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Marketing experts please respond!

LFALFA subscriber Posts: 1
edited April 2006 in Marketing
I need some advice with marketing approaches to promoting our tutoring services.  Our company recently decided to provide tutoring in Spanish and French to middle and high school students.  My dilemna is how to market these services.  We`ve tried sending out information to HS & MS language teachers, but have gotten no response.  I will admit that I did not follow-up, but....  What other ways can we promote the tutoring services?
 

Comments

  • IMGIMG subscriber Posts: 0
    Ever given any thought to a press release. Doing something newsworthy, such as making a donation...giving to the community...etc. helps to get your name noticed.
  • LFALFA subscriber Posts: 1
    Thanks Ron.  We actually host an annual community event every June and have successfully been in the newspapers for the past two years.  The only problem is that the articles never tell all the services we provide and tutoring is something new for us.
  • DerrickDerrick subscriber Posts: 2
    Quick thought - a good way to get the word-out is - to offer free 1 hour seminars discussing some educational topics or interests.  The seminars would not necessarily be positioned to pitch your business, but offer great education and value to attendees.  The attendees will quickly identify you as an expert in the area and will think of you when a need occurs.  This a great way to let people know of your experise.  This has worked great for some of our clients.  Hope this helps.
    Derrick - DKS Marketing, LLC
  • LFALFA subscriber Posts: 1
    To answer your question, Karen, yes, I did have a call to action in the letter.  I think the biggest problem on my part is that I didn`t follow-up with the teachers. 
    Thanks for all this great advice.  I will definitely start working on these ideas.  
  • LFALFA subscriber Posts: 1
    Hi All,
    Here`s an add-on question to my original question... I mentioned that we host an annual event -- 3rd Annual Multicultural Literary Expo for Children... every year.  This is a FREE event that promotes languages and cultures through literacy.  The June event is coming up fast and I am looking for additional ways to market this eventl.  We`ve done all the traditional approaches... press releases, postings to community boards, flyers everywhere there are children (child care centers, schools, camps, community centers, libraries, etc), children`s events, baseball games, everyone on our email list (customers, potential customers, past EXPO attendees, friends & relatives -- SPREAD THE WORD CAMPAIGN).  What else can you suggest that is UNIQUE? 
  • ejayejay subscriber Posts: 0
    First things first: You did a good thing by going to the source of
    supply.  You did a wrong thing by NOT following-up.  How
    about following thru on your first step?  Try it; you need these
    people, they do not need you UNLESS you show them they do! 
    Besides, they have students and you need students; get after them.
      
  • LFALFA subscriber Posts: 1
    Thanks Karen for the fantasitc ideas.  I especially LOVE the idea about putting my flyer in books at the library and bookstores.
    Thanks Ejay also for your frankness; I WILL do it!
  • admanadman subscriber Posts: 3
    Can you make smaller versions of your flyers and stick them in the language books at the library or local bookstore?
    Yikes!  I`d check with the owner of the bookstore before trying that strategy.  Guerilla Marketing is one thing, but your opening yourself up to legal issues if you don`t get permission first.  At the very least you`d find a VERY upset local business owner = Bad WOM (word of mouth) potentially bad PR Which would do more to hurt your busienss than to help it. 
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