A demo class lets a nervous parent or a curious student see your teaching before deciding. Done well, it answers the question every visitor has, which is whether this place will actually teach them something. It is short, hands on and honest.
Decide the goal
The goal is not to teach a course in an hour. It is to let each visitor do one small, satisfying thing on a computer and to meet you. Choose something that works for complete beginners: make a short typed letter and save it, or draw a simple poster, or search for a safe, useful fact and copy it into a document.
Invite the right people
- Announce the demo a week ahead with a poster, a WhatsApp message and a word to your existing students.
- Say the day, the time, how long it lasts, that it is free and that parents are welcome.
- Ask people to confirm so that you know how many seats you need.
- Remind them the day before.
Prepare the room
Switch on the computers early and test them. Open the same starting file on each. Put a name card at each seat if you like. Have the whiteboard ready, a sign-in sheet at the door with name, age, phone number and the course of interest, and a printed list of courses and timings. Keep the room cool, clean and welcoming. Display the sample certificate and the classroom posters from the member kit.
A 45 minute plan
- Welcome and introductions, five minutes: who you are, what the centre teaches and what the session will do.
- Short demonstration, ten minutes: show the task on the projector, slowly.
- Hands on, twenty minutes: students try it, with you and an assistant walking around, helping gently.
- Show what comes next, five minutes: the first month of a course and what students can make by the end.
- Questions and close, five minutes: invite people to talk to you and take the course list.
Teach, do not perform
Speak slowly, use simple words, and avoid jargon. If someone is stuck, help without taking the mouse from them. Praise small successes. A shy student who finishes the task and smiles is your best advertisement. Never make a beginner feel foolish in front of others.
Talk to the parents
Parents will have the same questions: what will my child learn, how many months, what time, who teaches, is it safe, what is the fee, what happens at the end. Prepare short honest answers. About fees, state the fee you have fixed for the course. Do not discuss the institute membership fee, which is a matter between you and the head office. About the end of the course, say that students who pass the centre exam receive an institute certificate and marksheet. Do not promise jobs. If a parent asks whether the certificate counts for a particular job or exam, say that depends on the employer or body concerned and that they should check.
Follow up the same day
- Thank everyone by message that evening.
- Offer a short list of available batch timings.
- Invite those who showed interest to a second visit, or a registration, within the week.
- Call anyone who said yes but did not come back.
Learn from each demo
Count how many people attended, how many asked about a batch and how many enrolled. Note which question you could not answer and which step confused people. Improve the next demo. Repeat it regularly, for example monthly, at the start of each session, and before school holidays.
This guide is general advice for planning. It states no membership fee and promises no income, student numbers or acceptance of a certificate by any employer. Ask the head office for the current fee and terms in writing, and check local rules and tax with a professional. Use the planner to test your own numbers.