The majority of piano teachers seem to be receiving emails and even texts now-a-days when new piano students are inquiring about lessons. In the past you wanted to have a “phone script” carefully planned out in terms of what to say to potential new piano clients, but now the tides have turned and 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 Your Response to a Piano Lesson Inquiry
1. A “get to know me” moment – your potential clients are looking for someone to spend time with their child. This means 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 child’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 kids and that this is more than just business to you.
3. The Normal Stuff – Keep it short and sweet. “Yes, I do have a few spaces left in my schedule.” List your openings (avoid an exhaustive list of empty spaces to not seem desperate), your rates etc. and answer any questions they had. 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 inquiring to multiple teachers or activities.
5. A call to action – Tell them exactly what they need to do to book a space with you. 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 for you so you’d just have to come out 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 at the studio. 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 for me so if that Thursday time works for you 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!
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