Comparing & Choosing a Music Student or Studio Management Software

Once you have more than two or three music students, it essential to develop a hassle-free system to track student schedules, invoices, payments, books you may lend out, emails you send. You can use something as simple as a spreadsheet, but the pay-off for using an online system made specifically for music teachers can be quite large.

Personalized Attention for Each Student

The biggest benefit to using a specialized system is the personal attention you can give to each student. The right system will allow you to keep notes on each student, send personalized reminders, send personalized invoices, etc.Some online music student management systems will even allow you to create profiles and accounts for your students and the parents of students. This can save you time as students are empowered to keep track of their own progress and their own schedules. You will also be seen as a very professional and classy music teacher. This will increase positive word-of-mouth recommendations.

Unique Challenges and Considerations when Selecting a Student Management System

I have spent many years developing registration systems for camps, clubs, field trip programs, libraries, and volunteer programs. All of these systems present unique but fun challenges that must be considered when using a scheduling or management system successfully.

Some essential features to look for in any music student management software

*Must be web-based
*Allow you to easily and students and student families
*Allow you to easily schedule and edit student lesson times
*Allow easy access to a scheduling calendar
*Integrate with online payment gateways like Paypal
*Create automatic lesson reminders through email
*Generate registration forms where new students can sign-up online

Some other points to consider when looking at a music lesson management tool

*How will the system integrate with your current website?
*If you don’t have a website, does the system allow you to create a simple website.
*Will the system easily handle billing for entire families?
*Will the system generate reports you need to track incoming money?
*Can the system easily handle make-up lessons?These are some of the most important points to consider when you begin to expand your music lesson business.

Next Steps

It is best to look for a system that you can try out for free and explore for 10 or 15 minutes. If you can easily find the important features mentioned above, you should sign-up and begin utilizing a great tool. You will be on your way to a better served collection of music students.

I recommend trying Music Teacher’s Helper for individual teachers

or

Try Studio Helper for those managing an entire studio.

Good luck!