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studio policy tune up

powerpack

YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO RUNNING AN EFFECTIVE BUSINESS

POLICIES • BILLING • TUITION SET UP

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studio policy tune up powerpack

contents

Let’s get started 3

Studio Policy Tune Up Checklist 4

Planning your policies and payment structures 5

Payment structures 6

Payment options 7

Policy examples 10

Studio Issues Solved 16

Registration Form Templates 19

Policy Check up Form 21



let’s get startedWhat’s already working beautifully in my studio:

What’s not working about my policy:

What do customers text me the most about:

What ONE system fix will result in less stress for me in the next 6 months:



studio policy tune up checklist

Watched: Down to Business Tuition Setup and Policy Video Lesson

Watched: Monthly Billing Worksheet Video

Completed: Monthly billing worksheet PDF

Completed: Expenses, hourly rate and monthly payment calculators

Decided upon my studio payment structure

Created (or edited) my Studio Policy

Read Policy Enforcement Tips

Prepared standard responses for most common situations

Printed my Studio Poster Set

Filled out Let’s Get Started Worksheet



planning our policies and payment structures

As a beginner teacher, you might be a little apprehensive about the business side of your business. Many teachers feel so overwhelmed by this stuff that they don’t deal with it at all.

But it doesn’t need to be complicated! If you put simple policies and processes in place in the beginning, you can avoid so many potential problems down the road.

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY!

FEESDon’t make the mistake of pricing yourself too low! While it’s true that you should take into account your ex-perience when deciding on your fees, it’s not a good idea to try to undercut other teachers in your area.

Pricing at the bottom of the market sends the message that you’re lower quality, and will generally attract clients who are price shopping and are not placing value on music education. It’s generally a good idea to be somewhere in the middle to high range of your market, but don’t go by this alone.

You should also take into account what you want to be making each year, and the various costs that you will have in running your studio. Books, tunings, apps and recital spaces cost money so do your best to budget everything you will pay for during the year and roll this into your tuition. Parents will generally prefer a flat rate that includes everything than surprise extra fees down the line.



payment structuresOnce you have your hourly rate, work out what this will be as either a monthly or semesterly payment. Don’t charge cash at each lesson and don’t work out each month separately based on the number of lessons. The former sends the wrong message (that they’re only paying for the actual lesson time) and the latter is just messy!

You can easily work out a flat monthly rate using this formula:

((number of lessons per year) x (rate per lesson)) ÷ (number of monthly payments)

Annual Expenses / Student Calculation

Professional development Stationary & binding etc. Equipment / books

Recitals / events Other: __________________ Other: __________________

Total Expenses: Total Students:Expenses ÷

Students:

Hourly Teaching Rate Calculation

Income Goal / Year Total Annual Expenses Gross Income Goal

+ =

Gross Income Goal

Number of Students

Lessons / Year Per Lesson Rate

÷ ÷ =

Monthly Tuition Fees Calculation

Lessons / Year Per Lesson Rate Number of Months Monthly Rate

x ÷ =



payment optionsIt’s good to give a choice of payment options if you can. Parents are more likely to pay on time when the pay-ment method is convenient to them. Think about whether you want to accept cash and /or cheques, and if you want to look into an online payment option such as PayPal or Stripe.

My Music Staff has this functionality built in and there’s a special offer available at TopMusicPro if you want to try it out. An automatic option like this might be worth it to you despite the extra fees as it will mean you don’t have to spend time driving to the bank, or sending reminders to parents that haven’t paid.

In this workbook you’ll find several studio policy samples to draw inspiration from. Remember that there is no one size fits all when it comes to policies! Every teacher is different, as are the communities we serve.

Put this in your studio policies once you decide on the payment options you want to accept.

