5 Ways to Make Sure Your Inquiry Becomes a Tour
According to new research published on HubSpot, 82% of consumers look for an immediate response from businesses on marketing or sales questions. And this group rates immediate response as important or very important from the businesses they deal with.
It's important to know how to turn your inquiries into tours to grow your Early Childhood business. This is because inquiries come in daily, and if you don't know how to handle them properly, you won't be able to maximize your chances of getting people to set up a tour with you to check out your preschool or play cafe.
Today we are going to talk more about a winning inquiry process.
Why it is so important to make focusing on your inquiries a priority?
5 ways you can make sure your inquiry becomes a tour.
The basic strategy for a successful inquiry.
When our potential family interacts with us for the first time, it sets the tone for their entire experience and how they will feel about our Early Childhood business. When you are organized, come across as the expert, and share all the wonderful reasons why you are the best choice, you will easily convert that inquiry into a tour. And you will do so with ease and confidence.
But too often, we, as Early Childhood businesses, get caught up in the day-to-day chaos of running our businesses. We don’t always see these inquiries for the essential profit-growing element that they are.
You must view every inquiry as a profit element and treat it as such. It is really just that simple. There are no fancy marketing tactics here. No mind-blowing strategy that requires you to jump through hoops. It is your organization and authenticity that will shine through. When it does, it allows you to connect with the potential family, and the next natural step is scheduling a tour.
Why it is so important to make focusing on your inquiries a priority?
The research is clear, potential families will become scheduled tours more often if you have a strategy in place to ensure you can give them the attention they are seeking when they first inquire.
Vendasta, a marketing platform, shared some great information about this:
80% of customers buy from the first responder.
Sales conversions are 391% higher in the first minute.
Taking longer than 5 minutes to respond amounts to an 80% decrease in lead qualification.
Companies that respond within the first hour were 7x more likely to qualify that lead than companies that waited beyond an hour.
Prospective buyers seek out 3-5 inquiries on average.
Calling a lead more than 5 minutes after a lead submission has a 46% lower qualification rate than calling in less than 5 minutes.
More than 65% of all conversions occur on the first call.
Hubspot shares:
The odds of the lead entering the sales process, or becoming qualified, are 21 times greater when contacted within 5 minutes rather than 30 minutes after the lead was submitted.
Research from InsideSales.com shows that 35–50% of sales go to the business that responds first.
82% of consumers look for an immediate response from businesses on marketing or sales questions. And this group rates immediate response as important or very important from the businesses they deal with.
5 Key Ways to Make Sure Your Inquiry Becomes a Tour
First, you have to pivot your mindset from “selling” to “serving.”
Second, truly know your WHY + HOW.
Third, Be sure that you have clearly defined your Scheduling Strategy.
Be empathetic and connect as much as possible.
And finally the fifth way to ensure your inquiry becomes a tour is the most simple. Invite.
Tips for creating your own Scheduling Strategy
It is expected that potential parents will be full of questions and you will create a better connection with them if you are able to give them your undivided attention. But in our daily world, that can be very difficult without a plan. There is nothing more frustrating than when a parent calls or comes in for an inquiry as you are trying to get lunch out or giving a break.
You need to create your own Scheduling Strategy. Now how do you do this and what exactly does this entail?
Decide who will be able to conduct a New Family Interview - this is when a potential parent calls, emails, or stops by. Who do you feel is qualified to ensure a professional experience? Think about everyone on your team. The more the better! And think about specifically the times you are not there. Who do you trust to share your Why and How as they infuse the conversation to create a quality connection?
Train each of those that you have chosen on what they should say and do. Don’t hold back here. Really support them.
Have a plan for if someone calls or reaches out when no one you have identified is there. Train everyone else on what to do in this situation. For us, we have them complete only the top portion of our New Family Checklist. Then, they know to let the parent know someone will be in touch very soon.
If you have an online scheduler even better. We use Acuity Scheduling and we love it! You could use Google calendar or a paper calendar system. Just be sure to pick one and stick with it! This ensures everyone is on the same page.
Bonus! Tips on how to train your team to handle an inquiry when a parent comes in unexpectedly
First, make sure that you sound warm and friendly. This will put the potential parent at ease and make them more likely to want to work with you.
Also, try to remain calm. This can be difficult when you are in a classroom with preschoolers who are full of energy or maybe on the playground, but it's important to remember that the parent is just trying to get information about our preschool or play cafe.Second, be patient. The parent is likely just trying to gather information and ensure that our preschool or play cafe is a good fit for their child. Answer any questions they have as thoroughly as possible. Refer to the topics we have discussed.
Be sure to ask the planned questions about their needs and what they're looking for. This will help you determine whether or not our business is a good fit for them.Third, don't be afraid to ask for help or let the parent know that someone will get back to them. If you feel like you're not sure how to answer a question or you're getting overwhelmed, ask another team member for help or politely let the parent know that you are excited to help them but this may not be the best time. And let them know someone will reach out by the end of the day or the next day.
If everything is going well, invite the caller to come in for a tour. Letting them know that this is the best way to show them what you have to offer and get them to enroll their child in your Early Childhood business. And don’t forget to say THANK YOU!
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