Lots of online reviews mean your summer camp is relevant, which will help boost it to the top of search engine results. They gave away a free week of camp to one random entrant, which drove excitement and identified tons of WDAF audience members interested in the camp! doug hanvey teachers melodies write indispensable strategies marketing mindfulness forgotten diet step students piano teaches portland lab offers fresh inspiration Running a summer camp and attracting new campers is never relatively as easy as it seems on the surface. Give yourself at least 10 weeks to prepare your promotion.

Ultimately, in order to boost attendance to your camp you want interested prospective campers to be connected with your registration form as quickly as possible. Get top-down visibility and configurable tools for collaboration. You may be able to work with payment plans, find ways to do installment style payment packages, or come up with other creative solutions that help get more campers to your business in a win-win sort of situation. Organic search engine optimization is one possible road to take as it guarantees long-term success, but you want to consider pay per click advertising on search engines. Attempting to reach every family in your cityis usually a waste of time and money. Few other marketing opportunities bring this opportunity to connect with potential customers. Housing requests can be a great way to take your existing relationships with campers and turn them into new relationships. The biggest mistake you can make as a summer camp director is to try to market to everyone. Sign up forOneMinuteWednesday, our twice-monthly,hyperconsumableemail with tips, hacks, and musings. Are we missing your fundraising platform or nonprofit service? To promote all the great summer camps in your area, try a multi-sponsor sweepstakes like this one from the Westerly Sun. Tailor your brochures. Lets check out these smart summer camp marketing strategies so your next summer session is your most popular one yet. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Here are a few of our favorite ideas for these advertisers: Chattanooga Free Times Press | Chattanooga, TN. 6 Tips for Driving More Donations Through Your Website, The Best Accounting Software for Nonprofits | Top 9 Tools. People often forget that pricing is a massive marketing strategy that offers a lot of leverage. Want to learn more about camp crowdfunding? Even if your summer camp is on the affordable side, it can still be a challenge for some families to find room in their budget for this important experience. They expanded their Best-Of partnership with Visit Jacksonville the local tourism bureau to include this ballot, asking viewers to vote for their favorite local summer camp. Did you know that your summer camps online registration forms can be a huge marketing asset? Use live video to announce the winner and runner ups if you have them. Think cornhole or a spinning prize wheel as options to attract visitors to your table. Dont miss this great chance to highlight local summer camp activities. Many schools do not have the ability to run their own Field, Think like a parent. Your camp should: Bonus tip: Take it a step further by selling branded merchandise with the custom-designed logo on your registration site for parents to buy campers shirts before they head off and they can pick them up when they arrive! This means the best salespeople for your summer camp experience will be happy campers and their parents, which is why having a referral system in place is one of the best summer camp marketing strategies. The right summer camp advertisement for your business can bring dozens of new families each year. This ballot from WJXT-TV was a perfect way to showcase all the awesome summer camp options in the area and give parents one spot to get all their information. They asked parents to share a video of their child singing the incredibly popular Baby Shark song for a chance to win one of three summer camp prize packages. Heres how housing requests can convert newcomers into lifelong attendees of your summer camp: In much the same way that crowdfunding campaigns can help spread the word about your camp to the personal networks of your current campers, so too can housing requests. Set aside a time during the event to introduce yourself and your summer camp. Try to put the following years, Be sure that all of your main areas (registration, open house dates, etc. The paper included email opt-ins and lead-generation questions on the entry form of each sweepstakes to grow the advertisers databases. That means digital, traditional, and even influencer marketing on social media must be considered to increase awareness of your camp and increase new registrants. Social media is a great digital marketing tool to use to spread the word about your contest. Finding