Helping childcare business owners build successful, sustainable businesses through practical strategies, real-life experience, leadership, faith, and encouragement.

Posts tagged ‘enrollment building’

A Key Part of Building Enrollment Is In the Follow-Up Process

I arrive at my center on August 22, 2011 and I checked my telephone message log.  As I scanned the message log, I noticed that several parents called the center to inquire about  enrolling their children.

After checking the message log, I went to the talk with the  Assistant Director about the enrollment inquiries. As we began to discuss the telephone message, she also informed me that a mother of a School-age child had stopped by the center shortly before I arrived to pick-up enrollment information.

I was thinking to myself…Wow! I love it when parents inquire about enrollment.  After our conversation, I immediately wrote down the mother’s phone number that stopped by the center and went to my office to call her.  

When the mother answered the phone, I introduced myself and  thanked her for visiting my center.  I asked her if she had any questions in regards to enrolling her child. She said, ” I would like to schedule a tour to get started on the process of enrolling my child and what is your registration fee?

After my phone call with the mother, I realized the importance of follow-up with parents. When parents are visiting your program, they may forget to ask you something, however,  if you follow-up with them, they may have more questions.

Several days, prior to writing this blog post, I decided to contact all the families that had recently visited my center, to see if they were still interested in enrolling their children.

I was quite surprise to discover that many of the parents that recently stopped by center, had already enrolled their children in the program. 

One of the parents on the visitor log had already found a center for her two-year old child. She seemed so excited when I called her and she thanked me for following up with her. In addition to me calling her, she assured me that if her current baby sitter did not work out, that she will keep my center in mind.

Here are six ways to follow-up with parents and help to build enrollment :

  1. Create a visitor log that ask for the parent’s name, phone number and email address
  2. Collect contact information from parents when they call your home or center.
  3. Follow-up within parent 24-48 hours of calling or visiting your program
  4. Send an email  or e-newsletter to potential customers every week so that they won’t forget you.
  5. Invite parents to follow your program on social media. This allows the parent to check our your program.
  6. Send a post card in the mail to the family and consider offering a “Free Day”

With Your Child Care Business in Mind,

Shiketa

Category:

Enrollment Building, parent communication

Tagged with:

Inspiring Your Parents to Market Your Child Care Business

 

A happy customer will tell three or four others;

a dissatisfied customer will tell ten.

~ Wisconsin Child Care Improvement Project

 

Marketing your childcare business to your current customers is crucial to building enrollment. According to the Wisconsin Child Care Improvement project, “Over 90% of parents rely on recommendations from relatives, friends, and co-workers, so pleasing your current families is essential to long-term stability.”

It has been my experience that when parents are pleased with my childcare center practices, they will tell their friends and family members. I am always so honored when parents refer others, that I offer $25 off one week of tuition for referrals. I strongly believe that parents do not refer families for the discount. In fact, I believe that they refer families because they are happy with my program.

How Do You Inspire Parents to Help You Market Your Child Care Business?

1. Ask for their referral and offer an incentive

2. Let them know that you appreciate their business (Post thank you notes where parents can see them,etc)

3. Go the extra mile when possible ( waive late fees, have community coupons available,etc)

4. Provide their child with the best care possible (Always strive to improve your services)

5. Strive to have a positive relationship with parents

6. Greet them with a warm hello every morning and ask about their day in the evening

7. Invest in promotional items such as: back pack, pens, key chains and/or coffee mugs with your business name on it.

8. Welcome their feedback in the form of Annual surveys to help you to improve your service.

9. Ask for testimonials to place on your website (offer incentives )

10. Take photos of smiling parents talking with you for your website

Whatever your methods may be to inspire parents to market your childcare business, keep in mind that when your parents are happy with your business….They will tell others! Feel free to share your thoughts about this post.

~Shiketa Morgan

For more marketing tips, check out my Marketing 101 toolkit.

Category:

Enrollment Building, Marketing, Uncategorized

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