Thread: Didn't do my home work properly

I can't seem to find my own thread. Where we discussed what my fee's should be for my classes at the studio.

Well it turns out that I didn't do my home work properly.

Based on that discussion I raised my rates so I would not be undercutting the studio. Well like a stated earlier, I did not do my home work properly. I was going by the studio's rate for one hour classes. Which are ten an hour.

I just found out recently after looking at their Website to see if they are promoting my classes and I discovered that they are charging the same 10.00 for even their one and half hour classes. This makes me extremely up set cause I cannot teach at these prices. It would take almost double the student minimum just to pay for my rental of the space.

Also upset with their efforts to promote my classes. This is what I get for help. I'm listed in the miscellaneous section at the bottom of their class listings. See if you can find me.

Also offered at XXXXXXX (for a separate fee) :
Tai-Chi Wed. 6pm, Sat. 11am (see Tai-chi Page) / Hatha Yoga Tues and Thurs 10am contact xxxxxx xxx-xxx-xxx / Indian Dance - Fridays 6:15pm & 7:30pm contact xxxx xxx-xxx-xxxx & Mon 6pm contact xxxxxxxx xxx-xxx-xxxx / Salsa - Sun eves contact xxxxx xxx-xxx-xxxx / xxxxx Intermediate Belly dance class, Mon's 8pm - xxxxx: xxxxxxxxxxx.com / ExoticYou Workout, Wed's 7pm - contact xxxx at: xxxxxxxxx.com / American Cabaret Bellydance - Sun's 2:30-4pm - Angela 503.819.5047

So I am going to drop my fee back to my original pricing of 8 eight dollar an hour. $12.00 a lesson, I cannot do it for 6.67 an hour which is what their hour and half classes break down to. I'm very disappointed in their help in promoting my classes.

So I'm not to elegant in diplomacy. Any thoughts on how to approach the studio owner on better advertising on their sight. possibly renegotiating my rental fee?

If you already agreed to the rate, stick with it for one class session. After that, simply ask for a change. If the classes are popular, they will work with you easier.

Ask them "what will you do to promote the classes?"don't say "will you promote the classes?" Ya know?

I find most studios don't promote well enough. If you can get into a community education enrichment program where they offer extracurricular classes through a city or school district, they promote wayyyy better.

Let us know how it goes! Good luck! It's sticky, isn't it?

Hi Lana,

yep its sticky all right.....

Do you have a contract with them? And if so, what does it was about re-negotiating your rate, or leaving the studio (if it comes to that)?

Hi Laura,

We do have a contract and I am able to terminate it with two weeks notice. So I'm not locked in for any specific time period.

I just feel that if they are not going to help promote my classes equally with theirs and have rates far below what I can compete against. That my rental rates should be renegotiated. After all, I'm also required to provide my own liability insurance.

I'm not quite sure how I should approach the owner about this. My diplomatic skills are not the greatest, I tend to ruffle a lot of feathers for my abrupt honesty.

I had to have a similar conversation when I had to separate from the dance studio where I taught for a little over a year. The way I put it was to say that as a small business owner myself, I completely understood why she was doing things a certain way (in my case, refusing to pay more than $17/hr to any teacher), but that I had to do the same thing for MY business. She wasn't thrilled, but it was way more of an amicable separation than if I had told her what a cheap putz I thought she was.

I have found the key to being diplomatic is to communicate to the other party that it's not that they are doing something wrong, it's just that it doesn't fit with the way you personally choose to conduct your business.

No, I would not call her a putz. I understand why she is doing what she is doing, but it does not fall into my business plan. So I'm going to look for another location. I will check things out more deeply.

Easy come, easy go. This is how we learn and its a very cheap lesson.

We change and adapt.

After some consideration to my problem, I've decided to solve this problem by changing my format, for my level one and two students and keep my original format for level three.

I'm going to cut the class down to an hour. Set my prices in line with the studios current prices so we can compete on an equal level. It is sad that students will not get the benefit of a longer less expensive class, but this will make my class more attractive to students. So actually I'm raising my prices but cutting down on the length.

It serves no purpose to be stubborn about class format if it is going to dissuaded students from attending..