IT Training Company advise required please

angieanguk

Hi - I have just setup a website offering Microsoft Office training and also basic computer skills training. I represented the UK in Orlando this year in Excel after winning the UK Final - I am also a Microsoft Master Instructor and MCP amongst other qualifications. I know I have the background to teach however it is advertising where I am coming unstuck. I placed an ad in the local paper to which I received just one response. Has anybody any ideas on how I can improve upon this? I work full time and would be looking to subsidise my income with this additional job evenings and weekends aiming at the home user market. The local paper when they ran the ad, created a new column heading in the classified section for me entitled "Computer Training" however I am reluctant to place another week long ad in case I do not get any response again. Any advise would be most welcome. Angela.

U've_been_framed

Approach local companies that you think could benefit from your skills. Show them what you have to offer - don't be backward in coming forward. Talk to their HR and/or their IT people and find out what they are looking for.
On a smaller scale, leave leaflets in computer shops, colleges, community centres, libraries etc. Try to picture your typical customer and aim at contacting them.
Good luck!

JulianF_2

How about doing a very basic website? It should be straightforward as you're only publicising your business and not doing any credit card transactions. It can be as big or small as you want!

You can get a free domain and hosting, together with a wysiwyg-type interface for creating your pages here - http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/officelive/default.aspx

angieanguk

JulianF wrote: »

How about doing a very basic website? It should be straightforward as you're only publicising your business and not doing any credit card transactions. It can be as big or small as you want!

You can get a free domain and hosting, together with a wysiwyg-type interface for creating your pages here - http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/officelive/default.aspx

Thanks - already have one up on the net - one of the web designers at work did me a really good one with full details of courses, prices etc - not getting the hits at the moment although the market I am targetting may not be too up on using the Internet but I thought it best to have a web presence.

BlondeHeadOn

Have you thought of offering your services to the local adult education/evening class network? They are often looking for people to teach the courses, and although it may not pay as well as running the courses yourself you save on the admin etc. - and it is a good way into a useful network that may have spin offs.

vivatifosi

BlondeHeadOn wrote: »

Have you thought of offering your services to the local adult education/evening class network? They are often looking for people to teach the courses, and although it may not pay as well as running the courses yourself you save on the admin etc. - and it is a good way into a useful network that may have spin offs.

I was going to make a similar point. My local Business Link offers free Excel training under their EU funding and I'm in quite a wealthy part of the country (well, not my street, but everything around it...). I'd contact them. If you can get in and on the preferred list of one they may be willing to refer you on to others.