I often wish I was really great at just one thing. Unfortunately I’m a “jack-of-all trades” kind of guy. And it’s been like that my entire life. I was always good enough at sports to compete at a high level, and dedicated enough towards my schoolwork to achieve well in academics. But I was never the best of the best.
So, you could never pigeon-hole me as “The person who…” And I suppose being well rounded is a good thing (but sometimes I wonder if that’s what is said to those who are good enough… but not great).
But when it comes to running a business, like a piano studio, you need to be more than well-rounded. You need to be memorable. You need to be the piano teacher who… (fill in the blank with anything that makes you memorable).
That Piano Lesson Was Nice
As you’ve no doubt heard me say a million times before, the piano teaching business is a word-of-mouth business. And when it comes to word-of-mouth, piano lessons that are “nice”, are not good enough to grow a base of raving fans. What your piano lessons really need to be is memorable.
When piano students leave your studio, what is the first thing they say to their mom or dad when they get in the car? What is the one common response your students would say if they were asked to complete the following sentence:
Mr./Mrs. Smith is the piano teacher who (common response goes here)
Was That a No-Brainer?
If you were able to fill in the blank above in a moment’s notice, I’m going to bet you have a waiting list a mile long. Unless, of course, your response was something like…
Mrs. Smith is the piano teacher who has eleven cats. OR
Mr. Smith is the piano teacher who sweats profusely.
If filling in the blank above was a challenge, then it might be time to sit down and determine what it is that makes your piano studio special. But don’t be discouraged; just because you struggled to fill in the blank doesn’t mean your piano studio isn’t special. It simply means that you may not be aware of what makes you special and therefore you do not advertise, promote, or share your unique advantage with your piano students.
Everyone has, or can have, a unique advantage; but if you are not well aware of your specialty, than your piano students and their parents certainly won’t be either.
Share Your Thoughts and Be Entered In Our Giveaway
In the comments below, we’d love for you to share that “something special” that makes you and/or your piano studio stand out from the rest. To do so, leave a comment that completes the following sentence…
I am the piano teacher who…
Comment before midnight tonight (February 12, 2014), and be entered to win a copy of Pssst. Your Piano Teacher Thinks This Is Theory… and then you can say “I am the piano teacher who teaches theory in a unique and memorable way!” We will let you know who the lucky piano teacher is at the end of Thursday’s blog post.
Brenda Slocum says
February 12, 2014 at 9:20 amI am the piano teacher who shows love and a positive spirit at each lesson. I accept everyone at their level of music development with encouragement to be their best. As a teacher…I want them to love music and enjoy playing the piano.
Brenda Slocum says
February 12, 2014 at 9:20 amI am the piano teacher who shows love and a positive spirit at each lesson. I accept everyone at their level of music development with encouragement to be their best. As a teacher…I want them to love music and enjoy playing the piano.
Brenda Slocum says
February 12, 2014 at 9:20 amI am the piano teacher who shows love and a positive spirit at each lesson. I accept everyone at their level of music development with encouragement to be their best. As a teacher…I want them to love music and enjoy playing the piano.
Brenda Slocum says
February 12, 2014 at 9:20 amI am the piano teacher who shows love and a positive spirit at each lesson. I accept everyone at their level of music development with encouragement to be their best. As a teacher…I want them to love music and enjoy playing the piano.
Aaron M. says
February 12, 2014 at 9:22 amI am the piano teacher who mixes in fun music and music games & apps to keep learning exciting.
Nora says
February 12, 2014 at 9:33 amI am the piano teacher who builds relationships with students.
Melene says
February 12, 2014 at 9:59 amI am the piano teacher who encourages progress from my students through friendly competitions between the students-building paper chains and having a student (or students)of the week. Also the piano teacher with a friendly golden retriever named Winston who loves music too!
Mandi says
February 12, 2014 at 10:06 amI am the piano teacher who challenges/stretches her students and helps them to do the things they thought they couldn’t.
But they might know me as the teacher who gives skittles. 🙂
Aitee says
February 12, 2014 at 10:14 amI am a piano teacher who is always fun, warm and cheerful.
