If you are planning on starting your own school (congratulations!) then a web presence is essential.
Word of mouth is vital, but parents will also want to check you out online before they contact you.
And in this day and age a website probably isn’t the way to do it.
Believe me they are expensive, take a lot of work and worst of all need constant, constant updating.
Personally I’d rather you spend the time helping your kids rather than fiddling around with websites. π
Luckily if you are based in any country other than China, then there is a much easier way:
Simply set up a Facebook “Page” about your school.
It’s like a website, but cheaper, easier and better! π
( If you’re not on Facebook yet, your competitors (plus nearly a billion customers) are!)
Setting up a page is free, easy to do and best of all the, interface will also appear in the parents’ native language.
What things to put up there?
– Photos / videos of classes Β (put a clause in your contract that allows you to use photos of kids in classes, you’ll need it for everything from making pamphlets to web marketing, to when the newspapers come and report on your amazing lessons!)
– Tips & Hints for parents to help the kids at home.
– Tips & Tricks for parents to improve their own English.
– Information about upcoming events, shows or parents’ evenings.
Also make sure you add your phone number into the “About” box at the top.
This shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours work and believe me it will save you so much time compared with doing a website.
Of course Facebook won’t be around forever and in two years time I’ll probably recommend a better way.
But for now, Facebook is where it’s at.
And of course, be sure to Like Genki English whilst your are on there!
https://www.facebook.com/GenkiEnglish
Be genki,
Richard
P.S. Β Top Bonus Tip: Invest in at least one professional photograph of yourself for your profile picture. You’ll also find a million and one other uses for it!
P.P.S. Β More tips for VIP Members on how to beat your competition on Facebook here.
UPDATE: Margit is now on Facebook almost everyday π
I REALLY REALLY hope you do find a better thing to recommend.
I can hear everyone booing about this attitude as I know I’m one of the very few people not on Facebook. I was for about 2 years but I hate it for several reasons.
Anyway, I do agree, that a website is not the best and really time taking. Mine fell asleep a year ago?!
I think there are more professional social sites than Facebook, and I wish I could share more things more easily, but for now I keep it old fashioned.
(Hopefully update my site this summer, with a beautiful performance)
Hi Margit, I think you’re doing so well you don’t need a website nor Facebook! π
I use Blogger, which is actually easy to use. It’s not much harder than a Facebook page. You don’t have to know any html; you just click on “New Page” and start typing your contents! You can pick the design of the template or download and use another one from tons of different websites. I haven’t had the need to update it frequently either. And you can buy your own domain name via Blogger for only 10 euros or so. Check out my website!
Thanks for all the valuable info on starting a school. Even though I’ve already started mine, I can certainly use some of your advice!
You know, I’m constantly going back and forth with my Facebook page .. I made it with my lessons and teaching in mind, but it invariably becomes a kind of messy-place where I end up posting a ton of other stuff.
Well, I linked my web page so that posts on my website are also applied to my Facebook page! But I will definitely add the phone number to he About section. Nice tip! BTW, I made my own website, which was kind of fun!! I like to learn new things, so I made it a fun process!!!
For VIP Members check out the “Facebook Secret Tips to Beat Your Competition”
http://genkienglish.net/clipart/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1487
I am in China!!!!! But I did try Facebook…obviously 99% of parents don’t have a vpn so it’s not too useful…but, for China dwellers, QQ is essential…and for sharing files it’s 100% times faster than skype, facebook, it beats even wechat
Hi,
I’m in China too and although (as mentioned) Facebook isn’t available here and most parents won’t have a VPN – prospective foreign teachers do! Once you get to the stage where you want to start hiring new staff it is a great way to show off your school (and also you can snoop on those teachers too and see how professional they are! Haha) ;o)
I agree with ESM that QQ is essential. WeChat is also another option for spreading the word.
Having said that, I am only currently working in a language centre, although I’ll be looking at starting my own later next year! Exciting (and scary).
Thanks for some great tips! If it works out then I shall definitely buy you some baijiu to celebrate!