Having flat or vary tuition fee rate

[MightyB]

And yes, I know of NAPMA - but I can't afford them and it kinda seems to be catered to TKD types anyway.

You don't have to use their program, just their methodology.

In a nutshell: Start with a good location, Advertise, pick a rate and an ideal number of students. Know what level you need to be at in terms of number of students in order to make your bottom line. Organization and structure are keys to success.

Create a variety of programs. Kung Fu can be broken down to many: Beginner and Advanced, San Shou, Forms, Weapons, Chi Kung, Tai Chi, Traditional Medicine and Herbology, competition prep, self defense, childrens, lion dance... Have a store in your building.

Also, create a limited teaching program for your advanced students with discounts given to students for teaching and assisting (all the way up to free training).

Now define start and end-times for these programs. Be prompt with starting and ending.

Promote a trusted student to business manager (pay that person something). Have students enroll, have a website, have a newsletter, offer bonuses to students who bring friends. Have the business manager call students who were with you and may have dropped. Have the business manager watch billing and collect promptly.

Did I mention you need to advertise?... read Guerrilla Marketing and get to it.

[TenTigers]

use the concept of modeling and benchmarking.
Find a school that is doing what you want to do, and making it work. Find the guys who are are at the top of their game, the leaders in the industry, and copy what they are doing.
In EFC, it's guys like Steve LaVallee, Ernie Reyes, etc.
If you do Kung-Fu, look at Tat Mau-Wong, John Wai, Doc Fai-Wong, Pablo Zamorra, etc.
Check out Tiger Schullmann. Many people are following his lead.
Rising Crane, who is on this forum is doing very well teaching traditional Kung-Fu, as well as integrating MMA into his curriculum.
David Ross and Michael Parella are working it.
It doesn't have to be Kung-Fu, heck it can be a really good gym, or dance studio.
Google and youtube are your friends!
Visit other schools, talk to the owners. Pick their brains.
Network, and surround yourself with the people you respect in the industry.
Stay away from the moaners and complainers. They're not making it work,, and all they do is bring you down. "The ones rowing the boat, usually don't have time to rock it."

[Northwind]

@10Tigers - Totally agree.

@MightyB - I agree here. However here is the tough part for me personally - "location". I don't have start up cash & can't get a small biz loan due to some @$$hole stealing my identity & screwing up my credit while I was living overseas...
So until I can figure out a creative way to get enough start-up funds, I am stuck being creative dealing with an outdoor location

[SanHeChuan]

Step 1 Steal under pants...

Find locations that you can use for free or for cheep; Churches, rec centers, gyms, other schools. Work multiple locations if needed.

build up a base of students.
Charge them.
Save.

Step 2

Step 3 Profit.