Weird Stress-Reducing Activity #1: Humming

You already think this is BS, don't you.

Seriously, though.

Don't knock it 'til you try it.

Humming has been proven to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. This is the part of your nervous system that helps you calm down.

You can do a simple one-note hum. Or you can do all manner of vibrato. You can keep your lips together. Or, you can make an "ooo" shape with your month. It's all good.

Try it for 60 seconds with deep inhales and controlled, long exhales. You'll feel a difference at the end.

If you want to learn more about this, here's a blog post from the Mayo Clinic about it.

Weird Stress-Reducing Activity #2: Wim Hof Breathing

This type of breathing practice has been popularized by Wim Hof. It will bring more oxygen to your brain and your body. And when you have more oxygen flowing, it's easier to calm down.

It works like this.

1. Lie down or sit down somewhere comfortable. Do not do this while you're driving, swimming, or anywhere else that becoming a little dizzy could become dangerous.
2. Take 30-40 deep breaths in and out through the belly, chest, and head.
3. Hold your breath out until you feel the urge to breathe again. Set a timer if you like. A tingling sensation throughout your body is normal. When you feel the urge to breathe, don't fight it.
4. Take a deep breath and hold for 15 seconds.
5. Repeat steps 1-4. With each round, you will be able to hold your breath out longer. Try this for three or four rounds.

This also regulates your blood's pH balance, from acidic to alkaline.

Do it in the morning, and your blood chemistry is set for the day! Or, you can do it on the fly if you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed.

Of everything I've tried over the years to settle the noise in my head, this alone has been the most effective.

To read more about this, and the following weird stress-reducing activity, check out The Wim Hof Method website.

And if you want to try a guided practice for beginners, check out this video.

Weird Stress-Reducing Activity #3: Cold Showers

Was your first reaction, "No way!"...?

I get it. It's not for the faint of heart. But research indicates that there are stress-reduction and health benefits to be gained here.

The science works something like this.

You body has a lot of blood vessels. Enough to wrap around the entire world twice. And throughout these blood vessels are small muscles, capillaries, that push blood through your body.

When you get cold, these capillaries tighten to preserve your core body temperature.

When you get hot, they loosen to preserve your core body temperature.

The problem is, we live in the most temperature-controlled environment mankind has ever known. Between AC, heating systems, and the clothing we wear, our body doesn't need to "work" that much to preserve our core body temperature.

The result? Those capillaries are weak. They haven't had a workout in a while.

And due to weak capillaries, the heart has to work harder to push all that blood through your body.

That's where gradual cold exposure comes in.

When you take a cold shower, you're giving all 10 billion (that's right...billion) capillaries a workout. They tighten to preserve your core body temperature.

And over time, they operate more efficiently.

People who've practiced this report a heart rate reduction of as much as 25-30 BPM over time.

The key word is gradual.

You can start by taking a hot shower, then ending with 30 seconds of cold.

Every week, add another 30 seconds.

And over time, you can eliminate the hot part of your shower.

Believe it or not, as you continue this and experience the benefits, you begin to crave the cold. It's a mind over body thing.

I've started every morning with a 5-minute cold shower for about a year now. The difference in stress levels is palpable.

I have yet to meet anyone who's tried this. You may be the first! Do be sure to let me know if you decide to give it a go!

Cold exposure is another component of the Wim Hof Method, which you can read more about here.

Weird Stress-Reducing Activity #4: Introspective Writing

I thought this one was complete bull until I tried it. And it was life-changing.

There's a lot of noise going on in your head. And when you're stressed, that noise takes hold of you. All without you realizing it.

When you take some time to write about what's in there, you give it a concrete form. You can confront it. Even if you only take 5 minutes to try it.

One of my favorites is the thought dump.

This is where you literally write everything that's going on in your head. Your joys, fears, concerns, worries, deadlines, tasks, frustrations, all of it.

Totally unfiltered. That's the most important part.

Just be sure your writing is for your eyes only. Either in a private notebook, or in a secure place on your computer.

If you want to be extra-safe, you can trash or delete your writing when you're finished. It's about the process. Not the product.

Try a thought dump for 5-10 minutes, and you'll likely feel some relief at the end.

If you want to learn about more types of introspective writing with guided prompts, you can check out our 10-day introspective writing course here on Musiciative.

Weird Stress-Reducing Activity #5: Have a Conversation with Yourself

I'm not suggesting that you aspire to be like the proverbial homeless person on a park bench.

This is actually another writing prompt. But it's one of my favorites, so it gets its own section here.

Having a written conversation with yourself can help you get out of your own head.

Write questions to yourself. And then answer them. 

This can help you figure out why you're stressed. Why you're afraid of things. Why you're procrastinating. Why you're frustrated.

And if you want to try something really out there, try this.

Take a notebook.

Write your questions to yourself with your dominant hand.

And write the answers with your non-dominant hand.

The theory here is that writing with your non-dominant hand helps you access parts of your brain you don't normally use. You may unearth some golden nuggets of self-discovery you never knew were there!

Or it might a weird exercise that you never bother with again...

There's only one way to find out. And that's to give it a try.

It only takes a few minutes, after all.

Weird Stress-Reducing Activity #6: Radical Honesty

In the book Radical Honesty by Brad Blanton, the author writes that most of us are lying most of the time. And we suffer because of it.

