THE
CONCEPT
When
considering a business opportunity a common question to
ask
yourself is 'What skill can I use in my business?' All
too
often it's easy to think that you don't have any skills
to
offer a business. And, all too easy to
forget your
business
ambitions!
Considering
the matter more carefully though, it is quite
obvious
that everyone has some sort of skill they can use in
business. It might not be a formal business skill. In fact,
even
better if it is not - because your skills can be a
business!
To
start, make a list of all the things you can do better
than
the majority of other things. Then
think, people pay
out
thousands of pounds to learn new skills - whether it be a
college
course, evening class or book or correspondence
course. Why shouldn't they be interested in learning
one of
your
skills - and paying you to teach them!
Quite
simply, people will always pay to obtain new skills -
and
new knowledge. So many successful
businesses are based
on
that principle. Teach others something
you already know
as
a course and you can be well paid for doing it.
Proof
that
you don't need experience or sophisticated business
skills
to run a successful business. What you
already know
can
make you money!
What
Course Can You Offer?
From
the start you should choose just one skill you can offer
as
a course. Though, maybe in the future
you can offer a
full
range. No matter how you look at it you
do have
something
others want to know!
The
skill should be something fairly popular.
Maybe
something
others do already - but want to do better.
It
should
have taken you some years to pick up.
Ideally, it
should
be something straightforward, the simpler the better,
so
your course can appeal to everyone.
The
skill you select does not need to be highly technical.
And,
it doesn't need to be something you are qualified in -
unless
you must be qualified by law to teach it.
It should
have
a minimum requirement for equipment. The
lower the cost
of
equipment etc - the more your students can pay you!
In
the first place consider how you could teach other people
your
job - no matter what it is - or how trivial you might
think
it. For example, a garage mechanic might
teach car
maintenance
- a typing could teach typing - a shop assistant
could
teach sales techniques. Whatever it is
someone else
wants
to learn it. Just be sure you aren't
spoiling your
future
job prospects by teaching it!
If
a job isn't appropriate then look to interests or a hobby.
This
could be anything - sports, crafts, cookery, bird
watching
- you name it, it could be a course. In
fact,
interests
are often a better course subject.
People will pay
more
to enjoy themselves.
Unless
you're a person with very limited interests then you
might
need to draw up a shortlist. All other
things being
equal
choose the course idea that looks most interesting,
since
that will be the easiest to sell. If a
course on that
subject
already exists then it could be an even better idea.
It
shows demand exists!
Producing
a Prospectus
When
you have decided which skill you are going to teach then
you
will need to draw up some sort of schedule.
Decide just
what
you are going to teach - and how.
Produce
a fairly comprehensive list. Apart from
organising
your
thoughts this list can also be published as a prospectus
- a
good way of interesting potential students.
Exactly
what your course consists of will very much depend on
the
subject. However, one good tip is to
divide it up into
'units'. Your course can be made up of a number of
sessions.
At
each you teach a new aspect of the subject which is quite
independent
from the others. This makes your course
easy to
organise
- and easy, and enjoyable, to undertake.
For
example, if teaching car maintenance, your first few
units
might be:
-
History and Principles of the Car
- A
Look Inside the Engine
-
Your Gearbox and Clutch
-
The Braking System
-
Auto Electrics
-
Repairing Body Damage
You
can really just add as much (or as little) as you like to
make
a suitable course. In most subjects even
just the
basics
can make an excellent and very valuable course.
When
you have decided on your major units you should decide
on
the content of each. Just what are you
going to say and
do
at each stage of the course. You might
just give a talk
or
lecture - so why not write the script, or notes for it.
Or,
you might include practical work. A visiting
speaker
would
be a good idea - or how about a film showing?
You
could
also locate text books, or write notes that could be
given
to students to help them learn the subject in question.
The
exact format of the subject is up to you - and what you
think
needs to be said about the subject.
Then, try to make
the
course content as enjoyable, even exciting, as it can
possibly
be. Unless the subject is of a strongly
vocational
nature
it should not be at all academic. Don't
make it like
going
back to school for your attendees!
It
is worth taking considerable time in the planning and
devising
of your course. Once it has been
organised you can
teach
the self same course over and over again - and be paid
for
it each time!
Arranging
the Details
Once
you have decided on a good course content then there are
quite
a few 'mechanics' to be undertaken in order to get that
course
to your students and get paid for it.
In
the early stages you should decide how the course will run
-
closely connected with its length. The
course you offer
might
be an evening class, running once a week for 3-4
months. Or, it might run over a weekend. Your course might
comprise
just 1 full day session. The format and
length is
really
up to you. But, you will need to decide
this in
conjunction
with the fact it will need to be outside of
working
hours.
Secondly,
a venue must be decided on. This will
very much
depend
on the type of course and the expected number of
students. It may be possible to hold some discreet
courses
in
the home. Others could be held in a
local hotel suite. A
popular
venue for courses is a local school or village hall.
This
is especially true where certain facilities are needed.
Contact
the owners of suitable premises in advance to
determine
cost and make booking arrangements. Also
arrange
to
use any facilities that may be needed, e.g. AV equipment
etc.
