becoming a driving instructor, RED is probably the first name they will mention, because their presence was everywhere, TV, newspapers, online. Even if you don't have the budget of RED, there are still things you can do to make people aware of your services and increase your visibility to potential learner driver clients. I will list a few below:
Work actively at promoting your web site, see if there are any improvements that need to be done on it. A website can be one of the most effective driving school marketing tools available to the instructor to promote his/her business and if setup and promoted properly could be the only means of pupil generation required to keep those enquiries coming in and one's diary booked with adequate work, and contrary to what you might believe, setting up and maintaining an online presence need not cost a fortune. You can have an effective driving school website for as little as £10 a year.
Important: From 1st March 2011 online marketing communications on websites in the UK will now be regulated by the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA). Ensure your site is accurate, honest and truthful any claims of pass rates or grades must if challenge be able to substantiate the accuracy of figures claimed. There are other acts that need to b complied with such as The Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002
Make use of your present pupils as advertising and marketing resources. Most instructors might mention on a new learner driver's first lesson that they can be rewarded for introducing a friend, and that is the last time you mention it to them. While you don't want to hound them every week, think of times when it is worth mentioning to them again. If you have any special offers going for new learners, let them know to inform their friends, also remember that it might be for things like mock tests (you can sell the fact that doing it with a different instructor will more closely simulate the DVSA test, as the friend will be assessed by a stranger thus more realistically let them know how prepared they are).
If your learner has had a particularly good lesson or session, that would be an appropriate time to remind them to blog about it (if they have a blog and include a link to your website), or post a comment on their facebook profile, they might be more willing to do it, and this could be a re-occurring referral for you.