There is a hidden sales factor that most language schools seem to overlook: the lack of self-confidence in potential language students. This is something of great importance not just for the Language education industry, but impacts actually all buying decisions of all human beings.
One of the biggest reason why people end up not buying services and products is lack of self-confidence. It translates into this thought process: “Am I actually able to use this service and product successfully myself?”
Even if you are able to convey a modern image as a language service provider, even if you have a fast and easy-to-navigate website that adapts perfectly to tablets and smartphones, and show a great learning environment with the perfect travel location, likable staff and teachers and certified programs that will give students valid diplomas to further their career.
Those are important elements for sure.
But if you are not answering the little nagging voice in your customers head that constantly ask themselves if they are able to complete the language training and enforces the doubt that it is way too difficult to succeed…
If someone buys and installs an online learning app, this is actually not visible, because people will stop using those apps on their smartphones. Some buyers actually will never get started to use them in the first place and rather buy them “to feel good”. Over time they will be simply ignored and eventually uninstalled.
If you run a language school that wants to attract traveling language students to your location you need to, however, address those doubts. Is a potential student actually able to follow and complete the courses successfully?
Their alternative is simply booking a non-language-learning holiday and renting an Airbnb-apartment, then going to the beach using Google Translate on their smartphone and telling themselves that is “as good as a language-training holiday”.
Of course, that will not earn them a diploma they might need urgently to further their career.
Leading language schools uses winning arguments that tell potential language students not only about the benefits of completing the courses, but also will address and destroy any self-doubts someone will have about their own ability and self-confidence.
These questions need to be answered with a clear, reasonable and convincing voice:
How students with no prior language experience managed to complete their training?
Why is it so much easier to learn languages at your school compared to other schools or online learning methods?
What are the challenges any language student does face and how does your language school makes sure those challenges are easy to overcome?
Are there specific problems learning a specific language? And how does your language school help to overcome those?
The main message needs to be that learning a language involves effort and is not like taking a magic pill, but that anyone who is willing to take small baby steps and books, for example, a two months language course and completes it is very likely to succeed instead of booking a very high-intense 2-week training and then gives up because it is way too difficult to handle.
A tool that most language schools involve is the online language level evaluation tool and that is a good start.
Based on the results of such an evaluation you should aim to personally address the self-doubt and self-confidence problem right away.
It, in fact, could mean that someone who is at a high knowledge level and would be suitable for a high-intense 2-week-training still needs the CONVINCING that she/he is able to get the training done.
If you are able to resolve the self-doubt, then the rest of all your excellent language school marketing can do it’s magic – and you will be surprised how many more language students you are able to sign up in the long run.
