10 Marketing Tips for After School Programs

If you're looking to drive more business to your after school program, we have some suggestions. Here are our top 10 marketing tips to help you reach your registration goals:

• Scope out the competition—Do some research on your competitors. Understanding their brand positioning, pricing model, and key differentiators and applying that information to your own marketing strategy can help you gain a competitive advantage. If your competition's prices are lower, consider reducing your rates. If they have a strong brand image, find ways to drive a more compelling message.

• Start reaching families early—Another way to get a leg up on your competition is to start promoting your programs before they do. This approach will allow you to penetrate the market for a longer period of time and increases the chances that a parent will sign up for your program. And if you offer summer camps or other summer activities, start advertising now. Remember, the early bird gets the worm!

• Choose the right communication channel for your audience—With a limited budget, it's important to invest your marketing dollars in the right tools for your business. The key is to understand who your audience is and how they prefer to receive their information so that you don't spend money advertising through the wrong channels. Learn more about sending your program information directly to parents' email inboxes through Peachjar.

• Provide fresh content—One of the key factors that drives parent engagement is new and exciting content that is relatable or addresses their needs. Publish helpful blog posts, post regularly on social media, and refresh the content on your website to keep parents excited about your brand. Email marketing is also another great way to provide parents with updates about the latest happenings at your organization!

• Conduct a website audit—A website user experience can either make or break your business. Is your website taking too long to load? Is there too much information on each page? Is your website hard to navigate? Do you offer easy online registration? All of these factors can lead to high website bounce rates, which directly results in significant revenue loss. Browse your website from a parent's perspective and identify key opportunities for improvement.

• Ask happy customers to leave reviews—82% of consumers proactively seek referrals from peers before making a purchase. This means that before parents register for your program, they're probably checking your Yelp and Google reviews to determine if your program is the right choice for their child. A low rating and negative reviews will make them run for the hills. Asking happy customers to leave reviews on these sites will help you keep your overall rating up and will give parents a positive first impression!

• Internalize customer feedback—Customer feedback is a powerful tool that can be used to identify opportunities. If a parent is voicing a concern or providing a suggestion, consider how you can make adjustments to meet their additional needs. They'll appreciate that you're listening to their feedback and it will help improve your customer experience in the long run!

• Create a community atmosphere—People want to surround themselves with others who have similar interests and goals. Build a positive and fun environment where all your customers can come together to share their experience and bond with like-minded individuals. Create a Facebook group page and coordinate regular events where families can meet each another and have some fun!

• Offer referral incentives—88% of Americans say they would like some sort of incentive for sharing a product with others and 83% of consumers are willing to refer after a positive experience. In addition to asking customers to leave reviews on social media (without an incentive), offer program discounts or fun prizes to parents for successfully referring others to your program. This will create tons of new business and you have nothing to lose - parents don't receive the reward until another parent registers and pays for your program!

• Show your customers some love—Whether it's a customer appreciation discount or just a simple thank you email, a little bit of acknowledgement can go a long way. Share important milestones and success stories that wouldn't be possible without their support and host an annual customer appreciation or anniversary event to celebrate your achievements together!

We hope these tips will make your registrations soar. If you have other suggestions, let us know!