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.