Things to Note While Making Your School Offers: Strategies for Effective Enrollment

Making the right offers plays a critical role in converting prospects into enrolled students. Your school’s ability to position itself strategically, offer value-driven incentives, and close deals effectively can determine how well you attract and retain parents. Below are essential strategies to keep in mind when crafting offers that resonate with potential parents and boost enrollment.

1. Strategic Positioning: Reinforce What Makes Your School Unique

Continuously remind parents and prospects what makes your school different. Your unique positioning isn’t just about having excellent teachers or beautiful classrooms—it’s about providing specific solutions to challenges faced by parents and children.

• Focus on the core benefits your school offers, such as personalized learning, character development, or extracurricular strengths.
• Schools that work with me directly have their positioning message crafted to emphasize these unique solutions, ensuring their message is distinct and compelling.

Your message should remain consistent, as this is what initially attracted parents and will continue to influence their decisions.

2. The Magical Question: Engage Prospects About Their Needs

Ask parents a key question that encourages them to open up about their child’s needs:
“We would love your child to join us at our school. If you were to switch your child to our school, what one area of improvement would you like to see in your child that you aren’t seeing currently?”

This question helps you understand the parents’ expectations, making it easier to tailor your offer and demonstrate how your school can meet their needs.

3. Irresistible Guarantee: Offer Specific Outcomes

When parents express what they want to see in their child, listen carefully. Then, respond by reinforcing how your school can address their specific concerns:

• Example: “That’s exactly why you should bring your child to our school! For your child’s age, I can guarantee noticeable improvement in [specific area] within [time frame].”
• Provide added value: Offer a special gift or discount as a bonus for registering. For instance, “If you decide to register today, you’ll receive [X percent discount] on the first term fees.”

This approach reassures parents that your school is the right choice and motivates them to take immediate action.

4. Multiple Registration Discounts: Reward Families with Multiple Children

Offer discounts to families with more than one child enrolling in your school. For instance:

• “Enjoy a 25% discount on the third child’s tuition when you register all three children.”

This type of incentive encourages families to enroll all their children, increasing your student population.

5. Referral Discounts: Incentivize Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Leverage your existing parents to bring in new students through referral discounts:

• After a parent registers their child, say: “Thank you for choosing our school. Can you provide the name and contact of a friend whose child might benefit from our school? If they enroll, you’ll enjoy a special discount for your child next term.”

This approach fosters word-of-mouth marketing, bringing in more students through trusted recommendations.

6. A Note of Caution on Discounts and Scholarships

While discounts and scholarships can attract new parents, they need to be offered carefully to avoid negative consequences:

• Avoid publicizing discounts or scholarships on banners as it can harm your school’s brand and attract families who may struggle to pay fees consistently.
• Don’t offer short-term scholarships as bait—this can attract parents who may not pay in future terms, leading to financial challenges for the school.
• Scholarships can reduce your school’s perceived value among paying parents, making it harder to maintain your pricing structure.
• Communicate all discounts clearly with your staff so they know how to present these offers confidently and answer questions from prospective parents.

7. Use Video Testimonials to Build Trust

Video testimonials from satisfied parents are a powerful way to build trust with prospective parents. Use these strategically:

• Play videos on a screen in your reception area or during open house events.
• Ensure your receptionist has the testimonials saved on their phone or tablet for easy access, even during power outages.
• Share these videos on your school’s website, social media pages, or WhatsApp groups to reach a wider audience.

Hearing other parents speak positively about your school gives prospects the confidence to enroll their child.

8. Get Parents to Make a Decision

The final step in the enrollment process is to encourage parents to make a decision. You must be confident and clear when closing the conversation. Use phrases such as:

• “We believe our school is the right fit for your child, and we’d love to have them here. Would you like to finalize the registration today?”
• “Since you’ve mentioned that [specific outcome] is important to you, let’s get started so your child can begin their journey with us.”

Creating a sense of urgency while focusing on the child’s needs encourages parents to commit on the spot.

Conclusion

Effective offers play a crucial role in converting prospects into enrolled students. By strategically positioning your school, engaging parents through key questions, offering tailored guarantees, and using referral incentives, you can enhance your enrollment process.

Additionally, being mindful of how and when to offer discounts or scholarships ensures your school maintains its reputation and attracts the right families. Leveraging video testimonials and mastering the art of closing conversations will further solidify your school’s appeal.

By following these strategies, you can improve your conversion rates and create lasting relationships with parents, ensuring sustainable growth for your school.