As more teachers are leaving their teaching platforms and embark on their freelance journey, many are concerned about how to find new online ESL students. There are numerous reasons to become a freelance online English teacher including a much better pay-rate, being able to choose your students, and teaching a curriculum that excites you. However, one of the main worries new freelance teachers face is finding their own students and finding enough of them. Here are a few tips to help you find online ESL students:
Find a Niche
Finding a niche will allow you to master your teaching skills for a specific group of students and help build your reputation among those students. Whether your niche is teaching English to mechanical engineering students in Germany or teaching English to young Chinese learners, a well-defined niche will allow you to gain traction in a specific group. After you have defined your niche, find ways to market yourself to that audience. There are numerous, extremely specific Facebook groups that are just a click away and are great places to start advertising your service.
Create a Great-Looking Portfolio Page
Having a clean, professional portfolio with a picture of yourself and a bit of information about your teaching style or niche will go a long way in making you look like a legitimate teacher. Another benefit of having a website or a portfolio is the ability to accept payments. Having payment coupled with a professional portfolio page gives you credibility as a teacher and gives new online ESL students confidence when paying for your classes. If you are having trouble accepting Chinese payments, take a look at TeachOn.org to create a portfolio page and start accepting Chinese payments in minutes.
Offer Referral Bonuses to Existing Students
Who doesn’t love free stuff? If you already have a few students, offering them a referral bonus of a free class or two in exchange for helping you find new students is a great way to build your student base. Most satisfied students genuinely want to help their teacher succeed and are happy to refer their teacher to others. This is a win-win for both you and your pupils.
Offer a Free Trial Lesson to New Online ESL Students
In the case that you are asking your existing students to refer you to others looking for an online ESL teacher, offer those students a free trial lesson. It’s quite rare that people turn down something that is truly free. Make sure you get some background information on your potential new students and come fully prepared to impress them. It’s amazing how much value providing just one free lesson can bring in the teaching industry. First impressions with new students are massive and can go a long way in helping you create a long-term pupil.
Wrapping Up
Launching your online freelance teaching career is an adventure full of reward and excitement. There are certainly many challenges to overcome, but the benefits of building a well-paying career that you can do from anywhere in the world make it worthwhile. Find your niche, build yourself a portfolio page, or visit TeachOn.org and build one in minutes. If you have a few students already, offer them referral bonuses for new online ESL students and give those new students a free trial lesson. After that, watch your online student base grow and grow! Good luck and happy teaching!
