When I began offering Spanish preschool classes, I thought I’d never find one with enough parent interest to make my efforts worthwhile. After flying out of the gates with high hopes, I was quickly shot down. It seemed impossible to get more than 4 kids enrolled in my classes. I told myself that the numbers would grow, but they just stumbled along, not really increasing at all. I started to wonder if this business of mine was just a pipe dream or really the viable moneymaker that I had dreamed of.
Well, after several centers and some advice from a friend who has a huge and profitable enrichment class business in preschools, I was able to tweak the formula. Now, I have a set process and timeline that produces higher enrollment numbers and amazing retention. I’ll bet you’d like to skip that learning phase I had to go through, and head right for successful start-ups. If so, here are three tips that turned my start-up process around. You can also get the Countdown to Class timeline I’ve found most effective for opening classes at a new center.
Offer a free class
So you’re getting ready to start a class at a brand new location, and you don’t quite know how to get the word out. You’ve done fliers and parent notes in each cubby, but it just seems as if there should be something more. Have you thought about offering a free class?
A free class can reassure parents that their child will enjoy learning Spanish. It also gets kids super-enthusiastic. (We all know that kids are truly the best salespeople, right?) It is a concrete reminder that a new opportunity is opening up. And it demonstrates right up front that you are interested in providing value. Finally, it is a chance for you to see which kiddos are interested in Spanish and help guide parents so they get the best value for their money.
So what can you do to make this introductory class the most effective?
Require parents to fill out a registration form for these three reasons
At the first few centers I partnered with, I simply offered do a free class for the entire group. I felt like I was truly offering them something of value, and I didn’t want any of the kids to miss out. It was a nightmare. There are three main reasons you should require a registration form.
It will be more like your actual classes
First, the centers often wanted to combine classes to save time. At one center, I ended up with 24 kids in one class. That’s a teacher-student ratio I would NEVER allow in my paid classes, because they would be totally ineffective. Consequently, my free class was totally ineffective. The kids were wild. I had to cut some of my most fun (and most active) portions because I knew that they would dissolve into chaos. My classes came off as boring and I had VERY low enrollment. And by the way, they never grew because the kids had decided my classes were boring based on that one disastrous free class.
Make sure the center director is on board with your Spanish preschool classes
Secondly, requiring registration can save you time. Let the director know that there is a minimum enrollment for the free class. This will encourage the director to encourage parents to sign up. Who wants 6 parents to be disappointed because the group was short 2 enrollments? So, you are more likely to have a set number of enrollments, the director creates a habit of nudging parents to get their registration in, and you don’t have to offer the free class if only 2 students sign up. And here’s a news flash: if only 2 kids sign up for your free class, this isn’t the center that you’re looking for anyway. (It’s good to mention up-front that your free class has a minimum enrollment so parents don’t feel cheated if there is low interest.)
Be able to communicate directly with parents
Finally – and this is the big one – by having parents register, you can get their e-mail address. Having the parents’ e-mail address lets you communicate directly with them. You send an update on how the free class went (more on that later). You can send a quick e-mail reminder on the final day of registration for your paid class. You can send reminders for future classes and quick tips for helping a child learn language at home. Of course, you always want to give them a chance to opt out, but these parents have expressed an interest in having their child learn Spanish. They value education. They are your target market. By sending value-packed information, you can show your commitment to providing high-quality instruction. That allows you to build trust, and THAT is the key to a long-term relationship.
Follow-up with parents (individually, if possible) right after the free class
So you’ve presented a great free class. The kids were into it, you had rockin’ activities, and you can hardly wait for the full session to start. Let the parents know. Send a quick e-mail as soon after your class as possible detailing the songs you sang, the books you read, and how the games went. You might even want to include a link or two to YouTube videos of those songs, if they are available. Convince the parents (in 100 words or less!) that you are an amazing professional and they do NOT want their child to miss out. Keep it positive and low-key, but definitely let them know that you are providing tremendous value.
If possible, make the notes individualized. You probably won’t remember the names of each child, but to the extent that you can, let the parents know not just how “the kids” did, but how Emma or Aiden did specifically. Again, this shows that you are more interested in the kids than in the money. If a child asked a question, or seemed particularly engaged, try to make a note of that child’s name, so you can mention it specifically in your note.
Of course, sometimes a child is truly disruptive or doesn’t seem emotionally ready for the class. I always let parents know that (nicely and tactfully!), as well because I want them to get their money’s work AND I want the other kids who enroll to have a great class.
Parents are interested not as much in the group in general as they are in their very own little angel. The more you can give them specifics, the more they will see you as a resource and not just a salesperson.