#40: To Specialise or Not: Choosing the Right Focus for Your Tutoring Business

In this episode of Classroom to Business, Kirsty Gibbs, a business coach for educators, explores the benefits and challenges of specializing versus diversifying in a tutoring business. Gibbs argues that specialization, or niching down, can establish expert status, allow for targeted marketing, and streamline resources, ultimately attracting clients seeking specific expertise. She acknowledges potential drawbacks such as a limited client base but suggests strategies for expanding reach. Conversely, diversification can appeal to a broader audience but may dilute expertise and marketing efforts. Gibbs advises tutors to leverage their passions and expertise—what she calls their superpower—focusing on that niche for business growth, with the possibility of expanding services later. She also announces a free mini-course for tutoring business owners seeking to increase profits and achieve more business flexibility.

• The podcast is designed to help teachers transition from teaching to becoming successful businesswomen.
• The goal is to achieve financial freedom and lifestyle flexibility.
• Kirsty Gibbs, a business coach and mentor, is the host and provides guidance for educators.
• The podcast aims to help teachers grow their businesses, break down barriers to success, and replace their teaching salary without increasing work hours.
• Emphasis on finding freedom and enjoying work by being one's own boss.

"Welcome to classroom to business, the podcast designed specifically for teachers working to become successful businesswomen and creating financial freedom and lifestyle flexibility."

This quote introduces the podcast's target audience and its purpose, which is to guide teachers towards successful entrepreneurship and a flexible lifestyle.

• Specialization, or niching down, involves focusing on one subject area or a specific set of skills.
• It's about channeling passion and energy into a particular expertise area.
• Benefits include creating expert status and becoming recognized in a specific field.
• Specialization can lead to attracting students who seek the best guidance available.

"So firstly, we want to understand specialization. You'll also hear me talking about this as niching down or using your superpowers, but basically it means focusing on one subject area or a specific set of skills that you have."

This quote defines specialization and niching down, emphasizing the importance of concentrating on a particular skill set or subject area in the tutoring business.

• By focusing on one area, tutors can become experts, similar to how medical specialists provide quicker and more targeted solutions than general practitioners.
• Specialization allows tutors to be the "specialist" for families seeking specific educational support.
• Expert status in a niche attracts students and families looking for the best support in that area.

"So by niching down by having a specialization in your business, you are becoming the specialist for your families."

This quote explains how specialization in tutoring can position the tutor as an expert, similar to how a medical specialist is perceived in healthcare.

• Niching down simplifies marketing efforts by allowing for focused and tailored messaging to a specific audience.
• A clear specialty avoids the pitfall of being too broad and not capturing anyone's attention.
• Specialization in marketing makes it easier and more effective to connect with and attract the desired clientele.

"When we niche down, it's easier for you to market your services when you have a clear specialty. So your marketing efforts can be more focused and your messaging can be tailored to specific, to a specific audience."

This quote highlights the advantages of targeted marketing as a result of specialization, which leads to more efficient and impactful marketing strategies.

• Specializing allows for concentration on a single area, leading to more efficient use of resources.
• Specialization means investing in only one set of resources, professional development (PD), and planning.
• Teachers often accumulate excessive PD and resources; specialization can help reduce this.

"So having that specialty means that you just are concentrating on one thing, which means one lot of resources, one lot of PD, one lot of planning and less money invested."

• This quote emphasizes the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of specializing in one area, reducing the need for multiple sets of resources.

"Know that the knowledge that you have already is enough."

• The speaker encourages confidence in one's existing knowledge base, suggesting that accumulating more resources isn't always necessary.

• A potential challenge of specialization is a limited client base.
• Niching down might result in a narrower market, which can be a drawback in small communities or with niche subjects.
• Success in a small niche requires creative marketing and thinking outside the box.

"So these are a couple of the challenges that people will say, but what about this? So the first one is a limited client base."

• This quote introduces the challenges associated with having a specialized focus, particularly the concern of a smaller potential market.

"Just because you've got a small niche, I believe, does not mean that you can't still be successful."

