Onboarding New Families Part 1 - with Jackie Port and Maria Horner - The Day Camp Pod #142

Day Camp PodPodcast
Written By Guest User

From First Hello to Forever Families: Building Belonging That Brings Campers Back

A great first time camper experience can be the difference between a one summer family and a family that returns year after year. In Part 1 of this two part conversation, your hosts are joined by Jackie Port and Maria Horner to explore practical ways to welcome new campers, build parent confidence, and create a sense of belonging from the very first interaction. From personalized communication and thoughtful welcome packages to setting realistic expectations and helping families navigate the bumps along the way, this episode is packed with strategies you can put into practice. Tune in to discover how intentional onboarding can turn first time families into lifelong camp community members!

  • 00:00 Why First Timers Matter

  • 07:04 Camp Is A Business

  • 09:21 Retention And Metrics

  • 12:29 Care Package Welcome

  • 16:33 Day Camp Onboarding Tactics

  • 19:01 Segmenting New Families

  • 22:27 Personal Emails Build Trust

  • 24:35 Lead Liaison Routing

  • 25:25 Instant Brochure Automation

  • 26:21 Segmentation And Hype Emails

  • 28:27 First Time Family Outreach

  • 29:37 Keeping Big Camps Personal

  • 30:04 Calls Versus Emails

  • 32:48 Preschooler Prep Events

  • 34:14 Setting Parent Expectations

  • 35:17 Struggle Plus Support

  • 39:34 Parent Education And Reunions

  • 43:32 Director Authority And Trust

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Sponsors:

Thanks to our wonderful sponsors who help make this Go Camp Pro podcast possible:

  • Commercial Recreation Specialists (CRS)

    • Looking to elevate your camp experience? For over 25 years, Commercial Recreation Specialists has been transforming camps with water inflatables, Splashpads, playgrounds, and more! Boost your programming, drive registrations, and attract more campers. Our team of Recreation Specialists is here to help you design the ultimate space. Let’s take your camp to the next level – because we’re serious about FUN! Find out more at https://crs4rec.com/

  • Camptivities

    • Building the perfect camp schedule takes experience — and when a key staff member leaves, that knowledge can disappear. Camptivities protects your institutional camp knowledge and makes sure every camper gets the schedule you promised. Built by camp people, for camp people. Learn more at camptivities.com.

  • Campminder

    • Campminder has the most robust offerings of features out there. But more importantly, every feature works together to create a full, seamless system that helps camps run more efficiently. Visit them today at campminder.com

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Summer 2026 Debrief - The Day Camp Pod - #141