greeneyesandnotes Posted August 4, 2015 Posted August 4, 2015 Hi everyone. I didn't want to leave my previous post floating in the virtual landscape. A quick recap; The post was my search for romance (anyway I feel a tad embarrassed so...) I have indeed considered the messages and arguments of RTR but still..umm...let's move on. Anyway! I am thinking of starting a French tuition business. I'll be honest (it's a virtue of course ) and say that I am nowhere near getting out into the high streets, shopping centres and green fields of La Grande Bretagne! But it's my aim at the moment. I will get to it women, men and les chats Anyone have any business tips and advice? Thanks.
NumberSix Posted August 4, 2015 Posted August 4, 2015 You should start by studying your competition. Be sure you understand their business model and how they attract customers. You need to develop a unique selling proposition that explains how you are unique and why a customer should choose your services over competitors. Business cards are a must. I found my Spanish tutor when she posted looking for customers on a Spanish language Meetup. Bon chance, mon ami!
AustinJames Posted August 4, 2015 Posted August 4, 2015 I don't think it's possible to have great business relationships with people who have bad relationship skills. If I were to invest in a business, I would make sure the owner was very skilled in cultivating and maintaining relationships in general, on principle. I don't think it would be productive to "move on" before gaining some insight as to why RTR is difficult/not optimal for you. What is your aim in pursuing this endeavor? How will your life improve by it? 1
Torero Posted August 5, 2015 Posted August 5, 2015 What NumberSix pointed out; Unique Selling Points. What about combining your French tuition (in Bretagne I understand) with French culture, French cuisine? Study your target group; what are their desires, why would they pick you? Not having read your post on relationships, I think in business and in getting attention from the desired sex, both work on what you have to offer compared to the competition. Where and how do you stand out? If I may give 1 example of a French person doing just that, it's a hotel here in the country, in the most touristic city of Colombia; Cartagena. It's a very competitive market with lots of great hotels, but we selected a French-owned hotel and were surprised by: - personal attention (a personal letter to us left on the bed, with rose petals all around) - professional attitude - free massage - excellent food (with French chefs that's more the rule than the exception, still in Cartagena you can eat very well elsewhere) Price is usually not the deal breaker or maker, in my experience both as a client and as a business person people care for much more than mere economics. Being the cheapest is also that; the cheapest (in a figurative sense). Best of luck with your business plans.
greeneyesandnotes Posted August 5, 2015 Author Posted August 5, 2015 Thanks for the advice NumberSix. the site startups.co.uk is what I am using as a guide at the moment and it gave the same sensible and I would say necessary advice. The advice being "research your competitors". AustinJames - Yes I think I realise that deep down. I think the arguments of RTR are valid and I am slowly starting to incorporate the ideas into my life. I believe the ideas to be based on reality and based on logic although of course you would be right to point out, why am I not quoting ideas or forming arguments myself? To be honest lol I can't be bothered to do so atm. My aim - I realise the State places its paws on almost everything we can see but I see a business as a way to pursue my French language passion, make good money and to get as uninvolved with State affairs as is possible. My life will improve - Well I can spend my precious time working in an area that gives me pleasure and hopefully make more money (that is if I am successful) than I would training to work in a trade or another vocation. Though to attempt profundity (worth a crack ) I believe one's life can't improve by riches or great looks or a beautiful partner or a large chocolate cake and that self knowledge and good habits are the more likely candidates for life improvement. I come to this conclusion by seeing so many times these options and by putting a listening ear to my own heart. Cheers though buddy for the post. Hi Torero I am currently based in Wales. The Grand Bretagne phrasing was written by me as a word flourish as Grande Bretagne is French for Great Britain. I might need to work on coming across clearer Torero You live in Colombia and looking at the "Torero username", I am going to make that guess. Also I am assuming your native language is Spanish. My acquaintance, Let me say on the offset that I applaud and admire you for your grasp of the English language. You should be proud of yourself. Some good advice there. Can I ask mi amigo, what you do as a business person? All the best!
