Knowing what you know now wouldn't you want a coach?

So you have now been playing guitar for let's say 5 years, 10 years, 20 years. The time doesn't really matter because we both know that if you could go back and talk to yourself as a beginner guitarist you would offer some very sound advice on how to avoid many of the the mistakes you have made along the way to guitar mastery. This is what often frustrates us as guitar teachers. We see students making the same silly mistakes we made. Perhaps it's their technique or their impatience to learn new songs or the weak excuses they make about not having enough time to practice or just the lack of self discipline. We know that given our time over we could work a lot smarter and probably get to the same level we are now in half the time. I know I certainly could.

Same mistakes, different day.

Here is the thing. If you are starting out as a guitar teacher chances are you are repeating your mistakes all over again. You are likely trying to teach yourself how to be a successful teacher and small business operator believing you have all the answers when the truth is in 5 years you will look back to see all the time you wasted telling yourself "If only I knew then what I know now." You can be forgiven the first time around because you didn't know any better but now as a guitar teacher you are actually promoting the benefits of a coach/mentor. The problem is if you are not seeking out coaching for your teaching and business. You are not practicing what you preach.

If you want to save yourself a lot of time and get your teaching business right the first time get a coach. Seriously. Go and find a business coach right now before you do anything else. Don't waste the next 5 years.

David J Hart.
www.g4guitaronline.com

Are you losing more than 5% of your guitar students in the first year?

In the last 12 months what percentage of your guitar students stopped coming to lessons? 10%, 20%, 50%, 100%. What were the reasons? Did they tell you they could no longer afford the lessons? Perhaps they just didn't have time to practice. Or was it that they simply didn't have the passion? I bet that in just about every case you were able to claim that their reasons had little or nothing to do with you. What if I told you that 95% of your students who quit did so because of you? That's a pretty serious accusation but its actually good news because it means you can do something about it. You are responsible for the success of almost every student who signs up with for 3 important reasons which are as follows; 1. Induction. When you first speak to a potential student what you say at this point will play a big part and whether they succeed long term. You should be honest about what it takes in terms of practice and long term commitment. If they are a child you should make it clear to parents what is expected of them. If there is any doubt or hesitation from the student you should explain that anyone can learn guitar but to do so they need to make a commitment from the start. This process will reduce around 50% of your drop outs. 2. Your program. Too many guitar teachers take the approach that they will teach the student what they want to learn and this in most cases backfires. When teachers do this they are sending a clear message to their student that they have no program. Students quickly realise that the teacher has no plan so they quit. Students want teachers with a plan. 3. The teacher misses the signs. Every student will show early signs of an impending decision to quit. Successful teachers know to look out for the signs and address them early. The strongest sign is a reduction in practice. It always surprises me how many teachers don't ask students to keep a practice log. This is an important early warning system for the teacher. When a student reduces or stops practicing and the teacher is aware they can ask questions and find out why and then take steps to get their student back on track before its too late. The above 3 will eliminate 95% of your student dropouts but more importantly they will ensure the success of your students and therefore you as a teacher.