Based on the title, you already know what this post is going to be about, but let’s take a second to say congrats teacher!!! Not only did you spend the time and effort creating the best online class, but you’re also looking to grow. Whether you’re a freelance teacher, working for an online education company, or just looking for an extra student or two, increasing student enrollment in your courses is harder than you think!
Disclaimer time! Let me first start this off by saying that these are general tips and will most likely have to be modified to fit you and your specific needs. I’ve had to change and modify my classes using these exact tips until I found the perfect formula that works best for me and even then, things can change! It’s important to keep in mind that what works now for you might not work in the future depending on student needs, time of year, types of classes, and more. Now if you’re just getting started in the online education world, check out my blogs about teaching online here!
PROVIDE DISCOUNTS!
We’ve all seen these types of advertisement techniques… “buy now, this deal won’t last forever”. But why do we continue to see these types of ads across all industries? Because it works! Listing your classes at a discounted rate might seem a little scary… I mean that’s less money in your pocket. However, it’s all psychology really. Discounts work on the principle of urgency, meaning if the discounts don’t last forever, individuals are more likely to buy, and hopefully in turn more students will sign up for your classes and increase enrollment!
Discounts can go beyond just providing a couple of dollars off of your classes. Other types of discounts you can offer include BOGO (buy one get one free or 50% off), bundling classes if students purchase a certain amount of classes upfront, bulk purchasing discounts, and so much more. The creativity for discounts is really endless, but the end goal is to get more students and more money.
Referrals!
Referrals and discounts can go hand in hand but what I want to clarify about a referral is that these would go toward your current students! Instead of providing a new student discount, you can say to your current students, “if you bring a friend, I’ll give you and your friend $5 off your class”. You can use the same discount techniques as listed above, but the key here is to really provide value and build rapport with your current students. Not only are they going to save money on a class that they love, but you’re essentially recruiting them to be your spokesperson for your class! Having a fun, engaging, and awesome online class will always have increased enrollment, it’s just about getting the word out and nothing is better than testimonials from current parents and students.
Offer classes on multiple platforms!
Best way to reach more students? Hop on different platforms! Each online learning platform is going to attract a different pool of students. This is a great way to get the most out of the courses that you’ve already created. I am currently teaching classes on Outschool and Allschool. I am newer to the Allschool platform, but I’ve been finding that the exact same classes I have listed on Outschool are doing way better on Allschool. Allschool students are more interested in my ESL courses and Outschool students are more interested in my fitness-based classes.
In addition to offering classes on multiple platforms, you can double-book your schedule. This can be TRICKY and you do have to make sure you stay on top of your email and schedule. What I mean by double booking is, listing courses at the exact same time on both platforms, and canceling on one, if the other gets booked. You absolutely do not want to have classes booked on different platforms at the same time, so just keep an eye on your email and stay diligent if you have to cancel a class.
social media!
Social media is one of the best tools for class recruitment! The Outschool has a great Facebook page with teachers advertising their classes and parents looking for specific classes. I also would recommend TikTok and Instagram for getting more students into your classes and increasing enrollment. Now there are specific skills and techniques to market yourself and advertise your online classes, but we can save that for another blog. Just get on social media and network with other teachers and parents!