What’s the best piece of advice you could give someone starting out as a tutor?

This was a question I saw in a tutoring forum the other day. Most the responses were focused around getting systems in place, it will save you time in the long run. Sorting out your payment structure. I agree, these are good pieces of information.

But, from my personal opinion I think there is something far more important.

I replied that I felt the most important thing you need to do as a tutor, at any time, is to

acknowledge everyone that gets in touch as someone you can help.

Don’t see them as a statistic to help you to grow your business. To grow your bottom line.

Find out how you can help and be as helpful as you can. Give them ideas and advice that they can use themselves to support the student.

For example, if someone gets in touch looking for help with maths, I will often share the noughts and crosses game.

I explain that its’ a quick and simple game they can play themselves.

You simply draw 2 vertical lines, crossed by 2 horizontal lines.

Now write a number in each part of the grid you have just drawn.

Choose the times table you want to practice.

To play the game, the winner is the first person to get a straight line of 3. To claim your square, simply multiply the number written there by your chosen times table.

I know it seems counterintuitive to give away your ideas,

but the more helpful you are the more you will build an element of trust between you. Furthermore, they are more likely to like you.

Inevitably, people are more likely to choose a tutor that they like and trust than one that has a key focus on signing them up to meet their targets.

So, yes, I agree systems are important but if you can't convince people to actually ask you to tutor for them, they will all be in vain.

The student and their family are the most important things to consider, the rest will fall into place from there.

Are you considering becoming a tutor but not sure where to start?

You have the educational knowledge that you can share, but less confident with the actual business side of things. That's the part that seems daunting.

And what about the holiday slumps when people decide to have a break for the holidays and suddenly your income comes to a grinding holt!

You have bills to pay but suddenly there isn't the income to pay them.

Each week I send out two emails, one on a Monday with my reflections of building Clara James Tutoring over the past 12 + years, and one on a Thursday with some insights into things you can do to support you in building your own tutoring business.

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Good luck, I hope you build the business you dream of and support the children in a way that you know will make a difference.

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