Defining Your Childcare Organization’s “Why” To Gain Enrollment
Do you know who your ideal child care client is? You know, your dream parent or family. Have you ever thought about it? Who would be your perfect client? Well, today we are going to figure out just how to identify who that is and why it might be one of the most important things you know for your business.
Gaining and maintaining your childcare enrollments starts with an understanding of what makes your childcare unique, different and special in your community. When you have a clear understanding of what you offer, you can begin to define your ideal family and parent.
Think about what makes your childcare unique and special. Be passionate about your vision and school.
Start with defining your “Why”.
Why did you start your childcare? Tell your story.
What niche were you wanting to fill?
Define your mission statement. Reimagine it as the world changes.
What are your core values?
Describe your curriculum.
How do you emphasize diversity and inclusion?
How do you enhance children's lives?
Remember that quality never goes out of style.
Remember that cleanliness never goes out of style.
You can never offend someone by being too organized, clean etc.
Think about what specifics make you different from the childcare down the street?
That being said, it can also be helpful to know what your weak points are or where your business can improve and change. Work on correcting your weaknesses but don’t let them hold you back.
KNOW YOUR COMPETITION
Once you know what your business is good at, it's time to put that up against the competition. Identify your direct competition.
What do they offer?
Who do they cater to?
What are their price points?
Where do they succeed?
Where do they fail?
This information can be a powerful thing. Knowing this information will allow you to see just where your business is positioned in the market.
You may be able to cater your services, hours and rates more competitively than you have before. You may even find an underserved niche in the market that you can jump on.
Who is your ideal client?
Basically, all this research is designed to help you identify your ideal childcare client. Think of (or imagine) a favorite client of yours, past or present. Now, what made them a favorite? Most likely, it was a mutual respect and understanding of working together as allies for the children. They believed in and respected your policies and procedures. They understood your values and mission. They participated in the activities at the childcare center, even promoting your childcare center with their friends and colleagues.
By identifying who your ideal childcare client is, you can create opportunities for your business, find opportunities to boost enrollment, better serve your clients and focus on the people who believe what you believe. When we match our services and goals with our customers' needs, trust emerges and we have identified our ideal client.