10 Marketing Tips to Increase Your Centres Occupancy
Increasing the occupancy of your centre can be slow, time consuming, expensive and frustrating when you’re not seeing the results you need. These 10 tips can help to increase your centre occupancy and can be adjusted to suit any budget.
1. Create a Business Social Media Account (And Use It)
Almost everyone is using social media these days, about 74% of New Zealand’s population is active on at least one form of social media. Creating a social media account for your centre will help you connect with more people. Sharing your centre on social media and engaging with families online, can help build trustwithin your centre for potential new families looking for childcare.
Photo by Tim Bennett on Unsplash
2. Create a Google Business Account
A Google MyBusiness account enables you to manage your Google search and maps listings. This is especially useful for local searches which will display your business on the map. You will also be able to add your phone number, website URL and images as well as interacting with your families who can post reviews and images of their own to your page. Creating a MyBusiness account allows potential families to find your centre and contact you with greater ease via Google.
3. Take Professional Images of Your Centre and Staff
Utilising professional photography will have many advantages. Firstly, it will give families a sneak peek into your centre at its’ best angles and styling. These images can also be used for your website, posters, flyers, social media and more! Having professional images of your staff will make your staff appear more trustworthy and help families connect faces to your centre.
Photo by Gautam Arora on Unsplash
4. Upgrade Your Website
Your website is one of the first places potential families will find you. Make sure your website includes your contact information, location, opening hours, inclusions and any other important information that could be useful for parents to know. Your website is likely the location many families contact you from or request to book a tour.
Photo by William Iven on Unsplash
5. Invest in Digital Advertising
Be seen on Google. With so much competition now, digital advertising can be a cost effective and targeted advertising channel for your centre. Reach your target audience exactly where they are searching for you. If you’re unable to manage your own Google Advertising there are many agencies that are able to assist.
6. Invest in Facebook Advertising
Facebook and other social media advertising is targeted and cost effective. The average person spends 144 minutes per day scrolling through social media. With Facebook ads, you can target locations, ages, life events, interests and more.
7. Run a Competition Online
Build awareness of your centre by running an online competition on social media. Have users like, comment or share in order to win. Your prize doesn’t have to be expensive and you can promote your competition to your target audience through Facebook Ads. This will build awareness for your centre as more users engage with your post and share to their pages.
8. Encourage Referrals
Word of mouth is the most credible form of marketing as people are not likely to promote a product or service they didn’t have an above average experience with. Offering an incentive to current families to refer new families to the centre will encourage them to share their positive experiences with their connections and spread credible word of mouth marketing for your centre.
Photo by Alejandro Escamilla on Unsplash
9. Engage With the Community
Engaging with your local community has many benefits for both your children within the centre and your staff. Participate in community events such as parades, fundraisers, celebrations and concerts. This will form a connection between you and your community and build trust in your centre.
10. Partner With Local Schools
Partnering with a local school is a great relationship to form for your centre. This can involve having a space in the school newsletter in exchange for giving the school a space in your newsletter, participating in the school fair, or inviting the school to present at your centre. This partnership is mutually beneficial as the school will want to create a relationship with families for when they graduate from your centre and move to ‘big school’, while your centre can be promoted to school families with younger children.
Incorporate these tips into your marketing plan to help increase your centre occupancy over time. Hopscotch Digital specialises in digital marketing including creating websites, digital advertising and social media assistance. Contact us today for more information on how we can help you achieve your occupancy goals.
