studio management Archives - Page 3 of 3

Scheduling Emails to Automate Recital Communication

October 2, 2017

automation, organization, productivity, studio management, systems

Last week I described how I communicate recital information to my studio families. This process includes sending a series of four emails to my studio families in the weeks leading up to the big day. I could put reminders in my calendar to send those emails on specific days, but why do that when I…

Recital Communication: A Week-by-Week Guide

September 25, 2017

automation, organization, productivity, studio management, systems, time management

I hear stories of teachers getting inundated by last minute questions from parents about recitals. “Where is the recital?” “What is Emma supposed to wear?” “Is Jack playing this piece or that one?” I confess, I have a hard time relating. It could be that I’m spoiled by exceptional studio parents (I think they’re pretty…

Crafting a More Flexible Studio Calendar

July 31, 2017

lifestyle, studio management

I think my calendar is trying to kill me. This is not the first time we’ve had our disagreements. A few years ago I noticed that my studio calendar was becoming rather demanding, so we sat down and renegotiated. For the first time ever, I scheduled time off. Real time off. The kind where I close…

Clear the Paper Clutter with a Tickler File

July 17, 2017

organization, studio management

I love a good digital system (especially when it comes to record-keeping) but sometimes you just can’t escape the paper. My inbox this week was a good example of that. After digitizing the handwritten notes, recycling the brochures I didn’t need, and scanning the tax-related receipts, I still had several documents that weren’t good candidates…

How a Weekly Review Keeps Me on Track

July 10, 2017

introspection, organization, productivity, studio management, systems, time management

I’ve mentioned before that I use routines to manage my time and eliminate decision fatigue. “Use” might be a bit of an understatement. I probably abuse routines. I’m a routine addict. Whether it’s for blog writing, marathon training, recital planning, or birthday card sending, I have systems and routines in place to keep my business and…

Never Give Another Makeup Lesson

July 3, 2017

studio management, studio policy, time management

Tell me if this scenario is familiar: It’s Friday morning and you’ve had a long week, teaching every evening. You just have to get through today and a few lessons Saturday morning and then the weekend is yours to spend however you wish. You can see the light! Then you check your phone and the…

Checklist for a Carefree Summer Vacation

June 5, 2017

customer service, lifestyle, studio management, time management

With summer vacation season upon us, I thought I’d share the checklist I follow to prepare for time away from my studio. Usually, students are understanding of occasional weeks of for vacations (everyone needs a break!), but forgetting to communicate the travel in advance can lead to frustration. To keep a happy studio, it is important that…

A Tattoo-Worthy Studio Experience

May 22, 2017

customer service, student experience, student retention, studio management

The phone call will forever be cemented in my mind. A parent from my music school called and she was angry with her child’s teacher and wanted to quit lessons at our school. I spent half an hour on the phone with the parent, calmed her down, and promised to switch her child to another…

A Simple Studio Policy: 5 Points to Include

May 8, 2017

lifestyle, studio management, studio policy, systems

“What should I include in my studio policy?” This is one of the first topics new teachers ask about. Basically, a studio policy should include anything relevant to the business relationship you have with your students. This document will probably change over time and it will be influenced by your life situation and priorities. Topics to…

How Much Do I NEED to Charge for Music Lessons?

February 13, 2017

budgeting, personal finance, studio management

Before we jump in, I want to address the point that how much you need to charge and how much you should charge are two different things. You need to charge enough to cover your living expenses. You should charge the amount that makes it worth it to you to teach. (That’s a topic for…

Simplify Studio Email Communication with Yet Another Mail Merge

October 24, 2016

productivity, studio management, systems, time management

I discovered a new tool this summer that has me super excited because it has solved a major limitation in studio email communication. It’s a Google Sheets Add-On called “Yet Another Mail Merge.” Sounds sexy, doesn’t it? The Painful Way to Send Studio Emails Have you ever had to send and email to your whole…