There are a lot of factors to consider when you're trying to market to prospective families or keep current families engaged about the latest news at your centre.
Coming up with new marketing strategies for childcare isn’t always easy, but we've created this cheat sheet to help remind you of all the little details that make a big difference.
Create a Plan for Your Marketing Email
Don’t just jump in the car and drive. Map out which direction you are going.
Create an email marketing schedule. If you're planning a drip campaign, decide on a regular schedule to establish how often you want families to receive emails from you. Look ahead at special events or holidays and plan accordingly.
For more tips on how to schedule your marketing emails, read our email marketing guide.
Ideally, you should be sending at least one newsletter every month to keep your audience engaged. But keep in mind- if you send too many emails too often, you may be tuned out or parents may simply unsubscribe altogether.
Segment your families into smaller collections of people within your customer database based on their similarities. For example, if you're marketing to fill open spots in a specific room, group contact information from people that have enquired to your centre with children in that specific age group.
Use an Attention-Grabbing Subject Line
The subject line is usually the determining factor in whether the reader will open your email. Your subject line needs to relate to the topic of the email while also capturing the reader's attention. But whatever you do, make it brief. It's recommended that you use no more than 9 words and 60 characters.
If you want to give the impression that the email was written solely for their benefit, add their name or their child’s name using email personalisation keys to give the communication a personal touch.
Read our email marketing guide for free subject line examples.
Make it Visually Appealing
Images are going to capture your readers' attention. Use pictures that are relevant to the topic and will leave an impression. Whether it's a picture of the playground or a funny picture of your staff on Easter, make sure your parents will remember it.
Remember: you should never use pictures of children from your centre without their parent’s written permission.
Use Your Logo and Branding Elements
Of course, branding and logos are important when you're thinking about how to advertise a childcare centre! It's the graphic signature of your business and should reflect the fonts, colours, and design choices from all of your marketing materials. Try out LineLeader's email templates and add your brand colours for a more professional-looking email.
Personalisation
Treat your readers like VIPs. If you want your emails to stand out from the rest, it's important to connect with your reader. Put some personality into your writing and address your reader by their first name to grab their attention. Understand and relate to your audience by writing engaging content that is tailored to their interests and needs.
Offer Value With an Explanation
Nearly 80% of people are only scanning your email.
Your first sentence is the most important, so say something interesting and try to keep it short. Recipients should be able to read your first line in under 1 second.
Try not to make your email too long, keep it to the point to make it easy for them to scan quickly. Sometimes making your message seem like more of a conversation. Ask questions that get your audience to agree with you. Make your message interesting and informative so it's captivating and valuable. Now decide what to write and keep it an easy read.
Make a Call to Action
Curiosity is one way to increase action. Use phrases that make your reader want to ask for more. Lead your prospects to ask the question you want to answer, get more kids in your childcare enrolment, or have families RSVP to your upcoming event.
Be a Thought Leader on Childcare Topics
Operating a childcare centre offers a lot of great experience, but not every owner or director has worked with children. If that sounds like you, do some research on topics that relate to your audience.
Nobody is looking to be impressed by your vocabulary, so use simple words your readers will understand. A good rule of thumb is: don't use any language that a 5th grader wouldn't understand.
Provide your audience with useful information about their interests and needs. If you're marketing to your preschool families, you can include ideas and parenting tips that would help them.
Include Links to Follow Your Social Media Accounts
Parents are on social media. If you have social media accounts or a blog, share the links in your email for the reader to find more information. Point your readers to places where they can access more of your marketing ideas for childcare or other website resources for childcare.
Have a Privacy Policy Link and Never Forget the Unsubscribe Link
You should always include a link to your organisation's privacy policy to give your readers peace of mind. The number one reason people unsubscribe is because they're receiving too many emails. Offer your readers a nice way to tell you they aren’t interested by including an unsubscribe link toward the end of the emails (this will also save you from going to the spam mailbox).
Send Test Emails to Yourself and Coworkers for Review
This seems obvious, but it's easy to forget and you'll wish you did if you don't. Check for typos and make sure all your links work correctly. Ask for feedback on the layout as it helps to get a second pair of eyes to spot things you didn’t notice.
Measure Your Performance
LineLeader has a report that can show you how many people read your email and whether they clicked links within the email. Automated emails get higher click rates than broadcast emails, so build your workflow automations to catch people at the right moment - when they are ready to enrol or schedule a tour.
Most people check their email first thing in the morning, so the afternoon is the best time to check how many people opened and clicked.
Download the Full Guide to Email Marketing for Childcare
Schedule a demo to learn more about LineLeader Enrol with one of our product specialist.
