Question: What should I do when a parent is visiting my school and the classroom is not at its best?
Answer: First, if you know you have a scheduled visit, work as a team with the teachers in the classroom your new enrollment would be in. Part of their job as your marketing partners is to be sure the classroom communicates a good message – meaning clean, safe, appropriately active, organized, enriching, child friendly, and fun. Before the visit, share with the teacher what you expect and how important his/her role is in converting the prospect.
If a visitor drops in unannounced and you find the classroom not up to your standards during the tour, you could let the parent know if the reason for the room’s disarray is something related to good programming, such as the children just finished painting and are in the process of cleaning up. After the visit, talk to the teachers about the marketing message their room delivers, set expectations, then follow-up to insure and recognize their performance of your expectations. Remember, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
–Julie Wassom
https://juliewassom.com
