You might be back to work after lock-down but is it the work you 'dreamed of' when you took your first tentative steps towards being an ADI?
The reality is that although the highest lessons rates in the UK are now around £50 per hour there are still many, perhaps a majority of instructors who are charging less than £30.00. Regional differences can account for some price differences but in every region there are instructors who are charging up to 25% above the average local rate and up to 100% more than the lowest local rate (Hertfordshire - £40 per hour in an area where the lowest rate is £20).
Money isn't everything, driving instructors have job flexibility and 'no boss to answer to'. In fact, the most common reason stated for being an ADI is lifestyle. The ability to work when you want and spend time with the family or on other activities.
But the reality for many instructors is that the job controls them, they don't control the job, the 'lifestyle choice' never comes fully to fruition. Why? There are some 'time and life management' reasons but mainly it's because they work longer hours to make ends meet with low lesson prices - and by low I mean anything under £28/£30 per hour. Covid 19 has seen some instructors go our of business because they lived from week-to-week, no planning, no cash-reserve.
Added to this, regardless of what they charge, many instructors are not as profitable as they could be - I estimate could be earning £1000 or more extra each year simply by understanding their business and 'customer flow' better - without increasing their prices!
Profit-Buster will guide you step-by-step to better profitability and towards the lifestyle choice you dreamed of... And with everything I do there is a solid money-back guarantee so you can't lose - £750 additional profit or your money back!
Profit Buster is a twenty-part business and marketing programme developed specifically for driving instructors and delivered over ten months - a new update every two weeks. It's designed to help you to maximise your earnings and profit.
Many driving instructors, especially one-person operators and those working on franchises either don’t consider themselves to be business people or don't operate their sales, marketing and business management following set, tried and trusted business methods. This is not because they are unprofessional, many are trying hard and doing their best - but the vast majority of ADI training only teaches you how to teach - not how to run a business.
Profit Buster will guide you step-by-step through the key areas of your business where a deeper understanding can help you to improve your profits.
You will get one task to complete every two weeks for 10 months. The tasks come with easy-to-follow, common-sense instructions to guide you towards your goals. You then have access to the complete programme for another two months or can re-subscribe for a further 12 month period at a discount rate (and gain additional bonus materials).
I've been involved in driver training for more than 40 years both at a local and national level and built a solid reputation by delivering on my promises and here's my promise to you.
"If you follow the processes set out in Profit Buster MasterClass you will see an increase in your profits"
I can't guarantee how much your profits will increase, but although you might not believe me, I believe that some instructors who are currently at the lower end of the pricing scale could increase their earning by up to £10,000 - and no, that's not a misprint. If you apply the information in the first Bonus video in the course I will guarantee that if you are working full time (32+ hours a week) you will earn an extra £750. £2000 is easily possible in the first year. If you are at the lower end of the pricing scale learning how to manage and marked yourself well could be worth an additional £10k per year within two or three years - enough to pay your mortgage...
I'm not about to damage my reputation for honesty, good value and good ideas with a harebrained scheme that is all 'hot air'.
Working together, we can improve your business.
Rather than trying to add a 'quick fix' patch to a business that is not performing as well as it could, Profit Buster helps you to understand, first of all that your driving school is a business and then create a solid foundation for planning and marketing that will give you a secure buffer against fluctuations in the market and help make you the 'got to' instructor for your area.
You will learn how to create your own good luck!
John Farlam
Profit Buster guides you through the important aspects of planning and marketing your business. It starts with a couple of Bonus units that will give you a 'kick start' if you need more customers right away and show you an easy strategy to increase your profit by over £750 with little or no effort.
In addition to the main units you will get emails explaining some key aspects or offering more examples/case studies...
The units cover...
1. Business reality/Health Check.
As an instructor your main asset is the time you sell - and you only have a limited amount of time available. The 'health check' will help you to work out your 'real' hourly rate - one instructor doing the exercise discovered that his real hourly rate was around £3 less than he believe it to be!
2. How good is your current marketing?
When you know your real hourly rate and which customers earn you the most per hour you can start to plan your marketing. Here you will test the performance of any current marketing or advertising you do, such as asking fr referrals, Facebook campaigns, etc.
3. Why instructors sometimes lose customers.
Everyone loses a customer occasionally. No matter how few you need to keep a record to look for any patterns. When people stop taking lessons they will often say that it's because they 'can't afford' - but this is rarely the real reason.
4. How many customers do you need?
Do you run your business or does your business run you? In this unit you will set customer targets based on the hours you want to work and the income you want to achieve - this information is essential to plan ahead and avoid any 'lean' periods.
5. People buy with their eyes.
Instructors spend lots on courses and programmes to improve their training or Standards Check grade - this is something I always encourage and applaud - but being a Grade A or certified coach, although it will help, won't in itself get you a good income.
6. What do pupils want?
Do you know what your customers want? Is it something that you have thought about or do you assume that they all have the same test pass goal?
7. Courses and products.
What do you sell? Most instructors are missing out on customer enquiries because they have a 'shotgun' approach to sales and marketing. This unit explores how you can target specific 'generic' groups.
8. Team lessons for promotion and profit.
Do you do team lessons? Team lessons put two or ideally, three, learners in your car together; this can give you a higher hourly rate for the time they are in the car but there are reasons for offering team lessons that are far more powerful than this.
9. Leave a better message.
"You have reached 012345678 please leave a message" - not if there's another choice elsewhere they won't!
10. Prices on websites.
Good idea or not?
11. Your sales team
Depending on your business model, the best business comes from referrals - but how many referral strategies do you have? Or do you simply rely on 'accidental referrals' and see them as a bonus if and when they happen. Depending on your start point it should not be difficult to quadruple your referrals.
12. Special promotions.
Special promotions can bring in business - but you need to be sure that its profitable.
13. Customer says no!
Why are they saying no? What can you do to turn them around?
14. Vouchers.
A deceptively powerful method of getting business.
15. The four P's.
This unit looks at the 'marketing mix' and why it is important.
16. Offer stacking.
A powerful way of 'tempting' potential customers to call you - and to give great value.
17. Review and setting prices.
Where are we so far? 10 months in and you should be seeing a difference.
18. Facebook
Most instructors have a Facebook presence - although Facebook has slipped in popularity amongst young people it is still a valuable - necessary - resource.
19. Guarantees
The word 'guarantee' is a very powerful marketing tool - the reason many instructors shy away from it is because they don't understand how to use it. And incidentally, I guarantee that if Profit Buster does not deliver everything explained on this page, I'll refund the purchase price.
20. Getting in the media
Getting in the media, especially but not only in small towns and rural areas, can be a powerful tool to help you to become the local expert or 'go to' instructor - a key element when it comes to premium pricing.
*For details of the refund guarantee and terms that apply see the MasterClass Terms & Conditions page.
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