The Tech Of Business Podcast

My goal is to help you expand your music business online with group programs, courses, membership sites and now hybrid opportunities. I have recently added hybrid opportunities because more and more of my clients are finding that they want to have some level of in person augmented by online offerings. And so I've embraced it because it just makes sense. If you are thinking about Expanding Online... do it with a safety net! Do it with a mentor, coach advisor, techie, whomever it might be. Your potential for success is far greater than you doing this alone. If you haven’t yet, click http://callwithjaime.com to book a free call with me. This episode is a mirroring effect; I am going back and forth between how I work with my clients (you and your peers) and how you work with your students -- it’s the same thought process and same iterations of business growth. A scenario Let’s suppose that you’re a piano teacher who has always taught in your home, your students come to your home and you teach them, they leave

We are just a day away from the second half of 2021 as of the time of this episode… and I have a big question for you… Why? Why are you doing your business the way that you are doing your business? Why are you servicing your clients and your students the way that you are servicing your clients or students? Why are you creating material for your students for your studio, the way that you are creating the material for your students and for your studio? Why are you offering lessons when you offer lessons? Why are you interacting with your students the way that you're interacting with your students? Why are you taking payments the way that you are taking payments? Why are you doing booking the way you're doing booking? Why is your business operating the way it is right now, as we cross into the second half of 2021? The question is, are we working smart? Are we working in a way that our businesses are serving our core desires, our core feelings, our core mission? Are we working the way we always have or

Have you felt it? There has been a noticable shift in the attitudes and outlook online over the past few weeks -- the shift from school to summer! And I'm hearing from many of you the desire to be productive without being busy, desire to launch in the fall but not do a lot right now and most resounding, the desire to make money without teaching all day. So, today let's talk about 3 ways to be productive this summer: Work on your fall programming with earnest Offer workshops and summer camps Do Q3/Q4 planning Fall Programming Every program we offer goes through five phases: Idea ~ Mode of Delivery ~ Tech Considerations ~ Creation ~ Launch. This summer is a great time to work at your own pace with a focus on completing multiple phases. Summer Workshops I spoke about these at length on Episode 172 & Episdoe 173 This is a great opportunity for both you and your students to explore aspects of the music scene and education outside of traditional lessons or your regular style of teaching Plan Q3/Q4 Bei

This episode is about the drawbacks of teaching through a marketplace website like Udemy or Skillshare rather than your own platform.  While I’m not meaning to, this may come across as a bit of a rant, my intention is to showcase the value of putting in the work to do your online studio right, from the beginning, or if you really want to use one of these marketplaces, to build in an exit strategy. The number one reason people start teaching on these platforms is because they have a built in audience and creators believe that it’ll be easier to start making money when they don’t have to worry about marketing. Udemy Did you know that course creators who don’t do their own marketing only make 37% of the course fee on Udemy? It’s true… you’re paying 63% for marketing and promotion. For course sales that you promote, you retain 97%, which is obviously far better than 37%, right? But don’t forget, one of the biggest reasons creators start on Udemy is because they don’t want to market. In addition to Udemy taking a

Joining me for today's episode are Katie Zaccardi and Bree Noble. These two ladies have a great program that they are launching -- all about launching -- and they are all in on music education. I'm delighted to bring you this conversation here on the podcast. Before I give you a rundown, be sure to sign up for their free challenge using either of these links: https://www.katiezaccardi.com/freechallenge or profitablemusician.com/freechallenge and take their quiz: https://www.katiezaccardi.com/quiz or https://profitablemusician.com/quiz (It's all about not having preferential treatment -- they take you to the exact same place, just one is Bree's link the other is Katie's!) OK, so now that we got that out of the way, let's put a couple of highlights on the topics we discuss: finding a way to get attention online for your program without being annoying and turning off potential students building a runway that leads up to your program launch what not to do in a pre-launch phase how ever

In this episode I share with you a couple of ways to engage and inspire your adult and teenage learners with programs that are complimentary to your traditional teaching style. Your adult and teen learners whom you work with one on one are in a perfect position to jump into a group program, especially one this summer. I firmly believe that the vibe of summertime is different and really works well for introducing programs that are fun and collaborative. Be sure to book a call with me: http://callwithjaime.com and hit the subscribe or follow button in your podcast app right now, so that you can receive all future episodes delivered automatically each week.

