What all goes into marketing a tutoring center? Is it enough to throw open your doors, heavily advertise in the local newspapers, and perhaps put out some A-frame signs and an exterior banner to advertise your presence? The answer is a resounding no. While the newspaper is a hit-or-miss proposition – remember, it is read today and recycled tomorrow – the signage only attracts onlookers who happen to live or work near your center.
Reaching your target demographic is clearly a job for the Internet. This is particularly true if you are running one of the franchise-based tutoring centers. The presence of a brick-and-mortar venue adds the expense of paying not only for your marketing but also for your facility. This immediately puts you in tough competition with the online-based tutoring companies that offer plenty of attractive classes – but cannot imitate the personal touch of a real life tutor who assists a student attentively with learning.
Marketing a tutoring center effectively begins with a website that emphasizes the advantages and amenities of your enterprise. Whether you are a center that focuses on math, English or sciences, make it known what your tutors’ qualifications are in these fields. Do not forget to also outline the availability of tutors who are trained in dealing with special needs children and individualized learning plans. The next step is the social media presence of your center. Facebook is a necessity. Twitter and Google Plus offer clear advantages.
But where you can really make your center stand out are the online directories as well as business evaluation pages such as Yelp. Aggressively marketing your business in these settings yields positive results. It has the power to turn a venue with empty chairs into a bustling tutoring business with a waiting list. Working with marketing experts has shown good results. While you focus on the business itself, your marketing experts draft a workable strategy that features your center in its best light and attracts the interest of locals.
Examples of these marketing efforts include video testimonials, snapshots of the center during open hours, and a clear outline of the results that parents can hope to see. While it is impossible to guarantee success in this setting, you should nevertheless highlight what it is that you intend to accomplish during the tutoring sessions with a student. Whether it is a full grade level improvement or catching up for time missed due to illness or vacations, let parents know how you can help their kids. For more tips and some help, contact SixDegrees Digital Media today.