ways to get the word out about your summer camp through your network at the county and state level will be a big piece of the puzzle regarding your marketing success. Not only do you have less competition with this kind of marketing strategy, but you also have an opportunity to market more physically. Colorful balloons are a cheap way to advertise your event in the days leading up to it. The parties generate revenue, and more importantly, Based on your facility or time of year, you can offer themed parties, such, Run some traditional camp games, like Capture the Flag or Archery. Make sure any activities at our booth are easy to set up and breakdown. Advertisers To Target ), Make sure all of your navigation links work no dead links. Event producers typically charge more for booths with additional setup needs like access to running water or power. But with so many to choose from and so many ways to find out about them, how do you create a compelling marketing strategy to ensure a robust enrollment? Take a look at these 5 low to no cost marketing strategies to help your summer camp sell out this year. Carnival-style games are an easy activity you can add that wont take up a lot of space or break the bank. If youre planning an outdoor event, rent a bounce house and giant slide to attract people passing by. See how brands are putting Upland to work. You can reach out to donors like local universities, businesses, or even previous alumni or parents of alumni. Your team should: Your camp is special, and the world should know about it! Fundly is dedicated to providing you with the tools you need to raise money for whatever your cause may be. He loves hearing camp cheers outside his office window during the summer, while helping camps across the country overcome their unique challenges! Schools, youth groups, and local sports organizations are a great place to market and advertise your summer camp opportunities. comfortable offering to make it more affordable. They created a sweepstakes for two free weeks of camp, which was a great chance to find interested parents and promote their camp. Historically, this has meant a lot of young people couldnt register for their favorite camps and had to miss out. These businesses dont have a ton of advertising dollars and only spend for a short period of time each year. Find a way to ask for these referrals more systematically, and your marketing troubles might end entirely with this idea. Parents and campers are going to make a decision based on the information that they can see online. Ask parents to review your summer camp on your Facebook page or website. Branded water bottles, tote bags, and portable fans are great swag items for the summer. A lot of that has to do with how the camp experience is shown through photos and videos and the camp website. Plan your marketing strategy at least six months ahead to give yourself ample time to get promotional items in place. With these awesome strategies, your camp is sure to make a splash next summer. Network marketing is another excellent approach to market your camp, which helps create new camper relationships with people that might not have thought about attending your camp before. Track your referrals from each online directory that you subscribe to. Because so many people have moved to almost entirely digital marketing campaigns, youll find the mailbox to be a lot less cluttered. A native San Diegan, he worked through college as a 9-1-1 dispatcher. If your camp has invested in a robust camp software platform, you should already have access to smart housing request software. Providing a countdown to the deadline is a great way to energize contest participants. For example, if a number of your campers attend the same church, you might reach out to this church and ask to share pamphlets in their front lobby. Chances are the people that see those posts are your primary target audience, other parents. Award-winning school marketing for private schools, independent schools, charter schools, and more. because it will initially be judged based on the visual appeal of your brand. Youd be surprised, Offer a small prize in your thank you note, maybe a sticker, or a voucher, Have sharp looking Holiday gift certificates available for families to, Offer a gift for purchases over a certain amount; spend $50 and get a plush, Send emails to families and encourage the purchase by Grandparents, Aunts, Use a catchy phrase that plays against video games, etc_ we used. If you have all of those things and can market effectively, then the odds are pretty good that your camp will thrive. Sales Encourage parents to leave good reviews on your social media and Google pages to increase your camps social status. Other parents will feel more comfortable sending their child to a camp that has top reviews, and that is well known in the community.

