Apr 10, 2018
From word of mouth to the digital job market, here is a snapshot of where parents go to find the tutoring support their child needs.
Parents have their own homework to do when searching for the right tutor, like when should they start looking, and what kind of academic support their child needs. So, tutors, where are they looking for your services?
Word-of-Mouth is a Tutor’s Best Friend
Every independent tutor is their own marketer. Remember that a satisfied client is your best advertising, providing you with word-of-mouth referrals and written testimonials for your praiseworthy achievements with their students. (Here are some more handy tips to further advertise your business.)
The Online Job Market
Like any modern digital citizen, many parents turn to searching online for tutoring professionals, and the World Wide Web offers a lot of avenues for finding the right tutor with the right fit for their student’s needs (and for the right price).
Most tutors would be familiar with online classifieds, like Craigslist and Taskrabbit. Parents also turn to resources like mytutorlist.com, teachers.net, Nextdoor, and Thumbtack. A major downside of online classifieds is that parents don’t have a way to vet prospective tutors for dependability and results.
Tutor-for-hire websites can match students to tutors and give parents verified information about tutors’ qualifications and background. Of course, there’s a cost-benefit for tutors and parents working through these digital services. While tutors can work with students remotely, they also lose a significant chunk of their earnings to fees charged by the matching service. For parents, their student won’t have the benefit of the continuity and personalized attention that comes with in-person tutoring sessions.
Social media and websites like Angie’s List and Yelp offer a lot to both tutors and parents. For tutors, these platforms are a central location for previous clients to leave reviews, and for prospective clients to connect to your services through extended networks. Likewise, parents have the benefit of exploring vetted candidates through networks that they trust. Win, win.
Tried and True: Offline Resources
Parents will be looking everywhere for your tutoring services, and they’ll rely on the places they know best: schools and learning centers. For tutors, this means networking with your local schools. Build relationships with teachers and school administrators through your client base. They can potentially funnel new students your way.
Posting boards around local coffee shops, libraries, and community centers are also fantastic resources for tutors and the parents who are hunting for their services. It might seem old-fashioned, but some parents might also take a glance at print classifieds in their local newspaper. Hey, if you’re in business, you might as well have all your bases covered, right?
In the End
It comes down to closing the deal. Are you the right tutor? A lot is riding on that first conversation parents have with prospective tutors, covering basics from what parents expect of tutors in terms of helping their students, and vice versa.
So once a parent finds you, the real work begins. Come prepared and the rest, as they say, is history.
