How to Market Your Childcare Business

You’ve done all the work of applying for your daycare license and making your space safe and fun but now the real work begins— getting your name out there.

How can you make your daycare or preschool program stand out from the rest and attract families who are searching for care? It may feel overwhelming to think about where to start when it comes to marketing your childcare business, but it doesn’t have to be!

We’re sharing our top tips for how to market your childcare business and increase your enrollment.

1. Background story or mission statement
2. Online presence
3. Google Business Profile
4. Take advantage of social media
5. In-person opportunities

Write your background story or mission statement

Everyone has their own unique journey to opening a childcare or preschool program and I don’t think many people do it to get rich. Your passion for children and families is what attracts families to you, so be sure to put it front and center. 

Think about what sets you apart from others in the field, and what makes your program so special. Put yourself in the shoes of someone searching for a daycare or preschool provider and ask yourself “if I was a parent, would I choose my program after reading this?”

Things to include: 

• What services do you offer to parents? For example, do you include meals and snacks? Extended hours? Enrichment classes? What are the perks of your center vs another? 

• Why did you get into early childhood? Here is where you can highlight your previous experience and showcase your passion. Be sure to talk about any special training or credentials that are relevant to your work with families. 
• How are families involved in your day-to-day? Parents like to hear about the kinds of communication they can expect from their daycare or preschool provider. Here’s where you can highlight what you hope the parent-provider relationship will look like and how you communicate with families. For example, are there monthly family celebrations or do you use an app to share photos? 

Once you have your story, you should start to think of ways to “show” your story to families that are searching for care in your community. You can do this on your website, on sites like Winnie, and through social media as well. 

Establish an online presence

If you don’t have a website for your daycare or preschool program, you should consider getting one. You don’t need to be super tech-savvy and can use a site like Squarespace that has pre-made templates you can use. A website is the best way to showcase photos, videos, and information to families to allow them to get to know your program a bit more before they schedule a tour. 

Your website should include: 

• Your background story or mission statement. Families want to know what your program is all about.
• Photos or videos of your space. If there are children in the photos, be sure to have the families sign a photo release before putting them on your site. 
• A description of your curriculum and daily schedule- what will the kids be doing all day
• Registration or enrollment information: What is the next step for a parent to take if they are interested?
• Your contact information- Your phone number and email address should be accessible in multiple areas of the site so families can easily find it.

You can upload photos of your program, post your available spaces and keep track of parent leads all in one place. You can even ask current and past families to leave reviews about the things they love about your program.

Once your program takes off and you need to hire more staff, you can add your job vacancies, too. Think of it as a one-stop shop for running and marketing your business online. 

Unlock the full potential of your Winnie Place Page with these quick tips.

You can also use Winnie to scope out the other providers and preschool programs in your area and see what they feature on their page or how they use it. 

Create a Google Business Profile

It’s easy and free to create a Google My Business account. You can enter your hours and phone number, upload photos, and include any information you think would be useful for families. After you create your account, your business will start showing up in Google searches but there are things you can do to make your business stand out even more on Google: 

• Make sure you fill out all the information- the more complete your profile is, the more attractive it will look to families. 

• Add photos to your listing- Include photos that are well-lit and showcase the best aspects of your program (again, be sure to have permission if any children are in the photos or blur out any faces)
• Get some reviews- ask current and previous families to leave reviews on your Google Business page.

Take advantage of social media 

Today’s parents are making lots of their parenting decisions online, so it makes sense to meet them where they are. Having a presence on Instagram and Facebook can help parents find you and learn more about what you offer. You can also use social media to advertise, by taking advantage of Instagram and Facebook ads, which allow you to target certain age groups, neighborhoods, and by interests. 

Ideas for how to use social media to your advantage

• Establish relationships with other local businesses and help each other spread the word about what you offer to the community, 
• Do “live” video tours of your preschool or daycare that you can save to your page for parents who miss the live video. 
• Post content related to your curriculum or philosophy, so parents get to know your program a little better.
• Join local parenting groups and participate in the conversation. Some groups don’t allow you to post advertisements, but you will probably find an opportunity to talk about your program from time to time. 

In-person opportunities

Aside from online marketing, there are lots of other ways to spread the word about your daycare or preschool. Hanging flyers in places where parents hang out— like the library, supermarket, or pediatrician's offices is always a great idea. You can also look into having a table at local farmer's markets or craft fairs, and display photos and information about your program. 

Marketing your daycare or preschool program takes time and effort, but it can be a lot of fun once you figure out what works for you.