Helping Prospective Families Trust Your Camp

Do prospective parents trust you?

How does your camp come across to a prospective parent* in those first few interactions?

We all know that kids have more decision-making power than they used to, and choosing a camp is no exception. Kids may be drawn to the activities, the facilities, the trips, or what they see on Instagram.

But ultimately, parents need to trust you.

I've long said that camp-seeking parents don't always know what they're looking for until they've found it. They may start their search thinking they want a camp with certain facilities, a screen-free environment, or myriad activities to choose from.

Those things matter. But ultimately, they are considering sending their child into your care. Parents need to walk away from a phone call, Zoom, home visit, camp tour, or even an email, thinking: These people are going to take good care of my kid. That is far and away most important to the majority of parents.

So, how are you establishing that trust right out of the gate?

What are you showing parents?

If one of your camp's strengths is the personal touch, make sure parents can actually feel it.

Don't just tell them, "We really know our campers." Show them what that means.

What happens when a camper is struggling?

How do you know when a child needs a little push and when they need an adult to back off?

How do you safely push kids outside their comfort zones so they can gain confidence and resilience?

Who is paying attention to the child who isn't having a major problem but just seems a little off?

Who is supervising the counselors who are taking care of their child?

These aren't necessarily the flashy parts of camp that look great in a video. But they may be the things that make a parent decide that your camp is the camp for them.

I've talked to many parents who really trust their child's camp leadership, and they often say that they never understood how meaningful camp could be until they met the right directors.

If you think you've nailed this, I encourage you to take it a step further.

Give prospective parents questions to ask the other camps they're considering.

If you believe strongly in your answers to these questions, then don't be afraid to let parents hear how other camps answer them, too.

This is not about questions like, "What's your camper-to-staff ratio?" or "How many waterslides do you have?"

Give them questions about how those camps will actually take care of their child.

Tell them:

"When you talk to other camp directors, here are some questions to ask so you can make sure you find the best fit."

• "What do you do if my child is struggling?"

• "How do you safely push kids outside their comfort zones so they can gain confidence and resilience?"

• "What is your leadership structure, and who is ultimately responsible for camper care?"

• "How do you know when a camper isn't doing well, even if they aren't asking for help?"

• "How do your camp leaders live your camp's values? Can you give me some examples?"

That last one is particularly important if your camp talks a lot about values like kindness, honesty, respect, integrity, and more.

Almost every camp has values. but you want to get parents to ask how those values will show up.

You're encouraging them to do their homework and choose the camp that feels right for their child.

That sends them the message that you care, and, that you're confident in your presentation.

You're confident enough in your own camp that you're helping parents become better consumers of all camps. That, in itself, builds a lot of trust. If you do it right, they will come back to you.

What if you're not quite there yet?

Maybe you read some of those questions and realize that you don't love your camp's answers.

That's actually very helpful for you.

If you aren't completely confident in your culture, leadership structure, camper-care systems, or how your stated values show up in practice, don't create better talking points. Make improving those things a top goal.

Culture change takes time. You don't want to advertise a version of your camp that doesn't actually exist. That will lead to negative outcomes.

Instead, figure out where you want to be. What would need to change for you to answer every one of those parent questions with complete confidence?

Then start working toward it.

Want to bat around some ideas? Schedule a time to talk.

Ultimately, you want parents to trust you and talk to other parents about how much they trust you. So, lead with that. Why should they trust you to give their child an unbelievable camp experience?

*I use "parent" to encompass and include parents, guardians, and any primary caregivers of children.

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