With any childcare centre tour comes the need to be prepared about what you will talk about and how you will keep the parents engaged. If this isn’t done, then the tour may seem out of order and boring. Below are some general steps you should follow when giving a centre tour to parents so that parents can truly understand what your centre is like.
1.Talk about the centre
When talking about your centre, parents will get a better understanding of how it runs and the qualifications you and your staff have. For example, letting parents know the safety precautions your centre has and the first aid qualifications the staff members have will make them feel less worried about potentially enrolling their child at the centre.
2.Understand the child’s needs and interests
While it’s great to get to know the parents, it will be their child who will be using your centre’s services. So, understanding what their needs and interests are and addressing how your centre can help with that is a great way to make the tour experience be more tailored towards parents.
It’s also a great way of seeing if your centre will be a good fit for the child. Sometimes you may not be able to meet the child’s needs or their parents may have different values. It is better to take in children where you will be able to further their learning. So, in these scenarios, you would have to let parents know that there may be better centres out there that fit the child’s needs.
3.Show families around the centre
Whether it’s a virtual or in-person tour, you should show the parents around the centre and explain the different aspects. Talk about the different facilities you have, your curriculum and the purposes of each room so that parents are able to get a clearer idea about what you have to offer their child.
4.Answer parents’ questions and concerns
It is highly likely parents will have questions about your centre, especially if they are interested. After all, they are potentially entrusting you with their child. So, when answering their questions and concerns, use examples so that parents will know exactly what you do. If they’re asking questions regarding policies and contracts, have them on paper or electronically so that they can see what you’re talking about while you are providing more clarification on the topic.
5.Talk about what makes your centre stand out
Talking about what makes you stand out allows parents to remember how their child will be benefitted the most at your centre. If you don’t discuss your competitive advantage, then parents may choose to go to another centre.
6.Provide resources and stay connected
Not many parents will immediately say yes to enrolling their child after the tour is complete. They will need time to think it through, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t follow up with them. Send them virtual brochures about the centre and add them to your newsletter list (if you have one) to keep them informed throughout the process. You should also mention that you are an email or phone call away if they have any more questions or concerns.
By knowing what points need to be brought up during the tour, you will be more prepared and seem more organized to families. Plus, by being able to tailor the tour towards the families, you will be able to keep them interested in the services your centre offers and hopefully lead to the family enrolling their child there.