Like most things in life, there is never a perfect time to start something, so it’s best not to wait for one. It’s unlikely that all the "traffic lights" between home and your destination will ever be green at the same time.
The biggest surge usually happens when schools reopen for the new academic year. Over the summer, parents have been distracted, but as autumn approaches, they start thinking, "I need to do something about that..."
Other surges occur when schools release reports or hold parents’ evenings, and again when older students prepare for mock exams. There may be smaller bursts of interest in between, but these are the key waves to watch for.
It’s commonly suggested in marketing that people need to know, like, and trust you before they are likely to buy from you. There’s also the idea that people need to hear your name about seven times before they even begin to recognise or remember you.
With this in mind, it’s crucial to start building awareness early, before the surges by offering value—advice and support—before parents are actively searching for tutoring. Alex Hormozi suggests that the best strategy is to “give, give, give, and people will ask.” In other words, provide valuable information and assistance, rather than constantly pushing for a sale.
When I started doing due diligence for the Clara James Tutoring franchise, I was lucky enough to shadow a franchisee from another tutoring business. Their approach was to get the family to commit to tutoring and sign a contract, then offer advice and support. I would strongly recommend doing the opposite.
By offering support and advice upfront, you’ll find it much easier to encourage families to sign up—they’ll already understand and appreciate the level of help they’ll receive from you.