Lying to other people about how we feel. Even lying to ourselves about how we feel.

Now, that might be a little strong. But, I think there's some merit to this.

How often have you had to hold your tongue when a student, parent, or colleague was rude to you? Holding back the truth of how you feel to "keep the peace?."

But then you're stuck with the frustration, resentment, and hurt the rest of the day.

Radical honesty is the answer to this.

I'm not suggesting you speak the unfiltered truth about everything and everyone at all times.

But, when someone is frustrating you, call them out on it. In a kind way, of course.

A couple tips on this.

If someone is violating your boundaries or bringing negativity into your life, you can't go wrong with "I feel" statements.

Something like...

I feel like you're accusing me of being unprofessional when you say those things, and I don't like it.

As opposed to...

You're accusing me of being unprofessional.

The first statement is something no one can argue with. The second statement is one that can be taken as a personal attack.

Another example is if someone is being passive aggressive. This is where "you seem" sentences come in handy.

You seem like you're frustrated with me, and that's making me uncomfortable. Can we talk about it?

By starting with "you seem," that leaves room for you to back out of it if you're wrong about the situation.

If someone asks you to do things that are making you overwhelmed or stressed, just say it!

I'm sorry, I'm not going to be able to take on this project. My schedule is already overbooked, and I'm missing out on time with my family.

And don't be afraid to ask for help, an extension, whatever you need.

I'm feeling overwhelmed with this project and want to prioritize my health and rest. It would be really helpful if I could get an extension.

Most of us are afraid of being honest because we're afraid there will be repercussions. But you'd be surprised. Most of the time, the other party is more understanding than you think.

And if they're not, then you can reconsider whether you want to keep working with that party.

Perceived Time Starvation: A Mindset Flip

When it comes to wellness practices, whether normal or weird, the all-time excuse is "I don't have time."

And believe me, I get it.

When you start on a personal wellness task, it's easy to feel the overwhelm of the day's tasks creeping in.

And it's easy to feel like you're wasting time by humming, breathing, meditating, etc. Or maybe even that you're being selfish by taking this time for yourself. 

But consider this.

When you take time for your wellness in small doses, the benefits stick with you for the whole day. 

And you're able to do your work better and faster.

So in that respect, you can't afford to not try these things. Both for yourself, and for the work you do with students and colleagues.

In fact, over time, you'll find you can get more done than you ever thought possible. All with less stress.

It's all very possible. But only if you take that first step and give it a try.

Now It's Your Turn

My personal challenge to you is to give one of these practices a try! Let us know how it went in the comments below. And if you enjoyed this post, don't forget to sign up for the Musiciative mailing list.

For all the meaningful work you do, you deserve a career and life to look forward to. Without the stress.

What It Means to Sign Up for Loan Forgiveness

The biggest issue with student loan forgiveness programs is that you're locked into a low income.

Don't get me wrong.

There's nothing wrong with working for the government, or for non-profit organizations. But, to qualify for these programs, you have to work for them full time for 10 years.

And the pay is low!

Not to mention, if your work environment is toxic, you can't leave without risking losing your eligibility.

So while it seems like you're getting a great deal on your loans, you're actually losing money (and possibly mental health) over the long term.

Here's an example to show you how.

Music Teacher A on Loan Forgiveness

Music teacher A has $150,000 in student loans. Not uncommon for someone with multiple graduate degrees.

He decides to sign up for the student loan forgiveness program, working at a non-profit community music school. 

His salary is $30,000 a year.

So over the course of 10 years, music teacher A makes $300,000. The remainder of the loan is wiped clean. For simplicity, let's say music teacher A saved $150,000 (although monthly payments were made over this time, so he didn't really save this much...).

Music Teacher B Tackling Debt Head On

Music teacher B also has $150,000 in student loan debt, but decides to prioritize career development and income level. Between private teaching, and being selective about employment opportunities, music teacher B makes $60,000 a year.

He keeps an organized budget, and makes it his mission to destroy his student loan debt within 10 years.

Over 10 years, music teacher B makes $600,000. Even having paid the $150,000 debt off himself, music teacher B still comes out $150,000 ahead compared to music teacher A.

That's not a small amount of money.

Plus, as music teacher B prioritized career development, his income likely went up during that time. 

That Other Thing...The Government is All-Powerful

Another aspect of this discussion to remember is that the government is all-powerful. If the government decides not to honor your 10-year agreement, you literally have no recourse.

So, not only will you have limited your income (and possibly your sanity) during this time, but you will have so for nothing if you were staying in it just for this program.

In fact, I'll go on a limb and say that it's quite likely the government will not be forgiving most student loans in the near future.

It's a nice thought. And something that would bring relief to millions of college graduates.

But let's think critically here for a moment.

The interest on student loans brings in a ridiculous amount of income. Do we really think the government is going to give that up easily?

Also, think about it from the politician's point of view.

About 60% of Americans do not have a college degree. But they are indeed taxpayers.

Would it be a smart political move to announce that the non-degreed people's tax dollars will be going to wipe away the debt of college graduates? Saving people who signed up for their own debt?

Doubtful.

While you may have signed a dotted line for a loan forgiveness program, there's still a huge risk it won't work out.

