Forbes published an article in 2012 that states the global, private tutoring industry will grow to be a $102.8 billion industry. Standing out from the crowd will require you to market yourself as a tutor properly.
It's a growing industry that pays very well.
But how do you go from wanting to teach someone your native language of French (just an example), to running a thriving French tutoring business?
Start on the Ground
Your first step to success is to work locally to secure clients. It's a lot of work, but your small investment in time will pay off in the end. You need to start off on the ground, and this means:
- Connecting with local teachers in your subject
- Posting your business cards on local boards to offer tutoring
- Taking out local ads to promote your business in the community
A lot of tutors have success with going to local schools and handing out fliers. Teachers may also recommend your service, so network with your local French teacher (or any subject you choose to teach).
You'll want to have the following made up:
Every time an opportunity arises, hand out a business card, post a flyer or attach a poster to the wall. It's a method of marketing that will never go out of style.
Word of Mouth With a Dab of Email Marketing
Word of mouth can start your business. Tell everyone you know that you're a tutor. Use social media to announce your services to your network. It's a way you can start securing paying work today if the right person sees your post.
And once you've secured a few students, don't be afraid to ask them to refer their friends.
A quick and easy way to do this is to collect your students' e-mail addresses. You'll then send them a follow-up email after a session to ask them to:
- Review your service
- Recommend your service to a friend
Referrals are very powerful, too. A referral is one of the best ways to attract new business. Simply asking for a referral may be all you need to boost your client base.
Create Local Meetup Groups
Meetup.com is a great resource for connecting with other people. You'll find that you can either join groups or host groups. Once method of marketing that I have found works very well is to host your own meetup groups.
We'll stick to the French tutoring example we've been using.
So, maybe you host a monthly beginners French group. This group might teach:
- Animal words
- Counting
- Basic tourist question and answers
Just the basics.
You can teach for free and then use this platform to promote your tutoring services. Oftentimes, you'll be able to convince attendees to use your tutoring services if you teach the class well.
You can also join another person's meetup group and offer the same services.
In either case, it's a free method to promote your business to a highly targeted audience. If you're worried about where you'll hold your classes, local libraries often have rooms you can book for free.
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