If you want to attract more students, there’s an essential question you’ll need to answer first—What’s your offer?
I’m asking because all too often, we think we’re being clear and compelling in how we promote our studios or programs.
But the marketing language most musicians use comes across as generic. For example, “Study online with a professional guitarist with years of experience and a music degree from a prestigious school.” You and a hundred others, right?
When there’s nothing distinctive in your messaging, there’s no reason for anyone to click “contact.”
Thinking about this reminded me of . . .
What I learned on my summer vacation
Over a recent summer I had three clients who each wanted to launch—for the first time—online teaching programs they’d developed.
Each musician was motivated and had excellent material to teach. And all of them were nervous about their ability to attract enough students. They wanted to get the marketing material right. They came to me for help with their marketing materials—their messaging.
My job was to help them plan and implement their vision. So we started at the top with their description of what they were offering: the name of their program and a short blurb. Here’s what I learned from coaching those clients:
1. Describe Your Offer—Clearly
It sounds obvious, but too many musicians get stuck trying to be clever instead of clear.
Give your offering a name and a short, punchy description that tells people:
- What it is (Bootcamp? Workshop? Group studio? Private lessons + monthly masterclasses?)
- Who it’s for
- What they’ll get out of it
This applies to promoting your private studio, too. You don’t need a fancy name—but you do need a compelling description of what makes your teaching special.
Hint: It’s not your degrees, experience, or the fact that you “tailor lessons to the individual needs of your students.” Instead, it’s the human impact—the transformation you help your students achieve.
2. Clarify WHO it’s for
You may think, I’m open to teaching anyone: I just need more students. But the problem is when we try to market to everyone we end up sounding generic and unappealing. Instead, you want to market toward your ideal student. Picture (or remember back to) a favorite student. What made teaching them so fulfilling? What are the qualities they possess that you’d like to find in other students as well?
By aiming your offerings toward a specific reader, you’ll come across as far more personal and convincing. And surprisingly, you’ll still attract a range of students but they’ll be more aligned with the key qualities you want.
For instance, is your workshop or lesson program for classically-trained violinists who want to learn how to improvise? Do you love coaching flutists preparing for college auditions? Is the group program you’re offering for adult amateurs, or for musicians wanting to overcome performance anxiety? Is your studio open for busy children who love playing but not practicing—and you offer a great solution for this?
The more specific you are, the easier it is for your ideal students (or their parents) to see that, “this is just what I need.”
By writing with a specific reader in mind, you’ll come across as far more personal and convincing. And surprisingly, you’ll still attract a range of students but they’ll be more aligned with the key qualities you want.
Once you’re clear on who it is you wish to attract, you can then think through how best to reach these people—through requested referrals as well as targeted email and/or social media campaigns.
3. What’s the Promise?
I’ve written before about clarifying your promise because this is essential. And it’s where most musicians go wrong: we fail to convey a compelling promise in our promo materials.
The promise of your program is what you’re actually offering—it’s the ultimate benefit you provide. It’s what your students will walk away with that they will value most.
Emphasize benefits, not features.
But this is where most musicians fall short. We focus on the features—the nitty-gritty of how your studio or program will work.
You don’t want to do that in your marketing. Of course, you will include features in your copy but they aren’t the selling points—you don’t want to lead with logistics such as . . .
❌ the length of your program, or how interactive it is, or the fact that you include worksheets.
❌ how often the class meets or the repertoire you’ll cover.
❌ the fact that you develop a great rapport with your students.
❌ that you offer “flexible lessons tailored to individual needs”
❌ how make-up lessons work (Yawn.)
Features don’t inspire action. Benefits do.
Benefits are the outcomes students truly want. Is it to “Ace Your All-State Audition,” is it that you’re offering a “Performance success bootcamp for managing stage fright,” or a program that lives up to its subtitle, “Sight-Reading Made Easy”?
To help clarify the promise of your offer . . .
4. Think like your dream student
What does that person want and need? What will they be able to do after your program that they can’t do now?
Use bullets to make your promise tangible. For example:
- Uncover your potential in a supportive, motivating space
- Learn strategies to enhance tone, articulation, and phrasing
- Turn practice time into creative discovery
- Release physical tension to play with more ease
- Perform with more confidence and connection
5. Put Your Message Out and Get Results
My clients worked hard on clarifying:
✔ What they were offering
✔ Who it was for
✔ What it promised
Then they improved their descriptions, sales pages, and outreach strategies.
What were the results?
Each surpassed their minimum enrollment goals. Two brought in 50 participants each. The third? Sixty-two. (And this was all during the pandemic.)
What I loved most about this was seeing how clarifying their messaging helped make my clients better teachers.
The process helped them clarify and claim the promise of their work—unapologetically. It helped them lean in to their purpose and carry more confidence into their work.
So musician, what’s your offer?
If your messaging feels foggy, chances are your teaching offer could use some refining.
The good news is, when you clarify your promise, you serve your students more powerfully—and you grow in the process.
If you’d like expert help crafting your offer and building your audience, LET’S TALK.
Let’s get more of your best work out into the world,
Dream Big, Plan Smart, Live Well
