I am quite excited! I found a really local venue at a really reasonable price today so I have tentatively booked it for 4 weeks to see if I can get a qigong class going. My intention is to put leaflets at the venue, canvass people who already go there for other events, put leaflets in a local shop and maybe do some door to door leaflets. (I hate door to door leaflets.......) But I also put it on Facebook and have been astonished by the number of unexpected people who have expressed an interest and have indicated they want to come. Of course I know that not all these intentions will actually come to anything, so I am trying to be realistic but I am quite hopeful that this could be a successful venture.
My aim is to break even over the 4 weeks......a profit would be wonderful. But I have to wait 8 weeks before it actually starts . I am not sure if this 8 weeks giving me plenty of time to drum up interest, or 8 weeks during which people could lose interest.
But I am thinking positive and am intent on manifesting a successful 4 weeks 🙂
Leafleting doesn't work - and if it's already on your 'hate' list, then channel time you would have spent using shoe leather, and keep putting out Facebook announcements. I have worked in various centres, and each one gave we therapists handfuls of leaflets during quiet times, to go out and 'spread the word' - some people took great relish in actually scrunching them up in our faces and throwing them on the floor! We also got told off by a local town council, for 'littering' - cos they kept finding discarded leaflets around town!!! Perhaps make a concerted effort at about 'event minus 4' then it won't seem like so long to wait.
Set a price, and try to stick to it! I run a seated exercise class for a group of elderly ladies, in a local church hall. The room rate is low, but so is my charge - £3 each! On days when the weather is bad, invariably only a couple of them make it - good weather usually means a full class of 10. I keep the fee low, as by far the majority are on minimum pensions - most of them treat the hour with me as a 'social event', and the main thing that is exercised is their laughing muscles! I have been doing this for 7 years, and have never looked at it as a profit making operation - it probably took 3 years to make back the cost of the training and purchase of probs I use!!! My OH says it's my own pet charity!
Good luck!
I did say 'maybe' I know the return from leaflet pushing is about 1 per 500 leaflets...........
I am not even figuring in the cost of training. I use qigong myself...so it is just part of my own personal development . It is also CPD for reiki....so I can claim the costs as a tax deductible expense 🙂
I am charging 5.00 per person at this venue. That is my minimum and it may be more at other venues if the room costs more.
I am looking forward to this. It just 'feels' so right 🙂
Hi Tashanie
We used to run Pilates/Tai Chi/Yoga classes. Agree about Facebook vs leaflets. Notices in shops/hairdressers/libraries/anywhere with good footfall in your area is a good idea.
Also suggest encouraging people to pay in advance to book single or multiple classes. Many people intend to come along but life gets in the way and they don't make it. Paying in advance to reserve a place in a class is a great incentive to turn up and helps your cash flow.
Good luck!
Things that have worked for me:
-if the place you're running the class at is a church hall, advertise in their magazine or weekly newsletter. They will often do it FOC.
-screw leaflets and walking the streets. Fine if it's summer but not in this weather. The response rate as you say is in the order of 1 in 500-1000 and that 1 person may only come once.
-market your class as a 4 week introduction to tai chi. Nobody knows what chi kung is. (Well, ok, at least 5 million people worldwide probably do but you get my point.) (If I had £1 for every time I've explained what chi kung is, I'd be able to retire I expect.)
-you then have 4 weeks to tell your students that you'll be running on-going chi kung classes after the course is over
-network - tell everyone you know, start a facebook group, consider meetup.com
-use google adwords - it's cheap but does take time to figure things out if you've never used it before
-newspaper advertising - a waste of time but gets your name out there; save it for later
-if it's at a time that's good for OAPs, consider doing a one-off free session at a local day centre to market your regular class.
-price is a curious thing. You might be able to get away with £10 an hour. In my experience, the price is irrelevant (ok, most people would baulk at £20 an hour). If you provide what they want, they'll come irregardless*.
Good luck. Let us know how it goes.
