Phone calls can be intimidating, especially if they are with the parent of a prospective student. Unsure how to start the conversation? Check out these four easy tips to expertly open a recruiting phone call.
#1: Be Friendly!
At Schola, we understand how frustrating it can be calling family connections over and over. Some of our schools have received as many as 100 connections in one month! Please be friendly and interested when you jump on the call with the parent. The first 5 seconds of the call will determine if you get 5 minutes of their time.
The first five seconds of the call will determine if you get five minutes of their time.
#2: Have an Objective
Getting a parent to fully enroll over the phone could prove to be difficult. However, getting them to come in for a tour/open house/orientation shouldn’t be. Work with them to find the best time for a tour of your campus!
#3: Establish Authority
A big mistake at the start of many calls is asking parents if “this is a good time to connect?” or “am I catching you at a bad time?”. Data collected from Gong.io shows that this makes you 40% less likely to book a meeting. A good caller will jump straight into mentioning their name, their school, and the reason they’re calling.
#4: Use Your Schola Data
When you get a connection on Schola, you receive:
- Parent Name
- Student Name
- Grade Level
- Phone Number
Use this to your advantage! When starting the call, address the parent by name and tell them what school you’re calling for, and name their child and grade. For example:
“Hi Jenna, my name is Sharon and I’m calling from John Doe Elementary School. The reason we’re calling is because you requested more information about our 4th grade class for your son James. How are you doing today?”