It’s no secret: Your LineLeader by ChildcareCRM system holds so much information about each family that it can be hard to know which fields are important and which are just added perks to help you build a conversation. I can make a case for why each field and dropdown is important, but one of the easiest to overlook yet often most crucial is the "Expected Start Date." See what you're overlooking in your CRM for childcare to maximize enrollment conversions.
The Importance of How Soon: Use your industry-specific, CRM for childcare to convert faster!
The word "Important" gets thrown around a lot. But this time when we say "Important" we really mean it!
There are two you should look out for and when you identify these, it will help you streamline your next steps to convert your families quicker and more efficiently.
1. Not Completely Convinced
Your first group of family are planning a start date more than 3 months into the future (with the exception of expectant parents) ergo, not completely convinced. This group of families still have their eggs in different baskets. They're looking for the centre that gives the most and best information, so they can base their decision on what they are given. They're also at the point where they are weighing up the pros and cons, so be prepared to answer questions that can compare you to another competitor. It is important that you touch base with this family and include them in group communication such as, center newsletters, centre events and parent information nights to help you secure this enrollment.
2. Ready or Not
The second group has a tighter time frame to enroll and is registering based on emotion, this group is called "Ready or Not". Something has changed in their lives — a bad experience at another center, a move, a job change, etc. — and change, for many people, is scary. Usually, this parent has inquired during a walk-in tour or a web form submission late at night or the early hours of the morning after a poor experience at their previous center. The first thing they will be looking for is a center that won't repeat the bad experience they just had, so tread lightly and don't be afraid to explain processes a little further so they feel secure and reassured. Once you've had the first initial meeting with this family, you will want to follow up with them within a couple of days if they haven't enrolled right away.
Why Should You Care?
Knowing when the prospective family intends to start in your program can help you with conversation points or how to interact, but it also helps you keep your pipeline current and targeted to those most likely to enroll. Without an expected start date, there's no way for you to tell whether you’ve missed the opportunity to register or if they're still weighing their options.
Use the custom reporting capabilities within your system that allow you to sort your opportunities based on start date. You’ll want to use these to know who is most important to target follow-up to this week. How many phone calls can you make in a week? Wouldn’t it be easier to know who your top prospects were and prioritize from there with ChildcareCRM?
Working with an expected start date will do more for you than just indicate if you have space or not. Knowing when the child(ren) will need care will help you understand your prospective parent’s decision-making time frame, giving you insight into when to follow up and how to tailor your conversations at each step of the enrollment process.
