How to Start an Online Teaching Business
The internet has revolutionized the way students learn. I am positive that creating an online course is the way to go for English teachers who want to launch an online career that reaches countless students across the globe.
I see successes happening every day when it comes to online education. From video game development to economics, online courses are the perfect format for just about anything students want to learn. For those specifically interested in developing an online English language course, this 7-step guide will provide invaluable insight into the course creation process.
Before we get started, here’s why you should craft a course to teach English online:
-It’s a flexible way to teach.
-You face a low upfront cost and a high return.
-Your own teaching style will shine through and reach your students.
-English is a necessary language for the global citizen.
-Supplemental income can quickly turn into a lifelong career.
Step 1: Specialize
As an English teacher, you have the unique advantage that your skills are valued worldwide with this business-centered international language. Students everywhere need resources that cover the ins and outs of English, so they can go on to excel in the international world.
You’re already ahead of the game if you choose to teach a subject like English. As time progresses and you gain a footing in the world of online course development, you may choose to specialize even further. From conversational English and test preparation to business English and industry-specific vocabulary, there’s no end to the value you can provide to your students.
Although you’ve already specialized by simply being an English teacher, diving even deeper into the subject is what will keep course ideas flowing. A specific focus beyond just “English language skills” will capture the attention of your students and make them believe your course will solve their individual problems. Stand out from the crowd by concentrating on a specific niche in the world of teaching English.
Step 2: Crunch Those Numbers
Building an online course is a great opportunity to grow your income, but it helps to set specific goals. Do you want to pad your current wages or would you rather transition from your day job altogether?
Either way,set yourself up for success by establishing goals and expectations. By focusing on specific numbers, you can more easily gauge the amount of time and effort it will take for you to build an online English course.
Don’t forget that you’ll likely use tools like limited-time discounts and coupon codes to encourage students to pick up your course. When thinking about the amount of money you’d like to earn, remember to price your course high and implement the occasional sale.
Step 3: Round Up Some Students
It pays to start the marketing process early, so it’s time to build an email list before you have even produced your online course. This involves gaining a presence on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Starting this process early is vital to your online success, as building an audience involves slow growth.
No matter where I go on the internet, I always notice large audiences flock to quality free content. As an English teacher, you might create an entertaining and informational video about confusing homonyms or tricky grammar, or maybe you’ll create a downloadable worksheet that focuses on irregular verb conjugation. Either way, your free information is the key to building an audience, gathering an email list, and subsequently advertising your course to paying customers.
Step 4: Determine What To Charge
As a professional in the English language sector, your information is undeniably valuable to your students. I see new instructors price courses too low all the time, without giving themselves the credit they deserve. Your years of expertise and focused effort in developing an English course certainly count for something.
Conduct market research and check out other successful courses in your subject area. Although you always want to stand out and never want to imitate a competitor, it pays to understand pricing trends. What you thought was worth $20 may just be worth $300.
Remember, it’s always easier to start at a high price than to work your way up from the bottom. If you want to try for high volume sales at low prices, then you can always go for an attention-grabbing sale.
Step 5: Establish a Website
When most people think of websites, the first things that come to mind are “about me” pages, personal blogs and flashy colors. Instead, I would encourage you to create something authoritative and professional. Your website will become your school and your brand, so pay special attention to its design.
Make sure to grab each visitor’s attention and convert page views into sales. A short video that shows off your excellent English teaching skills is a great way to entice potential customers. Likewise, ensure that checkout is easy and that your website functions well on mobile devices.
Step 6: Get Down To Business
After all of that work, it’s time to actually create your course, using your knowledge and professional experience. For this reason, I wholeheartedly encourage every instructor to plan his or her course with an outline. Organizing your thoughts will narrow the scope of your project into something manageable and focused.
Whether you use your phone to record video or invest in something more expensive, don’t skimp on quality. Although you can easily produce content on the cheap, it’s necessary to pay attention to your device’s settings to maximize output. The best purchase you can make is a high quality microphone, and you’re good to go for a compelling English course.
Step 7: Launch Day
Once your course is ready to go, it’s time to earn those sales. Launch your course with a specific strategy in mind, so you can attract as many students as possible. I recommend the following:
- A few days before release, send out an update to your email list that your course is on the way.
Provide straightforward information about just how this course will help your customers and why they should buy it.After teasing your customers with your product for a couple of days, release your course! - Plan to either close enrollment after a few days to create urgency or implement a lower launch price.
- With these tips in mind, what ideas are buzzing around in your head? What are the biggest obstacles you’re facing that prevent you from teaching online? Planning to teach online with your first English course can feel overwhelming, especially when you have so much to say. I hope this 7-step guide has been helpful and I encourage you to discuss your plans with other teachers to get their professional thoughts and opinions.