The Takeaways

There are some wonderful nonprofit organizations out there. But to keep a full-time job at one only to wipe out your student loans is a mistake.

Or, if you love that sort of work and want it full-time, taking a backseat on getting rid of your debt is also a mistake.

When music teachers rely on the government to ride in on a horse and save their financial future, it never turns out well.

But it doesn't have to be that way.

With the right tools and mindset, music teachers can take control of their financial future, clean up the debt mess themselves, and create a career that can make the impact they've always wanted.

It's powerful stuff. But stuff that most people never pursue.

If you want to learn more, check out our free financial wellness course, or join the Musiciative mailing list.

Peace, freedom, and impact await.

The Music Studio Logo Myth: A Logo is Not a Brand

People spend thousands of dollars on their music studio logo in the name of "good branding." But this is a mistake.

Don't get me wrong. If you want to pay a designer thousands of dollars to design a "deep" music studio logo that represents your brand, you're welcome to. But it's not a necessity.

Here's why.

A logo is not a brand.

Your brand is more than your logo and the colors you choose on your website. Your brand is everything you do. From the way your marketing works to the work you do to the way the front desk person answers the phone.

It's all-encompassing.

Your music studio logo serves as a "flag" for your business. But it doesn't determine whether or not your brand will be successful.

If you need proof, think about a product you love. Not something super-mainstream like Starbucks. But maybe you have a favorite kind of milk you like to get at the grocery store.

Do you remember what the milk's logo is?

I didn't think so.

(Or if you do remember it, congratulations on your milk-selection loyalty!).

In my case, I love inkfarm.com to get my ink products. Here's their logo:

Now, that's a pretty rough logo. It's pixelated even at the smaller size. The color isn't attractive. The next is needlessly slanted and 3D.

But I don't care. Because I love Inkfarm and its brand.

I'm not suggesting that your logo be amateurish or low-quality. This is just an example of how a company with a terrible logo can still have a huge following.

Because a logo isn't a brand. The work you do and how well you do your marketing make up your brand.

Now, let's talk about the qualities of a good music studio logo before you dive in to make your own.

The Four Qualities of an Effective Music Studio Logo

A good DIY music studio logo only needs four qualities. We're going to unpack each of these one by one.

1. Your Music Studio Logo Should Clarify What You Do

When strangers visit your website or marketing materials, they don't know you. So make it easy for them by being as clear as possible about the services you provide.

This is especially true if the name of your music studio doesn't say what you do.

For example, your music studio name might be "Musical Landscapes," but your primary service is giving piano lessons. (Side note: In this example, a change in studio name might be in order, but that's another post for another time...)

The average passerby is going to need some help to understand what you do.

In this example, you could do this with your logo by including some kind of piano imagery.

2. Your Music Studio Logo Needs to be Clear

Your choice of font is part of your branding. And there are a lot of choices out there for fonts.

The most important criteria for your font choice are that it's clear and easy to read.

You might find some calligraphy you feel really expresses "you." But if the stranger who doesn't already know you can't read your logo, they're not going to take the time to decipher it.

3. Your Music Studio Logo Needs to Work Well on Both Light and Dark Backgrounds

You're going to use your music studio logo in a variety of places. On your website. On marketing materials. Other companies may even use your music studio logo on their marketing materials.

And so, you want to make sure you have: 

1. a logo that works well on both light and dark bacgrounds

or (more likely)

2. two different versions of your logo - one for light backgrounds and one for dark backgrounds.

This is one reason why I'm a fan of logos that only use black and white. Simply change the logo from black to white, and it can work on a dark background.

It's nice to have your brand color be part of the logo if possible, but then you'll run into some difficulties with different kinds of backgrounds.

For example, a dark blue brand color won't show up so well on darker backgrounds.

But hopefully, your music studio logo is showing up in places where your brand color is already present. So it shouldn't be an issue.

4. Aim for a Rectangular Size

When you put together your music studio logo, aim for a rectangular size. This logo will show up on your website and all of your marketing materials.

The rectangular size will allow your logo to adapt to these different spaces without becoming obtrusive.

A square-shaped logo, by contrast, will cause problems. It will make the header on your website too big. You'll have to shrink it down very small to include in marketing or PDF's without interfering with the other text.

You can avoid these problems with your music studio logo by aiming for a rectangular shape when you put it together.

How to Create Your Logo for Cheap or Free

Now that we've covered the ground rules for designing an effective music studio logo, we're going to cover two tools you can use to put it together. There are countless other tools and services out there, but these are the best combination of cost- and user-friendliness.

Tool #1: Logomakr

Logomakr.com has everything you need to create an effective music studio logo, including a wealth of logo-friendly images.

The catch? To download a high-quality version, it costs $19.

You can download a low-resolution free version. But, this version is unusable. And to boot, Logomakr requires that you give them credit everywhere you use the free version.

So if you go with Logomakr, definitely make the $19 investment. It's well worth it.

Check out this video tutorial to learn how it works:

Tool #2: Canva

If you're not already familiar with Canva, it's an awesome resource. Not only for designing a music studio logo, but also for designing...pretty much anything else you can think of. Even with a free account.

It doesn't come with as many graphic options as Logomakr, but still makes it easy and fun to put together your logo.