Do everything you can to promote this kind of activity, and youll see your marketing efforts improve dramatically. People will always be skeptical about any of the promises, guarantees, or offers you share about your summer camp. One of the biggest challenges that every owner has is pricing appropriately to bring in plenty of new campers while at the same time having more than enough money to cover operating expenses and make a profit. However, theres nothing quite like a physical newsletter sent out every month or every quarter to get people excited about attending summer camp.

Thats just not the way things turn out, though. This was a great way to capitalize on the song of the summer, as many parents already had a video on their phones or could easily get one. Ensure your team is doing the best job it can to introduce newcomers to your camp, make the case for their attendance, and lay the groundwork for smooth camper registration. Prices In 2022, 7 Best Programming Languages For Kids: How To Choose One, Summer Camp Essentials List: What To Pack For Camp. Summer Even better, reach out to your community to see what improvements theyd like to be made in order to tell your story more effectively online. As a result, the YMCA identified 18 people interested in joining and gathered valuable consumer information. This means that you should regularly share your form across communication channels. The Record Journal created this video contest with their local YMCA to promote their childrens day camp and attract new families to their programs. Cloud-based fax service that delivers securely. As you think of new ways to market your organization and grow your community, be sure to keep your digital branding front-of-mind. Marketing If you need to do the design in house, find a marketing layout you like, Rule #1: Use pictures of smiling campers doing fun activities under the, A really cute camper is simply not as effective as a camper as described, Try to use pictures of campers and staff wearing camp shirts to reinforce, Make sure that the pictures do not show campers engaged in seemingly inappropriate, Make sure the information is up to date! Far too many camp operations simply blast out a reserve your spot now email before the summer season hits and then going dark entirely until the next season. Shoot us an email! Promotions are a great way to engage those parents, promote your amazing local summer camp activities, and find potential leads interested in their services. However, to really get the most out of this strategy, youll need to invest in a robust camp database software like CircuiTrees. Each sponsoring camp received their own one-day sweepstakes and gave away a free week at their camp. Make sure you draw people in through creative branding practices that are representative of the experience youre selling! That means your organization might not be too worried about the appearance of your website and online presence. Referrals are one of the best forms of digital marketing for schools you can get. Does crowdfunding sound right for your summer camp? Having a mailing list of parents who want to enroll their children in summer camps is worth its weight in gold. Second Street Parents can then forward the picture to family and friends or print them. Create compelling customer experiences for your target audience. Double the Donations definitive ranking of top GoFundMe alternatives, merchandise with the custom-designed logo, robust camp database software like CircuiTrees, How to Raise Money for Earthquake Relief in Mexico, Donate to the Hurricane Nate, Maria, and Irma Relief Effort, Crowdfunding | Raise Money For Your Cause, Crowdfunding Campaigns | 10 Successful Campaign Examples, Peer-to-Peer Fundraising (Nonprofits Guide), Fundraising Ideas | 150 Easy Campaigns for Any Cause, Crowdfunding Websites | 45+ Favorite Platforms, 3 Ways Direct Mail Can Support Your Crowdfunding Campaign.

Theres no question: your summer camp is a really exceptional place. Even if parents dont sign up onsite for this year, youve made a meaningful connection with the families in your community who will be more likely to call you when they are in need of summer childcare later on. Hands down, one of the best marketing ideas for your camp is to be the first camp website people see when they search summer camp in . It will help you bring more campers to your camp and effectively increase enrollment. You can then use these profiles to identify leads for possible new camp attendees. Not only does this help your camp boost attendance rates, but it also strengthens bonds between your camp attendees. You can market and advertise early bird discounts, referral discounts, return camper discounts or any other types of deals you feel comfortable offering to make it more affordable. Whether that happens online, at an info session, or through some type of merchandise. Streamline systems with automation, transparency, and control. If you have a general idea of your target audience, this marketing approach will be much easier. Automate workflows, control costs, and boost productivity. Both kids and their parents will be excited to attend your camp when they know theyll be spending time with their friends or loved ones. Day camp parents often type into Google Summer Camps in Springfield, Resident Camp parents often type in the type of camp they are looking for, Type terms that you think are appropriate for your parent market into Google, Type your camp name into Google. List Of The 7 Best Extracurricular Activities For College, How Much Does Summer Camp Cost? What makes summer camp such a unique experience for kids these days is that its fully IRL (internet slang for in real life). And, to top it off, the paper brought in $4,500 in sponsorship revenue. They can introduce their personal networks to your organization, and your camp can leverage those relationships to make the case for newcomers to register. Objectives by Rica Perez, Digital Marketing Designer, Truth Tree. Summer camp giveaways or movie tickets are both great options to attract families to your page. Yet, when it comes time to register new campers, your team always falls short of its goals. Bonus! Have gift certificates available for purchase for other special events, A local business owner that has been very supportive, Allowing your biggest advocates the opportunity to give the gift of camp.

