Definitely a true concept but irritating since its largely said by internet marketing people trying to rip you off.
"Why am I charging for this information? Because you'll value it more that way!"
No fucker, you're doing it to make a profit. 
"But I promise I'll clean the mats every night!" - Two weeks later... never to be seen again. If can't count the number of times I heard that shit from young adults.
RockTheVote -FingerorMoon - Definitely a true concept but irritating since its largely said by internet marketing people trying to rip you off.No, fucker. I'm doing it for both.
"Why am I charging for this information? Because you'll value it more that way!"
No fucker, you're doing it to make a profit.
haha no you're not.
For profit is fine, I've got no problem with it.
Just don't try to convince me you're actually charging me for altruistic reasons for my benefit.
I hate when people complain about the cost of BJJ.
I'm sure there are some crazy expensive gyms out there, but over the years I've been a member of three gyms and dropped in on many others. And I always look at the overall membership prices when I drop in just out of curiousity.
I've never found a place I thought was particularly expensive. In general, if you don't compete and don't go to seminars, you just need to buy a minimal amount of equipment and pay a monthly tuition somewhere between $80 and $150. That's plenty reasonable and I don't see many BJJ instructors exactly rolling in cash.
Try getting into triathlons and come back and complain about price.
When I hear about how much Crossfit gyms are charging, I want to double what I charge.
people that dont train dont realize that 90% of people that try BJJ dont stick with it bc its hard. Want a black belt in BJJ. Set aside a decade . Most people dont want to hear that.
I remember seeing a video a few years ago where one guy is telling another he wants to train but it's too much money. The other guy starts asking him how much he spends on his phone, clothes, going out to the bar, ext.
That's always been the stance I've had after seeing that video.
Plus if you're too cheap to pay, then don't train. It's that simple.
This free thing is really working for Judo here in th the US.
I heard someone complain about a $75 cost of a seminar once that I was attending also. I put the blue belt in his place. "So you don't think the details in each technique from a top level Bjj competitor or Mma fighter are worth $8 each when they've been training 10 years to learn them, and they're going to supply that to you so you don't have to figure it out yourself." It's crazy ppl complaining about Bjj pricing. Put your kid in baseball yearly and see how much you spend on cleats bat glove uniform sunglasses wrist bands , concessions , equipment bags etc. it's way more expensive.
shen -This. One thing I've learned over the years is to stick to my price point and let excuse makers just go...
That one guy who gives you a sob story and you let train for free (or for a nominal fee) WLL completely flake out within 2 weeks. Never fails.
Probably the same reason you refuse to recognize that "ain't" does not mean "is not". Don't take the blame for it though, blame your English teachers. It their fault not your parent or grandparents. Maybe it's my fault. Damn..I ruined another one.
????
But if you guys let me train for free I'll tell everyone about this place. I'll check in online everyday. Dude you guys are going to blow up. Yeah and competing, I wanna compete, how do I do that?
FlowWithTheGo - But if you guys let me train for free I'll tell everyone about this place. I'll check in online everyday. Dude you guys are going to blow up. Yeah and competing, I wanna compete, how do I do that?My favorite is when they promise Facebook shootouts when they fight mma one day lol
<blockquote>Setree - <span id='userPost54176794' class='User-267174'>This free thing is really working for Judo here in th the US.</span></blockquote><br /> I just saw a video titled "Why Judo is on the decline in the U.S." A few reasons were opined: It is difficult to learn, the late 60's and late 70's (and beyond) popularity of striking arts -thanks to Hollywood- overshadowed grappling arts. Judo never really got to take full root in American pop culture, then rising popularity of BJJ and a few other incidentals took way from its appeal. The primary remedy according to this long-time sensei was to begin charging fees in order to place a tangible value on the art. I feel it is an interesting proposition. I'm not a socio-economics professor, so who knows, nothing else is reviving it. Why not try and market it a little more commercially, it didn't hurt Karate or BJJ.
