Making a Great First Impression on a Childcare Tour

Whether you’re a new daycare provider or you’ve been around for decades, perfecting the art of giving tours is critical to the success of your program. It’s important to be prepared when families come to check out your space because there is a lot more to a tour than handing out a brochure and walking someone around the building.

Once you learn the aspects of an optimal daycare tour, you’ll likely register more families on the spot or within 24 hours. To help you increase enrollment and build your waitlist, we’re breaking down what it takes to give families a great first impression of your program.

The tour starts from the moment a family pulls up to your daycare

Just like in real estate, curb appeal matters when you are trying to impress new families. Some families may even drive by your location before booking a tour, just to sneak a peek or see how easy the commute would be for them. If all a prospective family saw was the outside of your daycare, what kind of an impression would they be getting?

We all know the saying “the cover is not the book”, but in the case of a daycare tour—the cover matters. Lots of providers consider the start of a tour to be the moment a new family enters the door but it starts when they pull into the parking lot or driveway. 

 Look at the outside of your space from a parent’s perspective and consider the following:

• Does the outside of my daycare look warm and inviting? 
• Is the grass mowed and/or is the outdoor play area clean and in good condition?
• Is my daycare easy to find— is the signage visible or can parents easily miss it?
• Is there artwork in the windows, or other signs of this being a kid-friendly space?

Personalize the tour for each new family

It’s a lot easier to give the same speech to every family but personalization matters here. Be sure to greet the family, especially the child, by name and help them feel comfortable in your space. It’s great to start the tour in your office or the lobby, so you can get a sense of what the family is looking for. 

Start the conversation off by asking the family what they’re looking for in a daycare. You may want to take notes while they’re talking, so you can be sure to highlight those aspects of your program during the tour or use the information later when you follow up. 

• Take notes about the initial conversation, including how they reached out. Did they call you or email you? Did they say someone referred them? What are they looking for?
• Take note of the aspects of your program you highlighted on the tour, so you can mention them in your follow-up. 
• Jot down what the child seemed most interested in and what the family seemed most interested in. In your follow-up email, you can include a personal note: "Sara seemed to love our sensory gym! I think she would really enjoy getting to spend time there each week”

Highlight what makes your program unique 

Most parents don’t have a ton of experience with early childhood, aside from their own children. An important aspect of a daycare tour is educating the family on the benefits of early education. 

For example, if your program has a state-of-the-art playground or you hired an outside art consultant— you’ll want to explain to parents how this will benefit their child. 

As an early childhood professional, you know that children learn best through play but it’s helpful for parents to hear exactly how that happens. You can talk about how your program helps children develop socially and academically, as well as what the overarching goals are for each age group.

It’s helpful to schedule tours when it’s most convenient for the staff and children (maybe not during busy transitions or nap times). Be sure your staff is aware there will be a tour because families love to meet the people who will be interacting with their children daily. If your staff is caught off guard or it isn’t a good time to stop and greet a parent, it won’t be a good experience for anyone. 

Have an enrollment conversation after the tour

It isn’t pushy for you to try to register the family immediately after giving them the tour. You can say something like “Sara seemed to really love Ms. Johnson and we happen to have a spot open in that classroom. We have a few other tours scheduled (even if you don’t) later today, so if you wanted to hold your spot I can help you fill out the enrollment form right now.”

You can also offer a small discount or another perk for families who register on the same day as their tour. Even $50 off their first month would be enough to motivate a family to sign up on the spot versus waiting a few days. 

If the family isn’t ready to enroll on the spot, that doesn’t mean they’re not interested so don’t be discouraged. Give them a folder with information for them to review at home and let them know you’ll follow up with them soon. 

The folder should include the following:

• Thank you letter from the director
• A reference list (ask families to write testimonials or agree to give their phone numbers to prospective families)
• A newsletter from the classroom the child would be in, as well as a sample menu
• A handout that includes your fee schedule and important program information
• A registration form

Don’t forget to follow up

If the family does not enroll on the day of the tour, don’t forget to follow up with them. It’s a good idea to reach out within 48 hours, while your program is still fresh in their mind. You can send an email thanking them for coming and reiterate how much you’d love to have them in your program. You can let them know how many spots are left in the group their child would be in, and encourage them to register so they don’t lose a spot. 

If they decide not to enroll, you can ask them if they have any feedback. They may point something out that you can improve for next time!

You can list your open spaces on Winnie, and get your program in front of over 15 million families searching for care in their neighborhoods.