Tips on how to Organize a Successful On-site Clinic

If you've never hosted a clinic before, or don't know if you can afford to bring a pro in for a weekend, check out these tips, and then call give your favorite pro a call:

Recommendations - Advice to make organizing a clinic easy!!

• Have at 4-5 students if you are skiing full days.
• Have no more than 3 students in the boat if half days are the only option.
• Try not to have any more than 4 students in the boat unless there are 5 full day students. This will allow everyone to get plenty of footing in.
• Charge $115 for full day students, and charge $85 for half day students.
• Have all participants pay in advance to hold their time slot.

For example you can book 2 full day students and 4 half day students ($570).  This will cover daily rate plus boat gas.  Day two will cover daily rate, boat gas and part of the Pro's airfare.  Day three will cover the Pro's daily rate, boat gas and the rest of the airfare. 

Let's run through a live example:

Step 1:  Sit down and list out all of your foot'n buddies.  

Step 2:  Let's say you came up with 6 friends (Joe, Bob, Carol, Rick, Al and Greg)

Step 3:  Create yourself a scheduling chart that looks something like this:

This chart will allow you to keep track of who's skiing, at what times, and the amount collected.

Step 3:  Call each friend up and tell them you've been thinking about hosting a barefoot clinic and wanted to know if they would be interested in participating.  Their first question will be: "How much will it cost?" 

Step 4: Your answer: "That all depends on how much you want to learn and ski, but it will be a lot cheaper than flying to Florida and spending a week in a hotel, eating out, and paying for a week of lessons.  And the best thing is, we'll have 100% of the Pro's teaching time and expert coaching for 3 or 5 days."  Then tell them that a Full day rate is $120 and half days are $85 per person.   If you're hosting a clinic during the week, you'll find that most people will opt for half-days.  If it's a weekend clinic, most people might opt for full days since it's the best buy. 

Step 5: Let them know that you are reserving time slots, so they need to let you know pretty quick what slots they would like because it's a first come first serve operation.  Also, let them know that you will require their fees in advance.  You don't want to spend your weekend with the Pro being a collection officer.  You would like to enjoy the training as well.

Step 6: When you're all done, your table might look like this: 

    Total collected with 2 slots unfilled:  $1,520
    Total due Instructor for 3 day clinic:   $1,100
    Balance left for Airfare:               $  420
    Tips for the instructor (always nice)   $  150
    Total cost including tips & travel      $1,670

    Try getting 6 people to Florida and back for 3-days for $1,670.