Email is still the best way to follow up with people once they're in your pipeline.

Urgent! It's important not to have to manually re-create emails to prospects every time a new person is ready to learn. Instead, have templates ready for each step of the process.

Below are word-for-word examples of templates that Camille uses in her organization, tweaked for your purposes!

Step 1: Receive Inquiry (Secretary)

After receiving learner enquiry (via Facebook, phone or email):

• ask which instrument they want to learn / request contact information (phone and email) if they haven’t already provided this
• send contact information to Pipe Major / Drum Sergeant
• send first email:

Hi [Name]

Thanks so much for your interest in learning to play with Your Band Name. 

We have a structured learner program that combines in-person and online tuition to give you the best possible musical foundation as you begin learning to play. 

There is a small cost involved – roughly $10/week – but we offer a free, in-person, 30-minute lesson for your first two weeks so you can ‘try before you buy’ to see if it’s something you’d like to continue past that point. 

You don’t need any musical background to get started, and we’ll work with you every step of the way, from being a complete beginner to joining and playing in the band. 

Our [Pipe Major / Drum Sergeant] will be in touch with you shortly to discuss this in more detail. 

I look forward to hearing from you soon. 

Kind regards

Your Name

Step 2: Reach Out (Head Instructor)

After receiving contact details from secretary, within 24 hours (if possible):

1. Call learner to discuss our approach and suss out whether you think they are committed / a good fit
   (don’t be afraid to direct them elsewhere if not, or if another location would suit them better, or suggest they find a solo instructor if they are dead set on 1:1 lessons)
2. Advise secretary whether to send them additional info about joining the program.

Step 3: Send Enrollment Materials to Prospect (Secretary)

After PM / DS has advised to proceed:

1. Send second email:

Hi [Name]

I hope you’re well. I’ve been advised that you’re interested in joining us as a learner – great news, and welcome! 

The following information outlines our learner program in more detail for you. 

Step 1: ‘Try before you buy’ – two free sessions

We offer two free, 30-minute, in-person lessons to explain the process of learning to play and joining the band. One of our tutors will be in touch to organise a place and time to hold these sessions. 

Step 2: Learn to play online and in-person 

If you decide you’d like to continue, you’ll subscribe to Dojo University, a supportive and dedicated online school run by world-champion pipers and drummers, whose tutor program is entirely online and self-paced. The cost for membership per month is US$30/month. 

IMPORTANT – CLICK THIS LINK [add your partner link] to join Dojo University – your first week will be free.

You’ll work through the online Dojo U Beginner’s Tutor materials in your own time, and submit recordings to the Dojo U instructors for feedback as you progress. Dojo U also has several live online classes each week for beginners, and an online forum where you can ask questions and discuss pipe band topics with other students from around the world. 

Our band tutors hold in-person sessions with learners to check-in on your online progress and answer any questions you have. These sessions are designed to complement your online studies. We encourage you to come along to these, and to stay in touch with us via our Band app as you progress too (we will give you the details to join the app if you decide to continue after your two free sessions). 

Step 3: Join the band

Once you’ve worked through the first two chapters of Dojo U Beginner’s Tutor, your tutors will work with you to plan your transition to playing on a set of bagpipes. 

The total time it takes to progress from learning to playing in the band depends on a number of factors, including whether you’ve learned music before, how motivated you are to progress, and how much time you can dedicate to learning. Most learners take somewhere between 6 and 18 months to progress from being a complete beginner to joining the band. 

Equipment – Bagpipes

Initially, all you will need to get started is a practice chanter – it looks similar to a recorder, but has a reed and different finger placement. 

Please bring a practice chanter to your first free lesson. If you don’t already have one, we recommend this one [add a link to a local bagpipe supply store]. 

All of your learning materials will be supplied by Dojo University, who use a combination of PDFs and videos for their tutorials. 

You won’t need to buy a set of bagpipes for a while (depending on your rate of progress!). If you don’t already have a set, the band has some sets we can loan to learners, but these are offered at the Pipe Major’s discretion, subject to availability, and usually only offered for the first 6 months as a stopgap until you buy your own. 

Please ask us for advice before buying a set of bagpipes online – there are some very cheap, poor quality versions on eBay and other online sites, and they will never tune properly or play well. We’d rather you ask us what to buy than waste money on an inferior instrument!

Drums

All you’ll need to get started is a drum pad and Scottish drum sticks. If you don’t already have these, we recommend these ones [add a link to a local bagpipe supply store]. 

All of your learning materials will be supplied by Dojo University, who use a combination of PDFs and videos for their tutorials. 

The band will supply you with a snare drum when you join the band. 

If you have any questions at this stage, please let me know. 

Otherwise, one of our tutors will be in touch soon to arrange your free lessons. 

All the best with your learning journey, and I look forward to hearing about your progress to joining the band! 

Kind regards

[Your Name]

1. Advise Tutor team if they sign up to Dojo U (you’ll receive an email any time a learner joins).

Step 4: Allocate Two Free Lessons (Head Instructor)

After learner joins Dojo U:

1. Allocate a tutor for the two free lessons

Step 5: Conduct Lessons (Allocated Tutor)

1. Contact learner to arrange a place and time to hold two free (30 min) lessons
2. Conduct lessons, and advise learner that secretary will be in touch with more information 
3. Advise secretary after conclusion of free lessons that learner has completed them

Step 6: Post-Free Lesson(s) Follow-Up (Secretary)

After tutor has advised that a learner has completed their free lessons, send third email:

Hi [Name]

I hope you’ve enjoyed your first lessons with the band. 

If you’d like to continue to learn with us, here are your next steps:

• Use this link [add your relevant partner link here] to subscribe to Dojo University. Complete their orientation, and start learning at your own pace.
• Complete our band membership form.
• Download and join our BAND app.
• Come along to the next monthly learner check in – event details are kept up-to-date in the BAND app’s calendar.

If you’ve decided not to continue at this stage, thank you for your time and consideration, and we wish you all the best. 

We’d love to stay in touch. If you’d like to keep track of the band’s activities and upcoming gigs, feel free to like and follow us on social media: [add links]

And if you come across anyone in your future travels who might be interested in learning to play bagpipes or drums, we’d be delighted if you’d send them our way. 

All the best

[Your Name]

Step 7: Maintenance (Head Instructor and Tutors)

1. Attend regular learner sessions (as agreed with PM / DS). 
2. Respond to learner queries as they arise.
3. Check in with your allocated learners (from first sessions) periodically and proactively to ask how they’re progressing.
4. Encourage your learners to come along to competitions and events, social gatherings, and generally try to befriend them – as a mentor, they will look to you to lead on this.
5. When learners progress closer to joining the band, encourage them to come along to practice to see how your band runs things so they don’t get overwhelmed when they do first join.

Adapt these to suit your needs

Of course, this process can (and probably should) be changed by you to best suit your needs. Every program is going to have differences based on how you are set up and what you think is the best way to achieve your goals.

Use the above process and details to create your own process. If you'd like us to help you with any of the details please reach out to us. It's in our interests to make sure you're set up for success.