Word of mouth is the purest, most efficient form of marketing. It’s why running a great school is the best thing you can do to drive future enrollment. By doing so, you’re nurturing brand ambassadors who will proudly market your business for you.
That said, there will be times when you have an unexpected opening — a family might move, or you might open a new location. Whatever the reason, you’ll need a marketing and advertising strategy beyond word of mouth.
Today, we’re exploring some popular child care advertising examples and whether they’re worth investing marketing dollars into.
Popular Child Care Advertising Examples
Remarket to Warm Traffic
Every child care center has a list of parents who toured but didn’t enroll. Hold on to this list — you’ll need it.
Between two to three weeks and three to six months after enrollment, many parents will rethink where they landed. This is the perfect time to reach out with a newsletter or helpful article. It’ll keep you top of mind and open a line of communication.
You’ve already spent marketing dollars on these leads. Make the most of them by remarketing to people who’ve expressed interest in your school in the past.
You want to establish your school as a community resource for parents and a nurturing environment they can come back to. Utilizing an “almost enrolled” list is exactly how you can accomplish that.
Digital Advertising
Next to running a great school, digital ads are the best way to drive enrollment, hands down. You can track your efforts, so you’ll know your return on ad spend, and you can position your school directly in front of parents in their moment of need.
The best platforms to use for digital advertising are Google, Facebook, Instagram, and Waze (among other Map Apps).
Local Magazines
If a magazine is hyper-focused, meaning it’s a neighborhood publication or a magazine with proven distribution in your geographic area, advertising in it can be good for branding. Be sure to use a QR code, a tracking phone number, or a special offer in the ad or article to track your ROI.
Radio and TV
Radio and television ads are quite expensive and aren’t great child care advertising examples for most schools. Furthermore, while they’re great for branding, you may not be able to measure your return.
These options are much better suited for national franchises than for independent schools.
Local Partners
Partnering with local organizations is a great, creative way to spread awareness about your brand within your community. For example, you could sponsor a local PTA. Many have their own websites and will sell spots or highlighted links to community partners.
You can sponsor local “mom blogs” focused on family activities in the area, which would also earn you a link on their websites. Remember, anytime you include a link in an ad, make sure it’s a tracking link so you can track your ROAS.
Here’s another creative way to support your local community while increasing brand awareness: Donate children’s books to local pediatricians’ offices with a label or stamp on the inside that reads, “This book was proudly provided by [Your School’s Name].”
Local Businesses
If you’d like to partner with local businesses in your community, try local restaurants. If they have a separate paper kid’s menu, you may be able to sponsor it.
Many community centers now have digital display boards that can feature local businesses. Contact your local health clubs, YMCAs, or community centers for information about becoming a sponsor.
Mailers (Direct Mail)
Think snail mail is gone for good? Think again.
Although direct mail has been around for decades, it’s still effective when done well. For example, if you’re opening a new school, mailers can effectively announce your arrival ahead of time. Just brace yourself a low response rate of 2–3%.
Again, don’t forget to use QR codes and tracking phone numbers so you can watch your ROAS. Knowing how well your marketing dollars are working is essential to every strategy.
Choose From These Child Care Advertising Examples and Get Started!
When sifting through child care advertising examples and trying to find a good fit for your school, keep in mind you can use a few or several of these in your strategy. You can also change your strategy over time. In fact, you should adjust your strategy according to data you collect, like ROAS.
If you find these ideas overwhelming, Rose Marketing Solutions is happy to help. Feel free to contact us, and we’ll start strategizing with you!