How Do I Get More VIPKid Bookings?

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You just got hired. Your amped up, got props ready, and are super excited! You open as many slots as you can to get going on this exciting job! And… crickets… It happens. VIPKid Youtubers said they got a full schedule the second day? What gives?

VIPKid is an online ESL program that allows you to be in charge of your schedule! Make $16-$22 an hour teaching at home!

Timing makes a difference. I got hired RIGHT before Chinese New Years. This time of the year is notorious for fewer new students. Teachers who are pretty well established often see a dip in their bookings but still do pretty well. They have enough regulars to keep a good schedule. New hires, unfortunately, have a really hard time during this time. In February (my first month) I had a whopping total of 7 classes… for the whole month. I was so discouraged. My plan to make extra money for my family didn’t look like it was going to pan out. But I bunkered down and took the time to take some workshops, make my profile look great, and learn as much as I could so that when I got a student I could wow them and turn them into regulars!

Probably the best time to get hired is as school is starting. There is a huge boom is new students and students coming back from being on a break. 

There are a lot of important things to consider when trying to fill your VIPkid schedule. There are two parts to building up your schedule.

1. Getting new students
2. Retaining students and getting regulars.
   

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Getting new students

If you have just started this is your main focus. This can be a really difficult stage to be in when you are wanting to get going and make money with this company. Do not feel discouraged! The bookings will come! It might take some time. Some people time it just right and somehow get full schedules right out of the gate! You might see Youtube videos where they say that this happened to them. This is not actually the norm, so do not feel like a failure if it takes some time to even get your first class.

There are some things to do to help bring in those bookings. It will still take a couple of months but keep at it!

Opening the best slots

On your schedule, you see the available times to open up for classes. You will see some are marked “HOT” and some are marked “HOT” with a flame next to it. If you are in the app, these are marked “Peak” and “PPT.” These are the peak times and peak peak times to open up. What this means is that these times are the most desirable and most likely to get filled.

As a new hire, you want to fill as many of these slots that you possibly can. It might mean having a different schedule than what you hope to eventually have for a while.

Checking the 24-hour box

New students often book their trial classes for within 24 hours. Parents get a free trial to decide if they want to sign up. This is where you want to bring them in! They could love their trial class and book you forever!

You want to have the little check on the slot that says 24hr marked. This means that a parent can book you within 24 hours (up to an hour before). Since you are a new teacher, many of your students will be trial students. You want to be available!

Make your profile attractive

The parents see a list of thousands of teachers to choose from. Set yourself apart somehow! In your profile, you are supposed to have one professional picture that shows as your main picture. You are then supposed to have two additional pictures to show who you are. This is where you try to get them to pick you. Have kids? Include them in your picture to show how great you are with kids! Have you been to China? Post a picture of you on the Great Wall to show how culturally rounded you are! Maybe a picture of you teaching in your brick and mortar school if you are a teacher.

Profile Video

You are also expected to make a short video to show who you are. Parents will use this to see your style of speech, if you are energetic or mild, serious or silly, what type of rewards do you have, etc. Do you use music? Show this in your video! Do you have silly hats or headbands that you will be using in class? Wear them!

I use digital effects in my class, so I showcase this in my video. You want to make your video show what they will experience with you. If you are not going to be using digital effects in class, then don’t include this in your video.

Make sure to introduce yourself, show that you are excited to teach them. Get them excited to learn from you! Do not think that you need to be something you are not. Not every parent wants a silly teacher! Some are looking for a calm, mild-mannered teacher. Be yourself.

I like to change my video every so often. This helps me gain the attention of new students as well as gives me an opportunity to show off any seasonal rewards or backgrounds that I am using. You can see in this video, I have a fall background. Around different holidays, I might show a reward that is related to that holiday.

Whatever you do in your profile video, make sure it makes parents and students want to see more!