It doesnt have to be expensive. Sales enablement software for account-based selling. Make connections with your campers networks. Reach out to your local community, run fun free classes, or give free tours of your summer camp in the off-season. Referrals that come from people that others have real relationships with are always worth their weight in gold. Before your next summer session, launch a camp crowdfunding campaign to fund scholarships for deserving campers. Use housing requests to bring in newcomers. Use your camp database to produce mailing labels for campers birthdays, Send off a pre printed card or note card with a hand written message, Take a Holiday picture during staff training and have a Holiday card produced, During a camp Holiday reunion have counselors write a quick note to campers, Include a camp pen with the registration packet for last years, Send a bumper stick or Euro sticker in the confirmation packet to all families, Give away camp tattoos or balsa wood gliders at parades, fairs or other, Have camp name and email printed on lollipop stick and give them away at, Make goodie bags for your YMCA birthday party participants, Send them two camp brochures with a note that says, one for you and one, Send them a thank you note for referring someone. The campaign included an email opt-in for the sponsor as well as lead-generation questions. Video marketing is one of the best practices you need to follow. In these profiles, youll record individuals names, biographical information, contact information, health data, and a history of your interactions. Add activities at your exhibitor booth that attract the attention of children passing by. This idea will require a budget, but you can scale up or down depending on your expected turnout. Put spaces for parents, Send out quarterly e-newsletters or event announcements, Use mail merge to create custom emails to ask for help, thank folks for, Send home a postcard size notice that if parents would like a group shot, You can create a template in Photoshop that automatically adds your camp. Running, Be sure to provide the host family with party invitations and waivers. Share registration forms across all channels. The summer camp industry can be incredibly competitive on a local level, which is why youre going to want to increase your brand recognition and camp name by using search result advertising. If any directory is listed higher than, Many online directories copy or share camp info from any number of sources, Be sure to visit the online directories to review your camps free. Make sure you draw people in through creative branding practices that are representative of the experience youre selling!

If you. For contests that are social media-specific, like photo contests, create a hashtag for participants to use to enter. If your photo and video marketing campaigns are less than stellar, youre going to lose out to summer camps that know how to create slick highlight reels of their camp. With springtime comes the opportunity to market your summer camp at outdoor festivals. Use recycled materials to create bowling pins for the children to knockdown. You can offer campers who refer others discounts on future sessions as a thank you. This might involve offering students, at certain schools, discounts or putting up fliers around youth league locations, or sponsoring a local youth sports team. The form also included two lead-generation questions asking users about their children and summer camp preferences, which was great information for all the sponsors. Every administration wants to do team building, Field Days. If your dream has always been to start a summer camp that has the potential to change lives for the better while at the same time offering you a chance to enjoy some financial security and some financial freedom, you have to master the marketing side of things.

Social media is the most potent force for word-of-mouth marketing on the planet, and its a tremendous tool that youre going to want to leverage as often as you can. Make sure that your videos capture all the fun and unique things your camp has to offer. Those that frequently post on social media about all the fun they or their kids had at camp will do wonders for you and your camp marketing focus. Instead, its a good idea to create an e-newsletter system to send out an email every month to keep people updated about everything going on at your camps, like any facility, news, or activity changes. Before becoming a camp professional, Glen Greenstone enjoyed many other pursuits. The moment you can afford to have your materials designed by a professional. However, the way your camp brands itself on the web can have a major impact on your marketing efforts, especially when attracting new campers.

