A drop-in daycare facility can be an incredible asset to a town, especially for parents seeking temporary or short-term childcare solutions.
They can also be more difficult to market, though, as many families may not always be aware of the purpose of a drop-in daycare.
Many families who use daycare services seek out a full-time regular solution, while other families may not realize that hiring a babysitter is not the only solution to short-term childcare needs.
However, there are several ways to market a drop-in daycare facility to your community.
Advertise “Snow Day” Childcare Services
Snow days and unexpected days off school can be a childcare disaster for working parents.
A drop-in daycare center can be the perfect solution.
But that may not always be apparent to families when those sudden school closures happen, especially if they have not used childcare services before.
Advertising in the fall and through the winter, specifically targeting preschool and kindergarten-aged children, can make parents aware of your services, and also give them a number to call when snow days and inclement weather school closures happen.
Host Parents’ Night Out Events
Every parent needs some time off, but childcare can often be an issue.
Advertising at doctor’s offices, grocery stores, or local high school football games can target families.
Even if your daycare facility is not open evenings or weekends, hosting a few parents’ night out events or holiday shopping childcare events each year can advertise your services, while giving parents a safe childcare option for nights away from the kids or doing holiday shopping without kids in tow.
Remain Highly Visible in the Community
As a drop-in facility rather than a daycare center that relies on enrollment, it is important to remain highly visible in the community.
Be sure to send a staff member to represent your daycare to as many local events and gatherings as possible, maybe even helping to sponsor an event or participating in holiday parades.
The more families hear about your services, the more likely they are to remember you for last-minute childcare needs.
Offer Referral Discounts
Without annual enrollment, a drop-in daycare facility must heavily rely on word-of-mouth from satisfied customers.
A happy customer is more likely to refer his or her friends, so by offering a referral discount or even a “bring a friend” deal, you can increase the likelihood that a satisfied customer will be motivated to recommend you to others.
A daycare facility that offers unusual services, such as drop-in or temporary childcare solutions, often need to think out of the box when it comes to marketing.
Frequently reminding the community of your services through word-of-mouth advertising and special events can help to ensure that parents remember your center’s name when they need last-minute childcare services.
Want more help marketing your daycare? Schedule a complimentary strategy session today!
