Feb 20, 2019
If you’re interested in getting started as a tutor, there’s no better time to start than the present. The demand for educators outside of the traditional classroom is growing, and as a home-based business without a huge amount of physical material needs, it’s easy to set yourself up for success without high start-up costs.
Let’s take a look at the items you’ll need in your tutoring toolkit to get started working with students and bringing in that extra income.
The legal things
First things first, you’ll want to get a business license. The process for getting one varies city to city, but in most places it’s a straightforward online application. WIth a business license in hand you can register and start operating your tutoring company, get the IDs and information you’ll need for taxes at the end of the year, and even hire other tutors as employees if your client base grows beyond what you can support by yourself.
The admin things
If you work in education, chances are you have a fondness for school supplies. Pick up your favorite writing materials to help with miscellaneous office tasks and, to make sure nothing slips through the cracks, sign up with Clark. Our software, specifically designed for tutors, helps you easily handle invoicing, accounting, scheduling, client communications, and session reporting in one integrated platform—even letting you access tools on the go from your mobile device.
The teaching things
While students will often come to sessions with the reference materials and supplies they need, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared with a backup set of basic school supplies just in case they forget. Having a box of notecards to jot down messages to share with parents or teachers might be handy, though a more foolproof, consistent, and trackable way to handle communications is through a mobile-friendly tool like Clark’s electronic session reports. Think about some fun things, as well. Rewards for achieving certain goals—prizes like stickers, or books for bigger accomplishments—can go a long way toward motivating students. And it never hurts to have a few snacks on hand for when blood sugar (and concentration) dips.
The relationship-building things
As educators working one-on-one with students, tutors rely on word of mouth and the people they meet and interact with at local schools and in their community to grow their business. Think about an advertising or marketing plan to expand your reach, whether that’s as simple as placing classified ads in the paper or flyers in the coffee shop, or more involved outreach to specific teachers or administrators at schools where students could use your services. And for those on-go-the-go encounters where you make a great connection, keep business cards on hand. Make sure they have a clear description of your services, up-to-date contact information, and a design that represents your personal and professional brand. Don’t hesitate to leave a stack with your existing clients, too, so they can pass on your info to other potential clients in their networks on your behalf.
