DanceMentor
12-08-2003, 03:15 PM
Having been an instructor as well as a manager at small studios, I know it can be challenging to find ways to get top pros to come to the studio to do coaching. Yet, that is often exactly what is needed in order to bring the studio more business, as well as bring the teachers and students to a higher level of dancing.
Mostly it is an economic challenge. You have to pay for airfare (at least $600 or a couple), a hotel ($150 for 2 nights), food ($150 for 2 days), and then you have to guarantee them a certain number of coaching hours.
What we would do is plan about 4 group classes and charge about $15 per class. We would then start a massive campaign by handing out flyers at all the public dances in the area, calling all present and former students, sending emails, doing a mailout and posting an ad on the website.
Assuming we could get at least 30 people per class in 4 group classes, that's $1200. Adding $75 per hour to give to the couple for teaching the 4 hours of groups, you now have all of the above expenses paid! Now if you were able to get even more than 30 per class, that's icing on the cake that you can use toward training the staff. All that is left is booking the remaining private lessons for the 2 days (most likely at least 20 hours). Usually, a few of the teachers will buy a couple for themselves. And, of course, students will be interested in getting coaching. And finally, there will be some bookings from the advertising campaign.
Amazing! It can be done!
Mostly it is an economic challenge. You have to pay for airfare (at least $600 or a couple), a hotel ($150 for 2 nights), food ($150 for 2 days), and then you have to guarantee them a certain number of coaching hours.
What we would do is plan about 4 group classes and charge about $15 per class. We would then start a massive campaign by handing out flyers at all the public dances in the area, calling all present and former students, sending emails, doing a mailout and posting an ad on the website.
Assuming we could get at least 30 people per class in 4 group classes, that's $1200. Adding $75 per hour to give to the couple for teaching the 4 hours of groups, you now have all of the above expenses paid! Now if you were able to get even more than 30 per class, that's icing on the cake that you can use toward training the staff. All that is left is booking the remaining private lessons for the 2 days (most likely at least 20 hours). Usually, a few of the teachers will buy a couple for themselves. And, of course, students will be interested in getting coaching. And finally, there will be some bookings from the advertising campaign.
Amazing! It can be done!