Getting stated online for language tutors

Personality is key!

So you're on board to start tutoring a language!... What to do next?

Since you already have the language skills and can free up a few hours per week. Marketing yourself is the next step you'll need to take. Without a way to find or be found by potential clients, there won't be any tutoring taking place.

The good news is there are many ways to get started with both offline and online material. However, you will need to become comfortable with self promotion and getting your message out there. Especially as a language tutor, you will need to become confident speaking on video to strangers!

If you share the mindset of many people, you likely find some marketing obnoxious one way or another. The truth is: you're right and it is. But it doesn't need to be, especially for personal services like language tuition. The good news is that the most effective strategies for marketing your services forthright and honest and are basically about relationship building. You need to convey an authentic message, while also not shying away from self promotion and a little 'hyping'. If your believe in the service you can offer, say so as clearly as possible.

As a language tutor, you'll need to really show people that your going to be fun to interact with and that your lessons will be relaxed and effective. This is especially true for people who are going want to learn for fun only.

How to Make a Funnel

You also need a consistent message and a 'sales funnel'. This is something of a buzz word, but actually a useful concept. The idea is planning the route by which clients will find you. Most people are not likely to see your name in a bulletin board and instantly sign up. You need to create rapport and familiarity prior to people acting on your 'call to action'.

We recommend trying a simple three stage funnel with lots of entry points.

• Stage A: this is where potential clients first become aware of you and your services.
• Stage B: this is where you convey your message and explain what your services are and why they're excellent
• Stage C: This is where you actually `convert' and sign people up

Stage A

This stage involves getting the word out there online and offline depending on your service. There are just a few key pointers for getting started with this.

• Get on social media. Create a Facebook page and a twitter at least for your service. Look at other successful online tutors for guidance about how to structure this. Show off your skills with examples of conversation so people understand how lessons will be with you.
• Create a personal website using any one of many template services like Weebly or Wix (more coming on how to do this and look professional soon!).
• Post frequently (a few times a week) and with a large amount of free example lessons. Share sample and teaser content, especially short videos!
• Set up a YouTube channel and create a few free videos helping with common phrases or nouns/verbs in you language. 6-10 mins is the best. You can end each video with a way to reach you!
• Add a profile video to your Delphi Tutors profile. This really help convey trust.
• Hand out cards and flyers in your local area in bus stops and bulletin boards and in local community centers. You may need permission to post flyers in specific places.
• Put up some simple ads on craigslist or Gumtree etc. This is something Delphi can do for you as we have experiance succeeding with this. Just get in touch at promotion@delphitutors.com and we can consult with you and give you feedback.
• Think, "what do potential clients need to hear to understand my service and how I can help?".
• Help clients to understand why your different. What approach will you take? How will you tailor lessons etc...

Here's a good example video about a language tutoring service:

One reason this video is a good example, is because it's clear and engaging but still personal and not too corporate looking. The video really manages to convey what lessons would be like, which is very important to achieve. However, there are different image strategies around this topic. It actually depends on which type of clients you are trying to attract, so it's important to think about what your target market is.

Here's a nice example of a personal website for a language tutor: Link To Natasha's webpage. This one has a more corporate/branded feel which is also working nicely but could likely appear to a more professional audience. 

Stage B

• Reply to EVERYONE who messages you on social media and via email. Respond to all comments unless they are beyond the pale! Obviously, watch out for weirdos, as some will likely contact you unfortunately no matter what you do. Our advice is to flag any such messages on the appropriate platform without replying.
• Develop relationships with potential clients in just a few exchanges so they understand how you can help them.
• At this point, you can invite people to join your mailing list so you can send them more free content. This is a really great intermediate step before signing people up.

Stage C

• Offer A "call to action". This means posting on all your social media every few weeks (not too much!) to sign up, explain any new services you offer. For example "join my last min exam prep group today!" with a link to your profile or email can be very effective.
• You can simply, without being pushy, ask people directly in conversation online in comments etc. if they'd like to join your tutor group once they reach this stage.

