How can I find online students for my ELT/ESL Freelance business without using Preply?
Maybe you've realised that working for a platform like Preply isn't a great strategy for earning decent money. As someone commented on my previous video about Preply, ' Is there any way to earn more than I could go get at Walmart from teaching online realistically? This is starting to seem like a sad joke.'
You absolutely CAN earn quite a bit more than you would get at Walmart, but it will mean finding your own online students, which can feel very daunting.
If you're wondering, how can I find my own online students, without using Preply or another platform, I've got three steps you need to take, which I go through in this video.
It's not a quick fix, because getting consistent well-paying clients is about learning how to market your services effectively, but if you see it as an investment in your future, rather than being stuck earning minimum wage, it's well worth the effort.
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For more personalised step by step help with identifying your niche, creating a business model and offer, and learning how to market more effectively, check out my 6 month deep dive, hands on group programme, Designed to Flourish: ⬇️
earnlearnthriveinelt.com/designed-to-flourish-group-programme/
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Hi, I’m Rachael. Like many people in our profession, I didn’t exactly grow up dreaming of working in ELT, but what made me fall in love with it was two main things:
❤ The opportunity to work directly with people and help them to help themselves change their lives for the better.
❤ The great colleagues I got to work with, as a teacher, teacher trainer, manager and materials writer.
Working as a business and mindset coach with ELT freelance professionals enables me to combine both those things, and to use the skills and experience I have to have a real impact.
One of the things I don’t like about ELT is the way that so many excellent professionals are underpaid, undervalued and scraping by. I also far too often see people working themselves into the ground. This might be OK when we’re in our early twenties with no responsibilities, but it’s no way to run a sustainable and enjoyable professional career.
I want to really challenge the low expectations, and culture of ‘having to’ accept poor conditions and teach ELT freelancers the steps they can take to make their businesses truly work for them.
I have: ⭐ 30 years of experience in the industry ⭐ 13 years as a successful small ELT business owner ⭐ heaps of training and coaching in running a small business, organic marketing and social media, copywriting and more …..as well as being a trained psychotherapist, counsellor, and coach.
This makes me ideally placed to empower freelance ELT professionals to earn more, work less, and live more fully. And that’s what it’s all about.
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Let’s connect:
www.earnlearnthriveinelt.com
www.linkedin.com/in/rachaelroberts-eltbusinesscoach/ earnlearnthrive
earnlearnthrive
#teacherpreneur #eslteaching #onlineteaching #marketingtips
Пікірлер: 10
Thank you for the video Rachael!
This was helpful, thanks 🙏🏻
Outside the debate of online freelance tutoring or employed face-to-face teaching, it is a sad indictment of the whole industry if we are chasing the clients and not regarded by either the online community nor the employers. I guess we need to ask the question, "Why do tutors teach online for themselves?" and I suppose the answer is that teachers are not as remunerated as highly as they should be. For those that work online full-time, then the precarious nature of online tutoring can be incredibly stressful and chasing students is not the way to go about changing the online ELT industry. Perhaps we need to rethink professionalising the English teaching industry to ensure that teachers are able to earn a respectful income regardless the platform or approach of finding students. Anyhow Rachael, this is another interesting video but I would be wary about placing all Preply tutors in the same basket. I have encountered many students who are keen to find a professional tutor rather than chasing a cheap alternative. I have many students who supplement my income and it is a great way to meet other students who are willing to pay the rate that I have decided. If students are willing to find a cheaper tutor, then I respect that but I have complete control over my hourly rate. Finally, I have encountered students outside of Preply via Instagram and I have secured two students in the last four years. They have paid my expected hourly rate for online teaching but should I compare two students outside Preply or 90 students that I tutored over the last two years at Preply? The latest student that I tutored needed support preparing for a job interview at a UK university as a tutor for psychology. I would not have been given this opportunity with Preply and I am pleased with my remuneration so far. You can make it work for yourself with the Preply platform. Anyhow, thank you for your video and I wonder if you have actually worked for Preply. If you haven't, then I suppose that your experience with the platform is limited, as well as questioning the suitability of Preply.
@earnlearnthrive
Жыл бұрын
I'm glad to hear you've encountered students who are willing to pay proper rates on Preply, but I still feel from what I've seen (when signing up as a tutor) and heard, that the platform (as well as many others) encourages teachers to charge low rates, which is problematic to say the least. ''According to Preply’s internal business data, the average hourly rate for an online tutor is $18.30 (USD). However, when you look more closely, the average hourly rate for an online tutor could be as low as $10.00 or as high as $38.90 depending on the subject of study. The rates charged by tutors can, however, be significantly higher than the aforementioned average by subject area when it comes to teaching advanced topics such as business English, calculus or test preparation whereby we see some tutors charging $50 and upwards.' The strong implication is that charging more than $50 is pretty unusual. But I know plenty of teachers finding their own clients charging more than this. Personally, I would recommend investing the time and effort in doing free trials, and gradually building up a clientele on a platform, into marketing one's own business.
Très intéressant et plein de bon sens 😊
Main question that wasn't answered - WHERE do we advertise?.. You spoke about how to advertise but not where to advertise
@earnlearnthrive
5 ай бұрын
I wouldn't exactly call it advertising. It's more about building relationships and giving potential clients the information they need to make the right decision for them (though this would obviously include telling them about your service and what the next step is). In terms of where, I can't tell you that because it depends on who those ideal clients are, and where they hang out. This is why it's so important to really know and understand your niche. For me, it's mainly KZread and LinkedIn, for example, plus I do a lot of webinars, articles and podcasts. But it's likely completely different for you.
Hi Rachael, do you do consultation sessions? I would love a conversation about an idea I have - but need a bit of direction and guidance. Thank you
@earnlearnthrive
Ай бұрын
Hi Catherine, I don’t as such, but I do offer a free 40 minute chat to talk about your situation and how I might be able to help you, so we could start there? Here’s the link to book in to my calendar x portal.earnlearnthriveinelt.com/public/form/view/5f21aa807b16d25293f1d433