5 Surprising Signs You'd Be A Successful Accent Coach

Are you passionate about language and communication? Do you have a knack for helping others improve their pronunciation? If so, you might have what it takes to be a great accent coach!

Becoming a successful accent instructor or speech coach doesn't require extensive knowledge of every dialect or experience with countless students. In fact, the qualities that truly make a difference may surprise you.

Whether you're looking to pursue a rewarding career or a fulfilling side hustle, it's time to explore your potential as an accent coach.

Here are the top 5 signs that you’d be a successful accent instructor or speech coach:

1.  You're an exceptional listener

One of the keys to my success is the genuine enjoyment my students have in spending time with me. I actively listen to them, taking a real interest in their lives. For most people, having someone truly listen to them is a rare and enjoyable experience. This makes our sessions rewarding for both of us.

2.  You know how to keep a conversation going

To provide valuable feedback, you need your students to talk and express themselves naturally. This means that you may need to ask a lot of questions, which can feel unnatural. And sometimes, you have to resist the urge to interject your own thoughts, so you don’t disrupt their flow.

My role as a speech coach is to give my students as much conversational practice as possible in each session, so I need to keep THEM talking (and sometimes keep my opinions to myself).  I’m a natural introvert and I’m good at shifting the attention to other people, so this is fine with me.

3.  You’re patient

Learning a new skill can be challenging, and as an accent coach, it's essential to be patient!  Correcting and encouraging students becomes a repetitive task, but it's necessary for their improvement.  We also play a big part in nurturing their confidence.

4.  You have a passion for languages and cultural exploration

Teaching accents and pronunciation exposes you to students from all corners of the globe. I've had the privilege of gaining firsthand knowledge of various cultures, places, traditions, languages, and religions through my students. It’s one of the things that I love best about what I do.

5.  You’re willing to let students know how you can help them

To attract students, you must consistently put yourself out there, demonstrating how you can help them. This can be through social media, blogging, engaging in Facebook groups, building your LinkedIn network, or even paid advertising. The key is to be present and make it clear how your coaching can enhance your students' lives.

It's important to note that students won't magically find you simply because you have a website or offer accent modification as a service. Marketing your skills requires consistency and a solid plan for reaching your target audience.  And you shouldn’t be afraid of marketing! You won’t have to do anything pushy, fake, or salesy.  You just need to learn to effectively explain how you can help your students thrive. 

Luckily, I've been through this journey and can guide you with a marketing plan that is effective, but still professional. My teacher training program includes a step-by-step marketing section that outlines my proven strategies for finding and enrolling a steady stream of students. It's the same plan that helped me build a full schedule and even establish a waitlist!

So that’s it!  If you resonate with these five surprising signs, you have what it takes to be a great accent coach. Much of our work revolves around actively listening to our students, identifying common pronunciation errors, and practicing with them to correct those errors.

When you’re ready to explore the possibilities of a new career path or fulfilling side hustle as an accent coach, you can learn more about our comprehensive teacher training program:  https://www.theaccentchannel.com/accentinstructor

If you're an SLP, ESL teacher, actor, singer, or another voice professional, you're more prepared for this than you might think!