The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a “Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.” As a child care provider, you likely face stiff competition from other centers nearby. A strong brand for your business helps you stand out among your competitors.
Potential families must be aware of your daycare before they can search for your center name online and call to schedule a tour. When people recognize you and your center’s brand, they can easily choose you and recommend you to friends.
How do you define your child care center’s brand?
Align Your Name and Mission Statement
Your name and mission statement should complement each other and reflect the details you focus on at your center. Whether you prioritize learning, convenience or family-style care, include it in your name and mission.
Parents who hear your name will have an idea of what your center cares most about and can decide if they want to learn more right away. With a mission statement that expands on your name and explains your ideals, busy parents can quickly determine if your daycare is right for their family.
Be Consistent Across Platforms
If a parent drives by your center, talks to a friend at work or stumbles across your Facebook page and wants to learn more, would they easily be able to tell if they were on the right website? Creating a consistent brand identity helps potential clients find you.
Visual Consistency
Your logo, fonts and color scheme are all part of your visual identity. Eye-catching visual elements only help your child care center attract new parents if the parents know who the visuals are for. Your website, social media platforms, emails and physical location should all look cohesive.
Consistent Messaging
Avoid confusion and disappointment with consistent messages across your digital platforms. You’ll also need to communicate the same information in person as people find on your website or ads.
Outdated information online can keep parents from picking up the phone. Or, if they do call after reading old information, they may no longer be interested in visiting your daycare when they hear conflicting details from your staff.
Service that Meets Expectations
Consistent service will help you retain customers. When families enjoy the service they receive, they share their experiences with friends and on social media. These customers become some of your greatest marketing tools.
Share Your Knowledge to Become an Authority
As a child care professional, you’re an expert on childhood development, illnesses and family dynamics. Become a resource in your community. Parents will associate your knowledge with your brand, helping you gain trust and customers.
Sharing your expertise can be done both on- and offline. Add your thoughts to relevant conversations online in parenting forums and community news websites. Guest post on local mommy blogs and submit relevant press releases to your newspaper. Advise parents at your center and consider speaking engagements throughout your community.
