anime drawing lessons

sunandshadow · Post by **sunandshadow** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 1:16 pm

I live in Virginia, and I'd like to start giving anime drawing lessons to supplement my income. Anyone have any suggestions about how I could advertise, and how much I should charge?

emopunk1 · Post by **emopunk1** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 3:54 pm

Make some flyers and try to go various locations that are related to anime drawing, such as anime stores, and local colleges (though, you may need to get permission from the college beforehand). When I went to my graphic design class last semester, there were some flyers for a guy who taught animation and comic design, here locally in Southern CA.

Second, create a website (even the free ones with banners and ads should work) and promote it through different forums and if possible, see if anyone would be willing to add your link to their site. Make sure you have samples to show what you can do and explain how you teach, because people want proof, not words to know you and your way of teaching.

As for fees, that's really up to you, but are including supplies to work with and are you including small fees like traveling(if you travel to that person's home to teach)? Are you charging per hour, per lesson or for a group of lessons (like $55 for six lessons)

Kajino Rei · Post by **Kajino Rei** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 6:38 pm

Well at my university you don't really need permission to post a flyer. Granted that flyer mustn't be about something illegal.
What emopunk1 said is true, flyers and a web page are a good way to go but I would add some things:
Don't make a web page, create many.
There are countless service providers that offer these free ones and you really don't need much bandwidth.
Don't rule out the good old networking or word of mouth.
Let people close to you (family, friends, even acquaintances) know your plans.
Make yourself available.
Give a good amount of relevant info for people to contact you (tel. numbers, email, web page, ect).
Define the enterprise.
Make goals you want to achieve, be it monetary or something else. Like it or not this is a business and it must be detailed accordingly.
Define the actual offerings.
Make a list of what you can teach. Have a portfolio to show people. Make note of every aspect of the curriculum and the prices.
Leave nothing without detail.
Say what you can do and how much it costs. Never leave something hanging in the air, misunderstandings in the business world are grave dangers.

Rules of thumb:
If you have to travel to a person’s place, that should have and added price tag. The price can be matched by the distance or any other criteria you want to follow.
Set business hours and business days, if a person wants you before or after (and you can make it) then that also should have a monetary bonus. Price accordingly.
If the person has the materials then good but make sure they have what’s really needed.
If that isn’t the case then you can offer to help by the materials or go buy them yourself. Should you buy them with the person, give many choices and have some input about the quality.
But if that isn’t the case then give an estimate of the total and have the person give you the money since you should know how much the different supply may cost.

Pricing the actual teaching:
In real life you get billed for two things, man hours spent on the job and the actual work.
It may not apply completely to you but it helps.
That means have a base total, example: no matter what you’re teaching the cost doesn’t go below $30, that’s your minimum.
From that minimum you then build up whatever extra charges may apply.
Make teaching “specials”. Like 5 classes for $60. Of course this is random teaching since there are not specifications of what you’re teaching.
Which brings us to a crossroads: Price by time (hour)? Or Price by lessons?
By time means no matter what you’re teaching all hours have the same price.
By lesson means some may cost more than others because of the level of difficulty (among other things) of what you’re teaching.

In any case hope that helps and I know it’s a businesslike POV but I’m a businessperson…

Kajino Rei · Post by **Kajino Rei** » Sat Sep 04, 2004 3:53 pm

PS: Tell us, well me how it goes. Need anymore help just pm or something.

sunandshadow · Post by **sunandshadow** » Sat Sep 04, 2004 4:55 pm

Well, so far I posted two flyers at anime stores but I haven't gotten any calls yet. I'm still trying to figure out how to post flyers at universities.

Kajino Rei · Post by **Kajino Rei** » Sat Sep 04, 2004 5:16 pm

Well the “guide” I gave you is pretty thorough but have you thought of using a stapler?

No, really.

At my university you don't need permission and there are designated "spaces", these are big boards that you can stick flyers at.

You have to work at lot for this venture to work.

sunandshadow · Post by **sunandshadow** » Sat Sep 04, 2004 8:31 pm

Yeah I thought of a stapler - what I haven't figured out is how to figure out where art classrooms would be at each college.

Kajino Rei · Post by **Kajino Rei** » Sat Sep 04, 2004 8:39 pm

WHAT?!

I doesn't have to be in an art classroom but in any and every "ad board" located in the University.

Blackwatch · Post by **Blackwatch** » Sat Sep 04, 2004 9:56 pm

Hey man you need bigger publicity. two letters T.V.

aznfs · Post by **aznfs** » Sat Sep 04, 2004 11:35 pm

Blackwatch wrote:Hey man you need bigger publicity. two letters T.V.

u know how much tv advertisements cost rite