Consider this scenario: a family discovers your class, and begins the enrollment process, but does not complete it. While this may appear to be a missed opportunity, it is, in fact, an important moment to re-engage potential learners and foster trust. Outschool’s new automatic checkout recovery feature offers a seamless way help to turn hesitations into actions
These messages are automatically triggered a few hours after a family starts but does not complete enrollment. Carefully crafted to support your business goals without exerting undue pressure, they provide clarity and reassurance, empowering families to finalize their decisions with confidence.
Understanding the Business Funnel: Why Checkout Recovery Matters
The “abandoned enrollment” stage isn’t a dead end—it’s an integral part of a healthy business funnel. Every successful online business follows a simple funnel process:
- Awareness: Families discover your classes through Outschool’s marketplace, word of mouth, or marketing efforts of both yourself and Outschool.
- Consideration: Families click on your class, read the description, and maybe even start enrolling.
- Decision: Here’s the critical moment—families may need clarity and reassurance to finalize their choice.
Automatic checkout recovery messages work at the decision stage to re-engage families who are already interested. Far from being pushy, Outschool believes these messages will help in addressing hesitation and removing barriers to enrollment.
Outschool Data: What We’ve Learned
During our experiment with this feature, in November 2024, we observed that families who received these messages were over 20% more likely to complete enrollment compared to those who didn’t. This isn’t about pressure; it’s about support. A small, well-timed nudge helps families follow through on their intention to enroll, benefitting both them and your business.
Educators are entrepreneurs, and like any business owner, you can benefit from a similar strategy to build trust and grow your enrollments.
Best Practices: Why Outschool’s Messages Work
These automatic checkout recovery messages are designed to reflect your professionalism while supporting families in their decision-making. During the experimentation phase, the short default message proved highly effective in driving enrollments, and it’s ready to use as-is. However, if you prefer to draft your own custom message, you can! Check out these best practices to create a message that resonates with families:
- Clarity About the Experience: The message could include details about the experiences and benefits you provide in your classes—helping families make informed choices.
- Focus on Reassurance: Many families pause at enrollment because of simple concerns: “Does my child have the right skills?” or “What happens if they miss a session?” These messages address those questions upfront.
- Friendly, Supportive Tone: These messages are intentionally crafted to feel inviting, not promotional. Families are reminded that the educator is approachable and ready to support them.
- Low Barrier to Action: Families can click directly to complete their enrollment without needing to re-navigate the platform.
Building a Strong Business Foundation
Using tools like abandoned checkout messages helps you:
- Strengthen Your Funnel: These messages ensure fewer families drop off at the decision stage, keeping your pipeline healthy.
- Increase Enrollments Without Extra Work: Automated messages save you time while potentially helping increase the likelihood of securing bookings.
- Foster Trust from the Start: By addressing families’ concerns and providing clarity, you’re building a positive relationship that encourages repeat enrollments.
Many educators worry these messages might feel pushy, but think of them as part of a service-oriented approach. Families who receive these messages are already interested; the message simply helps them finalize their decision with confidence.
Automatic checkout recovery messages aren’t just a tool to boost enrollments—we believe they’re a key component of a strong business foundation. By re-engaging families with clarity and support, you not only increase enrollments but also establish trust and create pathways for future retention.
