The Case Of The Disappearing Prospect

By Tracy Bauer

How to turn potential clients into paying customers

Does the following scenario sound familiar? You’ve been getting plenty of calls and visits from interested prospects all summer, but when the fall season starts, the number of new students at your studio is much lower than you had hoped. Do parents and their children seem excited when you talk to them about your school, only to disappear come registration time? Is your school’s enrollment stagnant or growing sluggishly? If so, perhaps you’re wondering how you can convince more of those prospective new clients to sign up for classes. The answer is to turn leads into sales— thus boosting your enrollment—by winning over those potential clients.

Generally, two types of people will contact you for information about your classes and programs: those who are ready to buy from you and those who are curious about what you offer but are shopping around for a dance school. Most people fall into the second category. So how do you convince them that choosing your school is the right decision? The first step is to reduce their apprehension and put them at ease. The key to doing this is to describe an experience for their children that gets them excited before providing any details about schedules, prices, and policies. Don’t let them make a decision before you get them hooked.

Consider this all-too-common scenario: A parent calls and says, “I have a 4-year-old daughter who is interested in dance and I’m wondering what you offer for her age and how much it costs.” Then you say, “We offer a great creative dance class for that age group. It meets on Tuesdays at 3:30 for 45 minutes and it’s a lot of fun. We do payments on a monthly basis and it’s only $50 a month for a once-a-week class. You can join at any time. Would you like to sign up?”

The typical response is either “Can you send me more information?” or “Let me think about it and I’ll get back to you.” Sure, they might become a client—but maybe they won’t. That’s because all they have to base their decision on is price, the time the class is offered, and your word that the class is “great.” So if another school offers a class that is less expensive and more convenient for their schedule, they are likely to choose it—even if you believe that you offer a better facility, more experienced faculty, and the best preschool curriculum in your community. In order to increase your enrollment, you have to make clients want to join your school regardless of price and convenience.

Here are a few ways to improve your first conversation with potential clients by building intrigue and excitement before providing the final details.

Determine what your prospect is hoping for.

When a parent asks about your program, find out more about them first so that you can speak to their needs and desires instead of focusing on the school and how great it is. Of course you think it’s wonderful, but the parent will need more convincing. Some people are looking for a serious dance education and some are simply looking for something fun and active. Try to determine which type of program appeals to them and then focus on the aspects of your school that would fill those needs.

Explain what the child will learn in class.

Rather than only telling them the name of the program, explain what the child will learn. Is it a ballet/tap combo? Is it an intensive program? Is it a creative movement class? What are the benefits of that program for a young child? What is the structure of the class? Which motor skills will they develop? Even more important if their child is young, what lessons other than dance skills will they learn (such as taking turns, respecting others, and exploring their creativity)?

How are these skills and concepts introduced?

Explain how you make learning fun by using stories, songs, props, and equipment that keep young children excited and engaged.

Give kudos to the teacher.

Address how experienced, educated, enthusiastic, and well received the teacher is, how long she has taught at your school, what makes her so great, and how much the students love her. It puts parents’ minds at ease to know that the person who will be influencing their children knows how to teach and engage them.

Use the influence of social proof.

One of the most influential marketing concepts is the idea of social proof, meaning that something that is perceived as popular will be in demand. That’s why testimonials work so well. People are more likely to trust a client’s review than they are to believe you. If your preschool class is extremely popular, it implies that it’s a great program. If others love it, it must be great.

Offer a closer look.

People may need more convincing before they believe what you say, so offer them a chance to see for themselves.   

Invite them to observe a class and meet the teacher. Let them check out the facility and see the child-friendly environment you offer.

Reduce their fear of commitment.

Parents are often worried about spending money on a class that their child might not like. They don’t want to commit to a month or a semester of classes only to find out that the child refuses to go back the second week. If a prospect seems apprehensive about taking action, invite the child to take a complimentary trial class. It costs you nothing to let them attend and it gets them in the door. When the child walks out of class with a smile, the parent is much more willing to commit to registration.

Taking these ideas into consideration, imagine the impact you would have on your prospect’s decision if, rather than focusing on price, policies, and scheduling, you responded like this: “For 4-year-olds we offer a creative dance class that provides a fun introduction to dance. It includes a short warm-up, gentle stretching, taking turns across the floor, creative movement, and development of balance, rhythm, and motor skills like skipping, galloping, and hopping. These are dance skills that will prepare them for future study in any discipline from ballet to hip-hop. Of course, we make learning really fun by using stories and props like hula hoops, scarves, ribbons, and instruments to keep the children engaged and active. And our preschool teacher is so wonderful! Miss Tracy has been teaching our youngest dancers for five years now, and the kids love her. She does a great job of making the kids excited about dance and comfortable in her classroom. She structures the class so that they know what to expect each week and how to behave, yet she is so warm and supportive of their achievements. Her enthusiasm for dance is contagious. In fact, it’s such a popular class that there are only two spaces left. Does this sound like the kind of program you’re looking for?”

Once you’ve painted this exciting picture in your prospect’s mind, then you can answer their questions about class schedules and prices or offer to send them a brochure. They will be more open-minded and flexible if you’ve already got them hooked. If they aren’t ready to sign up on the spot, give them a low-risk way to take action, like a free trial class or complimentary tickets to your next school production.

Inevitably, some people will seem excited and interested but won’t be ready to sign up until next month, next season, or even next year. However, they’ve already expressed interest and are your most likely candidates for future enrollment, so be sure to get their contact information and follow up later by mail, phone, or email to announce your news and events.

Once you’ve determined your “script” for turning leads into customers, be sure to train your employees—especially those who greet your visitors or answer your phone—to use it. But be aware that your staff, no matter how friendly and competent they may seem, are not likely to sell as well as you. They don’t necessarily share your vision and goals, and they have less incentive to see your school succeed. If you want to ensure that your employees create the same first impression that you would, create a process or script of what you want them to say. Insist that they represent your school with the same enthusiasm, patience, charisma, and competence that you would convey to every potential customer.

By presenting a “must-have” experience in the minds of your potential customers, you can stop chasing after noncommittal leads and get them to pursue you instead. Once they’ve decided that your school is right for their child, you won’t need to take a hard-sell approach. They’ll sign on gladly, and you can sit back and watch your enrollment grow.