CareLuLu

Running a preschool is, of course, a business.  First and foremost, you are responsible for the loving care and education of young children.  It is a huge responsibility!  However, you’re also business owners looking to make money so that you can continue doing what you love.  You need children enrollments or you will go out of business.  It’s that simple.
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Earth Day is celebrated on April 22^nd every year. It’s a great day to celebrate our planet and show our children how they can help Mother Nature. Educators have a responsibility to teach youngsters about the consequences of their actions and to help them understand why it’s critical to protect the Earth. This education should start as early as possible, and as a child care provider or preschool director, you’re in the best position to help our children be an active part of protecting the environment. And here’s the thing:

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As with any business decision, the choice to add extracurricular activities to your child care program should be evaluated on the basis of profit (revenue vs. cost.) Of course, there might be other reasons why you would want to add extracurricular activities but you should at the very least know the financial impact that it would have.

If you are considering adding new activities or classes, you need to think about how much it will cost you to get it started and keep it running. The reality is that you will be able to advertise these programs and discuss them during parent tours. You will likely see an increase in enrollments when parents are made aware of extracurricular activities. It is generally a huge selling point.

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It’s time for school pictures! How fun!

Well, not always.

Many times, picture day can become a stressful, tiring and downright crazy day that leaves preschool directors pulling out their hair and toddlers crying in their teacher’s arms. Why is that? There are a few reasons but the biggest is just that young children don’t do well with changes in routine. In addition, parents have very high expectations for what they want their children’s photos to look like. When it comes to picture day, as a child care provider, you have two main priorities:

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Parents are always nervous and concerned about choosing child care for their kids. They worry about what their kids will be doing, who they will be with and whether they will be loved. They are nervous about whether their baby will be fed when he or she cries. They want to know that their children are learning and blossoming at preschool.

As a child care provider or preschool director, you must fully understand these feelings and empathize as much as possible in order to win parents over. A failure to follow up on a child care referral, or a bad first impression will ruin your chances of getting an enrollment.

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The first visit to your center is a big deal for any parent. It is their first glimpse into your daily routines, your classrooms and your facilities. They, of course, are looking for a clean and happy environment, but they are also watching you and your staff closely. Parents are making a huge decision by leaving their child in your care and they want to feel like their little one will be happy and safe when at your center. Your greeting, your mood and your level of interest in their child and in their family will all contribute to their overall perception of your business. In order to make a good impression and (hopefully) get an enrollment, you should consider the following 7 tips.

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First impressions are so important!

They are important in friendships, dating, business and pretty much every aspect of life. And yes, they are important for your child care or preschool program! We all judge people and places based on the very first time that we meet or see them. This may not always be fair but it is true.

The messages that parents get from you and your staff when they first call or visit your center will likely be “make or break.” They will have a lasting impact and will color their opinion of you from that moment on. That first impression will affect what parents think of your facilities, of you, of your program and of your business, in general. Parents who are left with a bad taste in their mouth won’t hesitate to speak poorly of you to other parents.

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This post was originally featured on the CareLuLu parent blog.

I

always had passion for learning and exploration.  These two personal traits often got me in trouble with my elders, when I was a child.  As I got older, the spontaneity of my actions had to change to conform to the responsibility of the adult world; however, the love of that curiosity stuck with me till this day. 

I started child care because I believe every child needs a safe, nurturing and a challenging environment where they can learn and explore.  Few of the preschools and child care programs that I visited prior to opening Kiddie Academy of Ashburn were run with a primary focus on business.  It bothered me a little bit not because it was wrong, but because the focus has shifted from quality and personal care to enrollment by the numbers. I remind myself and my management team and staff every day that we are here for the children and their families, and our passion for what we do should never cease. Indeed, the impression we leave on these children is what is going to form and shape their future.  What an extraordinary feeling, but also what a great responsibility!

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Y ou may be struggling to get the enrollments you need but you’re not sure why. Your facility is clean. Your teachers are wonderful. The rooms are lovely. The playground area is impressive. You are always available for tours, always jumping on referrals and always ready to answer questions. Despite all that, you just aren’t enrolling as many children as you wish in your child care or preschool program. The truth is, you are probably not even getting a small fraction of the parent interest you should be getting.

Why? Because of your website.

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A s a child care owner or preschool director, you are in the business of enrolling new students. Yes, this might sound crude, but the only way you will stay in business is if you indeed enroll children at your facility. So you must be ready every day (every minute, really) to follow-up on “leads.” Parent leads, or “referrals”, are prospective parents who show interest in your child care program, either by calling you, emailing you, or stopping by your center for a tour.

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