Pitching Music

Therapy: What Do I
Say?!
Amy Rodgers-Smith, MT-BC
Erin K. Spring, MM, MT-BC
 Why Me?

●  “I’m just a student, I don’t need to

advocate yet.”
●  “I have a full time music therapy position, I
don’t need to advocate.”
●  “I’m too busy to advocate, someone else
can advocate.”
●  “I don’t know how or where to start.”
 How Will Advocating Help Me?
It can:
●  Create jobs
●  Increase job security
●  Increase project opportunities
●  Increase job satisfaction
●  Provide reimbursement
●  Enhance networking connections
●  Help us stay ahead of the learning curve
Part 1
Defining Music Therapy
What is your answer...

To the dreaded question...

“What is music therapy?”

 “What is music therapy?”

Responses should be formed based on:

●  The Inquirer
●  Topic of Interest
●  Situational Variables
 “What is music therapy?”
The Inquirer:
●  Is this person:
○  A healthcare professional?
○  An educational professional?
○  A parent or guardian?
○  Asking for an agency?
○  A potential patient/client?
●  What is your relationship to them?
●  What is their motivation for learning about
music therapy?
 “What is music therapy?”
Topic(s) of Interest:
●  A specific age group- adults, children,
elderly
●  Specific diagnoses- Autism, Stroke,
Developmental Delay, Cancer, etc.
●  Specific agencies/facilities
●  Reimbursement
●  Interventions/Techniques
●  Research
 “What is music therapy?”
Situational Variables:
●  How much time do you have?
●  What setting are you in?
○  Public
○  Private meeting
○  School
○  Agency
○  etc.
●  How many people are present who might
join in conversation or listen in.
 “What is music therapy?”
Key elements to include in all definitions:
●  Evidence-based
●  Board-certified
●  Music is the medium for addressing goal
areas
●  Therapeutic relationship
●  Example(s) relevant to inquirer’s interest
‘Bag of Tricks’ for defining MT

Useful Phrases:
●  music as a therapeutic tool
●  music to achieve maximum client
participation
●  music to address non-musical goals
●  empowering clients through music
●  enhancement of human capabilities
●  the promotion of health through music
 ‘Bag of Tricks’ for defining MT
●  strategic use of music to improve quality
of life
●  planned music influences on the brain
●  scientific or prescriptive use of music
●  an established healthcare profession
●  supportive of non-musical therapeutic
aims
●  complementary therapy
 ‘Bag of Tricks’ for defining MT
●  treatment within a therapeutic relationship
●  empowering clients to achieve goals with,
through and to music
●  active and interactive music making
 Let’s practice
Scenarios where the question “What is
music therapy?” is asked.
Part 2
“Selling” Music Therapy
 “Selling” Music Therapy
through:
●  Networking
●  Communication
●  Marketing
 Networking:
Finding Connections
 Networking- Finding
Connections
●  Networking- is there anyone you can find
who knows someone in the administration
you are trying to contact?
○  Friends
○  Family
○  Co-workers
○  Acquaintances
●  Make a list of all the people you know, at
any level; most people have HUNDREDS.
 Networking- Finding
Connections
●  Six-degrees of separation- networking
might seem daunting at first, but often
(with a little effort), a path to anyone can
be found through people you already
know.
●  Exercise- Reach the President
Networking- Finding Connections
Advantages:
●  Makes your initial contact less “cold” and
random.
●  Gives an element of validation to your
product or service.
●  Can make the person you are contacting
more comfortable talking to you.
●  Can provide an additional means of
support for your goal.
 Communication:
Means and Importance
 Means of Communicating
●  Phone call (indirect and direct)
●  E-mail
●  Information Packet
●  Letter of Interest
●  News Articles
●  Videos
●  Face-to-face meeting
○  1 on 1
○  Group
○  Inservice/Presentation
●  Through an advocate
 Important Communication
Targets

●  Advocates
●  Parents/Guardians
●  Caregivers
●  Direct supervisors
●  Department administrators
 Marketing:
Means and Importance
 Marketing Means: Materials
●  Brochures
●  Business Cards
●  Website
●  Flyers/Postcards
●  Special Events
●  Letter of Interest
●  Advertisement
●  Testimonials- AMTA Approved
*Consult code of ethics
 Marketing Importance: Purpose
●  Branding (what makes you unique)
●  Quality Services
●  The Value
●  Clear Message

●  Concisely Answers the 5Ws

●  Contact information
●  Needs Addressed
Part 3
Pitching your services
 In Preparation...
●  Find out what the facility/individual’s
needs are and figure out how music
therapy can meet those needs
●  Anticipate areas of concern (i.e. funding)
●  Does the facility provide services that you
feel are quality to begin with? Do you
want to be associated with them?
●  Be honest and realistic
 First Meeting...
●  Define music therapy
●  Overview of services
●  Payment/Reimbursement
●  Fact Sheets
●  Professional Background/Information
●  Ask questions (“What are your
concerns?”)
●  Follow-up with phone call or e-mail
 Second Meeting...
●  Proposal Draft with all current information
●  Encourage contribution from administrator
for ownership
●  Specific Research
●  Scope of Practice, Code of Ethics, Code
of Professional Practice
 Program Implementation...
●  Final Written Proposal
●  Signed Contract with specific terms
●  Music Therapy in-service for support staff
●  Implement Pilot Program
●  Permanent Programming
 Ongoing Advocacy/Educating/
Reporting
●  Team Meetings
●  Supervisor Updates
●  Educational and Reporting In-services
●  Documentation
●  Data Reports
●  Who do you share successes with?
○  Remember who controls your funding and
who will advocate on your behalf!
 Questions/
Comments
Discussion Time!
 Bibliography
American Music Therapy Association (2013). What is Advocacy. Retrieved from: http://www.musictherapy.org/policy/advocacy/

The Certification Board of Music Therapists (2011). Advocacy. Retrieved from: http://www.cbmt.org/advocacy/

Daly, John A. (2011). Advocacy: Championing ideas and influencing others. New Haven, NH: Yale University Press.

Erfurt, M., Moore, K. S., & Rambach, R. (producers). (2011, January 10). Music Therapy Roundtable [Audio Podcast]. Retrieved
from:

http://musictherapyroundtable.com/2011/01/episode-12-government-relations-and-music-therapy-with-dena-
register-and-judy-simpson.html

Smith, Amy R. (2008). Information Sharing: Corporation and foundation funding for music therapy program enhancements. Music
Therapy Perspectives, 26, 122-125.

For Presentation Slides:

Erin K. Spring
www.ohiomt.com

Amy Rodgers Smith

www.onabetternotemusictherapy.com