Proving Your Worth as an Online Music Tutor

-by Sheldon Soper of The Knowledge Roundtable

Technology changes and evolves at an astounding pace. However, people's opinions of technology do not always follow suit as quickly. No place is this discrepancy felt as acutely as it is in the world of education.

Whether its third grade or a piano lesson, people have their own memories and perceptions of what learning is supposed to be like. On the other hand, most people do not have personal experience with online educational platforms or virtual tutoring sessions. As such, there are extra barriers to proving the value of the online learning experience.

In many ways, educators can actually provide superior service in an online setting as opposed to an in-person one. That being said, it is up to the educators to make that case to their prospective digital clients.

Thankfully, there are several ways you can effectively prove your worth as an online music tutor.

Sell the convenience

People are busy. Any time you can save someone time and energy, you are instantly providing value. Convenience is a crucial part of the value-added proposition of online music tutoring.

First and foremost, by offering music lessons online, you remove the time loss associated with commuting to and from in-person sessions. There are any number of ways that commuting time could be put to better use in service of music learning; this includes longer sessions or (gasp!) extra practicing time! 

For music tutors, removing commuting time to-and-from a client's home or a music school means there is more free time available to take on additional students. It also opens up a tutor's reach to clients that would ordinarily be too far away to teach in person.

There is also something to be said for the convenience of playing and learning music in your own home. Online music lessons mean there are no instruments or pieces of equipment for students or tutors to lug back and forth from a lesson. Not only do both tutors and students benefit from added comfort and convenience, but they also reduce expensive wear and tear on their instruments.

For musicians that play larger, difficult to transport instruments like drums, piano, or even double bass, learning from home means students can use their own equipment rather than what a music teacher has onsite. The tutor, too, is able to demonstrate techniques using their own preferred instrumental setup.

Find unique ways to add value

Offering private music lessons online comes with added benefits. Music educators that opt for a comprehensive digital learning platform can offer additional value to clients that their competitors cannot. Your pitch for online music education needs to include the combination of your expertise, added convenience, and these types of unique features:

Offer lesson recording

When a lesson is taking place virtually, the session's video can be recorded for future playback. This allows students to revisit key lesson discussions, demonstrations, techniques, and feedback at any time. While these videos can improve practice quality from session to session, they can also serve as references for both students and instructors to refer to later on.

Offer support between lessons

Establishing a digital tutoring relationship makes it easier to facilitate learning between sessions. Consider offering shorter check-in sessions between regular lessons as a way to help your students grow and maintain their motivation.

Not only does this support demonstrate a level of personal care and attention, it also helps promote accountability. In the end, students that are putting in the work between lessons will be the most successful. These success stories will always be your best form of self-promotion!

Offer digital scheduling and payments

No one gets involved with tutoring because of a love for keeping a calendar or chasing down payments. Online tutoring can be very convenient for all parties involved when it comes to the business side of the relationship.

Using a reliable digital platform for both scheduling and payment ensures that sessions are easy to set up, payments are easy to make, and instructors are guaranteed to be compensated for their time. 

Convincing potential clients that online music tutoring is superior to the in-person experience can sometimes be an uphill battle. Help break through the misconceptions and misunderstandings with a pitch and a toolset that offers undeniable value and convenience.