13 Good Daycare Marketing Ideas

With times still tough for many families, both parents in many families need a quality daycare that is still affordable for their budget so that all the bills can be paid. Single parent families have an even greater need in most instances for this same service. Providing a daycare to your community that can meet these needs is a great way to have a reliable business, but parents aren’t just going to send their kids to any old daycare.

A great place to start marketing your daycare is to invite parents in to see what you offer. Your setup and curriculum will really help parents to see the value in what you have to offer. They may even choose to pay a little more to send their kids your way because you offer better services than anyone else.

Best Daycare Marketing Ideas to Grow Your Business

1. Contact Your Local Resource Agency
Most communities have a CCR&R that can help you find links to your local community. These Child Care Resource and Referral agencies help parents find the financial resources they need for daycare and act as the middleman to bring together a daycare with openings with parents who need a quality service. They’ll also help you administer subsidy programs and even provide online referrals.

2. Develop a Quality Brochure
Parents need information that they can review at home because children make it nearly impossible to truly understand what they’re reading at that very moment. When the kids get tucked in, they’ll review your brochure and then decide on whether or not your daycare is the best place for them.

3. Your First Impression Is Critical
If a parent comes to see your facilities, they will judge how good of a business you are within the first 30 seconds. If you leave a good first impression, then you’ll be able to proceed further into the conversation. If you’ve provided a bad first impression, you’ll have a parent or guardian that wants to leave as quickly as possible and won’t be listening to anything else you have to say.

4. Always Have a Business Card On Hand
You never know when the opportunity might present itself for you to have a 1-on-1 interaction with a parent who is looking for a daycare. A business card with your critical information and a brief summary of your program or philosophy could be the one chance you need to encourage someone to investigate what you offer a little more.

5. Volunteer Your Time
The amount of visibility that you have within your community will help drive attention your way. Not only will your time investment give you the chance to make new contacts that can help your daycare along, but you’ll also create a sense of goodwill about you that will encourage people to promote you on their own.

6. Make Sure Your Web Presence Is Strong
Parents do a lot of research these days before deciding on a daycare program. If you don’t have a strong presence or if you’ve got a lot of errors on your website, you’ll turn a lot of people off. If you have a complete overview of your program, a schedule that parents can download, and testimonials from parents that have really loved your services, then you’ll create a sense of desire that will have kids coming through your doors every day.

7. Host Events At Your Daycare
Any time that you can get parents into your facilities, you’re providing yourself with a future business opportunity. Host events after hours that will let parents tour your facility and bond with their kids. Make sure you’ve got information on-hand that parents can take away and consider offering demonstrations of your teaching style.

8. Consider Opening After Hours
Some parents really struggle to find babysitters and if your daycare is open after hours, that struggle is instantly over. It allows a couple to get out for dinner alone for a change and you’ll not only be earning revenues, but introducing parents and kids to your concept of daycare.

9. What Makes You Unique?
You’ve got to stand out from your competition, which means you need an angle that makes you truly unique. Maybe it’s your teaching style. It could be the resources that you provide kids who come to your daycare. Even location can be a strength, because maybe you’re by a park or the local beach. Creative naming also works wonders in this area, like calling all the kids “friends.”

10. Don’t Be Afraid To Upsell
Many daycares don’t offer any complimentary products because it is viewed as almost disrespectful to sell something to a parent that is already utilizing your services. Kid friendly products, however, are difficult to find in some communities and parents don’t always have time to get something their child may need. By having inventory on hand, you can upsell at appropriate times and create another stream of revenue.

11. Consider Adding New Services
Many communities require daycare teachers to be certified, which means you’ve got an opportunity to use that educational certification to your advantage. Maybe your staff could offer tutoring services to older children? Or maybe you’ve got parents who would like an in-home babysitter instead of needing to bring their kids to you for a night out on the town? You can offer commissions to your staff for selling these new services and you’ll expand your community presence quickly.

12. It’s All About Placement
Where your business name is placed will make or break your advertising efforts. If you place advertisements in locations where parents will normally look, like a shopping cart seat, then you’ll gain exposure. If your advertising is centered on publications or locations where parents don’t normally find themselves, then you’re basically wasting your marketing budget.

13. Partner With Businesses
Could a local restaurant use some kid friendly materials like books or coloring items? Donating these items and putting your contact info on it is a great way to get your brand in front of parents in an effective way.