NOTES/QUESTIONS ABOUT PAYMENT OPTIONS

EQUIPMENTIf you are teaching from home, or renting a commercial space you will need to have a good instrument to teach on. This is really the only essential piece of equipment for piano teachers, but you may want to think about some extras to enhance your studio such as:

NOTES / QUESTIONS ABOUT STUDIO EQUIPMENT

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Second piano / keyboard • Waiting area seating

• iPad or other tech • Speakers for playing backing tracks

• Teaching desk and chair • A phone / iPad holder for recording videos

Cash Paypal

Cheque Stripe

Bank Transfer Auto Billing Service (My Music Staff)

https://members.topmusic.co/library/member-bonus-mymusicstaff-get-90-days-free-access/



OTHER INCOME STREAMSThere are only so many viable teaching hours in a week and many teachers will supplement their income with other activities e.g. accompanying, selling things online, summer camps, workshops, instrument/equipment sales or repairs. Think about whether you want to combine your teaching with other income streams to reach your income goals. Check out the blog post Helping Music Teachers to Grow.

NOTES/QUESTIONS ABOUT OTHER INCOME STREAMS

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ONLINE PRESENCEWhile you’re putting everything in place to be professional and present yourself well, you should also think about setting up a simple website and Facebook page. The Build Your Music Studio Website on WordPress course can help you with this and walk you through the process of setting up a website that will stand to you for years to come.

https://topmusic.co/introducing-topmusicpro-evolution-membership/

https://members.topmusic.co/courses/online-studio-launchpad/

https://members.topmusic.co/courses/online-studio-launchpad/



monthly billing worksheet1. MY RATESThese are your hourly rates less admin fees, etc. This is what you would charge if you took cash at the lesson. You will need to factor in some business costs too – see also 3 below.

e.g. $120 per hour e.g. $90 per 45 mins e.g. $60 per 30 mins

(multiply hourly by 0.75) (multiply hourly by 0.5)

2. NUMBER OF LESSONS PER YEARThis is to calculate how many lessons you expect students to receive in a year. This is the number of lessons they will pay for upfront.

Months teachingExpected number of

weekly lessons per yearFortnightly lessons per year

e.g. 10 e.g. 35 e.g. 17

(less any holidays) (divide weekly by 2)

3. ADMIN/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHARGESThese charges are total for the year. Don’t forget to include your TopMusicPro membership!

Professional development Stationary & binding etc. Equipment/books

e.g. $1000

e.g. $200 e.g. $350

Recitals/events Other: Other:

e.g. $400 e.g. $400

Total expenses: e.g. $2350 Total students: e.g. 10 Expenses ÷ students: e.g. $235

4. PER STUDENT CALCULATIONUse this formula to work out the monthly charge for each student.

Student name e.g. James Lesson duration e.g. 45min

$ per lesson No. of lessons per year Lesson fees per year

e.g. $90 x e.g. 35 = e.g. $3150

Admin fee per student Lesson fees per year Total fees per year

e.g. $235 + e.g. $3150 = e.g. $3385

Total fees per year Months teaching Total fees per month

e.g. $3385 ÷ e.g. 10 =e.g.

$338.50

TopMusicPro

Use “12” if you plan to charge equally over the whole year.

(admin fees per student per year)

I work on 35 weekly lessons per year as this is approx 10 months x 4 weeks, less long weekends, public holidays, etc.

This is your student’s monthly charge for those months of teaching.



studio policies examplesBelow you’ll find some studio policy samples to draw inspiration from. Remember that there is no one size fits all when it comes to policies! Every teacher is different, as are the communities we serve.

WHEN YOU’RE WRITING OR REVISING YOUR OWN POLICIES ASK YOURSELF:• What will happen if a payment is late? Will there be an extra charge or penalty?

• Do you give makeup lessons? Under what circumstances?

• What happens if a student is late? Will you wait the full lesson duration or just a set period of time?

• What do parents ask me about all the time? This should be addressed in your policies so that you have something to refer them back to.

• Is there anything that new parents are surprised by when they start taking lessons? Laying these points of confusion out in the policies is a good idea to dispel any possible conflicts before they even arise.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:• Parking: Where they should park and any restrictions.

• Recitals/events: How many, when and if students are required to participate.

• Summer lessons: If you expect students to take a certain number of lessons during the summer this should be clearly spelled out.

