How to Start a Tutoring Business
Starting a tutoring business is a convenient and profitable way to earn an income from home; which can prove to be a successful business venture if proper care is taken.
Taking the proper steps involve finding your strong points in tutoring, outlining your pricing and proper advertisement.
Tutoring can be an awesome side hustle for most people; especially those who were/are more than average students in school.
Determine Your Niche
Before beginning advertising yourself as a tutor, first, decide on what tutoring services you will be offering.
Find a section that best suits you and stick to it. Some may question this with ‘why would you limit your tutoring services?’
The reason for this is; even though there are other tutoring services and exams you could prepare candidates for, when you stick to one, you gain experience and prove yourself as being stable.
You can consider these tips when picking your niche:
- Stick to your strengths:
Tutors are available everywhere to guide students in every exam they take from grade school to college.
Differentiate yourself from the other tutoring services by offering assistance that is based on your strengths; the subjects you are most comfortable with.
- Consider Continuity:
When specifying your tutoring services, consider the exams that are lucrative enough. Exams that are taken several times a year can offer more job opportunities than exams that are taken once a year.
- Competition:
Check out your competition with other reputable tutoring services. Research on their rates, certifications, and the kind of service they offer.
Your pricing and area of specialization will be largely influenced by your findings. exacerbate
- Decide Your Age Focus:
Decide on the age grade that you will be offering tutoring services to.
Elementary and High School subjects will be especially easier to teach than preparing college students for exams or adults; and as such, can be a better source of income.
- Time:
Decide the amount of time you will be able to spend tutoring. This will influence the area of tutoring you will be going into, and how much you will consequently make from tutoring.
Will you be tutoring full time, or is it a side-hustle?
Pick a Name and Location
You need to build a brand for your business once you’ve determined your area of specialization.
Ensure that the name you pick has not already been taken by another tutoring service, and pick a name that is unique, eye-catching and properly communicates what your brand stands for.
Also, choose a location from where you will tutor your clients. You may offer home services to them or tutor from your own home.
You may also set up an area –a quiet park or coffee shop- where you and your clients will meet for tutoring sessions.
Or, you may rent a space for your tutoring business, and let it serve as an office too.
Wherever you decide to set up your space, make sure it is one that is conducive for your clients; where they can focus.
Outline a Business Plan
Write a comprehensive business plan for your tutoring service. Included in your plan should be;
- Cost of business purchases (boards, markers, study books etc)
- Monthly rent
- Cost of transportation
- Advertisement and marketing budget
Your business plan will help you have a good idea of how much you will need to fund your start-off tutoring business.
Setting Your Price
One way to make your tutoring business a huge success is by setting your price according to your financial needs.
However, you will need to take several factors into consideration; is the location you chose packed with clients who can afford high-end prices?
Will your tutoring service be in high demand in your area? Have you been able to convince people to try out your service by word of mouth advertising?
As you progress in the tutoring business, of course, your demand and price rates will go up. This will be due to past referrals and a standing reputation.
Market and Advertise your Tutoring Service
When it comes to advertising a new business, the most cost effective way to get clients us by word of mouth advertising.
Let everyone you know be aware of the services you are offering.
Even if they do not have an immediate need for your service, let them know what you are offering; and remind them to inform others they know as well.
Make business cards you can hand out to potential and past clients. Having a business card makes your service look a lot more professional and your clients have a referral card for you.
Advertising yourself will also include building a strong online presence.
Although your word of mouth advertising and referrals will go a long way, a website is a surefire way to build more clients as they will have a more available access to you and the services you have to offer.
Pros and Cons of Tutoring Service
As with any other business, there are pros and cons involved in the tutoring business. Here they are:
Pros of starting a tutoring business
- You will have an almost steady flow of clients to tutor
- Start-up costs are token
- The courses available to tutor on are wide, you can tutor on anything from Math to Piano
- Advertisement costs are minimal, you can mostly rely on word of mouth
- Already established relationships will boost your career
Cons of starting a tutoring business
- Holidays and school breaks may greatly affect your traffic
- Offering tutoring services from your home may pose as a potential liability
- A good job may mean your client will not be needing your services anymore
- You will need patience and good children skills if you plan on tutoring the younger age
- Your competition might be your client’s school’s tutoring program
Going into the tutoring business, you will have to keep in mind that it is not just about tutoring your clients; you are starting your own business.
Put your best effort into this as you would with any other business, especially if it will serve as a full-time source of income.