The A.C.E. Inquiry System: Never Lose Another Lead
Inquiries are coming in—phone calls, website forms, Facebook messages—but you're losing 60% of them because follow-up is inconsistent. You respond to some within hours, others get buried for days, and many never hear back at all because they got lost in the chaos of your day. You're operating in pure reactive mode, believing that "interested families will follow up again if they're serious." Here's what's really happening: you're hemorrhaging revenue through inconsistent inquiry follow-up, and every lost lead represents $8,000 to $15,000 in annual tuition you'll never recover. Confident Early Childhood Operators don't rely on memory or hope—they implement the A.C.E. System (Attract, Communicate, Enroll), a 7-touchpoint follow-up framework that converts 60% more inquiries into enrolled families. When you systematize inquiry management instead of winging it, you stop losing leads and start filling spots predictably.
💡 The 3 Key Strategies You’ll Discover
You'll discover how to understand the A.C.E. Framework (Attract, Communicate, Enroll) and why 7 touchpoints over 7 days is the magic number that moves families from curious to committed, including how to map your inquiry journey stages strategically
You'll learn how to build your 7-Touchpoint Follow-Up Sequence with specific content templates, timing rules, and communication channels (email, video, phone) that create momentum without feeling pushy or salesy
You'll see how to implement inquiry tracking systems using simple spreadsheets that ensure every lead gets every touchpoint on schedule, plus how to block daily follow-up time so execution actually happens
⏰ Key Moments & Timestamps
00:00 – Why you're losing 60% of inquiries (and how much revenue that costs)
07:10 – The hidden reason speed matters more than quality in inquiry response
14:00 – Strategy #1: Understand the A.C.E. Framework
22:30 – Strategy #2: Build your 7-Touchpoint Follow-Up Sequence
31:15 – Strategy #3: Implement inquiry tracking systems
37:50 – Why Touchpoint 5 (the phone call) is your highest-conversion moment
Resource of the Week
A.C.E. 7-Touchpoint Follow-Up Tracker
Stop losing inquiries through the cracks and start converting them systematically. This simple spreadsheet template helps you track every inquiry through all 7 touchpoints with columns for contact info, touchpoint completion dates, and status tracking. Includes example content templates for each touchpoint (immediate auto-response, personal video, educational value, social proof, phone call, urgency, final follow-up) designed for preschools, childcare centers, play cafés, and enrichment programs.
Final Thoughts
Every inquiry you lose to inconsistent follow-up represents $8,000-$15,000 in annual revenue walking out the door. When you implement the 7-touchpoint A.C.E. System, you convert 60% more inquiries because systematic follow-up beats reactive hope every time.
"78% of families enroll with the first provider who responds with substance—not the best provider."
🔗 Related Episodes & Resources
Parent Attraction System That Actually Fills Your Preschool – Learn the complete marketing funnel that generates inquiries consistently
Know Your Numbers: The Financial Wake-Up Call – Calculate exactly how much revenue you're losing to poor conversion
PBB Module 3: Attraction & Nurture Marketing – Access the complete A.C.E. System with done-for-you templates, tracking tools, and implementation guides inside Shine Membership
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If this episode gave you clarity on how to stop losing inquiries and start converting them predictably, please subscribe and share with another EC leader whose enrollment is suffering from poor follow-up.