* - I've always wanted to use this non-word. 😀
Thank you for the suggestions. Some I had already thought about and they are in the plan or I have already and decided against. Some I had never even thought about (Meet up for example)As I am aiming at the more mature end of the population who may be on limited income my price for this first (daytime) class is 5.00.
The pros and cons of setting up and running classes was part of my training and I am aiming for a turn up on a whim class with no regular commitment needed in the full knowledge that means numbers will be very variable and cash flow uneven but I am in the happy position of having a regular income without needing to leave the house. its called being a pensioner!!!
Totally unrelated to the class - but just adding to the general 'this feels so right' atmosphere.......today I was given permission to include qigong at the hospice where I will be using it on a one to one (sadly unpaid) basis. But if nothing else it will give me practice with less physically able clients.
You should see if you can run a proper class at the hospice. I teach tai chi as a volunteer at a local cancer charity (for the patients!).
The hospice had a physio who ran tai chi session on a Friday. She has retired and on the grounds that if you don't ask you don't get, I have floated the idea that until they replace her I could run the session for them.....but I would need to be paid for my time. .....I reckon all they can do is say no. And they might say yes as a short term solution.
Ah, well, if the physio got paid, then fair enough. I was thinking more of a voluntary service instead of doing one-to-one. But if you can get paid, then that's a better solution. 🙂
I already volunteer one day a week . There is a limit to altruism
I already volunteer one day a week . There is a limit to altruism
"instead of doing one-to-one"
"instead of doing one-to-one"
No....qigong won't suit all and some need one-to-one therapy and I wouldn't want to give that up
Oh, ok, I am guessing some are less mobile? Or do you do healing work as well?
Oh, ok, I am guessing some are less mobile? Or do you do healing work as well?
Yes my primary role at the hospice is reiki and indian head massage.
Ohhh, I see. For some reason I thought you did chi kung one-to-one! *puts down the whisky*
So today is the big day.....I am running my first class........
Good luck!! It will go well I'm sure 🙂
All the best, Sally. Let us know how it goes.
🙂
It went very well. I had four students , who all seemed to enjoy the class. They all said they would come back, and one is an advanced guard for some friends who were interested but decided to send one person in to try it and report.
As an added bonus the venue are giving me three free weeks in the room and then 3 half price weeks to help me et the class established
Well done!:D
And I have just been booked to give a talk and demo to a seniors club that runs in the same venue 🙂
Class 2 went very welll. 3 of my 4 students form last week turned up again, and I know the 4th intends to be back next week
Great! They must have enjoyed it.:)
Well just over a year on from that first post , and less than a year from starting my first class I am feeling quietly accomplished. That original class ended up being cancelled as it simply was not viable. However today I am in the happy position of having 2 classes in 2 different venues that are both quietly ticking along. they are viable and well enough established that they are not costing me money. I am even making a small profit! Additionally I run a weekly class at a cerebral palsy centre which is definite profit since my only expense is the petrol for a 6 mile round trip . For that class I am paid a flat hourly rate by the organisation.
Less than a year after starting this I am actually earning more money than I pay out on this !!!!!! And that feels DAMN good!!!!!!! 🙂
If you want a fixed, guaranteed payment, try offering your services to local gyms eg Nuffield Health, David Lloyd.
If you want a fixed, guaranteed payment, try offering your services to local gyms eg Nuffield Health, David Lloyd.
Never thought of that. Thanks 🙂
Never thought of that. Thanks 🙂
You can often find your local branch's timetable online so you can see if they have any/many tai chi classes. They will typically pay £25 a class. You just need to have insurance and any relevant qualifications or letters of authorisation from a tai chi master.
Good news that you've got it up and running! Can I suggest you do something about your website? On Chrome, the WordPress sidemenus push the main content right down to the bottom - looks like there is no content until one scrolls down...
Good news that you've got it up and running! Can I suggest you do something about your website? On Chrome, the WordPress sidemenus push the main content right down to the bottom - looks like there is no content until one scrolls down...
Yes I am aware of that but have no idea how to correct it!