5 tips to win new work as a private tutor

As long as you have the required subject knowledge, can complete the relevant checks and have considered covering yourself with tutoring insurance, the only thing stopping you getting started in this lucrative business is finding the work itself.

In this handy guide, we take a look at five quick and easy ways you can find work as a private tutor. From getting your name out there online to getting in touch with local schools, carry on reading if you want to help ensure your career as a private tutor takes off.

How to actually get work as a tutor

According to a survey by the Sutton Trust, the private tutoring market in the UK has grown to an estimated £6 billion in the last decade, with one in four school pupils now receiving private tuition. However, this doesn’t guarantee all tutors work all of the time. Like with any business, one of the biggest challenges facing private tutors is finding new clients. The trick is discovering ways for clients to find you by increasing your profile. With many advertising channels to go down, this can be relatively simple to achieve if you know how.

Where to advertise tutoring services

Here are our top five  tips on how to best market yourself as a private tutor:

1. Create a website

A business website is essential these days. This is because the majority of clients you are trying to attract will check you out online before contacting you. While you don't have to spend a fortune on your website, you should make sure it is well laid out, clear and professional-looking. Having an eye-catching logo and using this on all your social channels, business cards and stationery is also a good way to advertise. Many parents will take time to read your blog, so use it as a way to give advice and become a valuable source of information. Also make sure you include any testimonials from previous clients to highlight your success stories, and post an up-to-date CV. 

Finally, as well as any subject and teaching qualifications you may have, make sure you list all relevant criminal record checks you have had. You should also make it clear if you have small business liability insurance. Although not always a legal requirement for tutors, these credentials and insurances can help to reassure potential clients.

2. Take advantage of social media

Creative use of social media can be one of the best ways of attracting new clients. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are the three main channels suggested for private tutors, but it's not enough to simply set up accounts – you need to remain active. To do this, think about starting discussions in relevant groups and communities. Respond to comments and queries, use hashtags and follow influential people in the educational sector. Also use images and video to show how creative, fun and inspiring your tutoring classes are.

With the permission of current/former satisfied clients (or their guardians if they are under 18), you could also include real life testimonials. This could take the form of blog or video interviews where you speak about your teaching methods and the results they helped achieve. Even if you already have testimonials on your website, it's a good idea to get them out there on social media too. This can be a great way to build the authority of your private tutoring company and drum up new business.

3. Work with agencies

Although working with a local tutoring agency will eat into your profits, as you will have to pay for the privilege,  the advertising work they can do for you can generate a lot of new leads.  Alternatively, you can think about adding your name to  tutoring listing sites such as The Tutor Pages. These websites charge a small annual rate for your listing to be featured, but they also see hundreds of daily visits from parents and students looking for a private tutor. In many cases, if you manage to convert just four or five leads into paying clients, you have the potential to make your money back.

4. Investing in traditional advertising

Although digital advertising is essential in this day and age, there is still a place for traditional marketing when it comes to tutoring. From placing business cards or pamphlets in your local shop/library/supermarket/campus to taking out an advertisement in a local paper, not all of your marketing has to be online. Indeed, if you are looking to target a specific geographical area, these methods can be more effective than online advertising. After all, when it comes to delivering a physical advert - be that a flyer through a letterbox or an advert in a university newspaper - traditional methods allow you to be more certain your message is delivered directly to the individuals you are targeting. In this respect, for small businesses at least, traditional marketing is a little less scattergun than an exclusively online approach.

5. Contact local schools/universities

Finally, it can pay to go straight to the source. This is to say,  by sending your business cards and/or pamphlets to local schools and universities, you may be able to drum up some business. When you do this, simply ask to come in and meet the head teacher or faculty leader-. Once they get to know you they are more likely to recommend you, especially if you specialise in an area which the school/university has limited resources for.

Here at Markel Direct, we offer comprehensive private tutor insurance policies. These allow tutors to combine a number of covers to create a single, specialised policy that suits a range of needs.