How to open an English language school: a personal experience
His Work / / December 26, 2019
Diana Kharisova
Founder and chief instructor Back to School.
I had a dream - to open a school of English. I have studied the experience of other businessmen, thoughtful teaching methods and to take action. Our school is working for over a year, we were able to expand and think over the opening of branches.
I talk about their experiences and about how to avoid mistakes in the opening offensive language courses.
room
Many people think that the first stage is the most important find interested people. Talk to them, tell them what will soon open a new language school "written down and wait a little bit." In fact, the future students will go to the most current rates, the benefit of the market and developed enough choice. In addition, nobody canceled the surprise factor. While preparing the room, anything can happen: the neighbors will flood or stop working to get in touch. In the case of force majeure to fulfill obligations to the students fail.
Remember: the first looking for a place for the future of the school, and then recruit students.
Find a room, move it to order and equip classrooms. Look for students in the final stage arrangement. It took us two weeks to open and another two weeks for the first complete set of groups.
With regard to geography. In Moscow, looking for a school closer to home or work, not to ride 4:00 back and forth. In smaller towns, the geographical position of the school is of little importance. My friend is engaged in business in the service sector. It has several branches in different parts of the city, with 80% of customers come to the central office. So we opened a school in the center of the city - in Kazan public transport links, it helps to work.
Finance
How much money you will need to open - hard to say. Too many variables. Averaged rate for the new school is 300 thousand rubles - much needed investment and to us. Depending on the amount the city could exceed half a million rubles. And that's OK, it all depends on the budget and school ambitions.
What is included in the budget for the opening
- Payment of rent premises for two months. Usually asked to pay just a few months, this should be ready. Molla and some business centers can request a "ticket" - a fixed payment, which will be based on the account of the lessor. Upon termination of the contract will return the money.
- Furniture. The situation needs to be comfortable, cute, and not to spend all the budget. A good option - IKEA.
- Create a site, if it is needed. free odnostranichnik suitable for a language school in the Tilda or a profile on a social network.
- Advertising. This further.
The first time the school will go into negative or even zero. How much it will last depends on you and your activity. Factors and variables missing. For example, if you fill a group up to 12 people, income does not necessarily increase - many large groups of students repel. We'll have to find a balance. And so with all aspects of the work.
Put yourself in the customer's shoes. The new language school for him - a mystery. Immediately you can not guess, it is good or not. Experienced students know that somewhere nice built the learning process, but the disastrous state of the premises. Other schools have invested in a beautiful picture, and save on the instructors. Success - in the balance of form and content.
On what you can save
On the teachers can not save the rest obsuzhdaemo. I'll tell you how to save us.
- Repairs Doing their own hands. Nights sat and painted signature zigzag, performed more other cosmetic work.
- Draw up an estimate. We knew exactly what we needed, up to the number of pencils and rags. So we avoid unnecessary purchases and neural drive to the shops at the last moment.
- We are looking for the best deals. Avoided shops, compare prices and choose the appropriate options.
Advertising
At the preparatory stage before school task is to tell about themselves to the greatest number of people. No one can say what advertising works 100%. In one case, the "shoots" contextual, in another - the distribution of leaflets, the third - the action "Bring your friend".
We focus on Instagram, Reviews on the Internet and word of mouth.
In Instagram we put a lot of effort: there is basic information about our school and useful content. I'm videorubriku about learning English, spread Stories about school life.
View this publication in Instagram
Publication of the English language. COURSES. KAZAN (@back_to_school_kzn)
We ask the students after graduation to post reviews on the Internet. Most often write on Zoon and "Flampยป. Interesting fact: The students learn about us from the review admitted that the sincerity of the words written by bribing them. So saying, we see immediately that the real and sincere.
Greatly helps to word of mouth. Satisfied students come to study at the next level, bringing family and friends.
Try the types of advertising that you might feel were measured results.
I had a bad experience in advertising a popular blogger. We paid 5000 rubles for advertising the post, and the statistics turned out worse than ever: the transition a little, likes almost none. You may not fall into the target audience or expect too much from this way of promotion. So you should carefully approach the choice of bloggers for advertising: check his audience and study account for possible cheating.
To advance we have considered and coupons generator BiglionBut there are very strict conditions. I think this site is not for language schools.
The learning process and the responsibility
Language school - a tough business. If you are not willing to devote to this business all the time, it is better not to start. The head of the school is responsible for everything that happens in her walls. Not enough erasers? There was confusion in the schedule? To blame the head. At a minimum, it is not built system of accounting and quality control.
How do I control the learning process? Just at any time I can come to class. I follow the work of the teachers and students of emotions, write comments. On planorkah we hold "debriefing". This is normal, do not be afraid to tell people the shortcomings in their work.
Quality of teaching is incorporated in KPI teachers. Means for motivation enough: wages, reasonable workload and career growth. Our goal - to open a network of schools. In the interest of the school to put at the head of the branches experienced and proven teachers.
At various times, the work is organized in different ways, but it continues. In my opinion, seasonality language schools - stereotype. If most work and actively looking for new students, then no recession will not happen. Someone in the summer to learn comfortably, others take a vacation and spend it to good use for language practice. This summer we organized a language camp for students. School was packed from morning till evening.
legal aspects
Get businessman status easily, it is more difficult to match. Go to the website of the tax, and register as an individual entrepreneur. Everything. You can work: to provide paid services, rent space and hire staff. From the point of view of the law, it will be advisory courses, that is, complete certificates disciples not work issue.
When the school pick up the scale, you should consider the license to education. Her reception - a long and laborious process. Get ready for the routine collection of documents and to open a private educational institution (NOU) or LLC. An additional bonus - customers will be able to return the personal income tax, which is a strong advantage.
teachers
It is better to cover more areas. I work as a teacher in three: adults, adolescents, and in preparation for the language exams (OGE, exam, IELTS, TOEFL). For children's courses and other directions I have found good teachers.
In the labor market a lot of strong professionals. Another thing is whether your school will approach people. Our teachers are two stages of the interview. On the ground waiting for the candidate interviews in English and test. His goal - to confirm the level Advanced knowledge of the language. Once teachers are trained to the author's method of training. If you have mastered it without any problems, they go to work.
Universal tips
- Your involvement - an important factor. Sit in the director's chair and watch moves out of the processes, the format of the language school commits to work "in the field". Therefore, the answer to two questions: whether you know English well and are willing to be taught along with other teachers? Even an experienced teacher will have to retrain a school format, and this is normal. It is better to talk to him in the same language.
- The idea is distinguished school "for a season" from the one that permanently hold out on the market. Most often it is expressed in innovative teaching methods. Answer honestly: why should the customer go to learn it to you?
- Market competitive and aggressive. Cease to grow in business and English - will sink immediately.
Love their job and think about the success of students. Then your school will be successful.
see also๐ฉโ๐ผ
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