• The speaker expresses optimism about succeeding in a small niche by utilizing different strategies and resources to expand market reach.

• Even with a small niche, there are ways to succeed and reach a larger market.
• Suggestions include exploring different communities, delivery mediums, and upselling with various resources or products.
• Markets for subjects like reading, spelling, maths, and high school science are large and can be tapped into internationally.

"So the pond, I guess, is as big as you're willing to allow it to go just because you've niched down."

• The quote implies that the size of the market is not strictly limited by the niche but can be expanded through willingness and effort.

• Diversification, or offering multiple subjects, has the benefit of appealing to a broader market.
• This can be especially beneficial in areas with fewer students or in rural communities.
• Diversifying delivery methods and reaching out online can attract more students.

"Some of the benefits that people talk about are the broader market appeal, which is obviously the opposite to what we were just saying."

• This quote contrasts the broader market appeal of diversification with the narrower focus of specialization.

"However, like I said, if you've got a niche, something that you are specialized in, people will travel to you and you can offer your services online."

• The speaker acknowledges that even with a niche, one can attract a wider audience by being accessible online and offering specialized expertise that draws clients.

• Diversifying subjects could potentially lead to more students and increased income.
• The speaker does not fully agree with this notion, suggesting that it may not always be the case.

"More subjects can mean more students and potentially more income."

• This quote presents the idea that teaching a variety of subjects could attract more students and increase earning potential.

"However, I don't necessarily agree..."

• Although the transcript cuts off, this quote indicates that the speaker may have reservations about the assumption that diversification automatically leads to more income.

• Specializing in a particular area makes you more attractive to clients seeking specific expertise.
• Parents looking for tutors often prefer specialists over generalists for their children's needs.
• Specialization can lead to being perceived as an expert, which can increase business growth and attract the right clients.
• Niching down helps in marketing and establishing oneself as the go-to person in a particular field or for a specific teaching approach.

"When you are positioning yourself as that expert, you attract people who are specifically looking for what you're looking for."

• This quote emphasizes the importance of positioning oneself as an expert in a specific field to attract clients who require that particular expertise.

"Choose a niche to narrow down to so that as a parent you're telling me exactly who you are and what it is that my child is going to get from you."

• The quote suggests that by choosing a specific niche, a tutor can clearly communicate their expertise and what they can offer to a child, which is more appealing to parents.

"I personally am going to be going for the high school tutor because not only are they going to know much more about the content that's being taught... but I feel like they're going to get my kid because they're in high school."

• This quote highlights a parent's preference for a tutor who specializes in the specific educational level of their child, as they believe a specialist will have a deeper understanding of the content and be able to relate better to their child.

• Being too broad in the offered services can lead to doubts about a tutor's ability to teach effectively across all grade levels.
• Specializing ensures that a tutor is perceived as credible and knowledgeable in their chosen field.
• Parents may question the validity and honesty of a tutor who claims to teach a wide range of levels effectively.

"I might start to doubt the validity and your honesty. And I might start to think that maybe you are saying things that aren't, you know, you aren't actually capable of."

• This quote reflects the skepticism that can arise when a tutor offers services that are too broad, leading to doubts about their capability and honesty.

"It doesn't mean that you don't know how to do the maths. It means that you might not know how to teach them effectively."

• The quote distinguishes between knowing a subject and being able to teach it effectively, implying that specialization can enhance teaching effectiveness.

• Focusing on a niche, especially in the initial stages, can lead to quicker and more effective business momentum.
• Becoming specialized can make a tutor the preferred choice in their locality for a certain subject or teaching style.
• Specialization can be based on subject matter, year level, teaching approach, or a specific program.

"Those who niche down, especially in the beginning, always seem to get quicker and more effective momentum in their business, which means more growth."

• This quote suggests that tutors who specialize early on in their business tend to experience faster and more significant growth.

"Even using sounds right, for example, if somebody is trained and sounds right and that's a thing that they promote that spreads like wildfire amongst the families, amongst the speechies."

• The quote illustrates how a specialized skill or certification can quickly become well-known and sought after within a community.

