Online Tutor Guide – How to Start

March came in like a lion here. We’re having some major flooding and now it decides to snow. We’re supposed to get half a foot before it is all said and done. The road into and out of where we live is covered with water. This is one of the reasons I keep telling you about online tutoring. It doesn’t matter what the weather is, you can still tutor. Even if you just use it as a back up for your current tutoring, it doesn’t take much time, money or effort to get it started. Today we’re going to be talking about some key parts to get started, then over the next few issues of our newsletter we’ll be talking about how to tutor with it.

We’ll include a few step by step videos next time, but you won’t need to view any for todays issue.

Business reminder – Daylight Saving Time (United States) 2015 begins at 2:00 AM on Sunday, March 8

So Saturday night don’t forget to Spring forward and change the batteries in your smoke detectors.

Next issues will be March 19th .

Tutoring Online Setup –

Payments –

You’ll want to be able to get money for teaching someone a skill. The easiest way I’ve found is by using Paypal. I like to use subscriptions with paypal and also like to be able to charge a credit card manually. If you want to use that you’ll be charged a $30 / fee.

Some details about the different paypal accounts –

https://www.paypal.com/webapps/mpp/compare-business-products

What to Charge?

It depends on what you’re wanting to do for your student. If you’re just using it as a back up system. When you get the client, or if they are a current client then explain to them in one of your tutor meetings. You’ll tell them that in cases of inclement weather, you will be tutoring them online. Show them everything they need to get it setup and then just charge them as you normally would.

No matter how long you’ve been in business you should always, research your competitors, test pricing (both increases and decreases), watch the industry you’re in, speak to other people that tutor the same subject you do. Remember what you’re doing is valuable.

If you do plan on doing tutor only students online, charge something similar to what you’re charging people that you visit or that come to you. Charge a little less (since your cost will be going down) but not too much.

A good way to start is to think about how valuable your time is. How much do you want to make, how many hours can you work, divide that and you have a number. You’ll need to be realistic.

Electronics you’ll need

If you use a laptop that has a camera built in, then you’re ready. Although sometimes it can be difficult to point the camera where you want it.

A webcam, especially if you’re tutoring something that people need to watch you do. A good place to shop for cameras is here.

I’ve used this camera for years. It includes a built in mic.

A microphone. Again they’ll want to hear you and you’ll want to hear your students too.

A good internet connection. It doesn’t have to be super high speed, but the faster the better for you.

Accounts you’ll want –

We’ll be teaching you how to use Google Hangouts, so you’ll want to make sure you have a Google account, then you’ll want to do a Google plus account and a youtube account. These are very easy to setup when you have your main account.

Stay warm and I hope you have a wonderful week.

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