The state of epidemic, closed schools and offices is extremely difficult time for teachers. Suddenly there are no lessons and tutoring and the income dropped to zero. Some people try to work online and this is a very good idea. Various tools are available to support distance learning. Today, we’ll tell you a few ways to keep in touch with customers and acquire orders.
Keep in touch with existing students. You can do it in different ways.
- Call and ask how they are doing at home. Find out what problems they have and whether they need any help. Suggest online lessons. Invite them to follow your profile on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or LinkedIn.
- If you had lessons in a corporation – call the person responsible for organizing these classes – inform that you are flexible and you can teach classes remotely. Please note that it is a pity to waste this time, especially when they stop learning, people are not gaining new knowledge, and after the epidemic skills can be even more valuable than before. Be friendly, suggest different solutions to restart classes, e.g. revision of material, expanding skills.
- If you don’t have telephone contact with your clients, remember that you can try to „catch” them through LinkedIn. Send them friend request, ask how they are learning. Suggest online classes or at least encourage them to follow your profile. If you don’t achieve anything this way, suggest sending materials for revision.
- If your client is a school – call the owner or manager and inform them that you are ready to work online that you can conduct lessons.
Refresh and organize your online channels:
- Organize the website – inform about the new offer of online training and tutoring.
- Complete the Google Maps business card, publish remote classes and tutoring offers.
- Finally, you have time for social media – so complete your profiles, add the ability to contact you quickly by phone, Messenger or other communication channels if you use it.
- Do not forget about any confirmation of your qualifications, recommendations, even photos from participation in professional conferences. Show your students’ experience and successes.
Bet on content marketing – your customers have many problems and worries at the moment, show empathy and be with them. Write posts, record videos, create infographics, publish photos. Below are some rules and best practices for communication: - Don’t be sad or scared, don’t spread the information about the virus – you don’t want to be associated with the crisis after all.
- Be in a good mood, constructive and positive.
- Build an expert position, publish posts with useful information.
- Try to make posts on your profiles valuable.
- Don’t be bored, look for ways to present knowledge in an interesting way.
- Rhyme type 3–5–10–12 can help you to undestrand how to do something, how to remember, how to classify, anything. For example, give three ways to learn ten words a day.
- Encourage people to use quarantine for learning, personal development, saving time and its organization during quarantine.
- Write and publish photos showing that you are working.
- Publish information about special offers you have prepared for this period.
- Link to your publications if they can be helpful – no matter that they are even a year ago, now they can be useful.
- Recommend movies, books, documents to help your students to learn.
- Take part in regular live of your students
- Answer the questions.
Advertise yourself! You need new customers. Facebook ad prices have not increased at all due to the epidemic. Plan your advertising campaigns, remember that you can teach online around the world. Plan your advertising activities carefully.
Specify the target groups exactly by directing your campaigns precisely to specific groups, tailor the offer and message to the needs of the recipients.
Clearly inform about the purpose of the advertisement, e.g. „read article”, „like my profile”, „learn online”, „order a trial lesson”.
Note: do not suggest free lessons, at best give a small discount for the first class or offer a package offer with additional bonuses, for example, the seventh lesson for free, free conversations or checking homework (of course, this is not about doing homework for a student).
Plan selling method- a customer who doesn’t know you, needs to know about you and trust you. To do this, you need to contact the brand several times, for example, a potential customer must:
- see the post
- like the profile
- watch the lessons online
After a few steps your client will be able to make a decision. This means that you need remarketing – i.e. returning ads to people who have previously had contact with the brand.
Remember about clients with children – they are worried about exams and tests. If you are qualified, inform about lessons preparing for these challenges, promote such services.
Finally, don’t forget about yourself during this difficult time. If despite all these activities you have a lot of free time – learn, read books that will help you be a better teacher, but also a successful man. Watch movies that can inspire you professionally. I also invite you to my online consultations and classes. Contact me at www.batest.pl
Iwona Bates
(translation from Polish prepared by the editors)