Marketing your upcoming summer camps can seem like an endless task. It's true - there's a lot to do. If you are a micro team (10 employees or less) or doing the marketing solo, it's even more daunting. Here's the trick - you can't do it all, so don't try to. Do what is most impactful, and if you aren't sure what this is, take a breath and start with the easy stuff first because it goes a long way.
Regardless of where you are in your marketing efforts, when reading this summer camp marketing guide, pause and assess how things are going.
Have you met a marketing goal (did you set goals?!)?
Are you on target with your marketing budget?
What isn't working? Identify this, determine what's not working, and decide if it's worth your time, effort, and money to keep trying to make it work.
Are you completely overwhelmed and unsure of where to start or what to do next? Don't stress. Let's start with the must-haves (the easiest items to check off your list), transition into the low-hanging fruit items, and then consider the bigger projects.
As you read through this article, there are a few things to note:
This guide is intended to be an overview, but each topic will become a longer article, so check back often to see what's been updated with links to more resources.
Any words with an asterisk (*) after it indicate that the word is provided below in the definitions sections. There is a lot of jargon in marketing (and business in general), so if a term is new to you, check out what it means and identify it later in other articles and conversations.
If this is your first year of marketing or the first time you are approaching your marketing strategically, you cannot do everything in this article. So don't try because you'll regret it. You do not have the time to do it all, literally.
If you are well on your way with your marketing and have a clear plan, scan through the article and make sure you haven't missed anything. Or maybe you are looking for your next marketing element to add to your arsenal. It's always good to use each marketing season to try something new because trends change, and you never know—there may be something impactful you just haven't gotten to yet.
Have questions? Reach out. We are always happy to help or get you started on your way.
The must-haves you can't live without
There's no avoiding it. You will need to have a few things for your summer camp marketing to be successful because if you don't have these, your marketing efforts will be futile (and extremely expensive). The irony is that these items are what all of your marketing is directing customers to. It's really what closes the deal, but first, you must ensure that the must-haves are in proper order. What could this be? It's your website and your registration system. Without these or mediocre versions, your conversions* will be impacted (and not in a good way).
Website Makeover: Your digital front porch
There's no avoiding it. Before you start marketing, you must go through your website, update the information, check the flow, add new photos (don't forget alt text*), and create a welcome mat for your customers. You want your returning customers to feel like they are coming back home and are delightedly surprised with something new, and new customers will feel like they've found the next best thing. Plus, you want to make search engines happy, and updating your website is key.
A few helpful hints for your website
Adding alt text to your photos is one of the easiest ways to build up SEO.*
Updating the content is the key to SEO success in the long run.
SEO takes months to build. It doesn't happen fast, but it does need to happen.
A website is never done, so accept this, move on, and keep updating!
Registration Smoothness: First Impressions Count
I'm going to assume you have an online registration system. So, the question is, how streamlined is it? It's always good to run through a registration flow for each program you offer (summer camps, after-school programs, enrichment) at least once a year so you know what parents are experiencing.
You want the registration flow to be engaging, not frustrating. A sleek, user-friendly registration flow impresses parents and instantly boosts your program's image. Consider this the low-effort, high-impact way to ensure your marketing dollars are well spent, leading to a rewarding ROI*.
Sidenote for the very few, but I know you are out there because I've seen it first hand.
If you don't have an online registration system, it's time to make the move to one. Although paper forms, basic online forms or phone calls help save you money on platform* and credit card transaction fees, it is costing you customers. Online registration systems have been around for at least 20 years, so not having one says your business is not up-to-date. Which begs the question, are your programs up-to-date?
With your website up to date and refreshed and your online registration running smoothly, it's time to start marketing.
It's called "Low-Hanging Fruit" for a reason
Low-hanging fruit* is often used in marketing, and the concept makes sense. Do the easy stuff first (i.e., pick the fruit with the easiest access first, especially if you are hungry!). But the term conveys more than that because it's usually the low-hanging fruit efforts that convert quickly, making your efforts more efficient and ultimately more cost-effective. So, what's a summer camp's low-hanging fruit in marketing? I'll tell you...it's email marketing, promotions & discounts, and Word of Mouth (WOM)*.
Email Marketing: Proven Impact for Parent Engagement
Email marketing works. Full stop. In some ways, it's hard to believe that after all this time, it's still effective. Parents want to know if you have great content or something important to share. With email marketing, you can provide updates, share experiences, highlight programs and staff, share promotions/discounts, and much more!
The trick is the quality of the content. For summer camps (or any child's activity program), the email focus should be informative* or promotional*, and you should alternate between these. You want parents to be excited to get your emails and learn about what you are up to or what you have to offer. The real magic happens when you segment* your audience so the messaging stays relevant.
So, if you are not using email for your marketing or only sparingly, it's time to get going! Check out your current platforms to see if they offer this service so you can get started sooner, and then research email marketing services when you have more time. Also, remember that using one or two platforms for multiple tasks can be easier and faster. It can also be more cost-effective.