FlowWithTheGo - But if you guys let me train for free I'll tell everyone about this place. I'll check in online everyday. Dude you guys are going to blow up. Yeah and competing, I wanna compete, how do I do that?
Dude, I'm gonna fight MMA and I could wear your patch in the ring. --That would really help you guys!
checkuroil - I always hear people bitching about prices and comparing it to other activities that are priced lower.
Guess what? This ain't a non for profit charity. Gyms gotta keep the lights on and pay the staff. No one is getting rich running one gym. Most are scraping by. So shut you're mouth about what BJJ "should" cost.
Yeah, shon, yeah.
I can't believe these suckas ain't believing you. I know you did your homework and you ate your pig feet.
Just show them the proof I know you gots.
Just post the earnings of every BJJ owner in america you based your thread off.
Put these bitches in they place.
'Naw mean???
circusmonkey - I was just having a conversation with my son about this. People who know I began training with my current instructor since he opened his doors several years ago ask :"Do you train for free?". I get a little offended. Like they expect me to take advantage of my position or something. While I do pay half the rate because I assist with classes and devote long rolls to the younger guys who compete and are fine tuning their game, I feel obligated to pay something. That's always been the agreement.
The school has grown tremendously, but there is still a lease to pay, utilities, supplies, insurance, not to mention the instructors time and knowledge he imparts. The place is always acquiring something new, aside from tripling in square footage size - which increases rent. The simple response is "I do pay a fee, and I'm glad I do, because I probably wouldn't appreciate the opportunity as much and would find reasons to skip classes".
I work in a field where "free family counseling" was offered to our "clients", but research and experience showed that when you charge nothing, your targeted customers don't place value on it and they won't utilize your service, no matter how valuable it actually is. Charge something and people literally become more invested in it and likely will be more committed to what you have to offer.
Great post! Exactly if you give away freely something valueable. Most people don't appreciate it. I've always admired how BJJ has been able to market itself (thanx to the UFC). Bjj instructors can actually make a living from teaching bjj. Judo offers the same benefits as bjj, but never grew as popular as compared to Europe.
I do believe the prices should be reasonable though.
checkuroil - I always hear people bitching about prices and comparing it to other activities that are priced lower.
Guess what? This ain't a non for profit charity. Gyms gotta keep the lights on and pay the staff. No one is getting rich running one gym. Most are scraping by. So shut you're mouth about what BJJ "should" cost.
I always hear owners bitch about they don't make enough money.
Guess what? Consumers aren't donors:)
Bootstraps son. The free market will cull the strong from the weak. If boxercise cost $100 and is run by a cutie with big tits, and guard pulls cost $200 and is run by a creep with "professor" on his pajamas... I guess those lights are getting turned off:)
Maybe not every BJJ club can be a viable business. Maybe making a "career" out of teaching BJJ is something only the best in the world can do profitably.
Not everything can be monetised.
:(
shen -FlowWithTheGo - But if you guys let me train for free I'll tell everyone about this place. I'll check in online everyday. Dude you guys are going to blow up. Yeah and competing, I wanna compete, how do I do that?
Dude, I'm gonna fight MMA and I could wear your patch in the ring. --That would really help you guys!
LOL, my favorite.
"I'm going to be wearing your patch up on the podium 'repping your brand at every tournament, that's worth something".
I think people vastly overestimate the size of the BJJ community and the impact winning tournaments has on drawing in new students to an academy and selling gis/t-shirts/BJJ merchandise in general.
We had a guy that left our academy a year ago. Big competitor, wasn't paying membership anymore, didn't pay for seminars, all kinds of freebie dollars for competition entry fees, travel, etc. He thought after he left our competition program would shrivel up and die.
Fast forward to today... we had 18 guys at the last local tournament (double what his new gym sent), we have 10+ guys traveling to the Master Senior Worlds, and he hasn't competed since February. Barely trains anymore.
Oh, and last I heard, his new academy is making him pay to train.
Gracie Combatives are cheap just get a friend and some mats and train in the basement lol.
If you have several BB or brownbelts,purples to roll with it's worth paying the cost.