Putting Up a Tutorial Center

Today, it isn’t only slow learners that need tutoring. With the amount and difficulty of the lessons and homework given to today’s students, tutoring has become a necessity. Even students who are very bright and already have high grades in school have frequently been given tutors by their parents to further increase their chances of gaining honors.

Another reason tutoring is popular is that parents are usually too busy to teach children themselves. In the past, it was usually one of the parents who was responsible for tutoring the children. But with both parents usually now working, there is often too little time available for them to teach. Adding on to this difficulty is the large amount of new knowledge that parents do not know and cannot teach their children.

The tremendous demand for tutors has created a thriving tutoring industry. Most of the tutoring is done at home by freelancers. There is a huge opportunity for entrepreneurs who want to put up a tutoring business. Here are some tips to make this venture successful:

•Go the franchise route. There are several tutoring companies that are selling franchises of their system. With a well-developed operating system and a track record of success, it is very tempting to just buy a franchise especially if they have an established brand name. For many people who have no experience in this type of business or are too busy, getting a franchise may be the best option.

•Look for a suitable location. Observe where the successful tutorial centers are located and you will quickly see where the ideal locations are. The most expensive locations are those in the malls. Nevertheless, the malls have the biggest potential due to their heavy foot traffic. You can see very successful tutorial centers located there. More feasible for most is to locate near large private schools. In this case, the rentals are more reasonable and the market is just nearby.

• Register your business name and comply with the legal requirements. For a single proprietor, get your name from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI); for a corporation or partnership, you must go to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). From there, get your barangay clearance before proceeding to City Hall to get your business permit. Lastly, register with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and have your receipts printed.

•Decide on a tutorial concept. You must determine the tutorial concept you plan to offer. This will affect the facilities, marketing, services, etc. needed, as well as the amount of capital needed to finance the business.

•Learn how to market your business. For start-ups, you can only afford to promote locally. One of the most effective techniques is to send out flyers or brochures to nearby homes. It is also important to have a professionally designed website with enticing content since many people now look for tutoring services online. Starting a tutorial company has less regulatory problems than starting a normal school. Still, there are many things one must learn to operate this business, and careful study is recommended.

BusinessCoach, Inc., a leading business seminar provider, conducts seminars on How to Put Up a Tutorial Center. Call (02) 727-5628, (02) 727-8860, (0915) 205-0133, or visit www.businesscoachphil.com for details.

Click here to view details of the seminar: How to Put Up a Tutorial Center »

*Originally published by the Manila Bulletin. Written by Ruben Anlacan, Jr. (President, BusinessCoach, Inc.) All rights reserved. May not be reproduced or copied without express written permission of the copyright holders.