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How You Can Easily Enhance Your Website
with an Audio Interview
One of the most effective ways to reach potential clients today is with an MP3 interview about your teaching. For many people, the Alexander Technique is a mysterious process and the idea of taking lessons can be a bit intimidating. A website that tells a little about you and your teaching can certainly help alleviate anxieties. A short interview in which you talk about yourself and your teaching goes a long way towards making prospective students comfortable enough to phone you and set up an initial lesson. An interview in MP3 format has the added advantage that it can be listened to at the computer or it can be easily downloaded and played at a more convenient time - perhaps on the way to work using an iPod, for example.
Here's How It Works:
Contact me, Robert Rickover, using this contact information, by email or phone so that I can answer any questions and arrange a time for the interview. The interview usually lasts between 10-15 minutes depending on what topics you would like to cover. Generally speaking, shorter is better. Once the interview is completed, I convert it into MP3 format which you can listen to in order to make sure you are satisfied with it. Then I will add it to the collection of interviews on the Teachers' Page of AlexanderAudio.com and you will be able to link directly to the interview from your own website. You are also free to download the interview and host it yourself on your site. You might want to listen to a couple of the interviews on the Teachers' Page to get some ideas for your own interview. The total cost to you is only $40 (US). (If your website is hosted with me, there is no charge for the interview.)
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What should I cover in the interview? My general suggestion is to emphasize the personal rather than spending a lot of time defining or describing the Alexander Technique. Most people who come to your site already have some idea about it and are more interested in learning something about you, your students and your approach to teaching. I have prepared a list of possible questions (see below) I can ask. Of course you are free to add or subtract from this list.
In my experience, the interview works best if our conversation is as spontaneous as possible - think of it as a live radio interview. While you may certainly want to think over what questions you would like to be asked, it is generally best if you do not have highly scripted answers. Your interview is a wonderful opportunity to give perspective students some idea of who you are so that they will feel comfortable arranging a lesson with you.
- What kinds of contact information should I provide on the interview? You want to make sure that any contact information you provide will be unlikely to change. In general, I suggest just giving your website address since most people listening to your interview will have easy access to the internet and because you can always change your phone number or email address on your site.
- How do I actually do the interview? Do I need any special equipment? I use Skype, an internet-based phone service that produces remarkably high quality audio, as you can hear from my teachers' interviews at AlexanderAudio.com - particularly if you are using a USB headset. I've also used Skype for almost all my interviews for Body Learning, the Alexander Technique Podcast. Skype is free, and a USB headset (which combines earphones and microphone) costs around $25 - the Skype store sells one for close to this that will work fine. If you're not using Skype, an ordinary land line phone is preferable to a wireless phone or a cell phone.
The sound quality does not depend on how far you are from me (smack in the middle of the USA) but is affected by your internet connection speed, the age of your computer and, if you're using a regular phone, the audio quality provided by your phone company.
Possible Topics for the Interview:
- What is your background? How did you first learn about the Alexander Technique and what was your own experience as a student? What motivated you to become a teacher yourself?
- What happens during a lesson with you? And, perhaps, How many lessons does a typical student need?
- Who are your students? Do you have any areas of specialization? Do you teach at any local institutions - colleges, theater groups etc?
- Could you give an example or two of how students have benefited from their lessons with you?
- How, in your experience, does the Alexander Technique relate to other processes designed to improve posture, coordination etc? (This might be a good place to provide a short definition or description of the work if you want.)
- Who should consider taking lessons with you?
- Is there anything else you would like to cover?
- Your contact information.
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