How To Find The Right Guitar Teacher. Marketing the Government for Profit.
Finding a good teacher is not always easy, at any level. At the beginner level it is important to get on the right foot and as an intermediate player you need to know that your teacher really knows his or her stuff if you want to move forward. What it really comes down to is "Are you getting the right information?".
The big problem when it comes to music instruction is that it is not necessary to have any diplomas or awards in order to set up a teaching practice. Conversely, the best teacher may not have a degree in music, just a phenomenal talent for teaching.
The first thing to understand when finding a good teacher is that the best teachers are not necessarily the best players. And it certainly goes that great players are invariably not the best teachers, possibly because they are far too wrapped up in their own playing to be concerned about anyone else. OK, a generalization but a theory with legs.
So let's assume you are just starting out, an absolute beginner, so what do you do? Well, the first resource I would use is your own personal contacts. You may have a friend or cousin that also took lessons and he or she may be able to recommend someone. Music stores often provide instruction and you can also look in your local paper for private instructors. Even do a Google search. It's actually very easy to find a teacher, but can you count on them to feed you all the right information?
Let's assume you have a short list of teachers in you area. I think it is definitely in your interest to make sure that they are teaching simply because they love to teach. Not because they are waiting for their "big break". This is why I think it is important to find a professional teacher, not an aspiring pop star. So you might ask a series of questions:
*How long have you been teaching?
*What teaching qualifications do you have?
*How many other students do you have?
*Can you give me the phone numbers of two of your students?
This may seem harsh, but I just think it is so important to get the right person from the start. Why? because as a student you have no idea whether your potential teacher actually knows what they are talking about. So don't be shy to ask.
As an intermediate student you probably need to rely more on word of mouth to get the right teacher to take you forward. In your local neighborhood, especially if you have been playing a while, you are probably already hooked into who the teachers are so it may not be such a problem.
The other issue, aside from musical expertise, is that your teacher and you need to like each other. If you are to be successful studying together this is so important. I remember growing up that I would excel in the subjects where I actually liked my teacher. And of course I dreaded going to class with those teachers I did not like.
I am happy to say that I really liked all my guitar teachers except for one, and that person lasted just a few lessons. I got lucky with the others there is no question. But other students may not be so lucky. I have heard a number of times that students realized much later that they did not have a good teacher. So at what point do you decide to move on and find a new teacher?
If you have done the prerequisite research I mentioned then this should not be an issue.
However, guitar playing is such a personal undertaking that finding the right teacher is relative to each student. What works for one, clearly does not always work for another.
Your teacher should care about you and take an interest in seeing you advance as a player. I think this would be the biggest red flag to me if I was taking lessons all over again. I would want to know that there was some nurturing involved. If you feel that there really is no connection between the two of you then I think this might be a factor you can use to determine whether you move on or not.
It's tricky. As a student you want the best teacher for you but you may not know if there is no barometer to show you.
I also think that many times the student is to blame for being a lousy student. I remember when I used to give private lessons that a few students would come back week after week and had not done any practice at all. I found myself explaining the same things over and over because we couldn't move on until the essential groundwork was covered. These students eventually gave up because they had no drive or ambition to improve. This can be very frustrating for a teacher. Other times extremely talented players would come for just a few lessons because all they needed was a little fuel to go off on their own and practice. They were literally sponges. These students are heaven for teachers!
So do the research, then take a lesson or two and see if that teacher is right for you. If you are serious about working at your instrument then you shouldn't be to blame for being a bad student. At that time it's simply a matter of finding the right person. Don't short change yourself.
Chris Standring is an international jazz recording artist and educator. For more information about his highly acclaimed home study guitar courses please visit http://www.PlayJazzGuitar.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Steps and tips on marketing your business to the government.
Fact: Federal, state and local governments buy over $450 billion combined in goods and services each year.
Part of that can be yours if you know how to get it.
Fact: Federal procurements under $25,000 never go through the bid/RFP process.
The only way to earn these government procurements is to market your business wisely.
You probably know there are huge opportunities for any business to earn government contracts. But how will YOU win them?
It's easy to think of the government as a thing, an entity of inanimate form, but actually, the government is made up of people, hard-working business minded people just like you. With that in mind, marketing to the government is actually branding your name in the minds of the many thousands of government people who buy what you sell.
If you will be doing business with the Federal government, the first step is to become registered in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). The CCR is a vendor database that collects and distributes data about potential contractors to government buyers. It helps Government Buyers know who you are and that you're a valid contractor. You can find it on the internet at: www.ccr.gov.
Your next step is to find the right people. Numerous government buyers purchase different things. Some buyers only purchase supplies, while others are responsible for everything needed in their division - from property to paper clips. Do some research to find out who buys what you are selling. It really is all about who you know.
Once you find the name and contact information of the right person, its all a matter of getting to know them and giving them an opportunity to know you and your business. This is when you educate buyers about your wonderful products and services.
Get in touch through mailing advertisements, e mails, and telephone calls. But be careful, you don't want to risk being blacklisted as a spammer or be fined for unreasonable fax usage. Call buyers to inform them about your services, then ask if you can send them a fax or e mail. Also, call to schedule a meeting to discuss business opportunities with their agency.
Don't forget to do your homework. Regularly check resources like fedbizopps.gov to find current federal procurements. The Small Business Administration website (www.sba.gov) also lists valuable information like prime contractors who are looking to subcontract with small businesses. Visit procurement fairs and conferences if your calendar and budget permits. Many resources are available to you including local SBA offices, Small Business Development Centers and Procurement Technical Assistance Centers. Thousands of Small Business Representatives and Liaisons from every government agency are available to assist you. Find the Small Business resource in the agency you want to work with and let them point you in the right direction.
Stay in touch! Maintain the relationships you begin with people in the government. Call and e mail regularly. You want to be in the front of their minds when they think about purchasing in your industry. Let them know when you introduce new products or services. Also, find out what their needs are, you may have just what they are looking for.
Remember! Government employees are under strict ethical rules and are not permitted to take gratuities. However, nominally-valued samples available to the public are permitted.
Finally, don't get discouraged. The government feels like a maze of organizations, agencies and divisions. It can be a challenge to find the right people. Take advantage of the resources that are available to you and learn as much as you can about the procurement process. Be confident in your products, your systems, and in yourself. The government buyers are like any other buyers; they want to work with people who offer value for the money. Your persistence and dedication to customer satisfaction is the best way to show government buyers that you mean business.
About The Author
Melanie Corbett works at TargetGov, helping businesses do business with the government. She can be reached at 410-579-1346 or mcorbett@targetgov.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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