There are so many things that you could include in your policies, but don’t expect them to cover every possible circumstance. The best policies are short and cover the most important aspects of your studio and business – you can deal with more unusual circumstances on a case-by-case basis.



Tim’s 2018 Studio PoliciesSTUDIO POLICYThe following lists the policies by which I offer private lessons in my studio from 2017 onwards. Please read them carefully and let me know if you have any questions.

TIM’S RESPONSIBILITIESTo give you or your child the most comprehensive music education available. Students will be exposed to a whole range of music, technology, styles and creative endeavours.

All lessons are created to suit the individual goals, desires and loves of each student. I encourage my students to be curious and creative. I show students how music is constructed and how they can make up their own. I help students learn music that they want to learn. I develop their reading and technique. Students will learn a large amount of repertoire and enjoy a wholistic education that suits their level and goals for the future.

STUDENT/PARENT RESPONSIBILITIESStudents are responsible for arriving at lessons on-time, with correct books and having completed their prac-tice. Students should practice to achieve goals, not to fill time and it is expected that all instructions are fol-lowed week-to-week. Late arrival times will not be made up as I often have other students or commitments immediately around lesson times.

Students need to practice on a decent instrument. If playing an acoustic piano, please ensure it’s less than 50 years old and is regularly tuned. If using a digital piano, please ensure it has a solid wooden stand (not a cross brace), three pedals, adjustable padded bench and a fully weighted action. Let me know if you need help choosing an instrument.

STUDIO CALENDARLessons are conducted during school term time according to the Victorian School Calendar. Lessons are only conducted on weekdays. Lessons will not be conducted on School Holidays, Public Holidays or Long Week-ends, unless via special arrangement on a case-by-case basis.

Weekly students will receive 35 lessons each school year and this is what is included in the monthly tuition fee (see below). Fortnightly students should expect to receive 17 lessons.


studio policy tune up powerpackPAYMENTTuition covers not only the actual lesson time spent with the student, but time preparing for each student as well and my ongoing business costs, including:

• An individualised plan for each student’s course of study

• My training and experience

• Professional organisation memberships

• Insurance and GST

• My music lending library

• Printing, scanning, copying

Tuition is spread equally over the course of a year and charged each month in advance, starting January 30. This monthly payment guarantees the student’s place in my studio and covers the costs of lessons and en-rolment. The monthly payment amount is divided evenly between the 11 months from February to December. This means that whether there are 5 or 2 lessons in that month, the tuition fee is exactly the same.

Eg. If hourly lessons are $100 each and a student is having lessons weekly, their monthly charge will be $100 x 35 lessons = $3500/11 months = $318.20 per month. All amounts in $AUD. Students will setup an automatic debit each month with Credit Card through my Music Studio software. All tuition payments are non refund-able.

MISSED LESSONSMissed lessons due to forgetfulness, illness or holidays are not refundable. Exceptions will be made for pro-longed sicknesses and extenuating circumstances on an individual basis. As I am required to travel regularly for speaking, conferences, workshops and my online business work, there may be times when I’m not able to provide a lesson to a student. This is accounted for in the total number of lessons that students pays for as part of the annual calendar (see above).

If I’m sick or otherwise unable to attend a lesson, and this drops the students lesson number for the year below their minimum threshold, I’ll refund the lesson fees or endeavour to make them up. Lessons missed without affecting the student’s total number of lessons for the year will not be refunded as they haven’t been paid for.

PERFORMANCESPlease be aware that due to my online and speaking commitments, I don’t offer any formal recital opportuni-ties at the moment. Students should seek these out in their school or local community context.

EXAMSStudents wishing to sit practical music exams will need to have been learning with me for at least one year before I will enter them for an exam. I need this time to ensure they are ready, that exams are the right thing for the student and to cover areas missing in a student’s prior education.

Students looking to take exams should be aware that it takes a huge amount of effort, determination and stamina and significantly reduces the time available to other more creative pursuits. Extra lessons may be required and students will need to sit 1 - 2 mock exams with other teachers before they are examined.

