How To Easily Master Your Next Childcare Tour

Ever wonder how a childcare tour went?  You think it was great, but what did the potential client really think of your business?  Well, today I’m sharing a way for you to easily find out just how that last childcare tour went.  Not only that, this method has the potential to make your next childcare tour even better.  Today I’m going to show you how to use a post-tour survey or questionnaire to convert childcare tours.

“So how did it go?”  That’s what my husband would ask me after just about every tour I give.  The thing is I can only think of a handful of occasions when I didn’t think it went great.  From what I could tell everything went well.

But did it?

The only way I could really tell was if the family recontacted me to enroll.  But sometimes I would never hear from them again.

Usually, I wasn’t deterred because even though I would put so much into my childcare tour, I realized that some families would make another choice.  Based on several reasons.  Maybe the tuition was not in their budget, my business hours, location or any of a dozen other reasons why my childcare might not be a good fit for a family.  Most of which, I assumed, were out of my control.

Still, it would be nice to know if there were any missteps that made them make another choice.  But how could I know?

Well, it turns out there’s a simple way to find out.  All I had to do was ASK!

That’s a GREAT IDEA!

One afternoon my friend called me.   She told me that after her childcare tours she had started sending parents an email questionnaire asking them about their impression of her business.  I told her that was a great idea and praised her for it.  It was such a great idea, I asked her if I could share her process with you.  She said sure!

WAIT!  Not only did she say yes I could share her BRILLIANT idea, she actually made it even easier for us by giving us her exact email template (keep reading to get this amazing gift)!  Don’t worry!  I already thanked her for you.  LOL!

I have to say that when my friend called, I could tell that she was very upset.  She was upset because of some recent feedback she had received (more on that in a minute).  But I told her that this was something that even the biggest brands do post-purchase.  You know, those online surveys that they ask you to fill out after you have purchased something.  I know I receive this type of questionnaire all the time, even after going to the post office.

Why is this such a good idea?

You might be wondering why this is such a great idea or what can really be gained from doing this.

Well, by sending a post childcare tour questionnaire a childcare provider can gain some invaluable information about their business, from the perspective of the touring parent.  By doing so, the provider can learn just what their strengthens are but also what areas are weaknesses.

That’s why so many businesses do this.  I mean who wouldn’t want to know what parents are really thinking?

For example: what if you were to receive feedback criticizing the fact that you don’t have a sign in front of your family child care home (I’ve actually gotten this one myself)?  Well, you could tailor future tours to include the fact that licensing actually does not allow for this type of signage.  You could also add that this actually keeps the children in your care safe by avoiding random visitors or alerting strangers that kids are here.  That’s what I say.

Here’s another example:  what if after a childcare tour you were to receive feedback about the smaller enrollment that your childcare has?  You could then incorporate verbiage like intimate, one-on-one care, or boutique setting into your first discussions with prospective parents.

See how this works?  You become armed with what to play up or what to further explain.

Learn what to address or further explain.

One more example:  I noticed that during a childcare tour parents would always ask me about my sick & illness policy.  So I made sure to make a copy of that policy and reference it during every tour.

I lied!  Here’s a good one my other friend reminded me about.  Suppose a parent comments about the taking off of shoes at the childcare.  If you don’t do that, instead of them thinking that cleanliness is not important to you might be inclined to bring up the issue yourself during a tour.  I would probably say something like this, “Actually, I wish I could take off the children’s shoes but my licensing requirements mandate that we keep their shoes on in case of an emergency.  It’s probably a good rule because we shouldn’t be looking for and putting on shoes if we need to evacuate.”

By asking questions you gain information about your childcare tour that you could, in turn, learn what to address or further explain.

Speaks to your ideal clients

How to create a questionnaire

So how do you create a post-tour survey or questionnaire? I’m glad you asked. 

Actually, it’s really easy.  Just keep it simple.  Start with the basics like “what did you like?” and “was there something you would like more information about?” My friend asks only four questions, but that is a really smart strategy so people don’t get overwhelmed.

Just in case you get stuck, I’ve got a questionnaire you can start with.  Here’s a FREE GUIDE with a template that you can use to send to clients after your childcare tours. 

This is the exact email my friend sends after her tours.  If you do start with this one, remember you can always modify it with more or fewer questions or different ones.  Feel free to customize it for your business.

The point is to get the info that will help you present your business in a way that speaks to your ideal clients.  That elusive stuff that every business owner wants to know from the customer’s perspective. 

A word of caution

Ok, so here it is.  Here is my word of caution for you.  If you do decide to incorporate a post-tour survey or questionnaire at the same time you should strengthen your backbone too. 

What do I mean?

Well, sometimes receiving feedback about your business can be a little tough to hear.  It can be hard to hear that your business isn’t perfect or that someone didn’t love what you have created.  I’m sure that’s why my friend was initially upset.  Her feelings may have gotten hurt by a comment someone made.  She perceived the feedback as negative.  

I advised my friend like I will advise you, try not to take it personally.  Instead of getting offended, remember all the great information you are getting.

It’s all about getting better

Part of any business strategy should be improving.  Either improving their product(s), improving their customer service or improving their overall brand and message.

Converting prospectives into clients.

By incorporating a way to receive feedback from prospective clients you will gather invaluable information.  Information that you can use to improve your next childcare tour and convert those parents into clients.  Think of it as a roadmap to improving your childcare business.

Have you ever thought of asking a parent what they thought of your childcare tour?  Are you ready to find out?  Please leave me a comment and let me know what you got out of this post.