Surviving the Summer Slump: Ideas for Boosting Summer Income

Amy Chaplin

Jennifer Walschap, NCTM

MTNA Business Digest, Volume 1, Issue 3

April 2022

Do you stress about income as the summer months approach? These ideas from proactive teachers will help you plan ahead and keep your studio afloat when revenue fluctuates.

Colourful Keys: How to Handle Summer in Your Music Studio Business

Irish piano teacher and blogger, Nicola Cantan, shares four options for carrying on business in the summer as students travel—and the value of teacher vacations, too! How to Handle Summer in Your Music Studio Business

Top Music.co: 5 Teaching Experts Share Their Piano Summer Income Tips

From summer camps and workshops to offering a flexible “a la carte” schedule for private lessons, these experienced studio owners talk about how they have avoided loss of income during the summer. 5 Teaching Experts Share Their Piano Summer Income Tips

Looking for a good read?

Heather Smith, NCTM

Never Lose a Customer Again: Turn Any Sale Into Lifelong Loyalty in 100 Days, by Joey Coleman

In Never Lose a Customer Again, Joey Coleman provides eight phases of the customer journey that every teacher (and business owner) should understand in order to improve their connection and communication with each family and student. From the initial call of a potential family to a student who has studied with you for years, this book gives you practical and insightful resources on how to attract and retain students. Read more. Detailed and thoughtful information with concrete examples is included in a step-by-step guide on how to design a system that effectively retains customers (students) for the long run.

As teachers, we can connect with our students through a variety of techniques to solidify a long and valuable student/teacher relationship. It is not enough to simply expect students to stay with you for years on end. Coleman has you take a look at your studio through the eyes of a student/family to understand what it takes to give them an amazing experience.

Excellent key points are shared that can be implemented in any business, including running an independent music studio or music school. I highly recommend this book for teachers who are looking for easy-to-implement solutions that enhance their studio, increase the level of student and family satisfaction, and predictably generate more referrals than you could possibly accept. If you are looking for easy actionable steps to increase your income and to retain students because they have an amazing and unforgettable experience, this book is for you.

Amy Chaplin loves talking about all things piano teaching, studio business, organization, and good food-related. She combines all these passions at PianoPantry.com and runs a highly successful independent studio in Bluffton, Indiana.

Jennifer Walschap , NCTM, is the founder and director of Imagine Music and Arts in Norman, Oklahoma, where she teaches Suzuki piano. She received an MME degree in piano pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma.

Heather Smith , NCTM, maintains a multi-faceted career as a music educator, examiner, administrator, and community arts advocate. With advanced degrees in both business and music, Heather enjoys serving and supporting music teachers and students.