Extra, Extra, Read All About It….Easy and Effective Music Studio Newsletters Darlene Irwin     September 06, 2015

Do you send out a Music Studio Newsletter at the beginning of the teaching year?

Well, if you don’t, then maybe this year is a good time to start! Communication is the key to running a successful music studio. Having your own Music Studio Newsletter is a great way to kick off the teaching year in an organized and professional way.

I know....you are probably wondering....where do I start?? In this blog post, I’d like to give you some quick and easy ideas on how to effectively write your own Music Studio Newsletter. A simple letter format works best for me because I have quite a bit of information that I want to share and I need the extra room. However, if you are feeling creative, you could also use a fancy template that allows you to add pictures to give your newsletter a little more punch. Programs like Word or Pages have sample Newsletters that you can easily adapt for your own use.

 

 

 

Planning Steps for Writing Your Music Studio Newsletter

Organize your Information Before You Start to Write

  • Plan your teaching schedule well ahead of time. How many weeks are you teaching during the year? When are you taking holidays? When do lessons end for the year? Parents need to know this so they can plan their own holidays.
  • Set dates for your important events such as master classes and recitals. Parents can add these events to their calendars at the beginning of the year. Students are more likely to attend if they know the dates well in advance. Make sure that you have all other important deadlines and dates for things like exams, auditions and festival classes.

Start with a Friendly Introduction

  • Begin by welcoming all returning and new students. You can also highlight any new programs or activities. Be enthusiastic….let your students know how excited you are to see them again. 

    Explain Studio Programs or Incentives

    Highlight Student Accomplishments

    • Students and parents love to hear about the successes of other students in your studio. It helps to make them feel part of the group. Make sure that you have permission to share this information. 

    Review Policies and Procedures

    Share Other Important Information

    • Include other information such as teacher qualifications, specific requests i.e.wash hands before lesson, where parents should park, how you would like to be addressed by students, piano tuner information, what is the best way to contact you etc.

    End on a Positive Note

    • Your newsletter can help set the tone for the entire year. It also helps to avoid miscommunication and misunderstandings. Be positive, encouraging and excited about the upcoming year.

    Include a One-Page Studio Calendar

    • A yearly studio calendar is a great way to keep everyone organized. I make a copy of my Studio Calendar for my students and then tape it in the back of their Student Music Organizer. That way, we can refer to it all year long.

      Free Downloads

      1) Click HERE to download the first style of Newsletter - a simple 5-page  format without pictures or graphics. The file is an easy-to-use Word Document (doc). Feel free to copy, add, change, or delete whatever you like. Once your newsletter is completed, re-save it as a PDF file for mailing to parents and students. It's best not to send your original document file.

      2) Click HERE to download a 6-page WORD template for a fancier Newsletter with pictures. It looks better, but there are a few of drawbacks to using this format. It's a little fussier to work with and it has limited writing space because of all the graphics. Even as a PDF, it's also a much larger file (6.1MB) . This is a consideration when you are sending your newsletter electronically. 

      3) Click here to download a handy 2015/2016 Studio Calendar Template. All of the statutory holidays have been added plus all deadline dates for Royal Conservatory (RCM) exams. It’s in a FILLABLE PDF format, so you can easily add your own dates for events and deadlines specific to your own studio.

      In conclusion, I’d like to share with you a statement that I always include at the end of my Music Studio Newsletter.

      “It is very important to me that your child enjoys their music lessons.
      My primary goal as a teacher is to assist my students
      to develop a love of music that will last for a lifetime. 
      Remember, teaching is like a triangle.
      The parent and the teacher are at the bottom supporting the student at the top.
      Working together as a team is the best way to ensure musical success. 
      I am looking forward to another exciting musical year together.”

      Once you have completed your Studio Newsletter and Calendar, you can quickly and easily e-mail both files to all of your students.  Parents will be grateful that you took the time to keep them informed and students will know what you expect of them throughout the year. Have fun writing your own Music Studio Newsletter.

      ♥︎ Remember - Great Music Comes From the Heart ♥︎