Nyssa says
February 12, 2014 at 10:17 amI’m the piano teacher who also mentors.
Nancy Slocum Hiatt says
February 12, 2014 at 10:27 amI am the piano teacher who LOVES beginners! I engage every student with what’s going on with them. I give treats for holidays like Valentines Day!
Lynnette Emme says
February 12, 2014 at 10:35 amI am the piano teacher who has lots of short (1 hour) recitals with exciting, inspiring, and fun songs that students got to choose themselves. And we have a great receptions with killer end of the year awards!
Rebecca says
February 12, 2014 at 11:01 amwho includes an aurally learned song at every lesson – no matter the level!
Andrea says
February 12, 2014 at 5:40 pmVery cool Rebecca!
Kristi says
February 12, 2014 at 11:27 amI am the piano teacher who puts together a great Christmas recital, starring my fabulous students!
Jolene says
February 12, 2014 at 11:40 amI am the piano teacher who teaches to the individual and loves all of her students!
Amy Boze says
February 12, 2014 at 12:28 pmI’m the teacher who had a huge memory slip performing at my students’ last recital. Bless the parent who told her children I did it on purpose to show them what to do if it ever happened to them.
Vince says
February 12, 2014 at 1:05 pmI am the piano teacher who always carries her favorite pen and a mystery box full of games (which students try to “steal” from =/).
Mallory says
February 12, 2014 at 1:54 pmLast week I had a little girl who had transferred to me a few months ago tell me “You have all these games!” So I guess I’m the teacher with all the games!
Michele says
February 12, 2014 at 2:08 pmI am the Piano Teacher Who….
Can’t wait to wow the next student with the fun things she learns from Teaching Piano Today!
I adore kids and making music with them.
Andrea says
February 12, 2014 at 5:38 pmOoh bonus points for flattery Michele 😉
Christi says
October 15, 2015 at 5:11 pmLOL, that would be me, too.
Angela P says
February 12, 2014 at 3:04 pmI am the piano teacher who has “rhythm days” with hand drums to make counting and working with a metronome fun!
Lisa says
February 12, 2014 at 4:16 pmI am the teacher who teaches all the wiggly 9 & 10 year old boys in the neighborhood that no one else wants to teach and I love teaching them! I’m also the teacher with the ninja cat.
Andrea says
February 12, 2014 at 5:38 pmThat was SO me once upon a time Lisa! (Minus the ninja cat)…
Roshi says
February 12, 2014 at 4:18 pmI am the piano teacher who is patient, kind and encouraging. who provides a holistic musical learning experience and an enjoyable learning environment Who works hard to inculcate a life long love for music.
Tonya Dirksen says
February 12, 2014 at 4:49 pmI am the music teacher who teaches students of all abilities including those with special needs. And who is so much fun and welcoming that no one wants to go home.
Thomad Johnson says
February 12, 2014 at 4:59 pmI am the piano teacher who teaches efficient practice methods!
Christobel says
February 13, 2014 at 7:48 pmI’d love to find out more about that!
Marcina Garner says
February 12, 2014 at 6:17 pmI’m the piano teacher who encourages her students to play, and be confident in the talent and creativity that each of them possess, fostering in them the belief that they can be positively impactful through the music they learn and create.
I’m the piano teacher who loves jazz, teaches theory, and knows how to improvise.
Amy says
February 12, 2014 at 6:26 pmI am the piano teacher who meets kids where they are in the musical abilities and strives to help them become better and more accomplished piano players.
Jane says
February 12, 2014 at 7:02 pmI am the piano teacher who loves to meet my students right where they are at, good day or bad, and uplift their day through a fun duet together, or find something positive to say, even if practice was at a minimum that week. I am also the piano teacher who teaches violin, guitar, and ukulele, so sometimes we get to branch out! 🙂
Jane says
February 12, 2014 at 7:02 pmI am the piano teacher who loves to meet my students right where they are at, good day or bad, and uplift their day through a fun duet together, or find something positive to say, even if practice was at a minimum that week. I am also the piano teacher who teaches violin, guitar, and ukulele, so sometimes we get to branch out! 🙂
Becky Womack says
February 12, 2014 at 7:17 pmI am the piano teacher who thinks that it is more important that a student enjoy playing their recital piece and in a relaxed manner than worry about memorizing it!
