Struggling to Find Students? Start Here…Or Keep Spinning Your Wheels

I hear it all the time:

“How do I find more students?”
“What should I focus on first?”
“Why does it feel like nothing’s working?”

Here’s the truth no one wants to hear:

👉 If you’re not crystal clear on who you’re helping and what they actually need… your Instagram posts, your website tweaks, even your fancy new logo? You’ll put in a ton of time and effort, but you won’t attract the students ready to invest.

I know, because I skipped this step too.

Back when I started my private accent training practice, I didn’t know where to begin, but I definitely thought:  “I should be DOING something!  Actively searching for students, running ads, putting myself out there.”

Sitting down to define my audience felt like procrastinating.

So, I hired a marketing agency to help. You know what their first question was?

“Who’s your target audience?”

I didn’t have an answer. And the result? Not great. Lots of “likes,” but very few clients.

Here’s what I’d do differently (and what I now teach the instructors in my certification program to do first):

📍 Block off a focused hour. Grab a coffee. Mute your phone.

Ask yourself:

• Who do I want to work with?
• What does their typical day look like?
• What are the most frustrating or challenging speaking situations for them?
• What could I do to help them feel more confident in these situations?
• How do I help in a way that no one else does?

Specific beats broad EVERY time.

“ESL speakers” is vague.

But…

✅ International medical grads preparing for OSCEs?
✅ IT professionals who need to lead Zoom calls with American teams?
✅ Engineers applying for management roles in English-speaking firms?

Now we’re getting somewhere.

This one shift makes every future decision easier!  Your message, your content, even your curriculum and programs will all improve when you know who you are helping.

Bottom line?

If you want a full caseload, you need more than marketing tactics and tips.
You need a message that speaks directly to the people you’re best at helping.

And that starts with knowing exactly who that is.

👉 If you’re tired of spinning your wheels, the very first step is getting clear on who you serve and how you help them. Inside my Accent Specialist Certification Program, we walk through this process together. You’ll define your audience, craft a message that speaks directly to them, and build the skills and confidence to deliver life-changing results.

You don’t have to figure it out alone. Join a community of instructors who’ve been exactly where you are and finally start attracting the students you’re best at helping.

🔗 Click here to get started today.