The problem
Every summer Year 11 and Year 13 students leave, and a tutor can start September with 6 empty weekly slots. If 2 of those take 4 weeks longer to fill than they need to, that's 2 x $53£40€48A$77C$75 x 4.3, about $458£344€409A$660C$647 lost each term, or about $1,370£1,030€1,226A$1,978C$1,936 over three terms.
What the AI does
Brevo is an email marketing tool with a drag-and-drop editor, sign-up forms and contact segments. Keep one list of families who've said they'd like to hear about future availability: past families, siblings of current students and people on your waiting list. A week before each term, send one short email saying which days and subjects you have free and how to book. Brevo's FAQ says the Free plan sends up to 300 emails a day once your account is approved, which covers a tutor's list.
A worked example
A GCSE and A-level physics tutor in Bath has 80 past families and waiting-list contacts, and loses about 6 regular students each summer to exams finishing.
Before
Slots filled slowly by word of mouth: about 2 slots empty 4 weeks longer than necessary each term
After
1 email a week before each term to people who asked to hear; slots filled in the first 2 weeks
What it's worth
About $92£69€82A$132C$130 a month in profit, averaged over the year. That's 2 slots x $53£40€48A$77C$75 x 4.3, about $458£344€409A$660C$647 a term, times 3 terms, $1,373£1,032€1,228A$1,981C$1,940 a year or $114£86€102A$165C$162 a month in fees, at an assumed 80% margin. The Free plan covers one email to 80 people; Starter is $8£6€7A$12C$11 a month if you want more volume.
How to set it up
- Collect permission: add a line to your sign-up form and end-of-year message asking families if they'd like to hear when slots open.
- Import only those who said yes into Brevo, tagged by subject and level.
- Write a short template: days and times free, subjects, price and how to book.
- Send it a week before each term and again if slots are still free a fortnight in.
- Remove anyone who unsubscribes or asks you to stop, straight away.
What goes wrong
- Emailing people about your services is marketing under PECR; only send to families who agreed or who are past customers given a clear chance to opt out.
- Don't put children's names in a marketing list; record the parent and the subject instead.
- Free-plan emails may carry Brevo's logo; Starter is $8£6€7A$12C$11 a month, and logo removal is a further add-on.
- An email only works if your availability is accurate; update your calendar first.