Pricing structure in your studio.

[dTas]

i was reading through the "What do you pay for a private lesson?" thread and this question came to mind....

What is the pricing structure in your studio?

how does your studio present packages and lessons; groups and privates?

for me its simple. since i'm an independant with my own studio i just charge $50/hr flat for up to 6 people in that hour. i don't teach any group classes of my own (aside from a 6 person private). i do teach group classes for other studios but thats under their pricing model.

there are studios in my area that use the franchising model of "units"; packaging a private hour with groups and parties.

other studios offer "memberships" where the student pays a monthly fee to attend a certain number of group classes and a certain number of private lessons. you can purchase different levels of memberships for more privates or group classes (parties included).

there are still other studios that sell packages; 5 privates, 1 month group class and parties (not the "intro special") and others that just put the number out there; privates $$, groups $$ and let the student decide.

what does your studio do? how does it work for you? what would be better?

 

[ChaChaMama]

My studio does a la carte pricing:

$48/hr for private lessons. (Oops--I wrote $46 on the other thread. I should have double checked!)

$9 for a 45 minute group lesson; $23 if you buy the three week session.
$12 for a 60 minute group lesson; $30 if you buy the three week session.
$18 for a 90 minute group lesson; $46 if you buy the three week session.

$10 for a three hour practice party, sometimes $15 if it is a special theme that involves substantial food. (And of course, more for New Year's.)

I like the a la carte pricing.

A small aside from the pricing structure issue:
I do wish my studio offered guest coachings and a formation team/class (just because I think that would be fun, and since I didn't take up latin/ballroom until after college, I've never gotten to do that). In other words, I want more choices on the a la carte menu!

But other than that, I like this set up.

ChaChaMama

 

[twnkltoz]

We really don't do packages or units. Private lessons are generally sold 5 at a time, but we stopped charging more for single lessons (it used to be $65) so now it's just $40/hour (50 minutes) no matter how many you buy. Group classes are $7 for drop-in, or you can buy a punch card of 4 for $20. The independant instructors vary, they're usually $50.

We do have a wedding special that includes 5 private lessons and one month of one group class for both people for $225...a $240 value.

 

[chachabelle]

Pricing structure . . .

I go to a franchise studio and all lessons are sold in packages, minimum of 10. For each private, you get a group, and a party/practice session.
I usually buy packages of 50 and the cost is $4,500. The owner usually throws in 5 bonuses. Packages of 100 are $9,000, with 10 bonuses.
Bottom line - l private, l group and l party/practice = $90.00, but with bonuses = $82.00. (I do find I'm always purchasing another package before I complete the current one)! Good salesman, eager (maybe dumb) student??? But I love it and am sooooo addicted. . . .

 

[sunderi]

We do packages at my franchise studio.

I don't feel comfortable quoting the exact prices on here, but it's $??? for 1 private lesson, 2 group classes and 1 practice party. The more lessons you buy at a time, the better discount you get on each unit. There is also a private-only package (which is less expensive, but not by enough to make it worth it, in my opinion -- which is really the idea anyway). We also have a lower rate for a private-only package for our junior students who aren't permitted to attend groups and practices (I believe the age cutoff is 16).

 

[pygmalion]

Hmm. I've often wondered about studios that give you one lesson with so many group classes. What if you have time for three or four lessons per week? Then the group classes go unused. :?

I guess they must base their pricing on the way most people do lessons -- one a week. :?

 

[sunderi]

Hmm. I've often wondered about studios that give you one lesson with so many group classes. What if you have time for three or four lessons per week? Then the group classes go unused. :?

I know, at our studio, you don't lose your group classes just because you're out of private lessons. For example, if you take 3-4 lessons per week, and don't have the time to take 6-8 group classes per week, you could, in the future, after being out of private lessons, continue to take advantage of your group classes. It still isn't perfect, but you're still entitled to those group classes in the future.