The core idea of a sales funnel is that people are far more likely to join your service once they see that you can really help them. It's a simple concept, but many people starting out a business online simply cold call or spam people. Neither or these really work and can discredit you whereas a well tuned funnel can provide you with a supply of great quality clients.

You can "A-B test" every part of your process. Essentially, experiment with different ideas at each step and compare them. Drop anything which isn't working and ramp-up what does. 

Getting stated for researchers and academics (or, 'marketing isn't evil')

Marketing isn't evil

So you're on board to start tutoring!... What now? Since you already have the subject knowledge and can free up a few hours per week. Marketing yourself is the next step you'll need to take. Without a way to find or be found by potential students, there won't be any tutoring taking place.

Fortunately, researchers by nature have great self-promotion skills! So it's largely a matter of transferring those same skills to getting the word out on your tutoring business. The good news is there are many ways to get started with both offline and online material.

If you share the mindset of many researchers, you likely find most marketing obnoxious one way or another. The truth is: you're right and it is. However, the good news is that the most effective strategies for marketing your services are legit, forthright and honest. You need to convey an authentic message, while also not shying away from self promotion and a little 'hyping'. If your believe in the service you can offer, say so as clearly as possible.

How to Make a Funnel

You also need a consistent message and a 'sales funnel'. This is something of a buzz word, but actually a useful concept. The idea is planning the route by which clients will find you. Most people are not likely to see your name in a bulletin board and instantly sign up. You need to create rapport and familiarity prior to people acting on your 'call to action'.

We recommend trying a three stage funnel with lots of entry points. The funnel concept is simple.

• Stage A: this is where potential clients first become aware of you and your services.
• Stage B: this is where you convey your message and explain what your services are and why they're excellent
• Stage C: This is where you actually `convert' and sign people up

Stage A

This stage involves getting the word out there online and offline depending on your service. There are just a few key pointers for getting started with this.

• Get on social media. Create a Facebook page and a twitter at least for your service. Look at other successful online tutors for guidance about how to structure this.
• Post frequently and with a large amount of free help to show people how you can provide value. Share sample and teaser content, especially short videos! 
• Set up a YouTube channel and create a few free videos helping with common problems in you subject. 6-10 mins is the best. You can end each video with a way to reach you!
• Add a profile video to your Delphi Tutors profile. This really help convey trust.
• Hand out cards and flyers in your local area in bus stops and bulletin boards and in local schools (if appropriate to your service). You may need permission to post flyers in specific places.
• Put up some simple ads on craigslist or Gumtree etc. This is something Delphi can do for you as we have experience succeeding with this. Just get in touch at promotion@delphitutors.com and we can consult with you and give you feedback.
• Think "where is likely that parents, students and potential clients will see my material" - then put it there!
• You can emphasize testimonials and past success rates in specific exams. This really helps people to know you will be effective. 

Stage B

• Reply to EVERYONE who messages you on social media and via email. Respond to all comments unless they are beyond the pale!
• Develop relationships with potential clients in just a few exchanges so they understand how you can help them.

Stage C

• Offer A "call to action". This means posting on all your social media every few weeks to sign up, explain any new services you offer. For example "join my last min exam prep group today!" with a link to your profile or email can be very effective.
• You can simply, without being pushy, ask people directly in conversation online in comments etc. if they'd like to join your tutor group once they reach this stage.

The core idea of a sales funnel is that people are far more likely to join your service once they see that you can really help them. It's a simple concept, but many people starting out a business online simply cold call or spam people. Neither or these really work and can discredit you whereas a well tuned funnel can provide you with a supply of great quality clients.

You can "A-B test" every part of your process. Essentially, experiment with different ideas at each step and compare them. Drop anything which isn't working and ramp-up what does. 

Online Safety For Tutors

The Internet is in general quite useful, it's widely agreed! However, as an on-line tutor there are a few safety issues to be mindful of, just as there are with any on-line service involving video calling.

We have just a few frank pointers for all people starting on-line businesses which involve video contact with clients.

