Piano Forum
Piano Board => Teaching => Topic started by: ezpiano_org on May 10, 2011, 10:23:15 AM
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I have been teaching from an office building for several years. Next month, there will be a new teacher moving in next to my office and start teaching.
I am not sure how I want to respond to this.
Should I be aware that I might lose some current student, and also getting less new student because the new teacher is just next door?
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The next time you lease get a clause put into the agreement that no other tenant may offer the same services.
Remember the best place to open a bakery is next door to a bakery!
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Since you can’t stop this other teacher moving in, why not see it as a business opportunity rather than a threat. Maybe with 2 of you offering lessons in the same building, it can become The Place To Go if you want music lessons in your area. I would suggest you make some friendly overtures to this other teacher and explore whether there are any ways you can collaborate. You might be able to get together for student concerts, pair up suitable pupils for duet partnerships, pass students to each other if you have particular specialisms. There are all sorts of ways this could benefit you, but if you start from the mindset of ‘this person is trying to steal my business’, you may be creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Why do you assume that your current students will leave and go to the other teacher? Are you not confident in your relationships with them? If one of them mentions the new teacher next door, will you react defensively (and maybe therefore encourage them to go) or say “Yes, isn’t it great, we’re going to……..together”, and give your students a positive vibe?
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Hmm maybe the best form of defense is attack. Does the other teacher even know that he's setting up beside the competition? Find out his name and google it to see his qualifications, maybe it's time for you to upskill too!!
But really you should try and think of ways of working together... I would imagine that parents would love to put 2 kids doing lessons at the same time rather than waiting around for 1 to finish and then the other to go in...
Who knows if ye could get a few more other instrumental teachers in to offer singing lessons etc, then you could have a music school on your hands!! It's easy for me to post Blue sky thinking on a forum when you are in a very tough predicament but dont forget that it's the fear that has the power over you not the actual issue itself.
This actual issue you can control but you really need to come out with all guns blazing when you meet the other teacher first.
How is the other teacher advertising? maybe you could look at a little rebranding or advertising more online or locally.