📋 Executive Summary
- Problem: Tutor had no website and no Google visibility — inconsistent enquiries.
- What we built: 5-page static site + messaging + offer tiers + enquiry CTA + launch checklist.
- Why this works: Parents search locally; trust comes from clear proof + reviews; static site ships fast and stays cheap.
- Cost: Domain (~$15/yr) + optional form tool (~$10/mo); hosting free on Cloudflare.
- Next step: Google Business Profile + review engine + referral script to get the first 10 students.
The Client: A private tutor specializing in P6 Math. Competent, experienced, but completely invisible online.
The Goal: "I want to start a tuition centre, but I don't know where to begin. I need a website, but also... how do I get students?"
The Deliverable: Not just a website. A complete Digital HQ (website + contact system + proof + SEO basics) built in one session using the Human Intent × AI Scale operating model.
This case study documents how I approached the project as a Strategic Systems Architect. The goal wasn't just "writing code" — it was designing a repeatable lead flow: search → proof → enquiry → trial → review → referral.
View Live Demo: MathPro Tuition →
Table of Contents
Part 1: The Distribution Bottleneck
A typical Singapore tuition centre faces a classic PMOD challenge — a framework I use to diagnose small business problems:
- Problem: P6 students need PSLE Math preparation
- Market: Anxious ("kiasu") parents in a specific geographic area
- Operations: Small group classes, experienced teachers
- Distribution: This is where most fail
"The bottleneck is not skill. It's distribution."
Most tuition centres have competent teachers. Few have repeatable distribution. Many rely on word-of-mouth, parent WhatsApp/Facebook groups, and listing sites/directories — channels that can work early, but become unpredictable when you need consistent intake. The centres that scale tend to win local intent: Google search + Maps visibility + a steady flow of credible reviews.
Part 2: The "Owned Distribution" Strategy
Instead of relying only on rented attention (ads, listings, virality), build compounding assets that get stronger over time. Owned distribution = channels where your results improve over time without paying more per lead.
| Rented Distribution | Owned Distribution |
|---|---|
| Carousell listings (commodity) | Your own website |
| Directory listings (rented attention) | Google Business Profile + reviews (compounding) |
| Facebook Ads (ongoing spend) | Referral flywheel (compounds) |
Part 3: The Digital HQ Build
A 5-page static website designed to answer parents' top objections: results, credibility, process, pricing, and location.
| Page | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Home | Hero, outcomes, trust signals, CTA → "Is this legit?" |
| About | Founder story, values, teacher profiles → "Can I trust this teacher?" |
| Services | 3-tier pricing (Group, 1:1, Bootcamp) → "How much / what's included?" |
| Results | Grade breakdown, success stories, testimonials → "Does it work?" |
| Contact | Lead capture form, FAQ, location → "How do I act now?" |
Timeline
💡 Key Insight
I set the positioning, offer structure, and channel sequence. Athena accelerated the build so we could ship the site and launch assets in under one hour. Human intent (understanding parents' anxieties) + AI scale (speed of execution) = a lead generation system deployed much faster than a traditional agency.
Part 4: The Zero-Ad Launch Roadmap
For a local tuition centre with limited budget, the priority is free, trust-based channels that compound over time.
Channel Prioritization
| Channel | Cost | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Google Business Profile | Free | 🔥 Critical |
| WhatsApp Referrals | Free | 🔥 Critical |
| Parent Facebook Groups | Free | High (follow group rules) |
| KiasuParents Forum | Free | High |
| Google Ads | $300-500/mo | Seasonal only (high-intent targeting during PSLE prep periods) |
The Flywheel
The goal is to create a self-reinforcing cycle:
- Trial Lesson → Parent experiences the quality
- Enrollment → Student joins, relationship begins
- Result → Grade improvement (the real product)
- Testimonial → Social proof for website/Google Business Profile
- Referral → Parent tells other parents
- Repeat → More trial lessons, flywheel accelerates
Part 5: The 14-Day Launch Checklist
Here's what to do on Day 1:
🚀 Week 1: Foundation
- Day 1: Claim Google Business Profile. Add categories (Tuition Centre, Math Tutor), services, photos of teaching space.
