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bluetortilla
Joined: 18 Apr 2006
Posts: 815
Location: Henan
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 Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 11:37 am Post subject: No MuryouTaiken Lesson? |
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I'm starting a new school (it will be my second if successful), and I REALLY DO NOT want to do the 'free observation' thing because I know from experience it's a closing nightmare. I want to do the regular monthly tuition thing like nearly all small schools do (you can quit at the end of any month), and throw in a free private lesson as an incentive to join.
Any opinions? Is a free observation so pervasive that I would be doomed from the start if I don't? |
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RM1983
Joined: 03 Jan 2007
Posts: 360
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 11:48 am Post subject: |
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| You mean the parents can go in and watch? If so, I had to do it at my old job and didnt like it as it was extremely offputting for the kids. You could limit it to 10 mins once a month and cite the kids progress as the reason. Or (and I dont know the ins and outs of this) why not video a class and offer to sen the parents the copy. Thinking on, that might be a terrible idea. But its an idea nevertheless |
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bluetortilla
Joined: 18 Apr 2006
Posts: 815
Location: Henan
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 11:59 am Post subject: |
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| LOL thanks. My target is mostly young adults (TOEIC), so that's not a problem. Actually, I got used to mothers observing and finally just adopted an 'observe anytime' policy, which was fine. The bad thing for an owner with a 'free observation' policy is that you have sell it right after the lesson. Very awkward. And for another thing, the reality is usually not as good as the imagination made it out to be. (Although of course a lot of people do join despite that.) Still, it's a lot harder than it sounds, unless you love being a super duper sales person. I don't- I love language, not sales. I'll hire someone good at sales if I can ever afford it. |
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rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 3:32 pm Post subject: Re: No MuryouTaiken Lesson? |
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| bluetortilla wrote: |
I'm starting a new school (it will be my second if successful), and I REALLY DO NOT want to do the 'free observation' thing because I know from experience it's a closing nightmare. I want to do the regular monthly tuition thing like nearly all small schools do (you can quit at the end of any month), and throw in a free private lesson as an incentive to join.
Any opinions? Is a free observation so pervasive that I would be doomed from the start if I don't? |
I've never run an eikaiwa school and I've only worked at one, and that was about 10 years ago, so I have no insider knowledge about this. However, I would guess it might depend on how much competition you have around you. People want to do a muryo taiken lesson so that they can 'try before they buy', which matters mostly only if there are other options. If there are other schools around you that do let students take a free lesson, then you might be at a disadvantage (i.e., why would someone sign up at your school if they don't even know what they're getting... unless they know they want to take a class somewhere, and you're the only one around). |
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bluetortilla
Joined: 18 Apr 2006
Posts: 815
Location: Henan
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 10:54 pm Post subject: Re: No MuryouTaiken Lesson? |
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| rtm wrote: |
I've never run an eikaiwa school and I've only worked at one, and that was about 10 years ago, so I have no insider knowledge about this. However, I would guess it might depend on how much competition you have around you. People want to do a muryo taiken lesson so that they can 'try before they buy', which matters mostly only if there are other options. If there are other schools around you that do let students take a free lesson, then you might be at a disadvantage (i.e., why would someone sign up at your school if they don't even know what they're getting... unless they know they want to take a class somewhere, and you're the only one around). |
Well, I'm not doing an 'eikaiwa' school as such; I want to do exam tutoring (TOEIC etc.), so I guess it's more of a 'training school' (though in the parlance of Asia outside Japan the term 'training center' usually means eikaiwa, or more affectionately, 'language mill.'
Anyway, I don't know of anyone else doing what I'm doing (bilingual native English speaker teaching TOEiC/TOEFL/IELTS). I'm sure my competition would be jukus and private tutors. And I'm also pretty sure that if it grew and I needed new teachers they would most likely be young Japanese who scored really high on TOEIC (or other test). I would stay in charge of Listening and Speaking.
Well, I don't mean to babble but writing it out this formula comes to me: meet the student and give a good explanation of what I do and what they can expect. If they are interested, have them pay then or ask them to pay up front on their first day. It's monthly tuition with no penalties for quitting and no extra money up front. Got it, thanks! |
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Maitoshi
Joined: 04 May 2014
Posts: 718
Location: 何処でも
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 11:24 pm Post subject: |
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| Perhaps a discounted first month, so they are on for at least one month with the trial lesson reflected in the price? Alternatively, it could be reflected in the second month's tuition, to incentivize staying on? |
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bluetortilla
Joined: 18 Apr 2006
Posts: 815
Location: Henan
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 11:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Maitoshi wrote: |
| Perhaps a discounted first month, so they are on for at least one month with the trial lesson reflected in the price? Alternatively, it could be reflected in the second month's tuition, to incentivize staying on? |
Nice. I was also thinking of one free private lesson if you join. But 'first lesson free' instead of 'trail lesson' sounds snappy. Thanks! |
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Maitoshi
Joined: 04 May 2014
Posts: 718
Location: 何処でも
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| Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2014 12:09 am Post subject: |
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Glad to help! Let us know how it goes if you decide to run with it  |
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