• At Delphi we filter any nonsense out before sending requests on to tutors as far as is possible, however, there are some strange people out there!
• Chat with any prospective client before agreeing to a video meeting. Ask specific questions about their learning goals to assess if they are legitimate.
• We understand that as you start out a business all clients are very valuable so it can be hard to turn anyone away. However, follow your intuition, if something seems off at all, question it before going forwards and feel free to flag anything questionable with us if you are a Delphi Tutor affiliate.
• The internet is a place where some people think they are anonymous more than they really are. We believe it's a good idea to keep this in mind when starting any new client relationship on any platform.
• Never give out any personal information, location information or banking information unless it's actually unavoidable and to someone you trust.

It's a pity that any of this needs to be said. But it does. There are some creepy weirdos on the internet and it's important to stay safe.

Energy Management While Winning Epically

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So, you want to get through grad school or your postdoc(s) and still win epically? Excellent... Prepare to Burnout.

This is a great decision, but we have both good and bad news. The good news is that it's certainly possible. The bad news is that it's exhausting and needs to be done right. The other good news is that it can be done right!

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In grad school, your workload is high, but your time is largely yours to manage. A lot of people find this a challenge in itself as they simply end up working constantly. This is just the nature of the type of people who attend grad school. Financial stress is the absolute last thing you want during this period, there is a clear trade-off. Less stress means better focus and better outcomes in general, including better research. However, establishing additional revenue streams means more time spent out of the lab / office / dank university dungeon etc.

When I was running my tutor operation in grad school, I found this balance initially difficult and exhausting, but I later converged on a system that was really working for me. I tutored most nights by the end of grad school, and as I wasn't too certain I wanted an academic position and prefer working for myself, I prioritized this over TA type teaching at my university. This balance will be different for everyone and is highly personal.

As I went along, I optimized for clients who lived near to me to minimize my travel, and for clients preparing for the same exams as each other (even exams I had recently taken). All of this saved a great deal of time, effort and fundamentally, my energy. The whole process went from a daunting and exhausting overhead each week to an easy and enjoyable hour each day in the afternoon. I also found reliable and well-paying clients after really learning how to do this (by failing for some time). This also really helped reduce stress and make the whole thing feel absolutely worth it. The key factor is really understanding what saps your energy and maintaining it for the things you most care about.

By the end of my Ph.D. I was set up with a system that was fully working for me. If you're the type of person who reaaallly wants to succeed on all fronts, like many people in grad school do, then there is a real danger of burnout. It's also not realistic to think that tutoring won't take time from research. It certainly did, but it was also certainly worth it! It was something I could do that was interesting and stimulating, without being my research. It was also a great personal boost, as it's a task I could do a great job of myself, without relying on anyone else or the whim of any journal editor! Overall, I felt that once my operation was running nicely, it helped with my research. I could take a holiday when I felt like it because of my extra income. I could relax about my research knowing I had options and experience as an entrepreneur and look at the topics that really interested me. This helped most of all I'd say as it let me pursue my research goals with passion and without too much worry. We all have that Ph.D. friend who's in constant meltdown. I wasn't that candidate!

It also helped me make my future choices, as it showed me what it's like to work for myself, and how to market and grow a personal service. This was an extremely rewarding process which I felt helped me to gain skills my fellow researchers weren't necessarily up on which have carried over into my research.

So overall, a well set up tutor operation can be a huge asset rather than a burden, but it needs to be done right. One of the most important factors if you're planning to take on this challenge is managing your personal energy so you can get the most out of the experience.

#whyitutor #whydelphi

Making Extra Money in Grad School

So, you want to get a Ph.D. Great. Likely you're really smart and going to have a great time, and learn more than at any other time in your life and even maybe change the world (a little bit at least). However, likely you're also about to get horribly underpaid compared to your market value, all your friends and likely your admin colleagues who don't have degrees. My commiserations for this.

Ok, what to do about this debacle. I ran a small Math and Programming tutoring business on the side during my time in grad school with success. Buuuuut, it could have been better if I'd thought sooner, done the sums, and got on it earlier.

