If you’re an experienced guitar player, sharing your passion with students can be very rewarding. Whether you want to do it as your main source of income or as a side hustle for a bit of extra money, teaching guitar to beginning players offers many benefits. Not only do you get paid to work with your guitar, you also get to see your students develop their skills and improve their musical performance. But before you get started, you need to think about how you’re going to promote your guitar lessons.

Advertising your services is an important part of being a guitar teacher. If people don’t know you exist, you may have trouble finding new clients. You need to make sure students are familiar with your service, that you have a reputation for quality lessons and ensure clients can contact you for further information if they’re interested. Your promotional strategy may depend on how many students you want to take on and how busy you want to be, but there are several advertising techniques you could try.

Advertise online

Promoting your guitar lessons with specialist online sites is a great way to reach potential clients. Most people will try searching online if they’re looking for a guitar teacher, so make sure your business features in their search results. Sites such as lessons.com.au are ideal for this because they target students who are interested in services such as guitar lessons. You can include links for students to find out more information or to contact you when they’re ready to enrol.

Use local noticeboards

This may seem old school, but local noticeboards are still an effective way to target customers. Creating an ad that catches the eye of passers by may be just what you need to attract a few new students. Make sure your ad is bright and colourful and provides all the information a potential client needs. You don’t want to make your ad too busy, but it’s important you include details on what type of lessons you’re offering and how students can contact you. You might want to consider an incentive such as a free trial lesson or a discount if students book a block of sessions.

Get involved with the community

When you’re first starting out as a guitar teacher it may take a little while to establish yourself. Working with community groups and organisations is a great way to become known in your community and to establish a strong reputation. It’s also a good chance to target students who may not have considered guitar lessons before. Contact local community groups and find out about opportunities to offer guitar lessons at their premises or as part of their activity programs.

Set up social media

Social media is a great way to showcase your skills and promote interest in your lessons. Before contacting you to enrol in lessons, students may like to browse your Facebook or Instagram to see you in action. Make sure your sites are professional and interesting and include information on the services you offer. Social media is also a good way to offer special promotions or discounts, so you’ll need to include your links on any ads or business cards you use to promote your guitar lessons.

Word of mouth

Word of mouth is crucial when you’re promoting your guitar lessons. If other people have had a positive experience with you, make sure you share that with potential new students. People are more likely to respond well to the feedback of other clients, so be sure to ask your current clients for reviews and use them in your promotional activities.

Jodie Magrath

Jodie is a freelance writer with a background in communication and journalism. She’s spent almost 20 years working in roles such as Special Projects Writer and Publications Officer.