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THIS IS THE FIRST ARTICLE IN A SERIES OF ARTICLES ABOUT SALSA INSTRUCTION.
Some people call it a “Big Leap”. Some call it crazy. No. It’s not bungee jumping or
skydiving. It’s the moment when a talented Salsero decides to start teaching Salsa. He
has the moves. He has the passion. He even has his students lined up and ready to start.
Now what? Start teaching? Sounds logical, right? Teaching for me came as an
unexpected opportunity. A local studio was looking for a Salsa Instructor… The rest is
history. However, I quickly realized that the Salsa Instruction business involves the
mastery of a number of skills, and most of them aren’t taught in school. Being a good
dancer alone will not guarantee your success. We’ve heard this statement so many times
it’s almost a cliché.
Why are some Salsa instructors more successful than others? What is the driving force
behind those who, year after year, stay in the business while others just “burn out”? Jim Rohn, the prominent business philosopher, tells us that in every field, profession or
discipline there are roughly 6 specific skills that, if mastered, will inevitably lead to
success. He calls this set of skills the “half-dozen”. In the world of Salsa instruction, it is
no different.
So…. after a few months of trial and error, I set out to find what this elusive “half-dozen”
was. I interviewed Salsa instructors in my area. I read dozens of interviews of successful
Salsa instructors from all over the world. I began looking for those personality traits and
business methods that all of them had in common. The following is a list of my findings.
This is not an all-inclusive list, but it provides a benchmark on which to build upon
1) Create a fun and exciting environment
We’ve all heard about the pain/pleasure principle. Human nature dictates people will
stay away from pain and gravitate towards pleasure (although in some unexplainable
cases, it’s totally the opposite)… What is a Salsa Instructor selling? It’s obviously not a
product. Is it a service? I would say yes and no… In my opinion, all Salsa Instructors sell
FUN and HAPPINESS. All of our students are looking for a FEELING, a feeling of
accomplishment, of fun. Instructors not able to convey this feeling soon find themselves
shutting down their shop.
In order to convey this feeling, the Instructor, first and foremost, has to LOVE what he
does. I didn’t say he has to LIKE what he does. “It’s not what you do, but who you are” that
will determine where you go in life. When you love what you do, qualities like positive
attitude, enthusiasm, passion and encouragement (a very important one) become second
nature. It is true that we all transmit either positive or negative energy to others. Make no
mistake. When you engage in any activity that you don’t absolutely love, in the long run,
it shows, and everyone around you will notice.
It is also absolutely important that you, as the Salsa Instructor, maintain a supportive
environment. PATIENCE is key, especially with your Beginner students. Put yourself in
their shoes (sometimes hard to do). You were once a Beginner too. Don’t criticize, but also
don’t let any individual student slow the pace of your class. The rest of your class will
appreciate and respect you for it. Celebrate ANY improvement. Don’t look for perfection as
we all know perfection doesn’t exist. Remember, and I can’t emphasize this enough, you
are selling FUN and HAPINESS. If you want your students to come back, make sure they
get their dose of it…
2) Promotion & marketing
You’ve invested your time and money on this hi-tech, blah-blah-blah website. Now you
put your feet up and wait for the flocks of students to knock at your door, right? Let me
tell you, this strategy will put you out of business faster than trying to spell the word U-N-
E-M-P-L-O-Y-M-E-N-T. Successful Instructors use MANY promotion and marketing tools
(flyers, business cards, creating dancing venues for current and prospective students,
websites, word of mouth, etc.), and they use them continuously. However, no marketing
campaign will work if people don’t see, meet and know you personally. Being a
successful Salsa Instructor will require you to be out in the Salsa scene constantly. At
the end of the day, people do business with people they like and trust. No website, no
flyer and no business card will convey this human experience.
Successful Instructors also collaborate with other Instructors and promoters in their
community and everywhere they go. There is no room for jealousy or unhealthy
competition here. Instructors who don’t follow this rule soon find themselves alienated
from the rest of the community. Survival in any endeavor improves as we work as part of a
qualified team striving for a common goal.
I am a true believer, and it’s been my experience, that the more you share and give of
yourself, the more you grow and experience the great things life has to offer. The more
you share, the more capacity you have to grow. It’s a universal law: “... you reap what you
sow…”. Salsa Instructors are in a unique position to change people’s lives, either
positively or negatively. Make sure you’re touching people’s lives in a positive, uplifting
manner. I can’t think of a better promotion tool than to unselfishly share and give the
best of yourself.
…. More to come… Stay tuned for Part 2…