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Ideas to Get Your Lesson Program Growing
By Andrew King
IN an ever-homogenizing music retail environment , lesson programs are becoming increasingly attractive and important as a means for individual businesses to establish competitive advantages and truly differentiate themselves from their local and regional competition .
Administering a lesson program is no walk in the park , as the hundreds of retailers across the country simultaneously running music schools can attest ; however , the pros of a well-run program should far outweigh the cons . On top of being a consistent , predictable revenue stream , a strong lesson program is an MI sales generator and essentially an incubator for loyal customers . It goes a long way towards establishing your reputation as a musical hub in your community , beckoning to people of different ages , skill levels , and backgrounds .
Even at a quick glance , one will notice how the educational programming schedules at events like The NAMM Show or upcoming RPMDA Convention are ripe with presentations and seminars specifically about lesson programs . That says a lot , considering that such events have reputations for presenting timely and topical subjects at the forefront of major industry shifts .
Here , we ’ ve invited a few successful retailers who ’ ve stimulated significant growth in their lesson enrollment in recent years to share some ideas about how they ’ ve done so , and how they ensure their lesson programs are ever in the public eye , top of mind for anyone looking to develop their skills and enrich their lives .
ENGAGE THEM EARLY
When Nick Hamlyn first joined the team at Gary Bennett Music in Corner Brook , NL , it was 2011 and its Yamaha School of Music had about eight or nine teachers . In the years since , that number has more than doubled and the school now welcomes nearly 400 students on a regular basis . That ’ s especially impressive when you consider that the city is home to fewer than 20,000 people , though owing to the population density on the west coast of Newfoundland , some of those students are driving for 30 minutes or more .
Hamyln says that one of the biggest advantages of having a Yamaha School of Music onsite is its various youth programs – Tunes for Twos , Music Wonderland , and the Yamaha Junior Music Program , for example .
“ Typically , students can ’ t get into private lessons for piano until they ’ re at least five or six , and often don ’ t get into guitar or drums until they ’ re seven or eight ,” he offers , drawing from his own experience . “ But these [ programs for young people ] introduce basic rhythm , melody , dancing … We ’ re getting students through the door at two years old , and they often carry right through for several years .”
He says as the students get older and progress , they ’ ll discover which specific instrument appeals to them and then keep going from there . Even if you ’ ve developed your own curriculum for your lesson program , there ’ s no reason you can ’ t launch a program targeted at younger learners , just to introduce them to the joys of music making .
“ The programs are just so well presented and so much fun ,” Hamlyn enthuses , reporting that his office is actually right next to the studio where they hold their Tunes for Twos classes , and it ’ s one of the highlights of his week listening to the sweet sounds coming from the room . “ It ’ s just so adorable .”
22 • CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE