Accent Reduction CoachThis is a very unique business idea, and perfect for someone who is well spoken, communicates well and can work patiently with people. Have you ever had a conversation with someone that had an accent, and you did not really listen to what they said because you were so focused on their weird accent? Though we never want to admit it, this happens a lot. It's hard to be taken seriously when no one listens to what you are saying. I have found this to be true when I am watching training DVD’s or television shows, and I find myself annoyed and having a hard time focusing on the show or material because I keep getting distracted by the accent. Now this is not being judgmental if you are an English speaking native, it’s just that we are used to hearing our language spoken a certain way. And other accents are lovely, and in their own language people sound well spoken and fluent, but the nuances of accent don’t translate well when learning a new language. If this business idea interests you, then establish a much-needed business as an Accent Reduction Coach, and help professionals with their heavy accents to speak more clearly. Large percentages of the foreign speaking population that move to this country are well educated and have professional jobs. It can be hard for them to succeed if they do not speak English well and need to communicate with others within their professions. They usually have learned English before they move here, but often times it is a form of English that we do not speak in our everyday routines. They often times will learn to speak English from people of their own language and pick up the same heavy accent as their instructor, thus they are equally difficult for us to understand. If you live in large cities in states like California, New York, and Florida accent reduction services could be a real option as a business for you. These states are where many newcomers move to work and could use the services you offer them. To get started with this business idea it is important that you understand and use proper English yourself. For this type of business, it is also important that you have patience with people and enjoy teaching. Learning techniques that professional speakers use in their own language could be helpful with this business too. Usually these exercises work well for all of us to practice. They help us pronounce our words clearly, and keep us from being lazy with our pronunciation of words. It is good to do some research on the mother tongues of the groups you would like to teach. In some languages, they are not used to making certain sounds that we use in our language. If this is true they often times will substitute a different sound, and it is very important that you help them to overcome this practice. This is also a good place to make sure that you have mouth or vocal exercises to overcome the mispronunciation. Research can prove to be extremely helpful in overcoming these changes in speaking English. You will need to decide whether you want to teach classes or individuals. If you choose classes, plan how many you think you can handle per class, and where you will be able to find a room to use for this. Often times you can use your local library if you check with them first and book the room for the classes. This could save you money at the beginning of your career, until you can establish a school or business front. As ideas for a small business go, the start up costs needed for this service are pretty minimal. The major part of your initial investment should be in advertising. Investing in a quality brochure would be a good idea too, explaining why people need your services and how they will benefit from your services. Also, include how to contact you and what your fee's are. Generally, classes are cheaper per person than one-on-one options; consider this when deciding on the fee's you plan to charge. Start your business with conservative fee's at first until you have an idea of what the market can handle. Remember though that often times these are professional people that are capable of paying well for your services. You may also offer your services to companies that hire foreigners. They often times are willing to pay quite well for educating their employees. If this can help their employees communicate more easily, which will make them more effective, they will be more willing to invest in your services. If you are a very effective coach, it's possible to charge $100.00 or more per hour for your services, depending on where you live. So if you are looking for ideas for a small business that are unique and specialized, and have the skills needed to be an Accent Reduction Coach, you could have a successful business in this field. And your clientele will grow quickly if you are good at helping foreigners learn to pronounce English more accurately. If this is an area you feel comfortable with, why not try it? You may be very happy that you did! Return To Service Solutions Ideas Page
|