When you start tutoring don't be taken as a fool like I was

When you start tutoring don't be taken as a fool like I was

There is something terrifying about openly admitting that you were a fool. Just a year or so into starting to tutor a company phoned me and promoted that they could provide me with a position on the first page of Google. He asked about the business, and I told him how we supported children with special learning needs, and he gushed and goo-ed and did a fantastic job of convincing me that he genuinely thought what we were doing was great. Because what we were doing was in such demand it was important to get the word out there so that we could support more children. In fact, bear with him, he wanted to ask his boss something… Yes, he’d spoken to his boss and because what we were doing was so beneficial, he could drop the price. He could offer us a position at the top of the first page of Google for just £400 for 6-months. Would I be interested? It could make such a huge difference to the business. Being as naive as I was jumped at the opportunity. 6-months later the phone range. Because I hadn’t opted out of the contract, I now owed them, I can’t remember the exact amount, but thousands of pounds and it was due today. I didn’t have that money. He then announced that if I couldn’t pay it whilst he was on the phone they would send the bailiffs around this evening to retrieve goods to that value. They couldn’t do that, my youngest who was about 14 years old at the time would be home along for about ½ an hour, I couldn’t have them here whilst she was here by herself. At the same time a close friend of my mum was terminally ill with cancer, and we were expecting the call at any time to say he had gone, so I also wanted to get this man off the phone so I could speak to my mum if she rang.  I had no idea what I should do. The man could clearly sense I was panicking and increased the pressure accordingly.  Eventually I suggested that I could pay him £50 today on my credit card, then pay the rest off in instalments over the coming months. He told me to give him the card details and to hang up and he would talk to his manager and see if he could get this authorised, though it might take some time to convince him. The man on the call said he would do what he could for me.   Thank you, relief…   A few minutes later, Barclaycard rang. Had I authorised a £50 payment to this company. Yes, I had authorised 1 £50 payment to them. A few minutes later the company was back on the phone, he had managed to persuade his manager and we could go ahead with this. I don’t know why now but when I left for my lessons I was still in dread that the bailiffs were going to be coming round. A few days later I had a letter from Barclays saying that I had gone over my spending limit and would be charged accordingly.  How? It appeared that whilst I had been on the phone to them, they had taken multiple payments of £50 off the card until they had maxed it out. They had taken over £13,000. I phoned them up and because I had authorised the first payment, that had automatically authorised the other payments to them thereafter. Long story short: I got the citizens advice involved and they were fantastic, when the man on the phone had been speaking, he had told me that part of what I was paying for was a new website. Because they had never followed through with creating the website they had breached the contract and I was entitled to a full refund. It took over 18 months to get that money back. When I looked online afterwards there were numerous messages from people who had also been scammed. Looking back now it seems ridiculous, but it seemed so genuine in the moment. I hope I haven’t lost all credibility by telling you this story. I recently wrote a book called: Become a Tutor. Build Confidence. Change lives. If you would like a free copy (no strings attached just a gift from me to you) drop me an email at info@clarajamestutoring.co.uk [info@clarajamestutoring.co.uk] or fill in the form below and I will happily drop a copy in the post for you if aims to answer many of the questions that I had when I first started out as a tutor.  Become a tutor - Free copy of my book [https://clarajamestutoring.co.uk/free-copy-of-become-a-tutor-book] I wish you all the best on your journey into the world of tutoring.