- Day 2: Add 10 FAQs to website (parents' common questions) + internal links between pages.
- Day 3: Seed 3 testimonials (even informal ones from past students). Create a "review request" WhatsApp template.
- Day 4: Post in 3 parent groups with a specific angle (e.g., "Free PSLE Math checklist") and clear CTA. Follow group rules.
- Day 5: Outreach to 20 warm contacts via WhatsApp using a template: "Hi [Name], I'm officially launching my tuition centre..."
- Day 7: Track clicks/calls. Iterate headline + CTA based on what's working.
📈 Week 2: Momentum
- Day 8: Follow up with warm leads. Offer a free trial lesson.
- Day 9: Request Google reviews from first trial lesson parents.
- Day 10: Add 2-3 more photos to Google Business Profile (teaching in action, results board).
- Day 12: Create a simple referral incentive: "Refer a friend → 1 free lesson."
- Day 14: Review Week 1-2 metrics. Goal: 5+ enquiries, 2+ trial bookings.
📝 Copy-Paste Templates
- WhatsApp Launch (Warm Contacts):
"Hi [Name]! I'm officially launching my P6 Math tuition centre in Bishan. We focus on PSLE prep with small group classes. If you know any parents looking for Math help, I'd really appreciate a referral! Here's the website: [link]" - Review Request (Post-Trial):
"Hi [Parent], thanks for bringing [Child] for the trial! If you found it helpful, would you mind leaving a quick Google review? It really helps other parents find us. [Google Review Link]" - Parent Group Post (Value-First):
"Hi parents! Sharing a free PSLE Math checklist I put together — covers the common weak spots for P6 students. Hope it helps! [Link to checklist or website]" - Referral Incentive:
"Refer a friend → Both of you get $50 off next month's fee."
📊 Tracking Setup (30 mins)
- Add UTM parameters to links shared in WhatsApp/groups (e.g.,
?utm_source=whatsapp&utm_campaign=launch) - Track conversions: enquiry form submits, WhatsApp clicks, phone clicks
- Weekly metrics: enquiries received, trials booked, trials attended, enrollments, reviews gained
- Goal: 5+ enquiries in Week 1, 2+ trial bookings by Day 14
Note: All testimonials and parent photos require explicit consent. Lead capture forms should include a basic PDPA-compliant privacy note.
Part 6: Technical Architecture
| Layer | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Framework | Static (no build tooling) | Deliberate choice for longevity — will work in 10 years |
| Hosting | Cloudflare Pages | Free tier, CDN-backed, zero maintenance |
| Design System | Custom CSS variables | Full control, no dependencies |
| Form | Client-side integration | 5-min config for email routing (Formspree/Netlify); no database required |
No React, no Next.js, no npm install. Just HTML, CSS, and JavaScript that will still render correctly in 2035. Static files are fast, cheap, and require no ongoing maintenance.
Part 7: Strategic Lessons
- Distribution > Skill: A mediocre tutor with great distribution beats a great tutor with none.
- Own your pipeline: Leads from directories, marketplaces, or ads are rented. Referrals and repeat enrollments are the closest thing to "owned".
- Simple tech, fast execution: Static HTML ships faster than "setting up the build system."
- Bionic Execution (Human × AI): The strategy (Parts 1-4) requires human intent (understanding the parent's anxiety). The execution (Part 6) leverages AI scale for speed. This hybrid model allows for high-performance deployment at near-zero hosting cost.
Part 8: Final Deliverables
- ✅ 5-page website (live)
- ✅ Mobile responsive design
- ✅ SEO meta tags
- ✅ Lead capture form (demo; 5-min config for production)
- ✅ Digital marketing strategy
- ✅ Channel prioritization framework
- ✅ 14-day launch checklist