PlayerD
- 2015-03-03
Hi Punisher, that sounds like some good advice. I have little trouble getting students from the local area, but I would like to extend my client list to those coming to Manchester to study ESL from overseas. Could to recommend some good agents who are honest and actually know that the hell they are doing? Thanks a lot,
PlayerD
Punisher
- 2015-03-02
Your wrong. It's neither SB nor that Tournoi, it's me, [edited]
Somebody
- 2015-03-01
"donkey work"
Okay, I stand corrected. Punisher isn't Turnoi, it's the SB, Silverboy.
Training center owner
- 2015-03-01
Actually John's advice is better if your target customers are wealthy families from emerging economies, no kidding.
San Migs
- 2015-02-28
corr blimey they look a friendly bunch don't they? I'd imagine they are treating you better than your fellow townsfolk back home even!!!
When you do get back, watch this clip from north china somewhere, priceless, but overall they seem very nice folks. How many in the UK would invite a stranger in off the streets for a bit of home made grub??? food for thought eh????
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgugWED16PQ
Punisher
- 2015-02-27
I will not give further advice than this because I believe it is the OP's job to find out for himself, and since it is his business, he should do all the donkey work to get started by himself.
Fifi
- 2015-02-27
Punisher is right in my opinion. You might want to have a look at the "Schools Looking for Agents" board on this site (link below)
Punisher
- 2015-02-27
Those school are working with agents from all over the world who recommend these schools for a provision paid to them by the school when new students sent by those agents sign up.
If your business is a new one, you should consider this agent option for a later point of time. If I were you, I would give priorit to getting started by begionning with a smaller groups of students receuited from your local community or recruited by ads that you can place online or in print media.
PlayerD
- 2015-02-27
Hi, thanks. That is all good advice, but how do the students know that the school exists? I have visited schools around the UK and other countries and they have students from all over the world. How did these students find out about the school in the first place? Do you think I should approach an agent? Take Manchester Academy of English for example. This school has students from Japan, Brazil, Spain, Germany, China, Taiwan, India and Lord knows how many other countries. How did these students from all of these various countries find out about the school?
Thanks.
San Migs
- 2015-02-27
Just get some ratboy from a council estate, give his tobacco stained teeth a really good brushing, give him a bath, put him in a suit and tie and then the parents will be convinced that your school is the real deal.
Just what have you got against people from council estates? ALso, I have never EVER heard any englishman use the term "ratboy". I will go and google that one right now,then I might be able to figure out if you are a irishman or a plastic scouser. I suspect the latter!!!!
: yu2fa3
- 2015-02-27
"Promise the moon on a stick"hahaha" That was about as bad a post ever,mate,what with the DIY expressions, the bleeding obvious,the same sort of bitter and twisted rhetoric that you laundered over and over again,haha only joking...bur on the bright side see our caterers in action.
Fifi
- 2015-02-27
John, I usually don't agree with your posts but this one is a MASTERPIECE!!
John O’ Shei
- 2015-02-27
How do these schools attract so many students from all over the world to study at their establishment??
When it comes to attracting international students from newly minted families in emerging economies, I'd say the following:
1. Fake affiliation with Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard etc - Parents from developing countries and rich from corruption money, think that they deserve prestige. Claim that you're linked to a famous university and they'll lap that shit up, even if it is really just a slightly posh kindergarten that you are operating. It's all about branding.
2. A cringeworthy fake coat of arms - Sure, you've only been open two weeks, but a not so authentic coat of arms screams 'prestige' and 'history' to those idiots that are too stupid to know any better.
3. White people - Never, ever employ a black or Asian guy that is well qualified to teach, that only gives the nouveau riche tuhao or Arabs the impression that you don't employ real Englishmen. Just get some ratboy from a council estate, give his tobacco stained teeth a really good brushing, give him a bath, put him in a suit and tie and then the parents will be convinced that your school is the real deal.
4. Promise the moon on a stick - Half of your potential customers are rich people from developing countries that obtained their money is a very questionable manner, as I mentioned, before. They see their children as an escape plan, a way to get their dirty money out of their country, a way to get a foreign passport and run away to safety. Guarantee that you will get them into a foreign university through whatever means possible.
5. Make poorer clients mortgage their house, sell their daughter to become a sex slave - If your school isn't too expensive, then they'll obviously believe that it isn't too good, right? Some people will do anything for their children's education, take advantage!
Punisher
- 2015-02-26
You can read a lot of negative stories about ESl "schools" in China and how they turn out to be a scam operations there.
I suggest that on the basis of that information you first analyse well what you want to do, even if you operate in a Western setting. These type of "schools" can also be found in the West.
Other things to consider:
1) location, rent of roons, how mucb it takes you to pay for all that - that's a basic business plan.
2) Define the contents of the courses you want to offer for which target audience. See what the other ciompetitors offer and try to include something they don't have if there is a market for it.
3) Also look at their fees nd business terms and conditions. Can you perhaps offer better ones?
4) Does Manchester have a larger immingratiion commiunity where ESL is needed? If so, you could produce some flyers and distribute them in coffee shoips and similar places or ciommunity centres where these people meet.
5) Then, think about your own website with your own domaim.
6) I basically believe education should be free for everybody. If your operation is a business, you cannot afford to offer anything for free but to show that you are a good guy, you could perhaps offer special reduced rates for those in need. It will have a positive marketing effect.
Jusr some ideas. Other posters may add some more.
I am planning on opening my own ESL school and am confused about how I get students. How do foreign students learn about which language school to attend? I plan on opening in Manchester, England and there are already about four schools that I know of in the city. How do these schools attract so many students from all over the world to study at their establishment??
Any help or ideas would be appreciated.