Besides, most of our students are people who are lucky if they can make it in for one private lesson per week.

 

[pygmalion]

Oh. That makes sense. What I've seen in the past (at a different franchise) was that people would take two or three lessons a week, with an option to take unlimited group classes. Most people didn't take advantage of the groups. They took one group class per week -- the one right before the practice party.

I was there every night, along with one other lady. Guess I didn't have a life. :lol:

 

[dTas]

i look at it this way... at least for my students.

comparatively to studio franchise prices...

one lesson with me = $50/hr
take a group class somewhere = $10-$15/hr (depending on studio)
practice party = $5-$12 (depending on studio)
total = $65-$77 (per unit)

i make more and my student saves more. win-win!

though that takes into account that my students want to dance and are willing to go out and shop around for what they way. being part of a studio is very convienent and there's a sense of familiarity and loyalty thats comforting.

 

[sunderi]

I was there every night, along with one other lady. Guess I didn't have a life. :lol:

That's what I was like, too. Now I'm there even more (but now I'm getting paid, so I guess it's ok ).

 

[pygmalion]

though that takes into account that my students want to dance and are willing to go out and shop around for what they way. being part of a studio is very convienent and there's a sense of familiarity and loyalty thats comforting.

Amen. Let me add to that a little. What I've experienced as the difference between the two worlds is that franchise studios very successfully create a feeling of friendship, almost family, among their students. The social support structure is fantastic, or at least, what I've seen has been.

The ballroom world outside, at public dances and such, can be very, very unwelcoming, especially at first. And I'm talking about how I've felt as an extreme extrovert. I don't know how introverts make the switch. Maybe a lot of them don't. *shrug*

So a lot depends on what you're looking for. Neither approach is better or worse than the other, IMO. They're just different. 8)

 

[dTas]

there are several dance groups around this area that travel from studio to studio on a weekly basis for parties and group classes. these are fun groups that hold their loyalties to particular instructors instead of studios. some of these people used to hold their loyalties to a particular studio until they got screwed by that studio's "system".

not all studios are uncaring however. some actually care about their student and the growth of the students dancing abilites.

 

[pygmalion]

Hmm. Just trying to give a slightly different perspective on why some people stay loyal to a studio system that's sometimes flawed. 8)

I also, when I lived in Orlando, had a group of friends who'd dance together socially every Friday night -- at clubs and other public venues. I called them my "crazy friends who can't dance." Way fun, but pretty cliquish. It was nice because I was accepted into the group. I wonder how it felt from the ouside. :?

 

[spatten]

It seems to me to be unfortunate when money and friendships intermix. It think it is even more unfortunate when someone stays at a studio (that perhaps is too expensive for them) because of friendships. This can make it really difficult for the person to take lessons or practice parties in a fiscally responsible manner.

That said, I have also seen studios who have excellent social atmosphere's that are indepdant and have a reasonable price structure. My old studio in Dallas is a perfect example. So franchises do not have a corner on this market - but perhaps are more apt to pay attention because of the prices they are asking.

I agree that ballroom can be unwelcoming - this is how I have always felt in the salsa scene.

 

[pygmalion]

It seems to me to be unfortunate when money and friendships intermix. It think it is even more unfortunate when someone stays at a studio (that perhaps is too expensive for them) because of friendships. This can make it really difficult for the person to take lessons or practice parties in a fiscally responsible manner.

Yes. I've seen the angst some folks have gone through over this issue. Some people in my clique were independently wealthy -- really, not just using a cliche. And some were working people who could barely afford the lessons. It made for some interesting post-showcase sales conferences, to say the least.

That said, I have also seen studios who have excellent social atmosphere's that are indepdant and have a reasonable price structure. My old studio in Dallas is a perfect example. So franchises do not have a corner on this market - but perhaps are more apt to pay attention because of the prices they are asking.

Yep. There have been some independents mentioned here in DF that seem to have the best of both worlds. 8)