Here's a short video tutorial demonstrating how:

More Tools for Your Music Studio Marketing Journey

I hope you found this music studio logo tutorial helpful! If you enjoyed this, and want more resources from Musiciative to help you design the career you always wanted, check out these resources.

• Our free PDF, Three Features Every Music Program's Website Must Have
• Our free course, The Music Teacher's Roadmap to Financial Freedom
• Our premium course, The Clockwork Website: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Student-Recruiting Machine

This Isn't a Political Post

Just a quick disclaimer - this isn't a political post. Regardless of your political affiliations, please read this as objectively as possible. We're looking at what worked and why it worked so that we can learn.

One of the best ways you can improve your marketing is to notice it when it's happening around you. Especially if you dislike the person behind it.

Now, let's get to the two components of Trump's marketing that secured his win.

Lesson #1: The Power of Storytelling

For centuries, stories have been used to teach and inspire. They've also been used to control.

We're wired to see ourselves as part of a narrative. Even today, there's an internal narrative going on in your mind - the "story" of your life.

And whether we realize it or not, we love to be invited into a story.

Throughout Donald Trump's campaign, he found a pain point in America and created a story around it they could be a part of.

A story where American citizens were the hero in trouble, and he would be the guide to lead them out.

A story where Americans were disappointed again and again with their government.

A story where their elected legislators let them down and never followed through on their promises.

And he was going to be the one to fix it.

His billionaire status meant he didn't need to rely on outside funding, and he spoke seemingly without a filter. These qualities alone fit the character perfectly.

Of course, the story had very few details and no logical plan of action. But, the simplicity of the story was powerful enough to resonate with voters across the nation.

The other candidates perhaps had campaign promises. But they didn't have a compelling story to invite people in. Thus, allowing the candidate with a powerful story to win.

Stories are that powerful.

Some excellent reads on this topic are Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller and Story Driven by Bernadette Jiwa.

Lesson #2: The Power of Repetition

You could say that marketing is also an exercise in memorization. And so, repetition is key.

Take Geico, for example...

15 minutes could save you...

See how you heard the rest of that tagline in your mind? Why is that? Because Geico repeated this tagline relentlessly for decades!

Donald Trump used the same strategy.

It didn't matter if you were democrat or republican, it didn't matter if you loved him or hated his guts. There wasn't a human in the nation, or even on the planet, that didn't know his slogan.

Make America Great Again

And this slogan still comes up again and again, even though his presidency is in the rearview mirror.

It didn't matter that Trump didn't define what was great about America. It didn't matter that Trump didn't clarify what "great again" would look like. All that mattered was this phrase was repeated. Again and again and again and again.

Not only was the phrase repeated, but it was also tied to the story he was telling America.

Hilary had her catchphrase, "I'm with her." But it wasn't repeated enough, nor was it particularly compelling. "I'm with her" could mean a lot of things to a lot of people, and wasn't connected to a story or narrative.

Now It's Your Turn

As I said from the start, this isn't a political post. It's an opportunity to learn more about marketing tools and how powerful they can be.

So, how can you apply this to your own teaching and your own programs?

When it comes to stories, which stories are you sharing? Write a few of them down.

There are the big-picture stories about the change you're trying to make in the world. What "villain" are you saving your students from? What does life without music look like? What does the happy ending of your story look like? How are you going to be the guide?

Then, there are the stories from your life. The ones that made you who you are and can inspire others.

And of course, don't forget your students' compelling stories. How have they overcome the odds to seize victory? How can you share these? Both in your marketing to bring in new students and to inspire the ones who are already with you.

When it comes to repetition - what are you repeating to your students and families? Not just practice techniques, strategies, recital dates, and all that fun stuff.

But the big-picture stuff. What's your slogan?

Pick something that means a lot to you and start repeating it. Even if you feel like it's a bit much. See if it feels good. If it doesn't, pick something else. Keep going until you have something you can be excited to repeat relentlessly for the next decade.

I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. And while you're there, join our mailing list for more tools to help you on your marketing journey in music.

When you get your marketing right, you can change the world the way you always wanted to when you first became a music teacher. That's what Musiciative is all about.

Definition #1: Branding is your Personality

A simple definition of branding is that it's about your program's personality. When you swap the words "brand" and "personality," it becomes easier to understand.

"This isn't really part of our brand."

"this isn't really part of our personality."

Easier to digest, right?!?

Brand marketing is about personality. Your other marketing is about educating.

Take Coca-Cola, for example. All the advertising you see from Coca-Cola is brand marketing. The imagery, the Super Bowl commercials, all that stuff.

Coca-Cola doesn't need to do marketing anymore.

Why?

Because they've done such a good job with marketing over so many decades, everyone on the planet knows what Coca-Cola is.

They no longer have to run ads that try to find new audiences and educate them on the product.

You'll never find an ad that says, "Coca-Cola is a sugary, carbonated beverage that will leave you refreshed."

When it comes to your music program's brand, it's all-encompassing. It's everything you do.

Ask yourself, what do my color choices and fonts say about my program's personality? What are the images saying about my music program's personality? Do strangers see it the same way I'm seeing it?

But it doesn't stop there.

If your branding says you're a fun place that cares about students, but whoever picks up the phone could clearly care less, that makes for an inconsistent brand.

Definition #2: Brand Marketing is Not Measured. Direct Marketing Is.

