| Casual Learning
New to this forum, and glad I found it.
My business is not exactly a new idea...we've been up and running for about a year, but with minimal success. And the over-all idea is very much like "The Learning Annex" which has been around for at least 20 years. I'm posting here because I think I need a fresh pair of eyes to take a look at it. Please look at the website to get the overall idea. Please note: There is an awkward interface on the website to a piece of software that handles our registration. To see the actual classes, you have to click on "Browse Classes", and it puts you into the software, which doesn't have the same look-and-feel. I have little control over how that looks, but am trying to get some changes made. Here are the problems I'm having:
I have tons of people interested in teaching...lots of classes, and can always get more. And I manage to get one or two people enrolled in some of the classes, but only a few fill to capacity...our photography classes, and our salsa classes come to mind. It is not worth while for the instructors (who are all independent contractors) to teach just one or two people, and the students are looking for social interaction too, so can be dissapointed when the class is just two people.
Everyone I talk to says what a great idea. They also say new ideas take a while to catch on in Charlotte, and to hang in there. Well....I'm hanging...by a thread! And if I have to keep cancelling classes and refunding money due to low enrollment, I'll get a bad rep (not to mention no $$$).
I'm looking for some creative ideas as to how to gain more of a presence in Charlotte. I'm paying for a full page ad each week in a free publication used by so many people in Charlotte (Creative Loafing) that lists all our classes. Each week, my stats grow, but I'm running out of money...the ads aren't paying for themselves yet (just started this tactic one month ago). I need creative, and FREE ways to get more notice. Any ideas???
Thanks in advance. |