Does your school advertise prices?

[Lupin1]

I'm considering dabbling in another art a few nights a week for fun and exercise. At first I was planning on going back to Judo, but I'm frankly a little afraid of all the injuries I saw and incurred in my year studying that art. My other thought was BJJ to work more on my ground game. I'm looking around at the different schools in the area, though, and something that's been bugging me is the fact that no one advertises their prices.

It seems to be very common in the martial arts world (along with gyms and many fitness programs) to not give prices until after bringing someone in for a meeting or a trial class or after getting contact information for them. As a fairly shy person who doesn't like confrontation, this keeps me from even considering schools that may be a great fit for me. I don't want to be pressured and have to say no after someone spends a bunch of time trying to convince me to join their class. I have a set budget and I just need to know if a school fits my budget before I spend my value time (and they spend theirs) going through the sales pitch.

Why are prices in the martial arts such a secretive thing? Can anyone shed some light on it for me?

[tallgeese]

It seems to be the marketing thing to do, get people in, get them excited, then hit them with pricing. It is pretty common. I've seen it in a couple of places I've studied.

Frankly, it drives me crazy as well. As we move toward our opening, we plan on advertising our pricing up front.

[wagnerk]

All but one of the clubs I've even attended advertises it prices.

[Rig]

I advertise all the costs involved at my club as a matter of principle, I feel that it's only fair to be open about these sort of things.

[Wastelander]

We don't have it posted on our website, but it is on our fliers and we don't try to hide it or run around it when people ask over the phone, via email, or in person. Honestly, I don't really like that it isn't on the website, but I understand why it's done that way.

[sensei8]

I've quoted prices in any advertising campaign that I've ever done, for as long as I can remember!!

Our Hombu's done the same!! As a matter of fact, our Hombu once had an A-Frame just outside the main entrance forever and a day noting price structures. It had in bold large print at the very bottom..."Free Trail Lesson" emblazoned at the very bottom for all to see. That A-Frame is in the hand of San Dai-Soke when he closed our first Hombu...man...I miss the darn thing...Soke made the A-Frame...which he personally updated from time to time!!

To move that A-Frame, it would take two; it wasn't a modest size!!

[bushido_man96]

Our school doesn't advertise its prices, but if you come in and ask about classes, we have a book with the pricing laid out based on what you sign up for. We don't have any pricing listed on our website, though.

I think that many don't list prices because they want someone to come look and see what they have to offer before being turned off by a price. You mention yourself that you have a budget, so if you see a price over your budget, you kick that school out of consideration. An instructor would much rather have someone come in and check things out personally, and see what they have to offer. If its good enough, perhaps someone might make the adjustments to their budget in order to attend the school.

[skullsplitter]

Ours does not do much in the way of advertising at all. Prices are given out over the phone or by stopping in.

[Lupin1]

Our school doesn't advertise its prices, but if you come in and ask about classes, we have a book with the pricing laid out based on what you sign up for. We don't have any pricing listed on our website, though.

I think that many don't list prices because they want someone to come look and see what they have to offer before being turned off by a price. You mention yourself that you have a budget, so if you see a price over your budget, you kick that school out of consideration. An instructor would much rather have someone come in and check things out personally, and see what they have to offer. If its good enough, perhaps someone might make the adjustments to their budget in order to attend the school.

I do completely understand this, but I still would love an idea of what I'm getting myself into. If my budget is $75 a month, I may be able to swing $85 or $90 for the right school (and I would visit a school if I knew it was only $15-20 over my budget just to see), but one place around here is $130 a month and I don't care how great they are, I just can't swing that. It also wouldn't be that bad if, upon visiting those places, they laid it out on the table and let you take it or leave it. I actually visited an awesome Kyokushin school that did this-- they didn't advertise prices beyond their introductory deal, but when I went for a trial class the guy laid it all out before the class started and told me it was completely up to me if I chose to continue after that class. Although I chose not to study there, I respected that approach much more than the pressure some places will lay on you the moment you're in the door. Also to be honest, I'd feel much more comfortable visiting a school that advertised their prices, even if they were over my budget, just because I'd know what I was in for. The schools that don't-- I may be in for a great experience like the Kyokushin class, or I may wind up trapped in some back office for two hours while five different people surround me and each give me their own sales pitch and try to convince me how worth it it is (another experience I had).

In the end-- I understand the strategy, and know it must work because many of the schools that use it are extremely successful businesses, but for me personally, it turns me off. I feel much more comfortable going into a known entity. And I feel like, if I do end up going here, my interactions and classes will be more straight shooting and up front. It may be an unfair judgement on my part, but it is my initial takeaway.

[sensei8]

As we're all aware of, many schools don't outwardly advertise their prices in the fear that their competition will undercut them, thusly, money savings have the ability to draw in prospective students.

I'm of the mindset...be directly upfront at all times. Sets up the trust between school and student; the building blocks for a long term relationship.

No matter the savings and no matter the prices; if the quality of instruction isn't there for the serious minded student, that student type won't give it a second longer thought in leaving said school.

Price structures will be debated as long as money is at the core of our society. I, too, am alarmed when I hear, see, or read that a school is charging $130 per month, but more alarming when I see the subpar quality of instructions being offered, and even more alarming when you see same said students' subpar MA skills learnt from same said school.

But, hey, I'm just a voice in the wilderness. Prices don't always match to the quality of the instructions. Listen, not everyone can afford a rocket ship to the moon, but everyone can afford a pair of shoes to walk to the dojo of their choice.

Pressure tactics will turn me off faster than the subpar quality of instructions. Why? I'd be there in the first place in order to learn the MA, I've already decided that. However, just as soon as I'm pressured to join, my interest is quickly deflated!! I don't NEED the MA, I WANT the MA; there's a difference between the two, and it's often misunderstood.