10 Mistakes Teachers Make When They Start a Tutoring Business

25 February 2021 Guest posts

Starting a tutoring business as a teacher is a great idea. All you need is a strong Wi-Fi connection and determination – if you’ve got that, students will come.

Since this pandemic shut down schools and all educational institutions, starting a business online is one of your best bets. This can help you make some money while doing what you like the most, teaching!

Some people might tell you that opening up a tutoring business is a challenge, when in fact, the process is not as complicated as you might think. Here are some mistakes to avoid.

1. Don’t spend money on a new website

Don’t invest in a website until you’ve got some experience. There is no point in investing money in something you’re not certain about. Since you’re just starting, save that money for other expenses. A website is not mandatory. While it’s true that it can improve the credibility of a business, waiting the right time to buy it is smart. Focus on referrals for now or post your services on websites such as Wyzant.

2. You can find students online

You don’t have to go for your former students, especially if you just quit. You can find students online on various teaching websites. All you have to do is post a professional picture of yourself, a brief description of your services, and *maybe* record a video of yourself. Trust me, finding new students is much easier. Going after former students is a stretch and won’t get you the best reputation. However, you could ask for referrals from old colleagues or family.

3. Don’t undervalue your experience as a teacher

Don’t make this mistake – do not undervalue your expertise. While it’s true that you’ve never taught online, you must have plenty of experience teaching in-person. Don’t keep yourself from making money because you ‘think you’re new.’ Use your experience to create a professional profile and use it to reflect your expertise. Charge accordingly.

4. Don’t be ashamed to promote yourself

If you don’t promote yourself, people won’t know anything about your services. It’s important to talk about your accomplishments and let students know how your sessions work. Don’t be ashamed to talk about what you’ve achieved. Talk about your experience openly on social media and post constantly. If you can’t do it on your own, hire a paper writer to do it for you. They’re usually really good at this and save you precious time and effort.

5. You have the right to select your students

No matter how much you want to help your students, taking on every single one would be detrimental for you. Not all students are reliable and not all parents are fun to discuss with. Remember that you have the right to select your students, you really don’t have to take on every single one. Don’t make that mistake. Only choose the ones who fit your requirements.

6. Don’t invest in what you don’t need

You need good Wi-Fi, a good camera, some pencils and paper, teaching materials, and that’s about it. Don’t invest in stuff you don’t need, save that money for something else. Keep it low for a while, at least until your business is starting to grow. It’s important to save money, especially at the beginning.

7. Follow up on late payments

It’s okay to follow up on late payments, everybody understands you’ve got bills to pay. After getting your PhD dissertation, you’re basically broke for a year or two. I’m sure all parents understand this. So follow up but don’t be aggressive about it. Shoot them a nice text as a reminder. Let them know that they can take their time to send it. It’s not like they don’t want to pay you; they must have simply forgotten, so give them the benefit of the doubt.

8. It’s not wrong to ask other specialists for help

Usually, students who end up in tutoring are either home-schooled or struggling in school. Asking for help from other specialists is okay – you really cannot do it all. For example, if you’re tutoring them on Physics, they might need to go back to learning Math more seriously. Ask a Math teacher for help!

9. Do not overpromise

Tutoring takes time, so promising the parent that their kid will excel within a month is an overpromise. Don’t lie to the parent, let them know that you need time to teach and their kid needs time to learn. Moreover, their child needs to practice at home if they want to get better, so don’t forget to mention that as well. Tutoring isn’t “the cure,” it’s just a helping tool.

10. Make sure you set clear boundaries

Last but not least, don’t hesitate to set boundaries. Parents cannot call you day and night. They cannot tell you how to do your job. They cannot avoid paying you because they don’t agree with you, etc. Remember what boundaries worked when you were teaching in-person and implement them online as well. Make your expectations clear from the beginning.

Wrapping Up

These are just ten of the most important mistakes to avoid. Review them again and remember them well! Good luck!

Author Bio:

Sebastian Rice has been working as an editor and a copywriter at PhD dissertation writing services in London for 3 years. He is also a professional content writer and journalist in such topics as inspiration, productivity, education, and technologies.