In this article you’re going to learn how to write a headline for your teacher profile.
After your photo, it’s the second thing a student sees.
Write a good headline and you’ve got a chance of getting a click and a new student.
Write a bad headline and another teacher is going to get the click and the student.
Let’s learn how to do that…
(NOTE: Almost all of the below tips can be applied to the rest of your profile.)
Do
Talk About The Student
A few years ago I was looking for an accountant and had to read through a long list of online ads.
99% said a variation of ‘We’ve been in business since… We are the leading… We provide a range of…”Translation: ‘Me me me me.’
My reaction: Zzzzzzzz.
And then one ad jumped out. It said something like: “Tax forms are too complicate. If you don’t know what you’re doing you could make a mistake. And you don’t want to pay more than you have to.”
Translation: ‘You you you.’
My reaction: ‘Yes. Yes. And yes!”
Do
Tell The Students What They’ll Get
We all want to know what’s in it for us.
That’s Human Nature 101.
Start the conversation by telling your potential student what’s in it for him and you’ve got his attention.
This is called a benefit headline.
Examples benefit headlines:
- Pass the iELTS exam
- Speak Clearly, Correctly and Confidently
- Become a Pro at Presentations
- New Teacher Charges Lowest Prices To Get Experience
Do
Be A Specialist
Your elbow hurts after playing tennis.
You go to the drug store for some pills.
Do you buy the bottle that says “medicine” or the bottle that says “pain relief for sore elbows.”
You and a friend are in the mood for sushi.
You look down the street and see a sign that says “Sushi” and another sign that says “Sushi and Pizza.”
Which restaurant do you choose?
Always, the specialist wins.
But most businesses and freelancers choose not to specialize.
“I don’t want to exclude any potential customers,” is usually the reason I hear.
That makes sense.
However, the counter-intuitive opposite will make your life easier and make you more money.
The specialist always wins.
Examples Of Specialist Headlines
- I love kids!
- Learn Business English from a Real Businessman
- Published Writer Will Help You Improve Your Writing
And don’t worry that once you teach your student all you know about your specialty that he/she will be off to the next teacher.
What usually happens is, your student discovers another weak point, asks if you can help with that, and then you say (get ready to write this down) “Yes.”
Do
Differentiate
Have you noticed?
You’re not the only teacher on Teacher Creature.
Somehow, you’ve got to tell your potential student that you’re different, unique, special.
A benefit headline and / or a specialist headline will often do that.
Here are some other ideas.
- unique background (lived in 21 countries)
- prestigious university (Oxford, Harvard)
- turn a perceived disadvantage into an advantage (Czech gives simple grammar explanations you can immediately understand)
Do Not
State The Obvious
We know you’re a teacher.
We know where you’re from.
We even know your name.
How do we know this? (Hint: You’re on a site for teachers and your name and country of origin is right next to your photo.)
Think of it this way…
You’ve got seconds — maybe just one — to stop a fast-moving eyeball.
The job of your headline is to force that eyeball to stop.
Don’t waste that opportunity with stating the obvious or being redundant.
Leave a Reply