Teaching guitar for a living allows you to make your own hours, control your income, and have creative freedom.It will take a lot of hard work and strategy to be able to rely on teaching for your sole source of income.You will need to create a systemized program to be able to make a living teaching guitar, as well as advertise extensively, focus on attracting long-term students, and consider different teaching formats.
Step 1: You should get a professional logo.
It will set you apart from the competition and show you are serious about teaching.If you have graphic design skills, you can either make one yourself or have someone else do it for you.The nature of your business should be reflected in your logo, with elements such as your name, parts of the guitar, or musical notes.
Step 2: During the slow summer months, advertise year-round.
If you want to make a living teaching guitar, you have to find students early on.Put up posters with your logo and information, talk to potential students, hand out business cards, and post about your services on social media.Posters and fliers can be found at local music stores.
Step 3: You can build a social media presence by advertising online.
You can create a website and social media accounts for your business.Gain followers and reach a wider audience with posts such as videos, tips and special deals.
Step 4: To attract new students, offer special discounted packages.
Special deals can help boost your income.Try to offer a certain amount of discounts, free first lessons, or perks for signing up.
Step 5: It's possible to set yourself apart from other instructors.
Potential students will pick you over your competitor if you focus on what you can do.If you want to develop your talent, you need to specialize in an area.People want to know what you are going to teach them.If you teach classical guitar, focus on advertising.If you are not fully trained in those areas, don't advertise rock and jazz.Students who really want to learn this niche will be attracted by this.
Step 6: Set the prices for your lessons.
You can research other guitar teachers in your area and find out how much they charge.Make your rates competitive once you know what the going rate is.At first, you could charge the same or less.For thirty minutes, the average price for a guitar lesson is between $20-40USD.You will most likely start teaching thirty-minute lessons until your students are able to handle forty-five minutes.You should raise the price if you increase the length of your lessons.You can raise your rate as demand grows.
Step 7: It's a good idea to set a goal for your income.
Determine how much money you want to make teaching guitar.To find the number of lessons you need to give to meet your goal, divide your annual goal by the rate you're starting off with.If you want to make $20,000 a year, you need to give 500 lessons or 42 lessons a month.Take that into account if you choose to teach group lessons.For the same amount of time, group lessons mean more payments.
Step 8: Private lessons can be charged in advance or with a no-show fee.
You lose money and time when a student doesn't show up.Unless they have arranged an absence with you in advance, students will be less likely to skip and you will still get paid for your time either way.
Step 9: Students should be retained for a long time.
The student is more likely to stay with you if you teach them for a long time.Rather than constantly recruiting new students, you should focus on retaining your students.Get to know your students and personalize their lessons with their favorite songs and musicians.Don't just start teaching at the beginning.Ask a student how their week went and how they are doing.If you show interest in your student's wellbeing, they will trust you and connect to you.
Step 10: A systemized program can be created.
Set up a lesson plan system and tailor it to your students as you learn more about them, rather than spending all of your time making fully personalized lesson plans.A library of materials can include handouts, songs, scale sheets, blank grids, and a set of lessons.You can organize your system by skill level.
Step 11: Help students see progress quickly.
Students will see progress early on if you teach them some tips and tricks at the beginning.They will be encouraged and given the confidence to keep taking lessons.Students can practice making up solo parts if you teach them basic scales.You could also teach them how to play the guitar.Songs that sound cool, but are easy to understand are what people would play in a guitar store.
Step 12: Make the most of your time with group lessons.
Group classes will help you make more money.You can make more money by charging per student if you have a group of about eight people.Forty minutes to an hour is the average time for group lessons.Depending on the age range of your students, you may want to change the time for their attention span.Younger children need more time to learn.The style of class may take some experience to master.Students may move at different speeds.Group classes work best for beginners.
Step 13: Students can be motivated by arranging performances or recitals.
A recital is a great way to motivate students, give them a goal to work towards, and reward them for their efforts.Parents can see what they have been paying for.The students should be told about the recital several months in advance.They should be given one or two songs to prepare and perform at the recital.Students can bring friends and extended family with them if you invite their families.Parents can contribute refreshments such as cookies and fruit.A recital can be held in school auditoriums, churches, and senior centers.
Step 14: You can expand your reach by teaching online.
If you are having a hard time finding students in your area, try teaching through the internet.When you travel or take vacations, you can use Skype to keep in touch with your clients.Many guitar teachers feel like they can't take a break or travel, so this is a great option to use.
Step 15: There are ways to increase your income.
There is a downside to teaching guitar.Sometimes factors such as lesson cancellation, student turnover, and holiday lulls can cause your income to change from month to month.You should start thinking of ways to make more money.If you want to sell access to your lessons, you can post them online and pre-record them.This will give you passive income and if it works, it will cut down on the amount of time you spend giving live lessons.If you want to teach guitar at a school or college, you could look for a part-time job.