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For three years, I have been in China teaching Swing Dancing. Now I'm wandering yet again...
2004-11-19
Work stuff
Tonight I'm at home, trying to get to sleep. Was out a bit late yesterday and now I'm trying to go back to normal. Kind of hard when you are not sleepy to sleep. Forming a new dance class on Sunday. I still have a few things to do. I hope we get enough people to keep the night viable. I just had to fight to keep the Sundays so we're not in the strongest of positions since business is slow. I'm working with one of my students who is helping me send cell phone messages the 'maybe' people on our list. Something I should probably do is take up all the phone numbers, get on the phone, and call up some people to see if we can fill the class. To see if they want to learn dancing, that is to say!
Something has definitely not gone according to plan when it comes to the 'dance movement'. It right now, after a year, amounts to under 20 people. Probably the core group is really 10 folks. Something is not happening correctly. I'm confident in the feeling and nature of swing dancing. I'm reasonably confident enough in my skills as a teacher and ability to handle things. I've gotten a bit more organized of late to get the classes more structured. I'm trying to change it into a thing which has a definite syllabus, and we take attendance at the classes. Our turnout rate last month was seven people, one of which is a long-time friend who's been with us since the beginning, and two of which are repeat customers from before. That's the whole thing for the month. The class non-turnout rate was pretty bad, however. The first class we had the seven. The second something like four of the people had told me ahead of time they could not make the day. The third time we had a make-up class, with about five folks. And the last class there were just three folks, the loyal couple and one new female student I'd met from shooting the movie.
My target beginning class size is about 20 people. Let's say 15. Normally about half don't make it through the class, because they are busy or don't like it or they are lazy. The remaining half usually tend to be the better dancers, but not always. Women stay more frequently than men, and more women than men come in the first place.
So anyhow, I'm good at analysis and writing reports. But my gut feel is that if I want this to work, I actually have to start calling the people who have expressed some interest and asking them to join personally over the phone. Telephone sales, and I've been avoiding this something fierce. I know one girl who does phone sales to her personal folks. She runs an independent Mandarin teaching school. But it's rather annoying to be on the receiving side of one of those calls. You at first think she's calling you, then you realize she's selling to you. It's also a BIT strange from her getting the call from her directly. It feels a bit unprofessional since we've gone swimming together and she's been over at my house for parties. I always liked to avoid the two.
But the bottom line is I have to take a new action regarding publicity. The email response has been rather low. It seems it's not enough motivation. Plus we don't get new people out of it; just the people who've seen us before and gave us their name for the email list. There are about 80 people on the 'Ask to Join' list. Of them there's probably 15 of which that I feel like I should call them myself. So I suppose I should get on the phone and take care of this tomorrow in the daytime. Tomorrow is Friday, so it's just not going to be possible any other time before the new class begins.
What it really boils down to is phone sales. That's what I should be doing, at least give it a shot to see how efffective it is.
Peace,
-J
Comments:
Jim, I have been reading your blogs since day 1. You are a warrior with good spirits. I am sure you will see succeed in your venture. Your persistance will surely pay.
BTW, your choice of words and english is awesome.
Sateesh
(I bought your toyota car)
savigouri@yahoo.com
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BTW, your choice of words and english is awesome.
Sateesh
(I bought your toyota car)
savigouri@yahoo.com
# posted by 
: 12:48 AM
: 12:48 AM