If you only remember this, you'll be miles ahead of even experienced marketers.

Brand marketing is not measured. 

Direct marketing is.

Brand marketing is not asking the visitor for something.

Direct marketing is.

Here are a few examples.

An organization buys ad space on billboard to get new students. 

A billboard would be an example of brand marketing. It's a display of the organization's personality. But, it's not asking for something (a signup, contact info, etc.) then and there. 

And besides, people don't take down information from billboards anymore.

One of two problems are likely to happen. One, no new students come in from the billboard and they take it down after a couple months because it didn't do its job. Two, more students come in, they assume it's from the billboard, and throw a party.

See the confusion that can arise when a brand ad is run with direct ad results in mind, or when the wrong things are measured?

Another example would be holding a piano recital in a shopping mall as an effort to increase exposure and recruit more students.

This is also an example of brand marketing. Unless you're asking passersby to sign up for a trial lesson.

Direct marketing is what you see on your website; you're asking people to sign up for a trial lesson, or to make a payment to join your program. You can measure it.

Direct marketing is a Facebook ad offering a free PDF guide on why music is important in exchange for an email. You can measure it.

When in doubt - direct marketing is asking for something and can easily be measured. Brand marketing is not.

Your Marketing Can't Be Both

The reason these definitions are so important is people confuse which types of marketing they're doing for their programs. Most often, they run brand marketing thinking they're doing direct marketing.

Brand marketing is great. But, brand marketing is something that needs to be sustained for the long term.

When the Goodyear blimp flies over the stadium at the Superbowl, they don't expect the spectators to run out and buy Goodyear tires the next day.

But the hope is that, when the need for tires does come around, they'll have fun, happy thoughts associated with Goodyear because of long-term brand marketing efforts like this.

One of the most common cases for music teachers is posting on Facebook. We don't want to ask people to sign up in every single post. That would get annoying.

But when posting daily yields few to no results after a few weeks, most of us throw in the towel.

Again, this is brand marketing being confused with direct marketing. In the short term, we're not asking for anything and there probably won't be any direct results. 

But, sustained over many months or years, when people you're connected with on social media think "music education," you'll naturally come to mind.

It's all about the personality.

Which One Should You Do - Brand or Direct?

You should run both. But, remember that marketing can only be one or the other.

You'll have your brand marketing efforts, and you'll have your direct marketing efforts.

Branding can be a wonderful opportunity to share your work and your students' work with your community and target market. Not expecting a direct response, but knowing that over time, people will associate you with awesome stuff.

Direct marketing will allow you to connect with people more directly with specific offers. And because you can measure it, you can easily assess whether it's working or not so you can change your strategies and tactics.

And remember, it's important to test, test, test your direct marketing. 

Because nothing wastes money and possibility like continuing to run marketing that isn't working.

The Analogy: Your New Superpower

Most of us use analogies all the time in our teaching. But have you tried using them to explain things like...

• ...how practicing music works?
• ...your philosophies of teaching?
• ...how your business is structured?

When you use an analogy to make your point, it's powerful for a couple reasons.

First, it saves you from a lengthy explanation. By relating your concept to something they're already familiar with, a number of blanks are automatically filled.

Second, when done well, an analogy will evoke an emotional response from the person you're communicating with.

For example, we know that recitals are good for students. But we've all had families who don't want to do more than one performance a year, tops. Any more than that, and it feels like too much for them.

In the past, I might have explained the importance of recitals something like this.

Performing for others makes the experience much more meaningful for both the performer and the audience. Plus, it's gives us goals to work towards in lessons. And we're developing an important life skill. So, it would be really great to have him perform at least a few times a year.

This was rarely effective. 

But then, I tried explaining it like this...

Imagine if his soccer team had all those practices...but only one game a year.

No contest which explanation was more effective.

The Anatomy of an Effective Analogy

For an analogy to have the effect you want, it requires three components.

1. It needs to be something the other person is very familiar with.
2. There needs to be some overlap (similarities) with the point you're trying to make.
3. It needs to elicit an emotional response.

The sports example fits all three criteria.

1. Everyone knows how soccer practices and games work.
2. Soccer involves routines and events similar to music. The practices, and then the games; the sports version of "performances."
3. The idea of doing all that practice for only one game a year would make just about anyone's heart sink. It would make the idea of doing a sport boring and pointless.

Here are some more examples.

Example #1: Getting Parents of Young Children to Practice With Them

Sometimes, parents of young piano students don't understand the importance of practicing with them. They expect them to enjoy it and follow through on their own.

It's understandable. Most of their children's other activities are drop-off activities (physically or mentally), so why should this be any different?

A drawn-out explanation of the importance of helping their kids with piano just won't do.

But something like this will:

Remember how you read with your kids to help them learn language? Imagine how it would have gone if you'd just handed them some books and expected them to do it all on their own. Crazy, right? Well, it's the same thing with music.

Example #2: Your Makeup Policy

Music teachers struggle with this one all the time. 

We explain the rationale for our policy - that we're protecting our income, we can't fill a random empty slot in our schedule when there's a cancellation, etc. - but they just don't quite get it.

But this explanation will make them understand.

