Intelligent Instructor is proud to have brought together industry and business experts to produce ‘The Ultimate Guide to Running a Driving Instructor Business’.

This FREE  64-page guide, in association with Drive-Up Training, will support you in running a business the way you always dreamt it could be.

Over nine weeks, we are publishing a selection of the articles in this guide.

This week, Tom Stenson, Co-Founder of Drive-Up Training, looks at the importance of ensuring you are exploiting all the proper channels to market your driving school business.


 

 

Everything in Its Right Place

Make the most of the different marketing channels available in your area.

The success of any business can depend on the strategic selection of location or place; but with driving instruction so heavily reliant on regionality, it’s imperative we thoroughly understand our potential customers. Indeed, having a handle on the demand in your area and also the type of demand, i.e. manual or automatic, is pivotal to the growth of your business.

To effectively reach our customers, driving instructors may need to employ a multi-faceted marketing approach. Traditional advertising methods, such as flyers, posters, business cards – it is worth keeping a few handy in the car or on your person, just in case – and local newspaper ads, can still be highly effective, especially in community-centric areas.

Equally, word of mouth can be one of the most valuable marketing tools for any business, whether they are new or well-established, and maintaining a good reputation should be a priority for every driving instructor.

“Being adaptable is not only important in lessons but also in business.”

However, in today’s digital age, an online presence can be indispensable. Utilising social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X (Twitter) allows driving instructors to showcase testimonials, share driving tips, and engage with potential customers.

Creating a user-friendly website with clear information about services, pricing and booking options can benefit some but is not essential for everyone. Online reviews and referrals can also play a significant role in building a reputable name.

Investing in your market

Starting afresh in an area can be daunting and spending additional money on advertising may not be an option for some. The good news is that there are cheaper options available. Reaching out to other local driving instructors in your area and introducing yourself can be beneficial not only for networking but also for building better working relationships.

Joining a local driving instructors association can be a great way of doing this, and this approach can help you find out local lesson rates, practice areas and possibly even lead to collaborative opportunities in the future. Being conveniently located in a high-traffic area or near schools and colleges can significantly influence the number of potential students. Moreover, partnerships with local schools, colleges and community centres can help in gaining referrals and reaching a broader audience.

Offering discounts for block bookings or referral bonuses can incentivise current students to spread the word about their positive experiences. As mentioned above, word of mouth is a powerful tool that should be utilised and should not be underestimated.

Simply driving around in your training vehicle can help aid your visibility to potential customers. Some driving instructors may not wish to drive around in a vehicle covered in decals when they are not on lessons, although this type of advertising can work very well. Having a removable roofboard is another great middle-ground option for advertising when necessary.

Flexibility to fit

Being adaptable is essential not only in lessons but also in the business world. Offering more
than just teaching learners to drive and increasing the strings on your bow may put you ahead of other driving instructors in the area. By diversifying your skill set, you can attract a broader range of clients and build a reputation for providing comprehensive driver training.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tom Stenson,
Co-Founder of Drive-Up Training

 

Next week, Nick Taylor, ADI Registrar at DVSA, will discuss the common challenges ADIs are likely to face.