As an online educator, you know that having a steady stream of learners is essential to keeping your business running. But how do you attract new students and keep your business growing over time? With the right strategies and techniques, it’s easy to draw in new learners and keep them coming back for more. Read on to learn some of the best methods for attracting new students as an online tutor.
At a glance:
- Why you should start an online tutoring business
- How to add tutoring to your busy schedule
- Attracting new learners to your business
Why you should start an online tutoring business
If you’re new to teaching on Outschool or are currently running group classes, you may be wondering how to focus on creating tutoring opportunities for learners. The good news is that many of the classes and topics you’re already teaching are being searched for by families seeking individualized support. According to NBC News, the demand for online tutoring is high, and families are looking for academic support, learning a new skill, and supplementing what they’re learning at school.
If you frequent Outschool’s bi-weekly updates on topics with a high search volume, you may have noticed that tutoring continues to climb the rankings. As an educator, you can use this to your advantage and create 1-on-1 classes on trending topics.
Want to know more about who is searching for tutoring and how you can help? Find out how you can start your own tutoring business on Outschool. If you’re new to creating online tutoring listings, be sure to check out Outschool’s article on how to set up a 1-on-1 class.
How to add tutoring to your already busy schedule
“I’m already so busy with group classes. Why or how could I add tutoring?”
If your Outschool schedule is already full and thriving with group classes, that’s awesome. For educators who want to expand their business, bring in new learners, or offer more opportunities for learners who love your teaching style, tutoring could be your ticket to success. But how can you offer tutoring classes when you feel your schedule is already full? Let’s take a look at some ideas that may help you grow your offerings online.
Think outside your time zone
Based on Outschool’s Global Insights, learners in South Korea, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Taiwan are all looking for classes on Outschool. Using Outschool’s scheduling timetable, you can see the most requested times. Take the classes you’re currently teaching and adapt them to learners overseas to expand your market. Curious to see what a successful teaching business that includes East Asian learners looks like? Read all about how Marisa Hammond Oliveres converted her online teaching business into a full-time career.
Tap into your current audience
If you’re already teaching multiple sections throughout the day, you have an audience available to tap into. Consider offering tutoring for a subject or topic that you already teach or that you find learners struggling with the most. Sometimes, learners have siblings who may be outside the age range you’re currently teaching who could benefit from online tutoring. If you’ve already created a rapport with the family, they may be more inclined to register another learner if they know you’re offering 1-on-1 sessions. Reach out to families and see how you can help.
How to attract new tutoring learners to your business
Once you’re ready to add 1-on-1 classes to your online teaching business, it’s time to find learners. Let’s look at a couple of strategies you can start implementing today.
Create engaging listings
Keywords are essential when you are trying to stand out from the competition. While using “1-on-1” and “tutoring” in your profile and class descriptions is a good start, you should also specify what it is that you’re offering and who your target audience is. There is a big difference between “math” and “algebra” or “multiplication tables,” so keep this in mind when creating your listings.
Offer multiple class types
Similar to group classes, tutoring allows you to try different class types to get a feel for what works best for you and your learners. Consider a one-time course as a trial class or to help a learner with a specific short-term need. Offer ongoing classes that allow you to meet at the same time and day of the week every week for as long as help is needed. Of course, you could also offer a multi-day course which may allow you to use a set curriculum or walk through a sequential lesson over a set amount of meetings. Unsure which class type works best for your tutoring goals? Take a look at these sample class listings for further insight.
Use coupons
Coupons are great for attracting new learners, but they can also be used as an incentive for current learners. Create a coupon specific to a class you’re already teaching and share it with families at the end of a course or whenever you sense that a learner could use additional help. Learn more about how to create coupons for your tutoring classes. If you’re not ready to take your marketing off of Outschool, try using these 5 tips for online teaching success without additional marketing.
Network outside of Outschool
Networking with other tutors in your field can be one of the best ways to attract new students. Reach out to local tutoring centers or other educators in your area and see if they would be willing to collaborate with you or even recommend you as a tutor.
You can also join online forums related to tutoring and start building relationships with other tutors who may be able to refer their clients to you if they cannot take on additional work themselves. Not sure how to get started? Use Outschool’s flyer generator to start making marketing materials you can use locally.
Convert group learners
If you already have learners who love your classes or the topic you teach, try converting them to tutoring customers to build up reviews on your tutoring classes. You can do this by offering additional help for topics you already teach or finding out what areas your learners are struggling with.
But how do you convert group learners into tutoring learners? Let’s look at some strategies designed to help you do this easily.
Create class funnels
With a little planning, you can create a funnel to start moving current learners into 1-on-1 classes. To do this, add your tutoring class under the “Next Class” button on your class listing. If you do not have a class to funnel from, consider making a one-time tutoring session to get to know your learners and then funnel into an ongoing or multi-day course. Read about how one educator used class funnels to keep learners coming back.
Offer tutoring for current learners with your feedback
When you send feedback to families about a class they’re already enrolled in, share your tutoring classes. Let parents know when you see their learners struggling and offer a solution (with kindness and empathy, of course). On the other hand, if you notice that a learner is always excited to talk about a specific topic or has a lot to say during class, let the parents know that their learner may benefit from personalized attention on a subject they’re passionate about. Offering tutoring can benefit your existing group learners, and tutoring kids may join your group classes! Win-win.
For more tips and strategies for marketing your Outschool classes, check out Outschool’s Educator Library:
Class formats that win with homeschoolers
Outschool’s 2023 community themes
Final thoughts
Attracting new students as an online tutor doesn’t have to be hard. Get started today by finding out what families are looking for and how you can help. With these steps in place, you can set yourself up to serve more and more learners over time!
Want to read more about educators using tutoring to grow their online teaching business? Read about their journeys for additional tips and insights.
Educator stories: How to multiply enrollments for 1-on-1 classes
Educator stories: Customizing curriculum for 1-on-1 classes
Educator stories: Make 1-on-1 classes part of your teaching business
Educator stories: Marketing your classes to homeschool families
Educator stories: 6 ways to increase enrollments using easy marketing tools
Educator stories: 8 strategies to boost bookings from families in East Asia
