Years ago, I got a new student named David.
In terms of his value as a customer, he got off to a good start by asking for lessons twice a week and rarely cancelling.
And then his value started to rise.
First, he introduced me to his colleague, Jan.
Jan started taking lessons right after David. And block lessons are some of the most valuable you can get because of all the travel time you save.
Then Jan introduced me to his colleague, Petra, who introduced me to her colleague, Lenka.
Then one day I got an email from Barbora, whom I had never met but who knew David, and who wanted to buy English lessons for her daughter…
I kept all those students for years.
Adding up the monthly total from their combined hours, it’s safe to say they were paying for my rent, plus my ticket to the US every Christmas, with probably some crowns left over for a few dozen beers.
Just from meeting one student…
My point is, there are two ways of seeing the value of a student.
- How much does he/she give you an hour?
- How much will you make from knowing him/her over the course of your teaching career?
The first, thinking of a student in terms of 300kc, 400kc or 500kc an hour, is limiting.
But the second, looking at one student in terms of his / her lifetime value, gives you a clearer, more complete picture.
And when you know a student’s true value, it improves your value as a teacher.
You now see how important it is to fill your profile with reviews so you can attract valuable students…
You see how important it is to reply right away to that first email so you, and not some other teacher, gets that first meeting.
And you see how important it is to show up on time, dress well, be prepared, be in a good mood, be positive, and over-deliver…
So you can keep your students for years…
And be the teacher they enthusiastically recommend to all their friends and colleagues.
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