Marketing Summer Tutoring Services
Teachers Advertise Expertise To Become Successful Freelance Tutors
May 20, 2008
Whether students need to catch up or want to get ahead, summer is the time to do it. Parents often rely on large tutoring companies to provide summer tutoring services for their children, but many would be happy to work with an independent teacher who specializes in the subject area in which the child needs help.
Market Yourself as a Specialist
Do what you love, and love what you do! Tutoring gives you an opportunity to do just that. All teachers have their strengths; offer tutoring in the areas you love most and share your enthusiasm with your students. You will have better results as a freelance tutor if you specialize in one content area or grade range. You may specialize in primary school, reading, calculus or college test prep. Identify your specialty up front to attract appropriate clients and avoid unnecessary inquiries. You can also network with other tutors and create a mutually-beneficial referral exchange list as a courtesy to parents and colleagues alike.
Maximize Opportunity Through Word of Mouth
If you want to essentially “freelance,” you need to market yourself. Try to start getting the word out to students and parents while school is in session. Word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool. Let other teachers know that you would like to do some tutoring over the summer and see if they have any suggestions. Perhaps some parents of their current students have expressed an interest in summer tutoring. Generally, teachers do not tutor their own class students, so let them know you’d appreciate a referral.
Create Professional Business Literature
It’s a good idea to have business cards designed. One company that offers gorgeous, full-color business cards for very inexpensive prices, and sometimes even for free, is Vistaprint. But remember, business cards don’t do any good crinkling in your wallet. Handing them out to people you meet in person is most effective. However, you can also leave them at local businesses, at the front desk of the library, and on designated posting boards such as those in your local grocery store. Other promotional ideas include:
- Car Magnets. Advertise your services while driving around town or parking at the grocery store. These popular magnets vary in size but should be large enough for viewers to read your services and contact information from ten feet away. Limit yourself to minimal text and bold fonts. Readability is more important than creativity with these magnets.
- Web Page: One way to advertise online is by creating a simple webpage and referring potential clients to it. If parents see that you have taken the time to develop a web page, they will know you are serious about helping their children succeed. You can create a simplistic web page for free at Google Pages.
- Craigslist. This virtual community bulletin board caters to many different areas in the U.S. and Canada. Here, you can pick an area in which you want to work and advertise your services for free.
Don't shortchange yourself when offering private tutoring. Conduct some market research in your area to determine the average hourly rates for tutoring in your locale. Offer discounts for purchasing multiple sessions up front. You may also want to investigate online tutoring opportunities that allow you to work from home and virtually assist students. Once you have made contact with a few potential clients, it is time to plan great tutoring sessions.
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