You Are Blowing It by Not Having an Offer

Okay, first, let me respond to the most common objections I hear when I say you need an offer.

“I’m so busy, I don’t need more students.”
Okay, you’re one of the few. But many of these same people will also say they can’t afford to pay their teachers as employees or subscribe to a software service, etc. So either you need more students, or you have much bigger issues in your business.

“Giving away something for free only attracts people who want something for free.”
Stop it! Stop saying it! Stop listening to that! It’s wrong! Every software company gives you a trial period. Why? Because they want you to love it and feel like you need it.

Can you imagine going to buy a Mercedes and them telling you they don’t do test drives?

Secondly, I wasn’t looking for something for free when I tried a free Jiu-Jitsu class. Nobody—except crazy people—has time to chase down one free guitar lesson. You never design policies and practices around the few crazy people; you design them to work for the majority of customers. And the majority of people aren’t going to schedule their kid for one lesson just to “get something for free.” Just stop it!

“I don’t want to do a free trial lesson.”
I’m not telling you to do a free trial class. I don’t do a free trial class. I do something way, WAY better. What I’m telling you is that doing nothing is hurting your student sign-up rates.

Now That I’ve Gotten That Off My Chest, Let’s Talk About Offers...

There are a few key goals or outcomes to consider when designing an offer:

1. Will this set me apart from my competition and elevate me above everyone else?
   My 30-Day Music Lesson Pass is so far beyond anything anyone else offers that it gives me a huge advantage.

2. Will this offer either (A) help me sign up a student or (B) capture an email address so I can market to them and convert them later?

3. Will this offer convert?
   We want it to turn people into leads or customers today.

The Extra Bonus Benefit of a Cool Offer

A great offer gives you something to talk about—on your website, over the phone, and in person. This starts to blend into sales (which could be an entire newsletter topic on its own), but it’s worth noting that a strong offer makes marketing much easier.

What Can You Do Instead of a Free Trial Class?

This is where your creativity as a musician needs to kick in. Think outside the box. If you commit to making this happen, you’ll come up with something cool that works for you.

Can I offer a studio tour instead?
Sure—if your studio is impressive. Most aren’t, but I know some schools where a tour is a strong selling point. Even then, I’d go beyond a basic tour and offer something like a “V.I.P. Experience Tour.”

Here’s My Offer:

Try music lessons for 30 days, 100% risk-free, with our exclusive 30-Day Music Lesson Pass!

Further down in this edition of the newsletter, John Koziki has written an article outlining his offer. Maybe you can take that and adapt it to work for you.

This version keeps the energy and urgency of the original while improving clarity and readability. Let me know if you'd like any further refinements!