March Trade Secret: Close the Tour and Convert
- School Presence
- 11 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Parents are finally at your school.
They’ve seen the boards.They’ve watched the reels.They’ve explored your website.They’ve responded to your marketing checklist from the past few months.
Now what?
March is not about showing your school.March is about converting families.
Running a school tour is a sales pitch.A long one.And most principals were never taught how to sell.
The Real Questions
How do you actually get someone to enrol?
What do you say that makes them want to choose you?
What are your true points of difference?
Do you close confidently or do you waffle?
Have you tailored the tour to that specific family?
Do you look and feel professional?
What is your welcome like?
What is your call to action?
What marketing material do you hand them?
What is your conversion rate?
If you have not carefully thought through these questions, you are leaving enrolments to chance.
Who Should Run the Tour?
Parents feel valued when the principal runs the tour.
Why?
Because you are taking time out of your day to meet a future family. That signals importance. That builds trust.
Schools where students run the entire tour and the principal appears for five minutes do not convert at the same rate.
Students enhance the tour. They should not lead it.
As a principal, you must: • Do the welcome • Set the tone • Lead the narrative • Close the conversation
You need to be seen.
Ways to Convert Families
1. Do Your Homework Before They Arrive
Have your office contact the family beforehand. Find out about their child. Understand their pain points.
Then tailor the tour to them. Every parent has concerns. Your role is to guide them and show how your school meets their child’s needs.
2. Start With a Warm, Professional Welcome
Relationships convert. Use their names. Create trust. Make them feel known. Trust is everything in schools. And people enrol where they feel safe and understood.
3. Be Polished and Intentional
Begin with a short, professional presentation. Move confidently through the school. Control the flow.
Parents often don’t know the difference between programs and offerings. What matters is how clearly and confidently you position them. You are the guide. Show them you will guide their child too.
4. Create Urgency
Small classes. Limited places. Application deadlines.
Find out competitor dates and move earlier. Set a clear timeframe. Ask for the application.
Families rarely respond to “whenever you’re ready.”
The Close
Do not end with: “Let us know if you have any questions.”
Instead say: “We would love to welcome your family here. I’ll send you the enrolment paperwork this afternoon.”
That is the difference between a pleasant tour and a conversion.
We regularly attend school tours and provide constructive feedback.
Small changes in:
Structure
Language
Professional presentation
Closing technique
have significantly increased enrolment conversion rates for the schools we work with. If you would like us to attend one of your tours and provide honest feedback, strategy and practical tips, let us know.
March is momentum month.
It’s time to close.
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