It would be like if you went to work tomorrow, and at 2pm, the boss comes in. The boss says, "I don't have any work for you for the next hour, so I'm not going to pay you. But, I need you to be ready to go at 3pm. AND, I'd like you to come in an hour early tomorrow to do that hour of work when I have it for you. Thanks!

No one would ever keep a job like that, right? Well, that's why we have this makeup policy, so we can avoid that kind of circumstance.

I have yet to speak with a parent who argues about the importance of the makeup policy after explaining it like this.

Example #3: Music Learning Theory

I'm a huge fan of music learning theory. It really works. But, it's a very complex subject!

When explaining it to a parent thinking about where to take their kids for music lessons, it would be easy to go down the rabbit hole of explanations. 

About how it's a school of teaching created by Edwin Gordon that uses movement, singing, rhythm patterns and tonal patterns. And how it places music reading in the proper sequence of learning, so not to expect a traditional experience.

An easier way to frame it to a prospective parent would be:

Your kids will get to learn to play and read music the same way they learned to speak and read English. A traditional reading-first approach to music would be like if you tried to teach them to read books when they were two.

The details of MLT can (and should) be fleshed out after the student signs up. But, the easiest way to explain MLT to a stranger is with one or two well-placed analogies.

Practice, Practice, Practice

The best way to get better at communicating with non-musicians through analogies is (surprise) practice!

Think of some concepts you've struggled to get across to your students, parents, or other non-professional-musicians you work with. Try coming up with an analogy that follows this process, and see if it makes a difference.

I'd love to hear some of your best ones in the comments below.

And while you're there, join our email list if you want more fun marketing, productivity, and financial wellness tips delivered straight to your inbox.

Mistake #1: Not Understanding What Counts as Marketing

Most people associate marketing with advertising; just trying to get the word out to as many people as possible.

Facebook ads, radio spots, newspaper ads, things like that.

But it's so much more than that.

Marketing is everything you say and do.

It's in the choices of font and color on your website. Those send a message about your personality.

It's the choice of words you use.

Not only in your advertising, but on your website, when someone picks up the phone, and when someone comes in for that first lesson or rehearsal.

It's in the level service that you provide.

All of these things communicate the change you are making in the world and how much you care about people.

If your definition of marketing is limited to ads, then you're not communicating effectively.

And when you're not communicating how people's lives will be changed through your work, then people are going to move on.

The solution: Consider everything you do on a daily basis marketing. For better or worse, like it or not, you're a marketer.

Make sure all of your touch points (advertising, your website, the front desk people, your teachers, etc.) are on the same page about the bigger message you're trying to communicate.

And if your school doesn't have a big-picture mission other than "quality music lessons," that's a great place to start.

Mistake #2: Thinking That the Marketing Stops After Students Sign Up

Many struggling studios obsess over getting new students through the front door while current students are leaving through the back door.

Your marketing continues even after the student signs up and starts paying you money.

On a regular basis, you must remind students and families why they chose you in the first place over your competition.

And, you have to make sure you're delivering on the promises you made in your marketing.

Because if your marketing says you have dedicated teaching artists, but half of your teachers are gone performing six months out of the year instead of teaching lessons, that makes you a liar.

The solutions: Always go above and beyond with the service you provide (that one's probably obvious). 

And communicate with your current students about your bigger mission on a regular basis.

Students and families are busy. They need the reminders about why your work with them is remarkable.

Mistake #3: Not Understanding Who Your Marketing is For

This is a big one, especially for private lesson programs. Not understanding who you're talking to, and what's important to them.

Most websites are focused on a very generic audience. But most of us work with kids. And their parents are the ones shopping for a music program.

And so, a homepage geared towards parents will always do better than one targeted to everyone.

If you're worried about warding off other potential clientele (adult students, for example), don't. Because when you try to speak to everyone, you end up speaking to no one.

The solution: Develop a clear idea of who is looking at your marketing, and make sure you're speaking specifically to them.

If you have multiple demographics of students you work with (for example, kids versus adults), create different marketing for each of these groups of people with messages that resonate with them.

A website, for example, should have a different page for each audience. One for parents and one for adult students.

Mistake #4: Talking Too Much About Yourself and Not Enough About Them

Most people don't care how long you've been in business, how many students you've taught, or where your teachers went to school or performed.

They care about how your program is going to make their lives better. They are the hero of their story, and they need you to be their guide. The Yoda to their Luke Skywalker.

When you focus on why you're so great rather than focusing on the hopes and dreams of your potential students, people move on.

The solution: Learn more about your prospective students' and families' deeper wants and needs.

On the surface, they may want piano lessons. Underneath, they may need validation as a parent who is trying to make the best extracurricular-activity choices for their kids.

Make sure your marketing efforts are focusing on these wants and needs, along with the successful outcomes they can expect from working with you.

Mistake #5: Assuming People Already Understand How Music Lessons Work

How would you write instructions to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?

Except...

The instructions are for someone who doesn't know what bread, peanut butter, jelly, or knives are.

So much harder now, right?!?

As music teachers and musicians, we're so close to our work that it's easy to take this for granted - that the rest of the world might not understand how it all works.

This is where that empathy tool comes in handy.

Many parents with zero music experience don't even understand that traditional music lessons are a once-a-week, one-on-one experience.

Without making it so clear, a caveman could figure it out, people will get confused and move on.

