How Much Is Not Enough?
A couple of months ago I was trying to figure out an affordable way to help a group of interested professionals get an introduction to The Raiser's Edge, a software product for which training is available only if you work for an organization that uses it.
While I was not able to offer a free session, as I initially hoped to do, I did find that I could offer an online seminar for a very reasonable $40 per person, and the CJW webinar series was born.
Since that first session at the end of May, we have led three webinars: Interfacing and reconciliation between Development and Accounting offices; Raiser's Edge Export Functions; and one about what it takes to get a job as a support person in a Development office. There are 6 more scheduled during the month of July, and we will be adding others to be held in August and September within a couple of weeks. Each session is 90 minutes long. Registrants are given a web link to view the webinar and a toll-free number to call in order to hear it and be able to participate.
I thought long and hard about the price for these sessions. I get emails inviting me to webinars frequently, including those from Blackbaud, who is offering 3-hour sessions priced at about $240 per person. My sessions are half as long as those Blackbaud is offering, so at half their price I'd be charging $120 per person, which is pretty much in line with what I'm seeing from other companies offering such services.
I know that it can be dangerous to price services too low. There's all that "if it seems to good to be true it probably is" and "you get what you pay for" stuff hanging in the air around a low-priced opportunity. But as this firm is very small and our overhead is kept as low as possible, our rates have consistently been lower across the board, although I'm confident that the quality of our services meets or exceeds our competitors. I've never liked the idea of charging more than I felt I needed just because I could.
What do you think? Would you invest $40 and 90 minutes? Would the low price be off-putting to you? If $40 is too low, what do you think an online seminar is worth?
I'd like to ask that you go to the Events/Webinars page of this web site and review our offerings. Then come back here and tell me what you think about the webinars and the prices.
While I was not able to offer a free session, as I initially hoped to do, I did find that I could offer an online seminar for a very reasonable $40 per person, and the CJW webinar series was born.
Since that first session at the end of May, we have led three webinars: Interfacing and reconciliation between Development and Accounting offices; Raiser's Edge Export Functions; and one about what it takes to get a job as a support person in a Development office. There are 6 more scheduled during the month of July, and we will be adding others to be held in August and September within a couple of weeks. Each session is 90 minutes long. Registrants are given a web link to view the webinar and a toll-free number to call in order to hear it and be able to participate.
I thought long and hard about the price for these sessions. I get emails inviting me to webinars frequently, including those from Blackbaud, who is offering 3-hour sessions priced at about $240 per person. My sessions are half as long as those Blackbaud is offering, so at half their price I'd be charging $120 per person, which is pretty much in line with what I'm seeing from other companies offering such services.
I know that it can be dangerous to price services too low. There's all that "if it seems to good to be true it probably is" and "you get what you pay for" stuff hanging in the air around a low-priced opportunity. But as this firm is very small and our overhead is kept as low as possible, our rates have consistently been lower across the board, although I'm confident that the quality of our services meets or exceeds our competitors. I've never liked the idea of charging more than I felt I needed just because I could.
What do you think? Would you invest $40 and 90 minutes? Would the low price be off-putting to you? If $40 is too low, what do you think an online seminar is worth?
I'd like to ask that you go to the Events/Webinars page of this web site and review our offerings. Then come back here and tell me what you think about the webinars and the prices.
posted by Cheryl J. Weissman at
1:39 PM
0 Comments
