Increase your childcare centre’s occupancy through a referral program
Did you know that 83% of consumers want to share a product or service after a good experience? Also that only 29% of them actually do it? That means there are parents who are happy with your centre and aren’t telling people about it! Don’t ignore this untapped opportunity; implement a referral program in your childcare centre today. Outsource2Us shares these simple, low-cost marketing tactics so your centre can reach new families, spread positive word of mouth and increase occupancy.
Why Should You Do It?
If you are having doubts about how a referral program can benefit your childcare centre, think about the parents who believe that your centre is helping their child flourish. A customer referral program is a thank you to the parents who trust you enough to recommend you to their family and friends. Make sure you advertise your referral programs where parents will see it, with flyers, newsletters and emails. Don’t forget to advertise what the reward is!
Where Do You Start?
It’s important to reward both the referrer and the receiver. So think through what you can offer your referring parents and also what the offer is they will pass on to their friends and colleagues. A strong incentive is the key to any successful customer rewards program. Here are three tried and tested referral programs to help increase your occupancy while enriching your families’ experience:
1. A Week of Free Childcare
This referral program is one of the most effective as it offers a valuable reward each family can benefit from. Who doesn’t want a weeks worth of free childcare? Remember to include terms and conditions (T&Cs) that specify how long the referred family must be enrolled for before the incentive is received and any other conditions to the program. For example, newly referred families must be enrolled at your centre for two or more days per week for four weeks to claim the one-week’s free childcare.
2. Gold Class Movie Tickets
This gives families the benefit of personal choice by allowing them to select their preferred movie. Gold Class is more then just watching a movie; it’s a premium experience where parents can relax, enjoy food and beverages and ultimately treat themselves. This incentive is a great way to encourage parents to participate in the referral program and show how much you value their referral and centre loyalty.
3. Visa Gift Card or Fuel Voucher
Similar to gold class movie tickets, this reward is an effective way to show appreciation and encourage families to make more referrals. The flexibility of a prepaid gift card offers the ultimate choice for fulfilling every family’s needs, whilst the fuel card is an essential voucher every parent would find useful. To keep existing families actively engaged in the referral program, the amount could be increased each time an additional referral is made.
Don’t forget to include a field on your enrolment form that lets families nominate who referred them. You want to make sure the right people are getting the rewards!