• Tutors should avoid offering services in areas they dislike, as it goes against the purpose of creating a flexible and enjoyable business.
• Collaboration or referral agreements with other specialists can be an alternative to expanding services without compromising personal preferences.

"If you hate it, please don't do it. You're here creating a business so that you've got the flexibility and freedom."

• This quote advises against offering services in areas the tutor dislikes, emphasizing the importance of enjoying one's business and maintaining flexibility.

"Other options that you have are bringing somebody else in to do that or collaborating with somebody who has a math business and setting up some sort of affiliate agreement where you are getting commission for sending people their way and vice versa."

• The quote offers solutions for expanding business services through collaboration or referral agreements, rather than personally providing services in disliked areas.

• Identifying a niche in tutoring can lead to specialization in a specific area, which may be beneficial for business.
• It is suggested to avoid diluting focus by offering too many services, especially if not an expert in those areas.
• Hiring staff members who specialize in areas outside one's expertise can help expand services without losing focus.

"When that happens and you've got your specific niche, somebody your parent says oh, can we do some maths as well? If you don't feel comfortable, if you don't want to do that, bringing a staff member on who specializes in that area is usually the easiest way to manage that."

• The quote advises on how to handle requests for tutoring services outside one's niche by suggesting hiring specialized staff.

• Before heavily promoting additional services, it is recommended to build a solid base within the market and area of expertise.
• A strong reputation in a specific area can pave the way for introducing new services to the market.

"You probably won't even do a lot of promotion on it until you've got a really solid base within the market and within your area so that people know who you are and now they can see this is another thing that you offer as well."

• The quote emphasizes the importance of establishing a strong market presence in a specific niche before promoting new services.

• Tutors should consider the demands and needs of students in their area when deciding on services to offer.
• Offering services in underserved subjects or programs in which the tutor is trained and passionate about can be advantageous.
• Specializing in a few programs or approaches can enhance a tutor's reputation for expertise in those areas.

"What do students in your area want that you can offer them? Are there certain subjects that maybe are underserved that you love or you are passionate about?"

• This quote encourages tutors to align their services with both their passions and the market needs in their area.

• Tutors are encouraged to identify their superpower, which is a combination of their passion and expertise.
• Focusing on a niche and becoming an expert in it can be more effective than offering a wide range of services.
• Tutors should not feel obligated to offer tutoring in areas where they are not comfortable or interested.

"Figure out what your passion is, what you are an expert at. That is your superpower, okay? The age of the kids as well, all of that rolled in. That becomes your superpower and your niche."

• The quote advises tutors to focus on their unique strengths and interests to define their niche and superpower in the tutoring market.

• Tutors are encouraged to focus on their strengths first and consider expanding or pivoting services later as new opportunities arise.
• The speaker mentions a free mini course designed to help tutoring businesses increase profits and achieve more flexibility.
• The mini course will provide a framework to move the business forward and includes opportunities for questions and interaction.

"Focus on your superpower and grow that first. Then if other opportunities come up down the track, then you can start to look into those."

• The quote suggests a growth strategy focused on leveraging one's strengths before considering expansion into other areas.

• The speaker acknowledges that there is no one-size-fits-all answer to business strategies.
• Emphasizes the importance of assessing one's business individually based on research and personal experience.
• The upcoming mini course is presented as a resource for tutoring business owners looking for personalized strategies to improve their business.

"There is no one size fits all answer to anything that we talk about. However, from all of the research that I've done that work with my clients, myself included, this is what I've found most effective."

• This quote highlights the individualized nature of business strategies and the importance of tailoring advice to specific business needs.

• The speaker encourages listeners to leave a review and subscribe to the podcast for updates.
• There is an invitation to learn more about the speaker's work through the website and show notes.

"If you enjoyed this episode today I would absolutely love for you to leave a review. It only takes a minute and if you haven't yet subscribed, make sure you do to ensure that you never miss an episode."

• The quote is a call to action for listeners to engage with the podcast by leaving reviews and subscribing for future updates.