Being a preschool director centers on children's education, but to make a difference, first you need to get those kids in the door. That's why marketing and brand management are also a big part of the job.
Fortunately you don't need a degree in advertising to market your preschool effectively. Here are 10 simple ideas for expanding your outreach efforts and making your preschool a household name.
Volunteer: You and staff should volunteer locally. Wear branded T-shirts and network with families during these times. For example, read during family story time at the library or run concessions at the county fair.
Community events: Sponsor a local 5K fun run or safety fair. Sign up to walk the local parades and pass out candy, bubbles or extras with your flyer information.
Social media: Your target market is savvy on social media. Maintain a preschool page with regular posts and consider engaging extras like photo contests.
Website refresh: Your web presence is essential and it might be time for a website face-lift. People will search to find you, so make sure you are using keywords to boost SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Include a mission statement and describe why your school is unique. Staff pages offer a personalized experience and parent recommendation statements underscore key messaging.
Blogging: As part of your website update, consider adding a blog. You and the teachers can write posts about upcoming events, fun projects and other interesting subjects. Content marketing like this is huge right now. Make sure to post links to all blog updates on social media.
Tours and open houses: Advertise regular monthly tours or offer them by appointment throughout the year. If you only open your doors once a year for prospective families, they might turn elsewhere.
Host in-house events: Open free events to current families and the public in the evenings and weekends. You might consider a parents' night out or craft project afternoon for kids. You could also plan events targeting parents themselves, such as hosting thought-leadership seminars on important topics, like ways to teach your child to read or how to stop bullying.
Word of mouth: One of the most powerful tools to advertise any brand is word of mouth. Encourage current families to spread the good word and offer incentives, like a free month of enrollment or a prize pack contest for anyone who gets a referral.
Branded products: Having your name on a variety of promotional items is a smart idea, but it can go beyond pens. Lifetouch Preschool Portraits offers some schools the opportunity to add branding to photography products, such as class pictures or graduation folios. Contact Lifetouch for more information.
Vehicle magnets: This inexpensive marketing tool goes everywhere you do. Place on the side or back of your car and include the school logo, phone number and website. Ask if teachers would be willing to add one to their cars, too!
Marketing can be time-consuming, but it's worthwhile when your enrollment skyrockets and your waiting lists fill up. These 10 methods are cost-effective and easy for any preschool director to tackle.
