Closing the Sale and Scheduling the First Lesson

Date Posted: 11/29/2010 | Category: Marketing

As a music teacher, you probably don’t think of yourself as a salesperson, but your ability to “close the sale” (set an appointment for that first lesson) is vital to the success of your business. Just like anything else, with a little practice, your “selling” techniques will eventually become second nature.

The most important thing to remember when a first-time caller inquires about lessons is that your goal is to enroll that student. Keep that goal in mind and steer your questions and conversation accordingly. Be proactive. Make an effort to find out the new student’s goals for music education, as well as their current skill level and preferred genres. Then you can discuss your expertise and training and explain how you can help them achieve their goals.

While on the phone, keep the conversation light and friendly, and try to avoid extended moments of silence. In addition to explaining how your teaching will benefit them, you should also inform the parent or student about your policies, such as payment options, business hours, and special offers for new students.

When setting up the time and date for that first lesson, it pays to be flexible. If necessary, consider scheduling a lesson that may seem inconvenient or require you to shuffle your schedule a bit. It’s better to be accommodating than to lose a potential student! Once a relationship has been established and the student enjoys your teaching services, arranging schedules will be much easier.

Close the conversation by courteously, and enthusiastically confirming the lesson date. “Thanks John, I look forward to seeing you next Tuesday at three o’clock.” In future blogs, we’ll discuss tips for getting the phone to ring more often.

David Terry
President of NAMTA

If there are any music topics that you would like us to write about, please submit them at support@namtamusicDOTcom.