Pull a couple all-nighters

This is one of the most popular strategies. A lot of people that are trying to get new students will take a Friday or Saturday night, when the peak times are ALL night (because there’s no school!) and open every slot as 24 hr. I have heard a lot of people say that this was how they initially got students that then became regulars.

After a student likes you, they will look for your open times and book them (no need to always do all-nighters unless those are the hours you want to do).

I was never able to do this with the way that my husband’s and my schedule are. He works on the weekends so I have the kids by myself. I wouldn’t be able to sleep all day after pulling an all-nighter.

Now that you have some bookings, MAKE THEM COME BACK!

Stick out!

What are you good at? If you are crafty, maybe it’s creative rewards and props that will set you apart. Personally, I am very good with technology. I am not crafty. I also don’t like having a lot of excess toys and props in my work area. I wouldn’t be able to find what I needed even if I had them! I use special effects, green screen, and gifs to wow and engage my students.

(If you are interested in learning how to do use digital rewards and props, I would love to teach you! Email me at meagan@purposefulmommy.com)

Give great feedback

Feedback is really important in building regulars. After every lesson you are expected to write a short piece of feedback for the parents to read. I try to talk about more than just how the student did in the lesson but also the things we talked about that weren’t part of the lesson and what I enjoyed learning about them.

There is a really awesome teacher, Ed Nace, who lived in China and knows a lot about the culture, has been helping teachers understand their feedback given by parents AND how to write effective feedback that will translate well.

He recently wrote a book and has it available online for teachers who want to increase their bookings by giving great feedback.

Buy his book at his website HERE!

You can also check out the Facebook Group that he started, VIPKID Chinese - Say What??

It has grown a lot since it was first started. Now there are multiple moderators and translators to help teachers understand the feedback they receive or give insight.

Personalized Rewards

Since I am digital with my props and rewards, my possibilities are endless. Since I’m not buying actual things I don’t have to limit my options.

If a student says they LOVE minions I can either make a minion reward or find some online game and use it! I always try to jot SOMETHING down that they say they like.

Even if it’s as simple as dogs. If they book me again, I make sure to show that I remembered. The parents appreciate the thoughtfulness of you remembering the child’s interest and incorporating it into the lesson.

You are by no means expected to have special customized rewards for every single student. This would be exhausting (especially if you’re making them!).

But have some different rewards on hand that you can choose from. Take notes on which students like different things.

You could have a “Draw a ____” reward. Use your whiteboard and have the students follow the steps to draw the special reward that is just for them!

Build Rapport

All of these tips really don’t matter if you are not connecting with the student. Try to connect somehow! There are many students who need a lot of extension in the lessons. This is the place to build rapport with them. Ask related questions. If the target vocabulary is “play,” try to learn what they like to play. Laugh with them. Dance with them. Make them excited to book another class with you!

As you can see in this feedback I received from a parent, the extensions were what really made them want to come back!

All of these tips really don’t matter if you are not connecting with the student. Try to connect somehow! There are many students who need a lot of extension in the lessons. This is the place to build rapport with them. Ask related questions. If the target vocabulary is “play,” try to learn what they like to play. Laugh with them. Dance with them. Make them excited to book another class with you!

Don’t Give Up

It can be really discouraging if you feel like you just aren’t getting the bookings that you want. Keep at it! Most teachers take a couple of months to really get in the swing of things. Once you have found your style and start seeing students again and again, it becomes easier to build a connection.

Want more tips and advice? Feel free to contact me at meagan@purposefulmommy.com, or sign up for my email list to get more updates!

If you haven’t applied yet and would like to, CLICK HERE to apply with me as your mentor or use the code MEAGA0028 when you are applying! I would love to help you through the hiring process!

Already applied, but are wishing you had a mentor for your interview? Add my referral code to your account by logging in. Go to “My Account” and click “add referral code.” This will allow you to enter the code (MEAGA0028). (Note: you can only add a referral code before you complete the demo phase of the hiring process.)

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