Students are entered for exams only when they are fully prepared. This is to avoid the situation where a stu-dent has to pulled out of an exam due to lack of preparation which is not a pleasant experience for anyone involved. If proceeding, students may choose to sit AMEB, ANZCA or Trinity Exams and I’ll help make the


studio policy tune up powerpackdecision as to which exam board is best for the student.

TERMINATING LESSONSIf you wish to finish lessons, please provide notice by email. Students will continue to receive the lessons they’ve paid for until the end of the monthly cycle when the termination will take effect. Refunds will not be issued.

MEDIA RELEASEAs you know, I run a popular blog and piano teacher training website where I help educate teachers around the world about creative ways to teach piano. From time to time I use photos and short videos of my students on these sites which I also post on YouTube and my Facebook Page. These videos and posts are helpful to other teachers and a key part of my training for them.

If you do not want your child’s image(s) to be used, please let me know by email or in person. In general, students love to see their pictures and videos on my website or teaching page. They find it motivating and exciting to think that others want to know what they are learning. Students are identified only by first name. The commencement of lessons is deemed acceptance of these terms.

CONTACTING MEParents and adult students are welcome to call me during daytime hours to discuss any matters associated with their education (you will be provided with my number when you sign up). Please avoiding calling or tex-ting after 6pm. You may also email anytime.



Nicola Cantan’s 2018 Studio Policies

SEMESTER PAYMENTS• There are two semesters, September to December and January to June.

• Payment will be made at or before the first lesson of each semester.

• Payment can be made by bank transfer, cash or cheque only.

• There is a €60 registration fee payable when registering. This holds your spot in the studio and goes to-wards the cost of materials and books throughout the year.

• Fees cover the cost of tuition and all materials and books. Optional events (such as competitions and festi-vals) and exams will be paid for by the student/parent.

MONTHLY PAYMENTS • Monthly payments are to be made at or before the first lesson of every month. Late payments will incur a

10% late fee.

• The monthly payment amount is divided evenly between the 10 months from September to June inclusive. It doesn’t matter if there are 5 or 2 lessons in a given month, the tuition fee is exactly the same.

• There is a €60 registration fee payable when registering. This holds your spot in the studio and goes to-wards the cost of materials and books throughout the year.

• Fees cover the cost of tuition and all materials and books. Optional events (such as competitions and festi-vals) and exams will be paid for by the student/parent.

SCHEDULE• Lessons are scheduled at a mutually agreed time when the student begins lessons, and at the commence-

ment of each academic year thereafter.

• If a student/parent wishes to change their lesson time mid-year this can be discussed on a case by case basis, however this is subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed.

• Group workshops will be held instead of the regularly scheduled lessons for one week each semester.

MISSED LESSONS• If a student will be missing their lesson for any reason they should inform me by text or email, with as

much notice as possible. If I have another time free that week (such as another student’s cancellation) I will offer it, although I cannot guarantee availability. Missed lessons cannot be carried over into subse-quent weeks.

• If for any reason I have to cancel a lesson myself, I will offer a make-up lesson at a different time, or if a suitable time can not be arranged, I will refund the cost.

PUNCTUALITY• In the case of lessons in the teacher’s home, if a student is late this simply takes time out of the lesson,

i.e. the lesson will start when the student arrives and will still finish at the same time.

• If the lesson is in the student’s home and the student is not there at the arranged time, the teacher will wait outside the house for 10 minutes. If the student arrives within this time the lesson will proceed as normal, and will still finish at the arranged time.



IMPORTANT DATES• Group lesson week 1: 30/10/17–04/11/18

• Christmas break: 20/12/17–02/01/18

• Mid-year concert: 28/01/18 TBC

• Group lesson week 2: 12/02/18–17/02/18

• Easter break: 25/03/18–07/04/18

• End of year concert: 19/05/18 TBC



studio issues solvedPOLICY ENFORCEMENT TIPSMusic lessons are one part of our students’ busy lives and forgetting studio policy expectations is often unin-tentional. Be ready for common situations and prepare simple communication.