The solution: In your marketing, specify exactly how your program works. Everything from the weekly schedule to the practice expectations.

Even if you think it's already painfully obvious.

Mistake #6: Highlighting Empty Benefits

A vast majority of websites feature benefits like this:

High-quality music instruction.

Experienced teachers.

College-degreed instructors.

These are considered "empty benefits." They're meaningless.

For a couple of reasons.

First, most other music schools and programs are marketing the same benefits.

And second, these aren't differentiators.

In other words, it's not like your competition is marketing "mediocre music education," "inexperienced teachers," and "amateur teachers."

The solution: Figure out your positioning. 

Positioning is a bit different from differentiation.

Everyone has their place in the market of music programs, and there are different fits for different people.

There's the music school for people who want to do competitions.

There's the music school for people who want to focus on pop music.

There's the music school for people who want the skills to be able to play long-term.

There's the music school for people who want the convenience of a teacher coming to their home.

What's your position in the marketplace?

Whatever your positioning is, highlight that in your marketing. That will resonate with the people you want to resonate with, and ward off those who aren't a great fit for you.

Mistake #7: Avoiding the Pain Points of Not Signing Up

We don't like to be negative. But without generating just a little tension in your marketing, prospectives don't feel a sense of urgency to consider your program.

As much as we music teachers talk about how much society needs music instruction, the consequences of life without music are rarely expressed in anyone's marketing.

The solution: Figure out what your prospective students are losing by not signing up for your program. Mention this in your marketing.

Are they looking at an education without creativity?

Are their kids going to be among the many adults who wished they took music lessons as a kid?

Don't go too far to the dark side; just a few words will do. Showing your prospective students a little of what life will be like without you will inspire some urgency to take action.

Keep in mind, we're not doing this in a manipulative way. 

A term I like to use is "healthy tension," because we know we're helping them make a decision that will make their lives better.

Mistake #8: The Signup Process Isn't Clear

If it takes more than a few seconds to figure out how to sign up, you're going to lose people.

And if you ask for too much information up front, you'll lose them too.

Not many families are comfortable giving a home address, birthday, and credit card number when all they want is to sign up for a trial lesson.

The solution: Create a bright orange button on your website or other marketing materials highlighting what the first step to sign up is.

Bright orange might sound ugly. But, it will make the first step stand out in such a way that they literally can't miss it.

Schedule a phone call.

Schedule a free trial lesson.

Sign up now.

You get the idea. 

The earlier in the process they are, the less information you should ask for. Once they're ready to sign up and pay you, then you can collect all the extra info you need.

Mistake #9: Being Unclear About the Journey from "Total Stranger" to "Sign Me Up"

If you're spending thousands of dollars to work with a branding strategist, but the front desk person isn't returning phone calls, you've got major problems on your hands.

Similarly, Facebook ads that try to take people from "total stranger" to "sign me up for piano lessons" are also a tough game to play.

Without an awareness of what's often called the "customer journey," you're going to lose potential students.

The solution: Create a "customer journey" map and keep refining every stage of it.

If you run ads to total strangers, try getting them onto your email list to build a relationship that leads to signing up for your program. And if that doesn't work, try building that bridge another way.

If the typical new-student sequence goes something like this...

1. Prospective finds website.
2. Prospective makes phone call.
3. Prospective schedules trial lesson.
4. Prospective takes trial lesson.
5. Prospective signs up for lessons.

...then test, refine, and check every step of the process to make sure everything is running as effectively as possible.

Mistake #10: Prioritizing Design Over Clarity

It's easy to pay a designer thousands of dollars for a beautiful website that still doesn't deliver on new students. Too easy.

A website may be beautiful, but if the message is confusing, the audience isn't clear, and the visitor can't figure out how to sign up, then none of that will matter.

The solution: Start with the words.

Take a blank piece of paper, and sketch out your website using only words. (Or "copy," as the marketing lingo goes.)

Keep tweaking this until you have messaging that you believe will be compelling to your target audience. You can then give this to your designer.

Or better yet, consider building your website yourself. It takes some practice, but the long-term benefit of learning this skill is that you can tweak any part of your website anytime you want.

In the end, a plain website with clear messaging will always win over a website that's artistic but with weaker messaging.

Mistake #11: Trying to Be Clever Rather than Clear

We're going to work that empathy muscle once again.

Some folks like to come up with catchy tag lines or catchphrases. For example, a piano studio might pitch something like...

Making Beautiful Music Since 2014

But remember, your prospective student or parent doesn't know you. Or your business. It's the peanut butter and jelly instructions all over again.

Messaging like this could sound like you're a performing arts center. Or that you're a producer. Or even that you're a composer. And when people are confused, they go places that are less confusing.

The solution: Start with clear. It's less sexy, but it will do the job better than clever.

Even something plain like, "We give piano lessons that are clear, fun, and meaningful" will do better than "Making music since 2014."

You can tweak your messaging as you go, but you'll never lose when you start with clarity.

Mistake #12: Assuming People Will Read Every Word on Your Website

A website with large blocks of text will always struggle to win students. Most people are looking through websites in a hurry. And on their phones, yet.

And did you know the brain burns calories?

You know that feeling you get when you see a lengthy email? That auto-response that says, "We'll try this later?" Right before you close the email, only to completely forget about it.