Decide
at this stage how many people your course will accept.
This
needs to be decided in conjunction with the price you
charge. For most courses you should plan on earning
œ40-50
per
hour clear. On top of this you must add
costs of
preparing,
supplying and advertising the course.
Most
courses
will do best with around 10-25 students.
So, your
price
will be very much dictated by this. One
tip is to
avoid
offering courses too cheaply - high quality ones are
better
even if they are more expensive. A
course of half a
dozen
evening classes might well cost œ50 or so per student -
and
will be well supported at that!
At
the planning stages you should also find out if any
licences
or consent are needed to teach that subject - and
obtain
them. Sometimes the owners of the
premises you use
might
have certain restrictions. Another
requirement might
be
insurance to protect students - especially in a practical
or
sporting course. Be sure to allow for
the cost of this.
It
is always advisable to plan just how much as you can in
advance. This will make your course run smoothly and
generate
many requests for repeat sessions. This
will also
relieve
much of the pressure at the time of the course,
leaving
you free to teach your best.
Sell
Your Course!
The
best way to go about getting money from your skill is to
think
of your course as a product. Sell it
professionally!
Having
said this, there is little doubt that people want to
obtain
new skills and knowledge - and the right sort of
course
can be in very heavy demand.
Write
up and have printed some smart looking sales
literature. This should explain the benefits and
attractions
of
the course. And, it should include a
prospectus of the
content. Also give full details of when and where it
will be
held,
for how many sessions - and the total cost.
People
need
to know all the details in order to undertake the course
with
confidence.
Be
sure to include in your literature a reply form - ideally
with
a reply paid envelope. This can really
get the bookings
in
fast.
Decide
in advance whether you will ask for payments in
advance
- or collect them at each class. Advance
payments
can
be discouraging - and some students might miss some
classes. So, a good balance might be to collect what
you are
owed
at the first class meeting.
Give
tickets to all those who book - and, a list of what
materials,
equipment, tools, clothes, etc they should bring.
If
you are in the fortunate position of being over-booked why
not
arrange a second (or third) class?
Where
and how you advertise depends very much on the type of
course
in question. However, local and regional
newspapers
are
good places to advertise most popular types.
A few
classes
can be booked direct from your ad.
However, for
others
enquirers can be sent your sales literature - and be
better
persuaded into making a booking.
Try
to think of other more novel and interesting ways of
advertising. For example, you might be able to leave your
sales
literature in the local libraries, community centres,
clubs
or shops. Consider mailing some of it to
schools,
colleges,
businesses or other interest groups. For
some
popular
courses door to door leaflets can be successful.
It
very much depends on the amount and type of advertising
you
will need to do. Some courses will need
very little.
Others
will need a bit more. However, once they
become
known word of mouth and recommendations will be very
valuable. Then, you can just keep teaching the same
course
over
and over again - for more and more money each time!
Advertise
professionally though and you will always attract
more
interest.
Conducting
the Course
One
of the advantages of this business is that, if a course
is
poorly supported, you can alter or even cancel it with
very
little loss. Hopefully though, this will
not be the
case
and you will be able to look forward to teaching a full
class.
When
the time of the course does come round it can be the
easiest
part of your work. No formal teaching
background is
required. In fact, you should aim to make the course as
informal
and relaxed as possible. People will
normally
attend
to enjoy themselves - so that is what you must give.
A
good course should certainly be nothing like a school!
The
most basic type of class can be quite successful with you
just
giving a talk on the subject in question.
Be very
natural
and just tell what you know. It doesn't
have to be
technical
or complex to be enjoyable. If you can
make this
more
interesting with visual aids, a film etc, then so much
the
better. A good teaching tip is to hold
'questions and
answers'
sessions.
Few
classes will involve any sort of academic or written
work. But, one top for boosting attendance and
popularity of
the
class is to give some sort of exam at the end of the
course. Issue your own diploma to certify that each
passing
student
has attained a certain standard in the subject.
Sure
to
be very popular!
Perhaps
the overall tip is never to take your course too
formally. If you've got experience - a skill etc.
people
love
to hear about it - jokes and funny stories and
all. Often the more personal and natural the
subject the
better! Whether you praise the joys of flower
arranging - or
how
to rustproof a car - other people will pay to learn your
skills!
Plenty
of Scope
Needless
to say education of this type offers some of the
best
scope for a large business. Education is
not only a
matter
for schools and colleges - it can also be very big
business. From just one small course you can go on to
build
a
considerable 'evening class' or 'weekend course university'
of
sorts.
Once
you are advertising and selling your course you can
advertise
dozens. So, it will pay to contact
experts in
other
subjects and get them to hold courses on a small
commission
fee. You keep the rest of the
profits. The great
thing
here is that many people will sign up for several
courses!
An
interesting business alternative is to see if appropriate
local
business would be interested in paying you to lecture
their
employees. Or, a local school, college
or university
might
be interested in adopting your course.
Either way,
there
rests considerable potential to enter a very well paid
profession!
Always
remember, no matter who you are, you must have some
skills. No matter what they are, other people want to
learn
them. They'll gladly pay a lot for the chance!
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