My BIGGEST Retention Secret: Piano Parent Connection
Over the years, I have noticed certain trends around my piano student retention. I thought it was my off-bench activities, student relationships, or lesson creativity. Although I believe this has all contributed to a high retention rate, my BIGGEST RETENTION SECRET is actually the connection I build with my piano parents.
Why Parent Connection is SO IMPORTANT to Retention
Because we spend 95% of our lesson time with our students, it is easy to forget that they are not the real customers--their parents are.
And because the parents are the ones financially investing in our services, carving time out of their busy schedules to bus them to/from your studio, and having to take on at least some responsibility when it comes to practice, it is CRUCIAL that you are building and maintaining a relationship with the parent.
I would even go as far to say that you should have just as much a relationship with the parent as you do with their child you are teaching. You are not only trying to retain students; you are trying to retain parents.
How Culture Influences Parent Involvement
Extra-curricular culture has changed dramatically since you or I were kids. Activities are more expensive, demand higher commitment, and are more competitive than ever before.
Children involved in 2+ activities is the new normal. Regardless of your personal opinion on whether this is healthy, this is what life looks like for the majority of your student population if you teach kids.
So if you come to the table with the same expectations that your piano teacher had for you when you were a student, your retention may suffer. You will need to adjust your expectations to fit the reality of the current lifestyle of our students today.
In short, stop FIGHTING parents and students about daily practice and start working WITH them on what realistic practice expectations should look like for their personal schedules.
Perhaps you may work with a parent on coming up with an appropriate practice incentive. For tips on creating a practice incentive program, read this article!
Myth-buster: Have Parents Stopped Valuing Music Lessons?
This is a HUGE misconception floating around today. Music teachers across the board mistakingly believe that just because parents aren't as involved as we would like them to be, they don't value music education.
But if that were true, parents wouldn't sign up their child for lessons in the first place.
If you think about ANY other activity such as soccer or gymnastics, all that is required of parents is that they drop off and pick up their child at the right time.
They are not on the field with their child helping them during practice, it is the coach.
They are not pestering their child about working on their skills outside of practice because most activities have multiple practices scheduled throughout week.
It is no wonder that parents assume that they wouldn't need to be more involved in their child's music education.
Parents need to be given clear and simple expectations on how best to support their child in their piano lessons (click here for 5 simple ways parents can help their child in piano lessons). Below are some of the BEST parent communication practices that I use in my studio.
PARENT Retention: 4 Best Communication Practices
1. In the very first lesson, practice expectations should be discussed in front of both student and parents. Do not assume that the parent or child knows how to practice! In fact, my biggest takeaway in transitioning my studio to group lessons is that MOST students do not know how to practice effectively—which ultimately leads to less at-home practice overall.
2. Over communicate, over communicate, over communicate. You may feel annoying or a bit over-the-top, but parents are just so darn busy that they forget so much of what we tell them. Parenting is hard. Help them out by sending them reminders through text, email, and in-person communications.
3. Happy parents are parents that are kept in the loop. I try my best to connect with each parent every week, and if not, every other week. These don't have to be long connections--a short minute conversation upon drop off/pick up, or an email/text progress update works just fine. For my virtual lessons, I send the assignment list to both student AND parent, as well as a progress update each week. Virtual parents LOVE audio messages because it reminds them that you care!
4. Write down personal details about them and their family. It sounds creepy I know, but the most successful entrepreneurs say that by following up with customers and asking them how family pictures went/their recent job change/etc, you are building personal connection and retention not only with the student--but with the family as well.
So if you are struggling with student retention--start with building stronger relationship with your piano parents. After all, THEY are your customers! As you begin to nurture these relationships, watch your retention numbers grow (even over those quiet summer months)!
Want tangible strategies on how to get parents to line up at your door for group lessons?
If you LOVED this article and you would like to explore tangible strategies on how to get your piano parents to line up at your door for group lessons…
Then JOIN ME for a free virtual masterclass ((that I ONLY teach twice per year!))
Hi, I’m Jess!
For years, I was working late hours, during nap times, etc.…I did it ALL to squeeze in as many possible students in order to increase my income.
But, it didn’t leave me any time for myself, or my family. And even with all the hours I was working, our budget still felt tight.
In 2023, I decide that group lessons could be the solution I desperately needed. So I converted 100% of my studio to groups, DOUBLED my income, and cut my schedule in HALF.
In The Group Conversion Collective: 1:1 to Group in 60 Days, you will learn the EXACT strategies to transition to group lessons in the SIMPLEST way possible, so you can finally double your income, cut your teaching schedule in half, & give your students an experience worth referring their family & friends to!
Learn how I break down the transition to group lessons in the EASIEST way possible, so you can finally take the leap & avoid feeling over scheduled, financially capped, & just plain exhausted.
Hope to see you there! :)