My biggest piece of advice if you want to become a tutor - be helpful

This probably sounds like I am stating the obvious, but if you are looking to start a tutoring business the biggest/best piece of advice that I can give you is to be helpful.  By this I mean: if you are commenting on a social media post where someone is asking for help, offer them help and not just the option of taking you on as a tutor.  If you are giving out fliers, put a valuable tip / suggestion (such as revision tips, ways to learn a specific times table, quotes from a GCSE text book), or whatever it is so that they have a reason to hold on to that piece of paper and not just put it in a drawer. It also holds you as an expert with valuable information to share and not just someone who is trying to grow their business. If someone calls you looking for help, ask if they mind if you share a couple of ideas with them that you use and you hope they might find useful. Some might go, no thanks I can’t work with my child, but many will say thank you, that would be really helpful. But in doing this you are helping to build up a strong relationship from the outset. You are proving that you are doing this because you care and not just because you are trying to increase your numbers… I hope this helps. I recently wrote a book: Become a Tutor. Build Confidence. Change Lives. If you would like a free copy (no strings attached just a gift from me to you) drop me an email at info@clarajamestutoring.co.uk [info@clarajamestutoring.co.uk] or fill in the form below and I will happily drop a copy in the post for you

If you want to start tutoring in a couple of months time - bare this in mind

The other day I organised a "Tutoring coffee and chat". The idea being that people who were thinking of becoming a tutor or looking to grow their tutoring business could join the call and we could share ideas that could be helpful to get them started. A point that repeatedly came up was that they were looking to start in September. The new school year. If this is your plan, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE start telling people now that you will be available, because: 1) there are so many people promoting themselves as tutors that it will take time for you to be heard above the noise. 2) People will be entrusting you with their child's education. They will want time to get to know you, like you, trust you before inviting you into their lives. 3) People are starting to look for tutors now for September so that it is something that is organised and they can put to the back of their minds before the summer holidays begin. If you would like a free copy of my book: Become a Tutor: Build Confidence. Change Lives (no strings attached what-so-ever) please do drop me a line: info@clarajamestutoring.co.uk and I will more than happy to send you one in the post. (I wrote it with the goal of answering the questions that I had when I got started) I wish you every bit of success on your journey

The Rollercoaster of Tutoring

At times tutoring can feel like a rollercoaster: its nonstop. Then suddenly you hit a bank holiday weekend, and the breaks are slammed on and somehow you have to pick up momentum again. You are running down the racetrack at a million miles an hour and a parent will declare that actually, we’ve been looking at dates and thanks for your help, but I think we’ll leave it there! That change in direction wasn’t something you had braced yourself for and you fall flat on your face. At first, you celebrate the time to yourself and then you start a new relationship with free-time, and you never want it to end… But you know the reality is that this cannot last for ever.   When I find myself in this situation, I have an image by my desk of the things I strive to achieve so that I can remind myself what it is I am striving for. Why I get up in the morning and head straight to the computer. Then (I confess) I am a list person. I love lists. It had gotten to the stage that I had lists to remind myself of my other lists, but I have become more disciplined now. But I have lists of different books, YouTube videos, podcasts that I can refer to that motivate me. They can be on fixing up the house or garden. They can be travel related or based on building a business. They may just be people who inspire me. Often, I will take myself for a walk and think back to what incredible parents I had and the values that they instilled in us.  It is whatever works for you in that moment. And it’s not about making a huge splash on that day, it’s about doing something. Anything, that will get the wheels turning again because that is what builds momentum. Whilst you are static your business can not grow, but 1 small step can become the start of many that will take you on the journey that you dream of. I am giving away copies of my book “Become a Tutor. Build Confidence. Change Lives” if you would like a (completely free, no strings attached) copy, just drop me a message and I will more than happily drop one in the post for you: info@clarajamestutoring.co.uk [info@clarajamestutoring.co.uk] I hope it helps. If you are looking for more tailored support in growing your tutoring business check out this link to discover other ways that I can help: Become a tutor [https://clarajamestutoring.co.uk/thinking-of-becoming-a-tutor]

Become A Tutor - the book's introduction

I've been trying hard to give away copies of my book "Become a Tutor" as a free gift.  No strings.  But it is proving so hard! So, I thought if I recorded the introduction people would know what it was about and might be more tempted to take a copy. So, please if you are thinking about becoming a tutor or growing your tutoring business and you think this might be of help, please do go to the link below and I will get one in the post for you as soon as possible: Become a tutor - Free copy of my book [https://clarajamestutoring.co.uk/free-copy-of-become-a-tutor-book]