That's what goes through your prospectives' minds when they see large blocks of text on your website.

The solution: Use headlines for each section of your website. And organize the text in small, easy-to-digest chunks.

This makes your website scannable for the busy visitor.

Overall, this makes for an easier reading experience, and is more likely to keep your reader from leaving the page.

Mistake #13: Not Testing Everything

Most people's marketing is like throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping it sticks. We come up with what we hope is a good idea, launch it, and then let it ride indefinitely.

But unfortunately, we can never know if our marketing works until it has been tested with the market. Many studios have spent thousands of marketing dollars on ideas that didn't work, yet they kept running with it.

The solution: Make a practice out of testing.

When you run Facebook ads, run three different versions for a copy test. Then do the same thing for an image test, and then a headline test.

On your website, find software that can do A/B testing. This is where you can run multiple versions of a homepage, but with one variable changed.

Think like a scientist. When you run a test, only test one variable and have a clear metric of success.

You'll be amazed at the difference in results from something as simple as using a picture of a child versus a picture of a teacher in the hero section of your homepage.

Want More?

If you found this helpful, sign up for the Musiciative mailing list today! Musiciative is all about giving you the tools to build your marketing, productivity, and financial skills to make the difference and live the life you always wanted as a music teacher.

And feel free to comment below with any thoughts or questions.

Cheers to your success in music and life!

What is Toxic Positivity?

Toxic positivity is a way of dealing with negative emotions by pushing them aside in the name of staying positive. And many times, this includes a denial of reality.

When you lose your job and someone says, “Well, look at the bright side,” that’s an example of toxic positivity.

The movie Inside Out illustrates a perfect example of this (spoilers ahead).

When Riley’s family moves for dad’s new job, Riley is sad that she’s leaving her old home and all her friends behind. But Joy, Riley’s inner emotion-character, believes she needs to keep her happy.

And so, she forbids Sadness from touching the controls.

But as she tries to keep Riley happy, everything gets worse and worse until Riley ultimately becomes emotionless.

It’s only when Riley is allowed to feel sadness completely that she is able to be truly happy once again.

Music teachers experience toxic positivity all the time. Some examples include:

• The teacher who tries three dozen different strategies with a piano student who hasn’t practiced in years…even though it drains the life from the teacher for an hour every Tuesday at 3pm. Because “that’s what good teachers do.”
• The music teacher who continues teaching in a toxic work environment, because “things will get better in the next few years.” Even though there’s zero evidence pointing in that direction.
• The teachers who pride themselves on working 80 hours a week with a smile, despite the reality that every day feels like torture with the exhaustion and stress.

We mean well when we try to stay positive. After all, who wants to be a Negative Nancy or Negative Ned all the time?

But the irony is that, by denying negative emotions, we make them even worse. And eventually, this bubble pops in some of the worst ways, from gossip to drinking to lashing out at your friends.

So, What Do We Do?

The most practical method I've found to process and deal with toxic positivity is introspective writing.

Here’s an exercise you can try today.

Just be sure to have either a pen and paper or computer handy to do your writing. And most importantly, make sure your writing is for your eyes only.

1. Start with a 5-minute meditation.

Okay, I know I said we’d be writing, but we’re going to prep with a meditation. It’s not going to be the kind of meditation you’re used to, though.

Take what’s bothering you today, the negative emotions around it, and focus on that. If you’re feeling angry at someone or a situation, allow yourself to feel that anger. In fact, challenge yourself to become angrier. Do this for five minutes.

2. Write about it.

Now, write about how you felt. Unfiltered. That’s right. You can swear and curse up and down as much as you want. This is healthy.

As you unload this onto paper, you’re already going to start feeling some relief.

3. Write about your next plan of action.

Now that you’ve acknowledged these emotions, write about a healthy plan of action going forward.

Not a path that avoids the negativity or reality.

But one that can begin to confront and resolve the issue.

For example, if you were denied a raise despite working harder than the other teachers, you might plan to have an honest conversation with your boss about it. And if your boss reacts poorly, then you could think about making plans to find a new job with a boss who will appreciate you.

Or, if you have a student who just isn't practicing and is making Wednesdays miserable, you might have a conversation with the student about stepping up or stepping out.

Is it Really That Simple?

Emotions and thought patterns are complex. We're not even aware of them most of the time.

But writing is one of the most powerful ways you can get them into the open so you can process them, change your thought patterns, and take the most effective course of action.

This can be just one exercise in your toolkit of self-awareness exercises.

It's a practice, just like anything else. And as you repeat it, you'll gain clarity, focus, and peace of mind that allow you to do your best work as a music teacher.

If you want more, we're launching a new course here on Musiciative: Clear the Dissonance: 10 Days of Introspective Writing. 

Ten days of writing prompts that will help you with everything from toxic positivity to procrastination to unresolved trauma.

Check it out here. If you sign up before March 16th, you can gain lifetime access with a 60%-off discount.

In the meantime, stay positive by dealing with the negative. It's the best way to be.

Pricing

For the amount of time you will get Calendly is a deal. There is always a basic free version. But even at the Pro level, $12 a month is easily worth getting hours of time back every month, so you can focus on the things that will move the needle on your career, your teaching, and your life.

Give it a try, come back, and let me know what you think in the comments below.