Torero Posted August 5, 2015 Posted August 5, 2015 Ha thanks, but Spanish is my second language, English my third. Actively; passively English would be my second. And yes, I cycled around your Grand Bretagne comment, but still, maybe finding the French connection in Wales wouldn't be a bad idea? So to have your unique selling point? If you want to teach French, look for the connections. Try to position yourself in a niche where nobody (in Wales) has been before? My profession is the same as Stefans father; I'm a geologist. But on a deserved sabbatical now, great moment with these ridiculously low oil prices... Oil at 100 dollars a barrel is still 1/3 the price of beer, which cannot be; the former takes millions of years to form, the latter is easy-peasy to make... Cheers 1
greeneyesandnotes Posted August 6, 2015 Author Posted August 6, 2015 Geology? I wouldn't have guessed that Very good. Very good indeed. Although the oil prices...not very good by the sounds of it! Yes I need to find my niche. I agree with you there. What to do, what to do.
Susana Posted October 9, 2015 Posted October 9, 2015 I think there are some excellent points mentioned above such as incorporating french cuisine or another aspect of french culture such as traditional organic clean food/living. I am slightly confused as well as to where you are located and what your client base would be. Are you of French origin located in Wales? First I would look at the current cultural and business relationships between where you are located and French speaking countries/people. MAP out the System and these relationships, get a dollar notebook for this and journaling exercises. :Ha: I had to drop that in since I heard you are avoiding RTR revelations but please read my next paragraphs below about working in linguistics. Linguistics/tuition business is an fascinating career choice and based on linguists I have met it is also a profitable career choice and degrees are not needed. The older linguistics from the BabyBoomer generation I have met have had stable positions in the public and private sector and the younger ones are entrepreneurs , converting home space as well as mobile "in your home" service. Often they also expand and have tutors working for them to cater to "mobile in your home services". Strictly as a linguist/ language tutor there are two basic choices I have seen in the free market(rather than academia). Of these two choices I would highly recommend looking into and creating a profitable client base on the first niche market listed below. I would like to know more about your local demographics but these markets apply worldwide. + High End Customers(niche)- Ambitious professionals looking to improve their speaking with the goals of promotions and career advancement. Most clients are business professionals or owners who may also be awkward but highly intelligent such as engineering or other sciences. They are already working in their profession but want to advance in their career and expand their networks and are looking to improve their accent and social awkwardness. People working in this niche market have told me they often do language exercises and coaching. This might also apply to performance artists but ambitious dedicated business people are a much better client base. Again MAP out the system going on, the language and business exchange between French and your local culture. +Conventional, tutoring, school setting, "in your home setting" and education industrial complex. This is your typical "language(or math or standard test etc) tuition business". Very popular for young adults colleges and schools for young adults are an amazing place because they are filled with vibrant young people but the issue here is its not connected to the free market as I see it. You can often get work as a tutor but the parents are paying you. Hoping for good test scores, for confirmation for the educational industrial complex for approval. But again at least in America this is a great way to make money, you basically have to have the highest 95-99% test scores for standardized testing. Sometimes you also need a good GPA but for the most part they want teachers with the best test scores which you get by studying hard and retaking the tests as many times as needed. Hope this was helpful. I am thinking of starting a French tuition business. I'll be honest (it's a virtue of course ) and say that I am nowhere near getting out into the high streets, shopping centres and green fields of La Grande Bretagne! But it's my aim at the moment. 1
greeneyesandnotes Posted October 12, 2015 Author Posted October 12, 2015 I am going to respond to you now Susana, in order to let you know that I haven't read your post yet but I do indeed plan to read it later on. Cheers for adding to this thread. I am 22 y/o, recently lost my commission-based sales job and don't know what to do, as a dyspraxic man with not enough contacts living in a small town. I will stay positive and motivated though and I wish you all the best! 1
Recommended Posts