Photoshop classes prices

seeker

Wed, May 28 2014, 9:47 pm

Eishes Chaim wrote:

I would assume per course. Just because some people can't pick up things as fast- it doesn't mean they have to pay extra!

IMO, this is not about what the student deserves - it is about what the teacher's time is worth. In what other field would you say this? I shouldn't have to pay extra for tutors because it's not my fault I don't learn as quickly in class? I shouldn't have to pay a speech therapist because it's not my fault I have a lisp?

If OP is providing a service and the client decides they need it, they should pay for what they get. If they feel they need something extra, then they will have to pay extra for it.

OP, you could go either way. Look at what others are offering in this area (go ahead and call up people who advertise courses, find out what typical rates are), figure out how much your time is worth and how much time it will take, and then see what works for you.

I think most classes given individually are charged per session - think tutoring, piano lessons, etc. But you should also plan out an outline of what you will cover each time and figure out how many sessions you expect the course to take.

amother

Wed, May 28 2014, 11:25 pm

Quote:

OP, you could go either way. Look at what others are offering in this area (go ahead and call up people who advertise courses, find out what typical rates are), figure out how much your time is worth and how much time it will take, and then see what works for you.

Please do not call up advertisers just to see how much they cost (unless you ask them directly and tell them why you ask). I teach Graphic Design classes privately. At times when it was going slow (which nobody would would know from seeing my ads),and every phone call got me excited that business was picking up-- and I would get a phone call asking how much class is and details about how it's run, and then they said "thanks" and hung up and never called back.. I always wondered if they were just trying to find out details for their own sake. True or not, I would not want to be called deceptively.

But as above posters said... you have to decide how much YOU are worth (how much your time is worth, your experiences and knowledge etc..) and see who your target market is. How much would they be willing to pay for such a course? Is that price something that is worth it for you? I charge per course, with a set amount of classes per course. I've never had a problem covering all material. Especially if you are doing 1-1, even if the student struggles with a certain tool, they will most likely get another tool faster which evens out the time.

seeker

Wed, May 28 2014, 11:35 pm

amother wrote:

Quote:

Sorry, but I think this is just your tough luck. When you place an ad, you surely realize many people are going to call to inquire and then end up not following up. That's business. Know what percentage of my inquiries turn into paying clients? Pricing information is not private and personal; they are doing nothing wrong by asking for it. The way you find out how much they are willing to pay for a course is to find out how much they ARE paying others for that course.

amother

Thu, May 29 2014, 12:42 am

Quote:

I don't care if someone calls me up and asks about my course and then isn't interested. but from my competition (or someone who just wants to know the info for their own business) but has no intention of joining my course, I think that's deceptive and not yasher. do as you wish. when I was starting up my business, friends suggested I do as you say- call up others who do the similar just to find out how much they charge etc. I said absolutely not! I figured it the proper amount to charge my own way. That could be asking people who attended one of these courses for details. but do not go to the owner for details to benefit your own business.

not sure if this is exactly equivalent, but I always looked at it the same way as going into a store KNOWING you aren't going to buy something, trying on a pair of jeans (when you don't wear jeans) just for the fun of it, and then leaving. ive heard shiruiim about not doing that to store owners b/c they believe they are possibly getting business. (which is different then someone going in to see what the store has, trying the clothes, and seeing it doesnt fit and not buying it).

I dont want to argue with you, it's not who I am. I just want op to know the point of view of someone who runs one of these courses. I don't think its a yasher way to start out your business. but conduct your business as you see fit. No one is actually gonna find out if you made calls or not, and deceived the owners into thinking you are possibly interested. But is that the type of person you want to be?

seeker

Thu, May 29 2014, 12:52 am

I've called up people who run similar businesses to mine, and told them straight out who I am and what I do. No deception required. They were always very friendly and gracious with their time (which I tried not to take advantage of, just taking a few minutes for a couple of questions) and had no objections to helping a newcomer to the industry. As a result I now understand their business enough AND respect them enough that if I have a prospective client whom I can't serve (e.g. due to timing conflicts or the like) I am comfortable referring them to those fellow professionals who took the time to share about themselves.

If you're too paranoid to tell a potential competitor what your prices are, and too protective of your time to spend a few minutes on the phone with someone who isn't a customer, then perhaps you don't understand where your profit is really coming from.

I also get excited when my phone rings. Last time my phone rang it was a robocall about home insurance or something (I don't own a home. Nice try.) I got over it pretty fast. No loss.

seeker

Thu, May 29 2014, 1:00 am

Poor OP is not getting her answer. Bottom line: Find SOME way to find out what other options would cost your clients so that you can be in the same ballpark. Figure out how much time it will take you, and what that time is worth to you. Find a compromise between your worth and the market price. Bear in mind that if you are comparing yourself to courses that are given to groups, you can charge more because you are giving individual attention. You can choose whether to charge per hour or per course, but assuming you want to charge more because of your individual attention and time involved, it will probably be much more palatable to the customer if you quote it as a session rate or by the week/month/something - less sticker shock than the total. $80 an hour for a private teacher in an expert area sounds like a much better deal than $5000 all at once for a complete course that would end up costing that much in hours but all they see is that big number.

amother

Thu, May 29 2014, 1:03 am

I 100% agree with you.

if you read my first post :

Quote:

Please do not call up advertisers just to see how much they cost (unless you ask them directly and tell them why you ask).

I was only talking about calling up pretending you are just finding out details as if you are a potential student. as I wrote originally, I find no problem with it if you say outright the reason for your questions.

I also am very happy to share any advice I have in the industry. what I am against is doing it deceptively.

Eishes Chaim

Thu, May 29 2014, 1:11 am

seeker wrote:

I guess I wasn't too clear in what I really meant.
When a session is calculated by the hour, it creates a certain tension between the client and provider of services. One that timer rings it's time up, In graphics a client can feel that the session is being dragged out....and keep monitoring the clock to see how much of it is left.
However, when it is charged by session, the client feels that the lesson revolves around them. There's a warmer connection between student and teacher - because it's not just about reaching for the designated period of time and then collecting money. Dedication usually shines through especially when the teacher takes those extra 10 min, and really makes sure the student understands. No one is saying "I'm a slow learner, I deserve an extra hour of your time for free"
Now if you have a student that is a slow learner you can explain and cover as much material as they understand- but ultimately if they are lagging behind schedule- most clients will schedule another session. They want to know the material and this way there is no friction.
It will also create a name of devotion.