Promote your SAT tutoring business so that it reaches your target audience--students and their parents. Students need help on their SATs more than ever to get into college. Colleges and universities have become so selective that SAT scores can make or break the student's entrance into school. Your tutoring business can help a student make their dream of college come true.

Create Your Message

Before you embark upon where you want to advertise, you should determine what you want to promote. Many students select large classroom based SAT prep courses. The advantage to these courses is that the companies have taught SAT prep for years. The disadvantage is that these courses are often extremely costly and impersonal. 

Promote your SAT tutoring business as one-on-one mentoring at a better rate. Emphasize you have the same tools and techniques as the big SAT prep courses, but can offer specific guidance in trouble areas such as math or vocabulary. Include any accreditation's and certifications in your advertising and your years as an SAT tutor.

Online

Because students search for nearly everything online, you should have a strong web presence. Develop a website that allows the student to obtain general information about your business, an overview about what you do, and be sure students can click or call you from every linking page. Use SEO rich keywords to ensure higher placement on Google and advertise your site on local newspaper websites and all area high school websites.

Flyers

Develop a flyer featuring the features and benefits of your business. Make copies on bright colored paper and always ask business owner's permission before posting or leaving flyers at any establishment. Potential sites to post or leave flyers include teen clothing stores, music stores, local dance and karate studios and orthodontist's offices.  Hit local teen hangouts such as pizza joints and coffee houses.  Develop a relationship with local high school guidance counselors and ask if you can post your flyer on high school message boards (or ask if you could leave a stack of flyers on the counter in the front office). 

In Person

There's nothing like being able to promote your business in person.  Ask 11th grade English or history teachers if you could come in an discuss the importance of the SAT. Create a 15 minute presentation on keys to SAT success. You talk should be like a mini-tutoring session so students can see how you operate and how your assistance can help them succeed or improve their SAT scores.

Referrals

Word of mouthis one of the best ways to promote a business.  Happy and satisfied customers will tell their friends and family about your company and you will obtain new students. When you are working with a student, focus on how to strenghten their weaknesses and work toward improving their score. Never guarantee a certain score and never make a promise that is impossible to deliver. Offer current students a discount on one or two tutoring sessions if they make a referral that results in a new student. Give discounts to families who ask you to tutor more than one child.

Your SAT tutoring business is like any other business. Success means emphasizing the differentiators, advertising to your target audicence and delivering superior customer service to obtain future referals. 

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