Summertime is a great time to experiment with new teaching modalities. In this episode, we discuss building a week long summer camp for kids and tweens. You'll hear one method to running this type of program and it'll spark ideas that work for your studio. Let's have some fun this summer with scavenger hunts, making music with homemade instruments, blending indoor and outdoor activities and stretching creativity to its limits. If you can teach live online lessons, you can run a summer camp program this summer. So put your camp counselor (or camp director) hat on and let's have some fun! Want to bounce some ideas off me --> http://callwithjaime.com  Next week will be part 2 of stretching your opportunities this summer where we'll focus on working with teens and adults! Follow the podcast and leave a rating/review!

In this episode I share with you why I don't believe that tech will create success with your online program, course or membership site, and why the right tech is vital to the success of your online program, course or membership site! Without the right tech in place, our programs aren't able to shine the way that they deserve, our students aren't able to easily navigate the program and success can become elusive. I don't want that for you, which is why I am committed to making sure that you have the best right tech for your students and your needs. Book a call with me at http://callwithjaime.com and connect with me on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/jaimeslutzky/) and on Facebook (https://m.me/jaimeslutzky/). It's only when tech doesn't work the way it needs to that it becomes the topic of conversation -- let's keep the conversation about your amazing curriculum, teaching style and student wins! Kindly, leave a review of the podcast in the app you're listening to this episo

We're in the middle of the Expand Online Summit --> https://expandonlinesummit.com right now and I am bringing you an "in the moment" update wrapped nicely in the question of whether hosting a virtual summit makes sense for you and your business goals. Be sure to book a call with me http://callwithjaime.com to discuss this podcast episode or anything else that is going on in your business! These show notes are super short this week, because I'm all in on the summit but I'm planning on coming back in after the summit is over to flush them out more. Thanks for understanding ;)

The 2nd Annual Expand Online Summit kicks off on Monday May 3rd, 2021. Register at https://expandonlinesummit.com Attending a summit is supposed to benefit your business, so let's make sure that you get the most out of any and all summits that you attend. Start by showing up with a game plan, know what sessions you want to take in, when they are available and when they expire. Know what your goal is -- are you there to connet with certain speakers, network with attendees, learn about a specific tool or methodology? Are you there to get inspiration or to simply be entertained? Next, grab an accountability partner to go through the summit with you. This is a great way to make sure that you can bounce ideas off someone else and leverage the summit for mutual benefit. Take in as much as you possibly can as far as the extras -- are there live sessions? a Facebook community? Clubhouse or Zoom calls? Make this summit as serious and important to your business as an industry conference you'd pay thousands of d

The Expand Online Summit is coming up from May 3 - May 7, 2021 and you can register at https://expandonlinesummit.com This event is an annual weeklong free opportunity for Music Teachers who are creating new online programming to learn how to make those programs effective, impactful and income producing. Now, for this episode of the Expand Online Podcast, I share with you how to become a great Virtual Summit Speaker. In order to be a great summit speaker, you need to connect with summit hosts -- so building out social media to not only attract your students, but also to be noticed by peers, coaches, associates and mentors is important. And make connections -- outreach is totally fine, you don't have to sit back and hope that someone you admire will invite you onto their platform. Once you are invited as a speaker, be a good communicator. Answer questions when they are asked, respond with content when requested and support the summit as best as you can. The saying "A rising tide lifts all boats" is

So, you've got a *brilliant* idea for a new online program, course, workshop or membership -- that's incredible! I'm betting you're just super excited to get to putting content together so that it can shine like you feel in your bones, right? Well, NOT-SO-FAST... okay? Between the idea and the development of that idea is a crucial step called VALIDATION. In this episode, we talk all about validation -- and yeah, I know, you've heard it before -- but seriously, there is a time and place for development, but it's not before you make sure that the time you spend on that program, workshop, course or membership is time that will pay you back in the form of new revenue. Validation includes knowing your audience, talking with your audience, making sure that your idea matches their desires. You are in the business of providing opportunity for others to tap into their passion and creativity -- making sure that you are giving them what they desire will go a long way towards making sure that they

This episode is not focused on raising your prices. It is not focused on squeezing as much as you can out of your students and their parents. It's not even about actually setting prices! In reality, this episode of the podcast is strictly about thinking about pricing your lessons and programs for the online space. When we start or expand our online offerings, it's a perfect time to re-evaluate how we set our pricing. In this episode, I share with you my thoughts on: pricing group programs that highlight the actual deliverables pricing one on one online lessons pricing small group online lessons The difference between group programs and small group lessons is the way that instruction is presented and the expectation that occurs inside live sessions. That is not the focus of this episode, and I didn't even bring it up while I was recording, but I thought it would be helpful in case you had that question -- have another questions for me? Send me a DM on Instagram or Facebook! This episode was entir

