Identifying the Growth Formula for Music Schools
Host (David Martin): Rory, it’s good to see you. Welcome to Los Angeles. We are here talking about something super relevant for the music school industry. Some schools just tend to grow super fast, as if they’ve figured out a secret formula, while others seem to struggle despite doing “all the things.” Many owners chalk it up to being in the wrong area or a slow market, but I think there is another reason for it.
Guest (Rory Cain): I’m excited to talk about this. Before we dive in, let’s address the location aspect. Demographics and your city matter, but there’s only so much you can control. While median income is a lever you can look at when scaling, it doesn’t mean your current location can’t be successful. My team has talked to thousands of music schools, and being in a “bad area” is almost never the actual case. It’s about making the best of the situation you are already in and focusing on the things you can control directly within your region.
The Myth of the Silver Bullet in Marketing
Host (David Martin): Marketing is such a broad term. When I started my school, I didn’t know anything about it. I just put up yard signs and drove around the neighborhood. It worked until it didn’t. My first lesson was that there is no “silver bullet.” You need multi-channel marketing. Beyond just raising a banner, there is a whole process of nurturing prospects and building brand awareness.
Guest (Rory Cain): Exactly. Most music school owners don’t spend their time thinking about conversion rates, funnels, or go-to-market mechanics. It’s like music theory—you wouldn’t know Lydian dominant exists unless you learn the science behind it. I use a framework that applies to every level of business, especially service-based ones.
Stage 1: Awareness and the Power of Google Reviews
Guest (Rory Cain): The first stage is Awareness. You can have the best teachers and a beautiful studio, but if you have a billboard in the middle of the woods, it doesn’t do you any good. In 2025, word of mouth has moved digital. I would argue that word of mouth today is 100% Google Reviews.
Guest (Rory Cain): Reviews are crucial for SEO. Since COVID, Google shifted its algorithm to look for signals that a business is relevant, recent, and popular. On-page SEO—peppered keywords like “music lessons in Pasadena”—isn’t enough anymore. Reviews tell Google you are actually open, you provide the service you claim, and that you have a high volume of happy customers.
Systematizing Your Review Strategy
Host (David Martin): How do schools get hundreds of reviews while others have only a few?
Guest (Rory Cain): Systematization. Most owners have the best intentions but lack the discipline to ask every person at the front desk for five years. You have to be honest with yourself about your shortcomings and build a system to handle it. Use software tools to ask for reviews in mass, but also use “sentiment questions” first. If a customer says they love their lessons, send them to Google. If they are lukewarm or upset, send that feedback directly to the owner to mitigate the issue.
Host (David Martin): I once ran a “Teacher Appreciation” competition for reviews and got over a hundred in a week.
Guest (Rory Cain): That absolutely works. Even if you don’t use a digital tool, put a QR code on your front desk and incentivize teachers. Give them $20 for every review that mentions them by name.
Stage 2: The Consideration Stage – Marketing vs. Information Websites
Guest (Rory Cain): Once people are aware of you, they enter the Consideration Stage. They are looking at your school versus two others. This is where your website becomes vital. Most owners inadvertently build “informational” websites—repositories of policies and pricing.
Guest (Rory Cain): You need a “marketing” website. Its only job is to inspire and convert. Parents want to see results. Show them photos and video testimonials of happy, educated kids. Most importantly, have a clear Call to Action (CTA). Don’t hide your phone number at the very bottom or make it a mystery how to sign up.
Stage 3: Conversion and the Urgency of “Speed to Lead”
Guest (Rory Cain): This is the Convert Stage. You’ve won the battle of awareness and consideration, but many schools fail here because they don’t answer the phone or enter a long game of “phone tag.” In the age of instant gratification, attention spans are short.
Guest (Rory Cain): Think about the Lifetime Value (LTV) of a student. If you charge $200 a month and keep a student for an average of three years, that lead is worth $7,200. When you see a missed voicemail, don’t just see a name; see $7,000 sitting on the table.
Host (David Martin): How can a busy owner manage that urgency?
Guest (Rory Cain): Let them book directly on your website. The “boutique” argument against self-booking often falls apart when you realize you’re going to put that student with whatever teacher has an open Wednesday slot anyway. You don’t have to choose either/or—keep your phone number for those with questions, but let the “instant” buyers self-serve.
Stage 4: Delivery and the “Administrate” Phase
Guest (Rory Cain): The Delivery Stage is where you actually provide the service. Most music schools are incredibly good at this because they are fueled by passion for the arts. This stage is the “business of tomorrow” because it creates the reviews and word of mouth that feed back into the awareness stage.
Stage 5: Amplification and Retention
Guest (Rory Cain): The final phase is Amplify. This involves turning a great experience into more business through upselling—like rock bands or ensembles—and evangelizing your happy customers.
Host (David Martin): I’ve always viewed retention as ongoing marketing. You have to resell the family every month on why they should continue to pay for the subscription.
Guest (Rory Cain): Supplemental programs like rock bands are crucial for retention because they add a social element. Our research shows that the social component in dance leads to higher retention rates. When a kid has “teammates” in an ensemble, they are less likely to quit for a sport because they have that same camaraderie and team building in music.
Conclusion: Taking the Driver’s Seat
Guest (Rory Cain): Once you understand this framework, you stop feeling lost at sea. You realize what you can’t control and focus entirely on the levers you can pull. It puts you back in the driver’s seat of your business.
Host (David Martin): Rory, thank you for these fascinating insights. It’s been a game-changer.
Guest (Rory Cain): I had a blast. Thanks for having me.
