Stephanie says
I have always had parents and students sign my policy sheet and go over it with them in detail during the initial interview. I have lost count of the number of times parents seem to “forget” my policies, but being able to show them the copy with their signature seems to be the best way to jog their memory.
Elaine says
Love these ideas, and I’m seriously stealing the Golden Ticket one to adapt for my classroom policies. Thanks!
Dorla says
Ha ha ha!
At my studio once you pay I assume you have read and agree with my policy. It is a shame the parents are just mostly concerned with how much it will cost per month!
Betty Patnude says
Thanks so much for the uproarious laughs you gave me in your “Be Sure They Read Your Piano Studio Policy” today! I just love your humor and know that you have set me to thinking about using more fun and humor in my communications. Humor is such a tickler for getting agreement and compliance and being memorable, I think. I don’t know why I haven’t thought of humor before in my policies which really feel and very, very “stiff”. I thought I was done with this year’s updates, but I think I’ll not print them yet from the master because I now feel the necessity of making sure my policy is even more attractive, meaningful, fun and easy to read and truly represents me. And, I’m working on materials for a new website too, and will welcome some lighter hearted ways of saying what I need to say….instead of the “Thou Shalt’s!” I’m just getting acquainted with your work with little visits here and there as time allows. I’m so glad I’ve found you.
Andrea says
Hi Betty! You’re welcome – I’m glad you had a chuckle. If we can’t laugh about these parts of the job then we’d drive ourselves crazy! I’ve always found humor to be a wonderful tool when dealing with most things that could be taken much too seriously. I prefer to err on the lighter side of life 🙂 I can’t say that I’ve done any of these 7 ideas myself (yet) but it was certainly tempting yesterday as I answered yet another email asking when Spring Break was (right after I sent a studio calendar out). Such is life and it’s better to laugh.
Drema says
Thanks for all these absolutely dramatic and fun ideas! I’m in the midst of revamping my studio policy. I really would like the parents to read and be familiar with the policies and was also thinking of how that can happen. I like the invisible ink idea! I’ll bet that can get the kids to start reading them too! I plan to go through some of the studio policies during our September Kick-off but really haven’t thought of how to make it so that it won’t be boring. In the past, I’ve just printed it off and place it in the student’s assignment folders. Yes, I’ve heard other teachers getting parents to sign the policies too.
Maybe we can write a fun catchy song or jingle to get the students and parents interested. The other day I came across a music program “Let’s Play Music” and they turned learning the inversion of chords into this fun song to help kids learn! Hehe…maybe if I have time in the future~
Hope we can all be seriously firm and creatively fun at the same time in getting our studio policies heard!
Cara says
Have parents sign one that is in the students file, and display a policy predominately, but in a non-threatening way..Friendly looking font…colorful…