First impressions. We all know they are important. We all likely wouldn’t wear a sweat suit to a job interview. But are you unintentionally ignoring the role that first impressions play when you create your piano lesson advertising? Let’s change that!
According to Nobel-Peace prize winning author and psychologist Daniel Kahneman, our brain uses mental short-cuts to make decisions based on something he calls What You See Is All There Is.
What does this mean?
It means that people looking at your advertising are making lasting assumptions about you, the quality of your lessons, the feel of your studio… basically everything… all from what he calls “known knowns”; what they see directly in front of them.
No pressure.
If it’s time to spruce up your piano lesson advertising (and hey, about once a year it’s time!) then check out our 4-step process below. Advertising can be a bit of a bland subject, but we hope our humorous take will leave a lasting impression that will inspire you to give it a try 🙂
1. Being Honest With Yourself… Is Almost Impossible.
Positive first impressions are hard to predict. After all, it was YOU who just spent 5 hours designing the landing page of your website and you’re likely quite fond of it after all the quality time you’ve just spent together. And so, you probably make your own “first impression” assumptions about your own work.
Typically it goes like this. “Hmmm… How does that look?… Perfect. You’re a marketing genius.”
But what will others think?
This is where some brutal honesty is actually a good thing (not like when you purchase an expensive article of clothing, rip off all the tags, and then choose to ask your spouse “Do you like this?”)
This time you actually want to hear people’s first impressions. You want to hear “It looks a bit dark and scary.” or “It makes me think of bubble gum ice cream” or any of the other incredibly astute statements you’re likely to receive.
But if you’re not purposefully running a dark and scary piano studio or if you’re not including free bubble gum ice cream in your piano lesson offerings… then you need to know this information and be willing to change what you may have assumed was perfect.
2. Keep It Simple… Like That Party Guest We All Love.
Think of your piano lesson advertising as a guest at a party.
Is it the person who sits unnoticed in the corner playing with the mini sausage roll skewers making people to glance uncomfortably over their shoulder, unsure of what to say to him?
Is it the person who dominates the conversation and makes people to excuse themselves to “freshen up” only to never return?
Or is that interesting and quietly handsome person who engages others in conversation, shares relevant information when asked and leaves others wondering about him (or creeping him on Facebook) long after the party is over?
You know which one you want to be – fix up your advertising with this in mind.
3. Find The Right Sets Of Eyes… “Any Eyes” Is Not Helpful.
Selling Vegan food at a Rib Festival would be a tough go and would likely not be the most profitable day. In fact, the Rib Enthusiasts who have Vegan friends (Does that exist?) are less likely to recommend that Vegan food vendor because his presence was so out of place.
Is your lesson advertising in the right place at the right time, or are you unintentionally flogging tofu to meat lovers? Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that “any eyes” on your advertising is a good thing. In fact, it may even be detrimental.
Well-placed advertising is a powerful tool. Poorly-placed advertising contributes to negative first impressions no matter how beautifully designed your materials may be.
4. Back Away… Like You Would From A Starving Grizzly.
I’m from Canada and from a young age it’s drilled into us that when you meet a bear, you should slowly back away. You shouldn’t try to fight it with your bare fists. You shouldn’t turn and run.
So it goes with advertising. If webpage design or graphic design is your own version of a snarling grizzly, resist the urge to beat at it with your bare hands. If setting up a Facebook page or a youtube account is as frightening as a 600 lb mammal with claws and teeth… don’t turn and run.
What should you do? Back away slowly (if you’d forgotten this already you should really delay your trip to the Canadian Rockies).
By “backing away” we mean handing over the aspects of your advertising that you do not feel confident doing yourself to someone who is a grizzly-tamer and can handle it like a boss.
If You Wouldn’t Send Your Advertising To Dinner…
The best way to check in on your advertising is to ask… “Would I send my advertising to an important formal dinner in place of me?” Would it accurately represent you to the other dinner guests?
If the answer is “no”… then it’s time to spruce it up!
Read Also:
The 5 Essentials of Your Piano Studio Advertising Campaign
10 Steps to Finding Piano Students and Growing Your Studio
Give People a Reason to “Like”, or Better Yet Love, Your Piano Studio
