How to Set Prices for In-Home Music Lessons

Whether you’re launching a mobile music school or looking to earn some extra money on the side, knowing how much to charge for in-home music lessons is essential. If you set your prices too high, you’ll struggle to attract clients. But if your prices are too low, you’ll attract plenty of clients but run the risk of not having enough money to cover overheads or burning yourself out trying to make a profit. 

Here’s how to set prices for in-home music lessons in four easy steps, plus the easy way to schedule at-home music lessons.

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How to set prices for in-home music lessons

#1. Research market rates & analyze the competition

The first step to setting prices for in-home music lessons is to research local music schools in your area to see what they charge. If there aren’t music teachers offering in-home lessons, look at their on-location pricing; you might need to adjust it slightly to cover travel costs, but it will give you a starting rate. 

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#2. Determine your costs

Once you know what local music schools charge, you need to calculate your costs to determine whether those prices would generate profit. 

Calculate the costs of the following

• Travel costs, including fuel, vehicle maintenance, wear and tear on the vehicle 
• Business insurance 
• Equipment and supplies (if you supply instruments or sheet music)
• Hourly rate of each music teacher

Don’t forget that by offering in-home music lessons, you have eliminated a lot of fixed costs like rent or building maintenance. This lowers your overheads and allows you to pass on these savings to your students and price your services competitively while still making a good profit. 

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#3. Choose a pricing model

Now that you know what it costs to operate your in-home music business and what other companies charge, it’s time to choose a pricing model. 

There are several factors to consider when deciding how to charge for music lessons, for example:

• Do you charge the same hourly rate for lessons regardless of competency, or are more advanced students charged more to account for the teacher’s skills? 
• Will you offer a lesson package option? Is it discounted to incentivize students to purchase multiple lessons at once? 
• Will you charge a travel fee? Is it dependent on how far the student is from your home? 
• How long are your lessons? Do you offer different options, e.g., 30 minutes, 1 hour, etc.? 

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#4. Communicate your pricing 

The final step to setting prices for in-home music lessons is communicating your pricing to students. It’s important to be transparent about your pricing and any additional costs, such as last-minute cancellation fees or travel costs. 

Display your pricing structure on your website, social media pages, and Google Business Pages. If you’re using an online booking system to enable clients to self-book their appointments (their preferred booking method), look for one that lets you set individual pricing for different service types and control additional service fees for an easy way to display and collect payments.

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How to schedule in-home music lessons the easy way

Choosing the right appointment-scheduling software is essential if you’re offering in-home music lessons. With appointment scheduling software, you can put your bookings, employee scheduling, and payments on autopilot so you can focus on your students. 

MarketBox is the first appointment-scheduling software specifically designed for businesses offering in-home and mobile services. The software makes it easy for customers to self-book and pay for appointments online and for companies to simplify employee logistics, process payments, and automate administrative tasks. Book a personalized platform walkthrough with one of our experts to learn more and see the product in action.

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