Mary says
February 12, 2014 at 7:40 pmWho can crow like a rooster, whisper like a fairy and smile in the sunshine.
Amy Z says
February 12, 2014 at 7:54 pmI am the piano teacher who lets hip beginners play bits of the Kinks, the Who and Kraftwerk and accompanies them on guitar.
muriel says
February 12, 2014 at 8:16 pmI am the piano teacher who has a play party every month, where the students play pieces for each other, play music games, where the students help each other understand concepts, terms, etc. It’s where we learn that we’re all in this together. We learn we have comrades. We learn to encourage each other.
Diann Ruesch says
February 12, 2014 at 8:44 pmI am the piano teacher that loves each of her students and truly wants to see all of them succeed. So I am always striving to teach them the best way according to their unique learning styles, learning needs, and individual interests.
Purwati Sundjojo says
February 12, 2014 at 8:55 pmI am the piano teacher who inspires and motivates students to reach their fullest potential by providing them with a positive environment that stimulates, engages, enlightens and encourages the passion to learn, invites sharing of ideas and discover personal reward in music making.
Betsy Ogdebetsy ofdenn says
February 12, 2014 at 8:58 pmI am the piano teacher who it typing blindly. My screen is black for some reason. 🙂 anyway, I am the piano teacher who teaches the students to play for life. I want my students to be able to play the songs they love for years to come. We also have awesome recitals. Last year was a western one, complete with a silent movie which my students played live with. Talk about playing for life. That was a year ago and folks are still talking about how cool it was. Hope you can read this. 🙂
Karri says
February 12, 2014 at 9:03 pmI am the piano teacher that really cares about her students – who loves music, sharing music, and making music with them! I am the piano teacher who also loves sharing whole wheat cookies and green smoothies with her students!
Chagné says
February 12, 2014 at 10:18 pmI am the piano teacher who has a 2 year old student on Wunderkeys and a LOT of patience 🙂
Maria says
February 12, 2014 at 11:31 pmI am the piano teacher who shows her students how to practise effectively, shares her contagious love for music, and enjoys baking goodies for recitals!
Linda says
February 13, 2014 at 7:49 amI am the piano teacher who lays a firm musical foundation.
Carlinton says
February 18, 2014 at 5:12 pmMe too! Nice! 🙂
Linda says
February 13, 2014 at 2:55 pmI am the piano teacher who believes listening to pieces and to our playing is the first step in learning music.
Leon Whitesell says
February 13, 2014 at 8:18 pmI am the piano teacher who first teaches the parents and/or guardians, so that they can sympathetically and understandingly guide their children in the challenging, yet enriching study of music, through the piano. Our triangle never fails!
Bree says
February 17, 2014 at 7:39 amI’m the piano teacher who specializes in adaptive lessons. My beautiful students are the bravest souls, they live with mental and physical disabilities and keep getting out of bed and smiling every day! They surprise me: for example, a five year old with severe cognitive delays, who can barely speak, has amazing rhythm and drums along to songs like a pro. These kids are the light of my life.
Carlinton says
February 18, 2014 at 5:11 pmI am the piano teacher who is very patient, encourage students to practice hard, explores different methods to help develop student’s playing skills, ask parents to get involved in practice sessions and gives incentives when progress is made.
Sarah Daltrey says
February 20, 2014 at 1:02 pmI am the piano teacher who thinks I have the best job in the world, and shares the excitement and passion with all of my amazing students aged 3 – 76 years old!
Kathy Butterfield says
February 22, 2014 at 2:03 pmI am the piano teacher who is fun(ny) and does not take herself too seriously!
Kathy Butterfield says
February 22, 2014 at 2:04 pmI am the piano teacher who is fun(ny) and does not take herself too seriously!