Celebrate with me! This is the official 3rd Anniversary Episode of the Expand Online Podcast. The podcast kicked off in April 2018 and since this is the last episode of March 2021, we're celebrating! Leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app (the one you're listening in right now, or if it doesn't have a review system, head to iTunes!) On this episode, I share takeaways from three conversations I've had recently. A new podcast listener who is getting ready to launch a music program live for his students/audience A client who is creating a series of online courses A longtime listener who is ready to invite her email list members to join her online group program Conversations like these make my heart sing. I love being in conversation with you -- the more I understand about you, your business and your ideal students, the better this podcast will be week in and week out. Join me in conversation: http://callwithjaime.com

We've all been there -- waking up in a cold sweat after we've been on an adrenaline rush after a new *brilliant* idea has come to us. The cold sweat is fear setting in, and impostor syndrome, and what-ifs -- this episode doesn't talk about any of that, rather it's all about how you can flip the script in your head to GUARANTEE that you'll have students in your next new program. It's not about the sales page. It's not about the price. It's not about getting 100's of people to magically fall in love with you. It's all about positioning. It's all about understanding your students' needs, wants and desires. It's all about making your offer irresistible. And it just takes real conversations. With real people. Because we are in the business of providing an opportunity to REAL PEOPLE. Go out and connect and create a program that showcases your expertise and provides a real tangible value to your students! And just like you're going to connect with people for

This episode is inspired by my upcoming workshop:  Fast-track Your Pivot - Learn three business-changing secrets to create online group programs and scale your influence and profits. I use free workshops, masterclasses and summits to provide opportunities to learn in real time, with your peers. These free offers are my way to help you determine if I'm the right partner to take you from idea through launch and beyond. And the same principles I use are used by hundreds of online service providers -- and they can be used by you as well. Go to https://expandonlinenow.com to sign up for the Workshop. If you're reading this after March 26th, 2021, go there anyway, because I'm going to make sure that it always has a registration to something (or a link to something else I'm offering.) With online group programs in the arts education space, your free workshops will be helping your prospective students see that you're the right teacher for them and that they are ready for the program that you'v

Pre-recorded content is the lifeblood of effective online programs. This is where the teaching truly happens, because it's the fastest way to efficiently educate and inspire. Pre-recorded content inside your programs breaks down the material so your students can understand it and implement it in their own practice. When it comes to pre-recorded content, we are likely going to create a fair amount of material. In the episode I share with you two general approaches to creating content as well as two ways to get through the content. These are: Creating material chronologically from the beginning to the end of the program Creating material as it manifests itself into existence. And then we can do either of these by recording, editing, producing and uploading each piece in its entirety or by batching the processes. And the most common question I get is... What software do I use to make these videos? My go to video editing software is Camtasia --> https://techsmith.pxf.io/c/1240982/476732/5161 (affiliate l

I sat down and chatted with the super smart piano teacher and business coach, Andrea Miller, to discuss how educators can expand online in ways other than teaching one-on-one or group programs. While much of what is discussed on the podcast is about creating online programs, it's so important to look inward and see what excites you with your work and do more of that -- if you love creating curriculum, then do more of that (and sell it!) There are no rules to how to expand online and there is no timeline, but Andrea and I strongly recommend doing something that is your zone of genius and make a decision on WHEN it's going to happen. If you have questions for Andrea, you can reach her at https://www.musicstudiostartup.com/, on Facebook or on Instagram. Let's get on a call, go to http://callwithjaime.com or send me a message on Instagram or Facebook!

In this episode, I share how to engage with the parents of your young students and why this is so important to their success with your online programs. We want to build bonds with our students and their parents for the benefit of progress and continuity. This starts with your website and goes through the registration process. It continues with effective and succinct communication throughout the program and forming a partnership with the parents. Online is different than in person. Group programs are different than one-on-one. But neither is better, just different. I encourage you to embrace a new culture as you expand online! Book a call --> http://callwithjaime.com

Adult learners come to the arts for a variety of reasons - realizing a lifelong dream, finding a new hobby, reconnecting to something they previously enjoyed and advancing their skills, among many. Unlike children, adults have a plethora of responsibilities outside of our online programs. They work, have families and are responsible for household tasks. The best online group programs fit into this chaotic lifestyle, because of their flexibility and clear expectations. In this episode, we go into a few strategies to help you set your adult learners up for success, including using gamification which we discussed in Episode 155 and using email or text automations. With group programs, we want to make our students comfortable becoming part of the group and feel included in the group through interaction, engagement and office hours/live virtual sessions. You are not responsible for your students success, you are responsible for setting them up for the best chance for success. I encourage you to look at the culture