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5 Stages of Piano Parent Onboarding

The first few weeks and months of lessons are a key time not just for your piano students, but for their parents too. Understanding the piano parent onboarding process can help you to fill your studio with involved and enthusiastic piano families. 

5 Stages of Piano Parent Onboarding 2

5 stages to piano parent onboarding 3

We all know how vital the role of piano parents is in our studios. They help students with practice at home, and encourage them when they come across challenges. 

Plus, ultimately, piano parents are our customers. They’re the ones who make the decision to start lessons and continue lessons, year-after-year. 

So how can you make sure they stay in your studio? It’s all about understanding the piano parent onboarding process.

Piano Parent Onboarding 1

STAGE 1: AWARENESS

This is when the potential piano parent goes from having no idea you exist, to knowing the name of your studio. Perhaps they see your website in Google results, or a poster on a board, or a friend tells them about you. 

They know you’re there, so now they need to take the next step.

STAGE 2: ENQUIRY

If all goes well, the potential piano parent will reach out to you and ask about lessons. 

Whether they email, call or show up in person, make sure you have a process in place for replying promptly. 

STAGE 3: MEETING

Some teachers skip this stage but I think it’s essential. 

Having a meeting or interview before you start lessons means that you can talk through policies, tour the studio, and generally get everything started on the right foot. 

Piano Parent Onboarding 2

STAGE 4: ORIENTATION

The first couple of weeks are about making sure your students and their parents feel welcome and understand how things work. 

Communicate regularly and get them excited about their decision to join your studio. Send emails and texts or pick up the phone and call them. 

Make sure they know they made the right decision by picking you.

STAGE 5: INTEGRATION

Do not leave this up to chance. 

After the first few weeks are over, your student is still new and they are not yet fully integrated into your studio community. Continue to communicate frequently and provide tips and explanations so that they can become your favourite type of piano family and stay for the long-run!

2 thoughts on “5 Stages of Piano Parent Onboarding”

  1. I have always had a parent onboarding process in place, and it’s worked well during my decades of teaching. However I have a very difficult parent who is questioning my teaching process. An anxious, suspicious person, complicated by her poor English skills (she and her family emigrated here). Any tips? I told her after the initial interview that I could not accommodate her, as I knew she was problematic. Yet her child is talented, delightful, and is progressing. He’s had very poor training up to now and I’m filling in the gaps, and preparing him for our state’s comprehensive testing program, which is her primary concern. Any tips? I’m about ready to throw in the towel.

    Reply
    • You don’t say what she’s doing exactly? As a general rule, communication offence is the best defence. So, I would start to send her a quick email with a digest of what’s been done at the lesson, where he’s up to and what the plan is moving forward. If she wants to be super involved make it in a positive way!

      Reply

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