I wonder what is the right mix of cost to time for everyone?
I see the cost of ammunition + tuition + travel adds up QUICKLY.
I get that.
I want to find a good balance of it to reach more students.
What do you think is a wise mix?
And we want you to reach those students, the more of us actually trained the better. I am a "I want everyone packin" kinda guy most of the time. But I'd rather have one guy who knows what he is doing with me over 100 guys who watched John Wick 75 times.
I do know that in the past your "shotgun/pistol/rifle" classes drew good crowds. But I also know they were a lot of work for minimal payoff. Were done as a marketing expense, not really as a profit driver.
Have you considered contacting local gun stores and cut a deal that for each student reference you get you will kick back some coin. Every day they sell guns to people who may barely know which end goes bang. Having a card or some materials so that the salesman can say "We also have a deal with a local firearms expert who offers beginner/intermediate/advanced classes." It's a sales enhancer for them, costs nothing, and can earn them a residual.
At some of your classes you will have an example of a rifle you are currently selling. This is cool and I know you have sold a few this way. However, many people at classes don't have a spare $800-1,500 sitting around. So I recommend taking some of your stock and keeping it in a container in your truck. While running a class someone comments on that sweet Acosta leg rig, well, tell them you have extras. They like tacos? Lucky them, you have one. Notice them struggling with their glasses, we have that too.
You already have the stock, just bring some with you. Our duck guide is a master decoy carver. We used to always tell him that he should keep a few decoys he made in his rig. Someone has a good hunt you can always sell a decoy. He would say "Well, they just have to tell me and I'll send them one later." Well, the moment is over. A few days later the hunter is back home with his wife, kids, problems, work...he won't buy the decoy.
Long story short...toss some slings, pouches, ear pro, glasses, magazines, bags, belts, triggers, build kits, optics, whatever that you have taking up space into a container and be ready to move that stuff on the spot when the iron is hot. Heck, I've seen you futz with enough people's crap slings that you could have funded a few house notes.
As far as the content of your courses, or even the pricing and timing I have no ideas. Your cost per hour is extremely good, you schedule well, and your special events are wonderful. I feel with these you are fighting things like family obligations and so forth. Not much to do with those.
The only thing that even remotely could be considered a class recommendation would be to reach out to some local businesses, or even sponsors here and set up a "team building range day" event. There was a recent article on Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs fame taking his crew on a team building trip to the range. Could be untapped potential. There are probably enough business owners or business men here on CFF that you could get something at least brewing.
Theme music. You don't have a theme song. When I get out of the car at one of your classes I need to be hearing Rammstein or Slayer. Hire someone to carry a boom box around the range with you. Bonus points if they are red headed, a midget, or speak Russian. Triple points for a red headed Russian midget.
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