If success in business means going that extra mile… then success in the piano teaching business means going that extra mile… and that extra mile after that.
The first extra mile is what we all do as fabulous teachers. It’s the late nights searching for repertoire, printing out piano games, and customizing lesson plans. It’s the extra mile that nobody ever sees but results in happy, talented students.
And then there’s that second extra mile.
It’s the hardest mile! Because it feels like the unpaid extra mile; the coffee shop recitals, the theme months, the charity concerts, and the practice incentives. It’s also the extra mile that everybody clearly sees… and it involves a ton of work.
But, it also generates the all important buzz, word-of-mouth, and positive parent chit-chat
And while “seemingly” unpaid, it can mean the difference between a studio that thrives and a studio that dives.
Here on the blog we try hard to share whatever we can to ease the burden of that second extra mile so that you can reap the benefits and maintain your sanity. Today we wanted to show you how to go that extra… extra mile around the holiday season.
The Super Simple Holiday Party
Any time you have a chance to bring your piano students (and possibly their families) together in a large group, jump at it! When people are surrounded by other people who share a common interest (you), they will develop a natural inclination of pride, ownership and protectiveness towards whatever brought them together (you again!)
This resulting community of people is like an impenetrable forcefield protecting your success. And there really is no better time to bring your studio together to build that forcefield than the holidays.
But while this may be the “best time” to bring people together, it may be the “worst time” for you. After all, with holiday recitals, school commitments and family gatherings, planning a holiday piano party probably gives you that “just downed an entire carton of eggnog” feeling.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Because, while peering through the window of an abnormally busy cafe the other night and seeing a ton of adults playing board games and having an absolute hoot, I stumbled upon the easiest holiday piano party of all time… a piano game party.
If adults are coming in droves to coffee shops to play board games, then your piano students are going to be pumped when you throw a holiday piano game party!
Here’s how simple it is:
- Invite students to your holiday board game party
- Make it a potluck
- Clear a large board game playing area in your home or studio
- Set up games
- Have good ol’ fun
And if you want to complicate matters, just slightly:
- encourage students to wear “ugly” holiday sweater
- send each student home with a printed board game as a gift
It really doesn’t get much easier that that. But your kids will love it and parents will eat it up (and can even join in!).
But which games to use?
I know there are a bunch of PianoGameClub’ers with a shelf of games who just read this post and thought… Bingo!
But if you’re not one of them yet, be sure to check out PianoGameClub where we send our members four new games each and every month. You can even preview the four games that our members received this month by clicking on the image below.
And if you like what you see, hop on over to PianoGameClub.
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