Your tuition page is one of your website’s most visited pages. This isn’t surprising — parents want to know how much it will cost to send their child to your school.
But is it enough to simply include your tuition rates?
In this post, we’ll explain what essential details to divulge on your tuition page and why. Let’s dive in.
Rates or No Rates?
Childcare center owners generally subscribe to one of two schools of thought — publish tuition rates, or don’t.
For owners who decide to publish their tuition rates, their staff saves time on discussing rates with prospects who ultimately can’t afford them.
However, not publishing tuition rates allows your staff to clarify exactly what’s included in that tuition before presenting prospects with a number.
Few parents understand that most schools — even those with similar tuition rates — don’t represent a true apples-to-apples comparison. So, instead of trying to be another apple, be an orange. List everything included in your tuition rates on your tuition page — snacks, hot meals, diapers, wipes, extracurriculars, transportation to and from school, etc. That way, once parents reach out and you present them with a rate, they may feel better about the dollar amount.
That said, not being transparent about your rates up front is still risky. If a prospect contacts you for your rates, listens to your whole spiel, and then finds out they can’t afford your tuition rates, it may frustrate them. It’s a tough decision that falls to each individual school owner.
But regardless of whether you list your rates up front or not, listing your features on your website’s tuition page and not just in your welcome packet makes it easier for parents to find and consider your school.
You might include the following features:
- Extended hours
- Meals and snacks
- Infant necessities — diapers, wipes, nutrition, etc.
- Extracurriculars
- Language classes
- Fitness classes
- Music
- Transportation for after-school programs
- Special rooms or specialty programs — STEM/STEAM, etc.
- Technology — smartboards and tablets
- Classroom or school security and cameras
- Electronic reporting — updates for parents
Don’t be afraid to show off your amenities and emphasize why you’re worth a fair price. It demonstrates your value for the children in your care and to their parents. You’re offering peace of mind — and that’s priceless.
Benefits Over Features
In marketing, we have a saying — features tell, benefits sell. The features of your school are the details about how your school is different (and better) than the competition. The benefits are how those features improve the lives of your customers.
Most schools do a great job listing features, but many fall short when it comes to promoting the benefits of the features they offer.
Avoid this pitfall by including the “so that” in your descriptions. For instance, “We provide two snacks and two hot, nutritious meals daily so that you can rest assured your child is eating healthy food and you don’t have to worry about meal prep.”
Or, “Our tuition includes extended hours so that you have more flexibility in dropping your children off before work or squeezing in some errands before picking them up.”
By including the “so that,” you spell out the benefits for the parents. They can imagine their lives made simpler and less stressful having enrolled their child in your school.
Finding a Balance
While it’s good to not overwhelm website visitors with too much text, in this instance, there’s no such thing as too much information. Parents want to know as much as possible when it comes to their kids’ education and care.
Keep your information formatted for readability. Make sure parents can find the information they’re interested in, and prioritize transparency. This builds trust, which is key when starting a relationship with families and parents.
Regardless of whether or not you decide to publish your tuition rates, be up front about what’s included in your rates, focus on the benefits of your features, and don’t be afraid to charge more than your competitors. (You can’t assume they’re doing everything right.)
Your goal isn’t to be the cheapest OR the most expensive childcare center around. Your goal is to be priced fairly, and your tuition page is your opportunity to prove your value.
In a world of apples, be an orange.