Plan your content (I strongly suggest developing a marketing calendar*) and a reasonable cadence. An email once a week is fine. As you near the summer months, 2x per week is also OK (especially if you segment!).
What NOT to do with email marketing
Do NOT add emails to your marketing of people who have not given you permision to market to. There are rules for email marketing and it's important to follow them. You may be tempted to skirt this to "speed" things up, but it will only hurt your efforts (significantly so) in the long run.
Do NOT send the same message over and over and over again. Parents will become less engaged and likely will unsubscribe at a high rate (you do not want this).
Do NOT think you can send the same message to everyone in your list. Segmenting your audience is what makes email marketing so impactful. However to segment, you need to keep your data clean and up-to-date in whatever platform you use.
Do NOT go cheap and use gmail or another email provider like this for your marketing emails. Marketing is all about data and when you use a platform that offers email marketing, you get a lot of information about what is and is not working. You want this as it helps you refine your messaging and speed-up your efforts over time.
Final thoughts -
Diversify your emails. Use photos in some, provide a quick list and overview in another, and create fun visuals occasionally.
Always include a Call To Action* (CTA). You are sending an email because you want parents to do something. Tell them what that is (register, learn more, call us, etc).
Have fun! Once you start using email marketing and permanently integrate it into your marketing strategy, you'll see its impact and why it's an important marketing tool. You'll also start to see conversions! Hence, email marketing is a low-hanging fruit effort.
Promotions & Discounts: Investing in Future Success
It's important to understand the role of promotions and discounts. It's about customer acquisition and retention. I encounter a lot of hesitancy around promos & discounts with activity providers. Many feel it's giving away money, but that's a limited and skewed perspective. Yes, you are reducing your summer camp pricing. Still, you are doing this for the individuals engaged with your marketing and programs, or trying to get a family new to your programs through the door, or rewarding the families who come back year after year with a perk, and rightly so.
For promos/discounts to be effective, you must develop a strategy that considers the time of year, allows you to be generous without breaking the bank, and helps you retain existing customers and attract new customers to your camps (or other programs).
Don't shy away from promos and discounts! They are a great marketing tool, and with email marketing and segmentation, you can start to hone in on what you do with them to fill those camps!
Word of Mouth: Your Most Powerful Marketing Tool
It's common to think that Word of Mouth happens passively, but you can make this a more active marketing component in your strategy in many ways. In addition to parents talking with one another (the passive aspect), you can also reach out and ask families for testimonials about their experiences or encourage them to post a review on Yelp!, Google Business, or other popular business directories in your area (this does vary across regions).
A few things to note:
If you ask parents to take their time to send you a testimonial, then you should ask them directly. Don't send a bulk or group email about this. It doesn't work, and you can ask only so many times.
Be careful about asking parents to review you publicly. Platforms don't like a swarm of reviews all at once, so you need to think through when/how you reach out to parents for this.
Testimonials and reviews are only as good as their authenticity. Don't try writing them yourself or get friends who haven't attended your camps or programs to write them. These are easy for everyone to spot (trust me, you are not tricking anyone!). Building trust and goodwill with families is much more important, and you will degrade this with fake reviews or testimonials.
A bit more effort goes a long way...over time
The trick with marketing is once you get going, everything you do builds on each other, creating a bigger impact. So now that you have the must-haves done and the low-hanging fruit percolating, you can dive into various marketing projects to further your marketing momentum.
Some of these may be well underway, others you may not be ready for, and a few may not be of interest or a good fit for you, which is totally fine. You don't have to, nor do you have time, to do it all. Remind yourself of this often because it's easy to get paralyzed by your to-do list (trust me, I know!).
Directory Management: Streamlining Your Web Presence
There are many camp and child activity directories out there. Some are national, others regional, and the big cities usually have very targeted directories. The catch with directories is that some are better than others at connecting you with parents, but there is one thing all directories provide—backlinks*, which is critical for SEO.
The biggest investment required is finding the directories that best fit your programs and the time to set them up. So, although this is a relatively easy marketing task, the time commitment to get started is real. Each platform has a different setup, rules, options, etc. However, once your directory listings are set up, they should tick along and only need to be updated as your programs change with the season. If you are organized, you should be able to complete your year of programs and only need to update annually.
Most directories will have free versions and paid-for plans. Choose the ones you pay for carefully! Likely, there will be 1-3 that are worth the fees because they will result in conversions. With the free options, take advantage of those backlinks!
Social Media: The "must-have" that is not
There is a common misconception that social media marketing is the answer for all businesses. It simply is not, and it is particularly not for child activities. However, it can still play a role in your marketing efforts if you want to invest the time in it.
Here's what people get wrong with social media in the child activity industry:
They assume the user on social media is always there to buy.
Because of this assumption, they think boosting their post will connect them with someone ready and willing to buy their program.
They misunderstand why people are on social media to begin with.
