7 Ways to Make Your Next Follow-Up Your Best Follow-Up
Following up on prospective parents can feel painful. Making several calls, writing, and sending emails is not an easy task. So now, maybe you reached out a couple of times, and then you wait for a response. You've done your job. You've reached out. And then when you don't hear back, you give up...
Following up on prospective parents can feel painful. Making several calls, writing, and sending emails is not an easy task. So now, maybe you reached out a couple of times, and then you wait for a response. You've done your job. You've reached out. You've asked for a meeting or a second call. And then when you don't hear back, you give up...
Most prospective parents never receive enough touches.
Getting through to parents is crucial, but how do you keep them engaged without scaring them away?
Text them.
You'll be able to stay relevant, grab their attention, and offer unique value that outcompetes your competitors.
Here are our top 7 Unique Conversation Starters to Drive Parents Communications!
Tip#1: Take notes during your communications.
You'll need that information to accurately follow up with your leads, to know where they stand in their decision-making process, and to share any resources to have that will help guide them through the next steps.
Once you get the info, here's how you use it:
"Hey. Just a quick reminder about our previous chat.
I know you must be busy with a million things, but I'd love to continue our conversation. Please text me when you get a chance."
Can become:
"Hey, Maria. Just a quick reminder about our previous chat.
I know you must be busy with Joanna's birthday preparations, but I'd love to continue our conversation. Please text me back when you have a few seconds."
Tip#2: Add a sense of urgency in your texts.
Try to frame your text with a question or a next step. Include deadlines to grab the prospect's attention:
“Hi <Parent Name>. Maybe you missed my last message.
Are you still interested in scheduling a call with our admissions director?
We have a few openings. Would that work for you?"
"Let's schedule a call with the admissions director so you can get a better idea of whether we are the best choice for your <children>.
We have a few openings. What time suits you best on <Date>?"
Tip#3: Provide Value.
“Hi <Parent Name>,
I really enjoyed talking to you earlier and learning more about you and [their child's name].
Good news. I have the info you requested.
Please let me know when you have a chance to take a look at it and would like me to call to discuss it. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Feel free to call me at [your number] any time."
“Hi <Parent Name>,
I trust that you have had an opportunity to read my previous email and look at our website, so I figured it'd be worth checking in with you once more.
I'd be happy to do a quick review of it on the phone and answer any and all questions you may have. Are you free for for a quick conversation?"
Tip#4: Reignite their interest with helpful resources.
Some great resources you can link to in your texts include:
- Stats
- Blog Posts/Articles
- Testimonials
Links to these types of resources are incredibly easy to add to texts, like:
“Hi <Parent Name>, thanks for asking about <School Name>.
I would like to share some relevant information.
May I ask how old your child is?"
“Hi <Parent Name>. Here's an infographic I thought you'd appreciate.
Would you like some more resources like this?"
“Hey, <Parent Name>.
Are you interested in knowing what other parents are saying about our school?
Here's a link to our school's testimonials to give you an idea!"
Tip#5: Thank them for their time.
Anytime a parent meets with you, has a phone call with you, or any kind of interaction, they should receive a thank you message. These thank you messages show appreciation - which goes a long way- and are good excuses to keep an open line of communication.
Do not use these texts to push them. Just be personable.
"Thanks for talking with me today. I appreciate your time.
Let me know if I can be of any further assistance."
"<Parent Name>, thank you so much for coming to our school today!"
Tip#6: Ask for simple verification.
Sometimes prospects may not answer just because it's been a busy week or your previous emails got buried. Sending them a follow-up text is quick, harmless, and will make your prospect incredibly thankful if they wanted to reach out and just got sidetracked.
A follow-up text could look like:
“Hey, it's <your Name> from <School Name>.
Did you get my email last week?
I wanted to make sure you have everything."
Always center your messaging on reminding the prospect who you are and how they know you.
Tip#7: Keep the ball rolling by offering a next step.
Sometimes parents can go silent because they're still deciding if your solution fits their needs. You can quickly get a prospect back on track with a message that leads them to an easy action, like:
“Hey <Parent Name>, it’s <your Name> on behalf of <School Name>.
I was hoping we could jump on a call next week.
What is the best time for you?"
Asking to schedule a call is a low-pressure way to reopen the conversation.
To sum up.
The follow-up is the most underrated part of the school marketing funnel.
Yet, it's the single most important aspect, high-priority of your Marketing Strategy that will allow you to maximize your ROI and prevail over the competition.
Still, have doubts?
Can you guess how many texts Enrollhand has sent?
That's our number!