Use a positive, consistent messages for common situations:

Eg. I’m sorry Nick has a headache, please let him know I’ll miss him and looking forward to his lesson next week!

Eg. Unfortunately, I’m ill today and we will not meet for our lesson. I’ll be in touch with details in a few days (or today’s lesson will occur during our flex week in June 2022).

Save a standard response on your phone and computer for a quick copy and paste. Sending short, clear mes-sages will help clients remember what happens in these situations and what is expected of them.

ESSENTIAL COMMUNICATION Consider a brief yearly or bi-annual email or handout outlining most important dates and answer frequently asked questions in a brief, readable way. This sets the stage for easy conversations around missed lessons, and offers a friendly reminder of expectations. See the following pages for a few examples:



FALL 2021 ESSENTIAL LESSON INFORMATION

• Lessons begin the week of Sept 13, 2021.

• No lessons during Christmas Break: Dec 20, 2021 - Jan 31, 2022

HALLOWEEN RECITAL• Thursday Oct 28, 2021, 7pm

GROUP CLASS WEEKS:• Oct 12-14 & Dec 14-16

Private lessons do not meet during group class weeks.

WHAT DO I DO WHEN I MISS A LESSON?If you must miss a lesson for any reason - illness, vacation or an unexpected event, there are 3 options available to you:

1. Send a video of the assignment before the lesson time, and receive feedback and directions by email during the lesson time.

2. Swap lesson times with another student (availability is not guaranteed, notice is required).

3. Miss the lesson.

If you are mildly ill or driving conditions are poor you can opt for an online lesson (simply text or email before your lesson time.)

If the teacher must miss a lesson it will be automatically rescheduled during the studio Flex weeks in June (same time, same day of the week), and tacked on to the end of the studio schedule. Those weeks are not billed in the tuition calendar.

Looking forward to a fantastic and musical semester!



MISSED LESSON PROTOCOL E-MAIL

Dear Parents,

Here’s a reminder of your missed lesson options always available this semester.

It’s simple to request one - please email by noon of your lesson day & I’ll set this up for you!

Missed Lesson Options:

• Zoom Lesson: Mildly sick or quarantined? Connect on Zoom during your normal lesson time (Meeting Room ID xxx-xxx-xxxx & Pass xxxxx)

• Video Lesson: Schedule conflict? Your child receives a custom video lesson for their upcoming week, available to watch anytime, no logins required.

(Older students sometimes flip this and send in their work for review & progress check. Up to you!)

Thanks!



registration form templateUsing a google form, send this (or something similar) to your studio for quick and easy registration:

REGISTRATION

PIANO LESSONS AT [YOUR STUDIO NAME]21-22 SCHOOL YEAR

Student Name:

[short answer text]

What grade is your child in?

[short answer text]

Attending which school campus?

[short answer text]

Lesson type

[multiple choice]

30 min - beginner, ages 6-9

45 min - ages 9+

Choose possible days for music lessons (please select 3 or more):

Day Early 1-3 PM Mid 3-5 PM Late 5-7 PM

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Which is your first day choice, and 2nd/3rd? Eg. 1st = Mon, 2nd = Tues, 3rd = Fri

[short answer text]



Photo Release - photo or video of special moments, to celebrate achievements, recital group etc.

[multiple choice]

Yes, first name

Yes, without first name

No

Food allergy?

[short answer text]

Tuition Payment preference:

[multiple choice]

Monthly installments (Sept-May)

By semester (4% savings)

Email schedule results as close to the beginning of the term as possible, in case adjustments are needed.



policy check up form

Once you’ve created or edited your existing policy check to be sure you’ve got everything covered. The goal is

to cover everything AND be easily readable. If it’s too dense clients will not read it and it will cause confusion.

MY POLICY COMMUNICATES CLEARLY:

Tuition amount

How and when to pay tuition

Current Lesson schedule dates

Missed lesson protocol (for student and teacher)

Photo release (if applicable)

MY POLICY IS READABLE:

Uses bullets

Paragraphs are no longer than 4 lines

Short (1 page, 2 max).



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