Let's look at the US situation (the same principles apply in many other places of course). If you start tutoring at the start of your Ph.D., for three hours a week (a medium estimate), in groups of two (a medium estimate), for $40 each an hour (a low estimate), for 48 weeks of the year, you will put away 3*2*40*58 = $13920 per year. After 6 years (typical for US grad school), you will have $83520. If you put this into any typical index fund (3% PA is a low estimate) , you will have:

 13920*((1.03^6) + (1.03^5) + (1.03^4) + (1.03^3)+ (1.03^2) + (1.03^1)) = $92,741

$92,741 for 3 hrs a week online. Just sayin'.

If you're serious about it and do 6 hours rather than three, you'll have $185,483 and be most of the way to buying a house. Also, just sayin'. More about managing your time in grad school if you choose to do this, especially if you're not resting all your hope on landing an academic position soon. It's worth noting that these numbers apply to postdocs too.

#whyitutor #whydelphi

Researchers Make Excellent Entrepreneurs

It's true. Research has a huge overlap with the skills needed to run a small business. Independence, organization, long and short-term goal setting and time management, the networking and self-promotion skills, ability to turn coffee into massive unending piles of hard work etc.

There are many things that are just perfect about being a researcher and starting a tutor business at the same time. But the most important is that many researchers and grad students, with just a few key pointers, would be truly excellent at it. Another thing is (shhhh, it's kind of a secret but), it's quite easy to succeed at. There are really just two main show stoppers for researchers starting small businesses while in grad school. Firstly, you didn't know you could do it, or simply never considered it. Secondly, you didn't know how to start or simply haven't found a spare moment to start out.

Both of these can be solved, so let's instantly do so.

Firstly, I did it and found it very rewarding, so I really think you can too. In this blog, I'm going to tell the tale of how I got started and grew to having over 10 clients at a time and more than doubling my stipend income while balancing all my other grad school demands. I went on to get my Ph.D. in good time, and won the award from my university for best in cohort with a Ph.D. in quantum computing (now I work at Princeton as a researcher). So, I assure you, it can be done. But only if you are up for it!

Secondly, how to get started. This is trickier as many grad students and researchers haven't spent much time thinking about the details of how to go about such a thing. It's about choosing a niche that really works for you, and then promoting really effectively. This will really involve finding your feet for a few weeks while you venture out! A-B testing is critical, just another way in which many researchers make great entrepreneurs, they know how to test a hypothesis and how to maximize a function! Learning to get your business out there effectively, and how to develop a really personal system of helping your clients is something I'll discuss in detail soon. I learned a lot by trial and error.

-- It's great to learn from mistakes, it's just better when they're other people's mistakes!

#whyitutor #whydelphi

Can you succeed by tutoring your native language?

Tutoring a language comes with special advantages and special challenges. The key advantage is that many people who live in countries where salaries are lower can teach people via the internet. Common reasons that people want to learn other languages are:

1. For interest
2. For business
3. Because they may wish to move overseas at some point

These reasons identify different types of customers that can be approached differently. For business based customers, it's vital to present yourself as qualified, professional, and prepared. For other types of clients, it's more important to emphasize the enjoyment of learning a language and to put out a fun and friendly message.

I highly recommend using language learning software (such as Rosetta Stone and or something comparable) alongside your personal tuition time. However, I also recommend that you take on more of a mentor role, rather than restricting yourself to the scheduled time; nothing beats really being immersed in a language. For example, give your student a method to reach you when needed for advice like "how do I pronounce this?" A great way to do this is to use a video call service that can save sound bites so the student can refer back to them later.

Even though language tutors tend not to make quite as much as math or science tutors for individual lessons, there are many ways to significantly improve your opportunities. One important way is to establish a small group of 3-4 students that you teach in a group. This can be the most effective method of tutoring a language as it allows everyone can help each other along the way. For example, a group can watch international films and tv together outside of scheduled classes. For this method you'll need a space you can teach in - many people have made this work from their own homes.

Language tutoring is also popular online and all the usual advice applies regarding testing the quality of your set up before you start. An important way to establish your credibility and to recruit top clients is to create Youtube and other online content and make it available for free. Making a series of videos, making the first few available for free, and making the rest only available for clients is an excellent way to show people the quality of service that you can offer and attract new clients.

More on creating video content soon!

#whyitutor #whydelphi