ArmorOfGod
Senior Master
In my area, there are about 20 schools. Almost all of them charge $35-60 per month, depending on the school and the overhead of the school. There are about two or three though, that charge around $100 per month.
My question is, why do people flock towards the higher priced schools? I know I am only telling what I have seen in my area over the past 15 years, but I am positive that charging more here brings in more students.
Before anyone suggests it, two of those three high priced ones stink and the other one is pretty good. Out of the other 17 or so schools that charge around $40, I can name several that are excellent.
So why do people prefer to pay $100 vs. $40 if you are getting the same or even inferior instruction?
I have been thinking about this a lot over the past week due to a conversation I had with my teacher. Several years ago, I gave a free women's self defense course. I was giving it to the 50+ women that I worked with. About a dozen came to me and told me they were coming and bringing some of their female family members. Guess how many showed up? One. Yes, one. Fortunately, about 7 women that I really didn't invite showed up. I was giving it at their church and they had heard about it through some friends. Thank goodness they came.
Anyway, I was griping about what happened and my instructor told me that if I had charged money for the seminar, people would have shown up. I have come to the conclusion that he is right.
I wonder where the problem lays. I have noticed that the more expsensive (and bigger) schools brag more about the associations they belong to and wear the assoc. patches, but none of those assoc. are well know, or even barely known ones. I happen to know that they are only paying a few hundred for memberership per year, which gives them the right to use that assoc. logo and patch.
Around here, the bigger schools are FAR better at advertising than the other schools, but advertsing an inferior product does not make it better. Also, many of our local schools are located in dance halls and ymca type buildings. Those teachers have been in the same location for over 15 years, so they are non "fly by night," but does being in a dance studio vs. a "dojo only" building turn people off?
Why do people want to pay more for something that can be gotten cheaper and quite often better?
AoG
My question is, why do people flock towards the higher priced schools? I know I am only telling what I have seen in my area over the past 15 years, but I am positive that charging more here brings in more students.
Before anyone suggests it, two of those three high priced ones stink and the other one is pretty good. Out of the other 17 or so schools that charge around $40, I can name several that are excellent.
So why do people prefer to pay $100 vs. $40 if you are getting the same or even inferior instruction?
I have been thinking about this a lot over the past week due to a conversation I had with my teacher. Several years ago, I gave a free women's self defense course. I was giving it to the 50+ women that I worked with. About a dozen came to me and told me they were coming and bringing some of their female family members. Guess how many showed up? One. Yes, one. Fortunately, about 7 women that I really didn't invite showed up. I was giving it at their church and they had heard about it through some friends. Thank goodness they came.
Anyway, I was griping about what happened and my instructor told me that if I had charged money for the seminar, people would have shown up. I have come to the conclusion that he is right.
I wonder where the problem lays. I have noticed that the more expsensive (and bigger) schools brag more about the associations they belong to and wear the assoc. patches, but none of those assoc. are well know, or even barely known ones. I happen to know that they are only paying a few hundred for memberership per year, which gives them the right to use that assoc. logo and patch.
Around here, the bigger schools are FAR better at advertising than the other schools, but advertsing an inferior product does not make it better. Also, many of our local schools are located in dance halls and ymca type buildings. Those teachers have been in the same location for over 15 years, so they are non "fly by night," but does being in a dance studio vs. a "dojo only" building turn people off?
Why do people want to pay more for something that can be gotten cheaper and quite often better?
AoG