Reaching everyone means trying to make a meaningful connection with thousands, sometimes millions, of people in your area. Like weve touched on earlier, one of your summer camps best marketing resources is your current community. CDP and omnichannel orchestration to boost customer engagement. If you were looking for your type of camp, how would. While it isnt necessary to shy away from bad reviews, getting positive feedback builds credibility for your business much faster. If youre doing, Offer to do Character Development activities for assembly periods or special, Team building programs. This valuable prize was perfect for attracting potential customers because those who entered the contest were interested in four weeks at this camp. Convert more leads, close more deals, and drive more revenue. In this article, well take a deep dive into the many unique ways your summer camp can revitalize its marketing strategy. You can also offer ways to solve the issue along with an apology. The only exception might be offering a free week of summer camp if they make an 8-week commitment to attend. You can always find ways to make your summer camps price more attractive, easily increasing enrollment. Administrating your camp is another key to success, and it's much easier to do that with camp management software. Family festivals are a perfect marketing option for weekend afternoons when families are looking for free activities. With that in mind, here are 10 of the best summer camp marketing strategies to grow your summer camp to another level and increase enrollment. Focus your efforts on getting reviews from families who send their children every year. Have all of your camp forms available for download medical forms, Create a capability to register online. Email newsletters are a massive asset for bringing in new campers, making them one of the best marketing practices to follow. Not only did the sponsor grow their email database with an email opt-in on the entry form, but they used a lead-generation question to ask users what programs they would be interested in joining. 10 Best Summer Camp Marketing Ideas & Strategies. Think of activities these campers liked best in past years. Inexpensive activity options include face painting, balloon animals, and indoor bowling. You want to make your sell sheets to speak directly to the needs and wants of your audience. Give parents a sneak peek of your summer camp by hosting a free event. The best salespeople you will ever have for your summer camp will be previous campers and parents of these campers. Your camps digital branding helps tell the story of your organization, so its important that your website, social media profiles, and other digital output reflect the story you want to tell about your community. They took this opportunity to ask users Will you have child care needs this summer? and if the user would like to be contacted to learn about available options at the academy. The advertiser used three lead-generation questions on the entry form to learn if the user would be interested in joining, what programs they would like to see, and how they believe they help the community.

The better your camps brand is established online, the more newcomers will understand what your camp is all about. While the marketing process doesn't always have an immediate return, your marketing efforts will pay dividends in the long run. Lakeland Broadcasting used a turnkey personality quiz to promote their local sponsor, Green Lake Lutheran Ministries. This was a great chance for the retreat center to boost awareness of their summer program! A great way to promote camp and collect current emails. When this local art and design camp wanted to drive excitement and awareness of their summer art and design programs, the team at Pamplin saw a perfect opportunity for a promotion. Unfortunately, you cant buy referrals from customers. This sweepstakes from the Pocono Record and the sponsor, Precious Moments Christian Academy, gave away a huge prize of a 4-week stay at summer camp. Whether that happens online, at an info session, or through some type of merchandise, your camps brand is important because it will initially be judged based on the visual appeal of your brand. Marketing Past customer data can help you focus your digital marketing efforts for the coming school year. Crowdfund scholarships for deserving campers. For most camps that struggle getting new kids in the door, one of the most common challenges is simply getting the word out about your camp. Find out the audience reach for each of your marketing strategies to be sure you have enough to giveaway to potential customers. One strategy for crowdfunding is offering scholarships for new campers at a discounted price. Marketing for a summer camp is like marketing for any other small business youve got to cover all your bases. The Chattanooga Free Times Press ran a series of sweepstakes designed to get the word out about local summer camp options. Recognizing that your ultimate customer is the camper themselves and their parents, its a good idea to find places that both of those people are going to be at. They gave away a camp experience to one lucky entrant, a package valued at $440. Seven local camps sponsored this Camp and Activities giveaway, each of which got an email opt-in on the entry form. This was a timely way to engage the parents but also grow the station and sponsor audience list with an email opt-in and a Facebook like button on the entry form. This will help increase your conversion rate because you have a stronger understanding of how to communicate with your audience. The most challenging thing you will do as an operator is to convince complete and total strangers to trust you with their kids for the entire summer. The first impression anyone has of your camp is on the line with every piece of branded material you create. Parents expect to spend, on average, $1,000 per child per week for a great summer experience. Resolve customer issues faster and provide personalized service. After that, find a way to market to them directly in those spaces, which youll find is well worth the marketing effort. Check out Double the Donations definitive ranking of top GoFundMe alternatives to find a user-friendly, affordable option thats right for your organization. Text messaging software that drives results. Free giveaways are a great way to attract new families to your camp. Don't forget about setting an email capture on your website when people visit it so you can gather the email address of potentially interested parents.

Parents can ask important questions while meeting your team in person. By spreading your form far and wide, you help get the word out about your camp while empowering interested individuals to complete their registration.

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