Calling parents for recruitment and enrollment purposes can seem like a daunting task. Unsure of how to close the call? Check out these simple ways to end your recruitment call plus receive some bonus info on important things to keep in mind when reaching out to parents.
#1: Set a Specific Time for a Tour
Provide options for tours, but don’t leave it open ended. For example:
School: “We have a couple of slots available for tours, on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Which day would work best for you?”
Parent: “I think I could do Friday”
School: “Great, on Friday we have a slot at 2:00-2:30PM and 4:00-4:30PM”
Parent: “I’ll do 2:00PM”
School: “Sounds good Jenna! I have you down for 2:00PM on Friday. I’ll send you a reminder through email. Is jenna@example.com the correct email for you?”
Parent: “Yes.”
School: “Perfect. I’ll send you a calendar reminder now. See you on Friday!”
#2: If they cant tour...
Sometimes a parent can’t attend a tour due to time constraints or maybe they’re moving from another state. The best thing to do in these cases is to start the enrollment process online. Remember Schola allows you to customize your online enrollment application, so send them the link via email and follow up within 24 hours if they haven’t completed the application.
Keep in mind:It pays to be persistent
Parents need to enroll their children at a school. Many of the staff members at schools we’ve worked with over the years are reluctant to follow up. They worry about “bothering parents.” Quite often, this reluctance stems from not having a follow-up process they are comfortable with. If you’re able to stick to these recommendations and follow the calling times, you should be able to get a solid yes or no answer from the parent. Not every school fits every child
We’re sure your school has wonderful things to offer students that parents won’t be able to find anywhere else. However, this doesn’t mean that every child belongs in one of your classrooms. The reality is that all children learn in different ways, and trying to fill up your school with students who aren’t the right fit can increase your problems with retention. Communication via text and email
Some parents may be more responsive to email and text messages. We recommend that with every phone call you send a follow-up email or text immediately after. This has been shown to significantly improve your chances of reaching the parent and enrolling them.
Luckily, we have done a lot of the heavy lifting already and provided you with guidelines and templates to effectively follow up with parents through email and text messaging.
