How to Start a Tutoring Agency from Home
Starting a tutoring agency from home is easier than you think. You already have a lot the necessities at your disposal. To be a private tutor, you don’t need to have any specific qualifications. Very often, your existing knowledge of the education system is all you need to get started in the industry. We’ve put together a list of things you’ll need to have in place in order to operate as a private tutoring agency in your local area.
Create a Stimulating Learning Environment
Most parents who run tutoring agencies do some from the comfort of their own homes. They don’t have fancy offices because they don’t really need them. Many of the tutors who you’ll be passing work to will be travelling tutors, who carry out lessons at students’ homes rather than from offices. However, in order to realise the flexibility that running your own tutoring agency can afford, you’ll want to create a space in your home where you can meet students and parents and carry out lessons with your own students. Make sure that this space is free from distractions and hazards but still in an open, safe environment.
Find Your Agency’s Unique Selling Point
By doing some research into existing agencies in your local area, you’ll be able to better position your business in the industry. Do you see any gaps in your local marketplace? Perhaps there’s a demand for tuition in a particular subject that no-one else is covering? Every business needs a unique selling point and with a little research, you can find yours. Ask yourself what people will think about when they hear the name of your tutoring agency? What will they associate it with? These are the types of questions that will help you develop a trusted and recognised brand in your local area.
Get Your Administration Organised
The biggest challenge new tutoring agencies face is administration. Although there are several things you’ll need in place before you launch your business, i.e. a unique tax reference number, suitable insurance etc. the real administration starts when lessons begin. It can be tough trying to keep on top of how many lessons you have scheduled for the week, how many invoices you still have outstanding etc. so it’s recommended that you use industry standard software like TutorCruncher’s tutoring agency management system. This software enables you to keep on top of virtually every aspect of your agency’s administration, allowing you to spend more time on the aspects of your business that you enjoy the most.
Implement Your Marketing Plan
No business will reach its true potential without a marketing plan. Even if yours is only a few pages long, it will prove invaluable in making sure your business stays on the right track and grows in the way that you plan. There are many ways of creating a marketing plan for your business but some things that you should consider as a tutoring agency are how you’ll market to students and parents and how you’ll attract tutors to work for you. You should also consider how you plan to market your services both online and offline. Nowadays, people are likely to turn to the internet when searching for local services so you’ll want to ensure that your agency has a presence in search engines.
What do you think of the idea of setting up a tutoring agency from home as a mum? Do you know anyone who has already taken the leap? Perhaps you own a tutoring agency yourself? What steps did you take in setting up your agency? We’d be keen to hear your thoughts.
About the Authors
Woody Webster and Malachy Guinness are the creators of TutorCruncher, bespoke management software for the private tutoring industry. TutorCruncher is the market leader in tuition agency technology and is used by many of the top agencies in the UK.