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Talking to the future parent
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A few summers ago, my (at the time) fifth grader went off to overnight camp for the first time. Of course, excitedly, I shared with other parents at school pickup, expecting similar vibes. Nope. Instead, I got questions like: “Why would you let them go that far away?” “Why would you send them away for so long?” “How could you trust someone else with your kid overnight?” And these parents knew what I do for a living. They see LinkedIn. They know I run a consulting firm working with summer camps. They would still say this to my face. What the hell? Though on some level, I get it. Were they blatantly trying to make me feel bad? Probably not. Sometimes fear masks itself as concern, especially when it comes to kids. What They’re Saying NowThat was two summers back. Their kids were in fifth grade then. Now they’re in seventh grade, and the quotes have flipped “I should have sent my kid to camp.” “Your kid went to camp and they’re so independent.” Parents who couldn’t believe I’d could ever send my kid away are wishing they’d done the same. What a 180-degree turn! What is really going on here? Parents were and are so worried about trust and safety that they end up making it tougher for their kid to get a truly independent experience. Camp is one of the few places left where a kid faces small adversity without a parent in the mix. The distance and the unfamiliarity that those parents were so afraid of is the exact thing their kids needed most. What can camps do about this?Interview your alumni parents. The ones who took the leap three, five, seven years ago. Get the quotes. Both versions. The before and after. Put those quotes in your materials, in your emails, on the welcome page where new families first show up to learn about you. Forget marketing on camp magic. The angle camps could stand to lean into right now is future regret. What is that parent going to be saying in two summers if they don’t take this leap? That’s the pitch. The future version of the parent in front of you, likely, deep down, already knows the answer. Your job is to talk to that version. The present-day version is operating from fear, and they will catch up later. Two summers from now, parents who didn’t send their kid are going to be saying or thinking some version of “I wish I had.” That’s the conversation your camp needs to be in. Sincerely, Senior Consultant at Immersive1st Learn more about Immersive1st's Approach |
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