Website Advice for Alexander Technique Teachers

Karen, an Alexander Technique teacher in Virgina, USA is creating a new website and asked my advice. Robert Rickover was the first Alexander Technique teacher to seriously jump this way – and look at the profile he has created. Does anyone think Robert has trouble finding students? Hopefully, he will let us know below… So what does Karen (or you) need to know about creating a website? Well, simply: what’s it for? I mean really, ask your Self: “Why do I want a website?” Here’s a hint: there are 3 kinds of website to choose: 1. To sell a service; 2. To build a list; 3. To serve members.

 

Your website is a link in a process you create for people to experience you. I learnt this the hard way, so save your time and read my story…

 

 

When I started out in 2005 on my mission to make a successful business out of Alexander Technique, I began by putting together answers to common questions. These are not questions I imagined people had – which is how most people approach the FAQ list. Instead, because it was Japan, I wanted to know what Japanese were asking us every day. BodyChance’s Office Manager at the time was Idenuma-san: a hot young go-for-it guy of 23yo who quickly put together a top 10 Questions list garnered from his selling on the phone (I miss him!). Question number 4 nearly threw me off my chair: “Is Alexander Technique a religion?”

 

 

Eh??? People are actually asking that!?

 

 

So I watched BodyChance’s studio visitors with new eyes… I noticed that many were furtive and nervous – as though they had come to a dangerous place. OMG! Is that how my Centre is seen? Yes - for that 15% that our Alexander Technique career success depends upon, this was a big worry. (see What's A Viable Niche Market? to understand my 15% reference).

 

 

How do you change people’s experience of you?

 

 

Research it: why do people come to my website? What are they looking for? What concerns them? You may guess at their answers, but if I had done that I would never have discovered one of their biggest worries. Do your students have a concern you don’t know about?

 

 

So go ask them. (if you are a trainee – go talk to people who might want your lessons.) Ask them to visit your survey at SurveyMonkey. It’s free, easy to do and your students will instruct you how on you sell to them! Of course they don’t know they carry those instructions - it’s your job to decode it. (Another blog!)

 

 

These days when people arrive at BodyChance they look expectant, excited, happy to finally be at the Studio. In some cases, they have been in an electronic relationship with BodyChance for several years. They finally decided: 1. BodyChance is a credible place to go; 2. BodyChance (as electronically represented by Jeremy or Basil) understands their need; and 3. They want something from BodyChance. You want your students to be thinking the same way.

 

 

So how does this all relate to Karen’s (or your) new website?

 

 

Oh, you may get the 5% that way, but not the 15% that your career success depends upon.

 

 

Get that 15% on your e-zine and start an electronic relationship. Like the one you’re having with me right now. Get it?