TexasCHLforum.com

They must be taking the CHL Instructor list and working their way through it. I got a call from Groupon today wanting to know if I wanted to "partner" with them. I politely declined.

SewTexas wrote:Switch and G26ster have it exactly right.

groupon is simply a way of gaining names for a businesses mailing list, and it's a way of gain clientele.
for the customers.....some people will buy the groupon as a "coupon" thinking "hey, I think this might be fun to do with John. It's a good price. We'll see what happens" Other people will buy the coupon because they have been planning on taking the class and this will make it easier for them to afford it.

Since there is no longer any requirement for a renewal class, of what possible purpose would "gaining names for a business mailing list" do for a CHL instructor. Even before, it would be 4-5 years before that customer would return. We really don't have a repeat business clientele.

sjfcontrol wrote:

SewTexas wrote:Switch and G26ster have it exactly right.

groupon is simply a way of gaining names for a businesses mailing list, and it's a way of gain clientele.
for the customers.....some people will buy the groupon as a "coupon" thinking "hey, I think this might be fun to do with John. It's a good price. We'll see what happens" Other people will buy the coupon because they have been planning on taking the class and this will make it easier for them to afford it.

Since there is no longer any requirement for a renewal class, of what possible purpose would "gaining names for a business mailing list" do for a CHL instructor. Even before, it would be 4-5 years before that customer would return. We really don't have a repeat business clientele.

why can't an instructor teach more than just CHL? an instructor can teach other types of classes. That would make sense to me anyway....I'm not an instructor, so I don't know, but to me that's where the $ would be, in offering a variety of classes.

Charles L. Cotton wrote:I can't imagine any merchant using Groupon! As I have been told, the merchant must discount the fee by 50% for Groupon customers, then Groupon takes half of the reduced fee leaving the merchant only 25% of their regular fee.

That's right. 25% of the non-discounted fee.

Saying it another way, Groupon splits the gross after the discount...
IF CHL class is normally $100, Groupon wants it discounted to $50 and then splits that... The instructor would net $25.

However, it's not necessarily a horrible idea. In a competitive business where building a book of customers is important, you're essentially paying to make those relationships.
My guess is that CHL instructors aren't typically making a fortune. This is why they're often allowing [pre-paid legal] into class....

What they do get, is a relationship with the client for advanced instruction, maybe 1:1 time, maybe range rental (like my instructor)... Basically possibility of full-fee future income.

cb1000rider wrote:

Charles L. Cotton wrote:I can't imagine any merchant using Groupon! As I have been told, the merchant must discount the fee by 50% for Groupon customers, then Groupon takes half of the reduced fee leaving the merchant only 25% of their regular fee.

That's right. 25% of the non-discounted fee.

Saying it another way, Groupon splits the gross after the discount...
IF CHL class is normally $100, Groupon wants it discounted to $50 and then splits that... The instructor would net $25.

However, it's not necessarily a horrible idea. In a competitive business where building a book of customers is important, you're essentially paying to make those relationships.
My guess is that CHL instructors aren't typically making a fortune. This is why they're often allowing [pre-paid legal] into class....

What they do get, is a relationship with the client for advanced instruction, maybe 1:1 time, maybe range rental (like my instructor)... Basically possibility of full-fee future income.

I understand the theory, but I think it's faulty. Most CHL instructors aren't teaching a lot of other classes, so for them it's not a loss leader. Also, most CHL instructors rely upon referrals and someone telling a friend that they got the class for $50 through Groupon while the friend must pay $100 isn't going to generate business.

Chas.

I agree with you Charles. We have an instructor here that lives on groupon. I will say he packs them in. 15-20 at a time. But 15 at $25 is $375. I dropped from $125 to $100, $90 on discounted students. So let's say $90 . Average class is 8-10, so we'll go low and say 8X$90= $720

We both use the same range and classroom which cost $15 per head.

So his groupon class is $375 gross -$225 for range and class fees. = $150 net

My 8x90=720-120 range/class fees= $600 net

He tells me it's building his business. I don't get it.

Approximately 50% of his groupon sales never show so he's really making $50 per student he teaches. And he is getting students that might never heard of him, elsewhere (or might have signed up with a different instructor. :( )

switch wrote:Approximately 50% of his groupon sales never show so he's really making $50 per student he teaches. And he is getting students that might never heard of him, elsewhere (or might have signed up with a different instructor. :( )

He's not making any more money for students that don't show, he just has open seats.

TVGuy wrote: He's not making any more money for students that don't show, he just has open seats.

Not sure that's right. Usually you pay and then you get to schedule for when there is space. So if you never schedule, your fees magically go away (subject to limitations in some states). It won't necessarily result in an empty seat.

I would rather pay to have an instructor that knows the CHL laws well, more than is taught at the DPS in Austin. Going with the lowest price is not a smart move, maybe that cheap instructor leaves out some important info that could be the difference between a good shooting and prison time.

One clarification. You will not get their name/email unless they contact you/come to your class/range. Groupon does NOT share their customer details w/you, even though they 'bought' your service.

Once, one of the services, (I do not remember if it was Groupon), sent an email to all my 'new' potential customers w/all the other customers emails in the clear. I got him to forward it to me and made a contact list of potential customers, but that was a screw up. Only happened once. :(

I have several discounted classes. Active military and spouse $45 (Active member is $20 and the spouse $25). Disabled Veteran $45.00, Military Veteran with Honorable Discharge, $55.00. I even give some classes away at no charge.

It does not mean that anyone is a better instructor based on the price. We all teach the same requirements and provide the same tests as every other Texas CHL instructor.

The end result is - the student knows the laws, passes the test and qualifies for a CHL

It is a business decision. I can get by with that. If I had my preference, all military and veterans would be given a CHL by the state and not even require a CHL Class.

I think I am the cheapest regular price around here at $75.00. I don't do a lot of discounting but I also don't have much overhead. No room rental, no building expenses, no range fees, mostly word-of-mouth advertising. I try to price my class so it is economical for anyone to take. I also give away a class here or there depending on the circumstance. Like many instructors I have a real job not associated with the shooting industry so I'm not trying to make a living, just trying to have a little disposable income. I give a good class and get good reviews. While the idiom "you get what you pay for" often holds true there are also genuine bargains and value out there.

At my last renewal class, the instructor taught a lot of things that were half-truths or flat out wrong. I'm glad they got rid of the renewal class.

Based on that experience, as long as there's a required class instead of stand-alone testing (like driving) for a new license, I suggest people take the cheapest and easiest class possible, to get the rubber stamp required by the state. Actually, I suggest a more economical license path, but if they're intent on Texas plastic, I suggest they pick a class based on cost and convenience. Then learn the important stuff elsewhere.

No offense to anyone posting here, but anyone that passes the instructor classes in Austin should be able to teach the curriculum. But, there is no denying that some people will be much better and more knowledgeable than others. People looking to take the class should be more concerned about what they are going to learn than saving $50 on the class. I have run across a couple instructors that I would not want to go to, even if the class was free. I have had the opportunity to sit in on Charles Cotton's legal portion of his class three times and he was more informative and knowledgeable than the other three instructors I have been to since I have had my CHL. I could easily get set up to teach CHL classes, I have people all the time asking me if I offer them (since I sell guns it is a frequent question). But, being in the Friendswood area I send them all to Charles, there is no way I would ever be able to do better than him since a career in the legal profession gives him an advantage that I could never catch up with. Now, I realize there may not be people like him in every Texas town, but I would still look for qualifications rather than the cheapest price. There are some things in life that are not worth going cheap on and I think this is one of them. I realize there are exceptions but price should not be your first consideration.