Effective marketing can greatly impact your school’s enrollment. By building your brand and showcasing your value, you will attract more families to your childcare center. With summer around the corner, now’s the time to invest in marketing to ensure you have full enrollment for summer camps and the next school year.
In this article, we’ll give you ten proven marketing tips that you can use to increase enrollment at your childcare center, daycare, or preschool.
1. Update Your Website
Create a strong digital presence by building a professional website and staying active on your social media accounts. Update your website with recent photos and ensure there is an easy way for families to get in touch.
2. Take Advantage of Social Media Advertising
Try boosting a Facebook and Instagram post to reach more families in your area at an affordable cost. Include your center’s logo, what you’re offering, and a way to contact you. This is an easy way to get your name out there even if you have no experience in digital advertising.
3. Offer Promotions and Discounts
Draw families in with incentives like a sibling discount, referral bonuses, or waived registration fees. A small discount can go a long way for families who may be wary of the cost of care.
4. Host an Open House
Invite prospective families to visit your school by hosting an open house. This is a great way for them to see the center and meet your staff without having to schedule individualized tours.
5. Gather Reviews
Ask current families to write reviews that you can include on your website, in social media posts, and on your Google Business profile. Word of mouth marketing is extremely effective when it comes to childcare. Showing your current families are happy will help other parents decide to enroll at your school.
6. Partner with Local Businesses
Work with local businesses to host events, offer discounts to their employees, or co-post marketing materials to spread the word and increase your community reach.
7. Optimize for Local SEO
Update your website with local search terms like ‘childcare center in X city’, affordable daycare in X town’. This will help parents who are searching to find your school. Tip: Although we avoid the term daycare in early childhood education, it is the most commonly searched term for childcare and should have a place somewhere on your website, even if it’s not the front page.
8. Engage with Your Community
Sponsor local events, participate in local job fairs, join local PTA boards, and host workshops or trainings to be more involved in the community. Families will become more familiar with your school and be more likely to spread the word about your center.
9. Offer Flexible Scheduling
Provide an additional convenience for parents with flexible or drop-in care. This is a way to boost revenue at your center while optimizing capacity and helping parents along the way.
10. Focus on Customer Service
Training your staff in customer service will help improve the perception of your school and result in more satisfied families. This will leave a good first impression on prospective families and make current families more likely to recommend your school.
Using these ten marketing tips, you will be able to boost enrollment for your childcare center for the upcoming summer and back-to-school season.
For a complete guide to marketing your center, click here.
Kangarootime brings childcare together with all of the tools centers need to succeed. One, easy-to-use system helps ECE professionals run their businesses more efficiently while optimizing their classrooms, connecting with families, and empowering staff. Our passionate team of industry experts has a heart for learning and is committed to being a partner to the childcare community. We’ve been serving providers since 2015 and together, we’re advancing childcare forward. To learn more, visit kangarootime.com.