Here's the deal with social media: your ideal purchaser (i.e., a parent in your area) is on social media, but they are not there to shop for kids' activities. They are on social media to chill out and relax, be entertained, connect with friends through their posts or read through others, and occasionally snoop on contacts and acquaintances. If they purchase something on social media or click an ad, it's usually an impulsive buy or curiosity about a good or brand, and typically, the purchase is for a tangible good, not a service. Registering for a summer camp is not an impulse buy, nor should it be, so you have to use social media differently.
Social media is not about selling your summer camps or other programs. It's about legitimizing your business, staying relevant, indicating that you are an active and thriving program, and sharing information and program insights. That's it.
The upside is that this approach to social media is much easier than creating the perfect post to sell, sell, sell. So, if this is the approach you've been taking, you are about to save yourself a lot of time and stress.
Two things to remember when it comes to social media:
Quality over quantity—Keep your posts relevant, timely, interesting, and fun. Posting once a week works great, but be flexible and recognize that you will likely post 4 - 10 times monthly. This is enough for parents who check out your pages to learn about who you are and what your program offers and see fun highlights.
Note: In the off-season, it may only be 2-3 monthly posts, which is OK.
It is not necessary to use social media for your marketing. You can run a successful marketing strategy without social media, so don't overstress if you don't have time to take this on right now. Bring it into the fold when you have the space for it and can do it consistently and to a high quality.
"Best of" campaigns ... start voting!
This may not be available in all regions, but most cities and mid to large-sized communities have some kind of "Best of" campaign. It's a great way for the media source hosting the campaign to connect with the community, so they are relatively common.
Check out your area and see what's out there and the timing (usually Spring). Most of the time, you do not have to be invited to participate, but you do have to be nominated. So, once you figure out the timing and when the nomination phase begins, reach out to your go-to parents and ask them to vote for your camp (or after-school program, kids classes, or enrichment offerings). After the nomination round, there is usually a finalist round, which you are hopefully in for 1+ categories.
As the process ticks along, you must participate and engage your families (friends, colleagues, neighbors, etc.) because you need their votes. You will need to incorporate this campaign into your marketing calendar. The only way to win is if people vote for you, but they also need to know when, where, and how to vote.
Real-World Connections: Community Engagement & Events
There's nothing quite like connecting with potential customers face-to-face, in real-time, and at a like-minded event. These events vary in each community but can include camp fairs, street fairs, community gatherings, etc. You can also create your own with the occasional open house or one-off event. The goal is to connect with families new to you so they can learn more about your offerings.
It is important to choose these opportunities wisely, focusing on those that align with your brand values and target demographic. In-person events take time, energy, and effort, so you want to ensure they are worth it. Ask the organizers about attendance, venue layout, cost, etc., to help you determine if it's a good fit. Some of these events can be expensive to have a table at, but if it's a family-orientated event, it may just be worth it.
Preparation and presentation at these events can lead to meaningful connections and future registrations, but you must be prepared. This means investing in the event before it happens (designing and printing hand-outs, creating a fun activity, purchasing swag, ordering signage, setting up, etc). All of this preparation and investment is important because you only have one chance to impress, so you've got to go in fully committed to the event and, most importantly, have fun!
To Pay or Not to Pay for Advertising
There are a plethora of choices when it comes to paid advertising. Some may fold into what you are already doing, like ads in social media (honestly, not likely to be worth the cost (FYI)), running an ad in the "best of" of or other parenting publication(s), upgrading an online directory listing, pay-per-click (PPC)* digital marketing, etc. Some will be outside of those, such as posters and a billboard (fancy!), community publications, and possibly even direct mail marketing (it could still work for the right messaging).
Regardless of where you put your marketing dollars in paid advertising, you'll want to run a quick analysis to ensure it makes financial sense. Sometimes, this is easy to determine as the cost is too high. Other times, it won't be clear. So, you'll have to decide if you're up for a calculated risk to try a new advertising channel*.
It's not uncommon for paid advertising to be a trial-and-error experience. As you experiment with different options, evaluate each, determine its impact, and calculate the ROI. For those that hit the mark, keep going with them. For those that didn't deliver, be open to letting them go. And always be willing to try something new....when (and only when) it makes financial sense.
Plan Ahead: You'll be glad you did!
Printing & Merchandise: Sometimes Local is Best
Depending on your marketing events and needs, you may need printed materials or swag, or maybe you sell t-shirts to your campers or provide them as part of the camp experience. Either way, this all takes planning.
Part of that planning is getting quotes because prices vary quite a bit. With a little extra effort and research, you can probably find a local business that matches or beats the big national vendors, and the quality tends to be better. As you do your analysis, consider shipping costs versus picking up locally. Shipping ads up! Working with a local business is always awesome, especially since you likely count on local and community support for your business to thrive.
Swag* can be tempting, especially for events. I always encourage an environmental cost analysis for swag, though. From a cost perspective, a cheap pen, bouncy ball, or frisbee won't break the bank, but so much of this stuff is thrown out. Is it worth it? It certainly isn't necessary because swag is not what sells your camps. The interactions, communications, and quality of your programs do the selling. Keep this in mind and at least consider environmentally-friendly swag options (although they do tend to be more expensive).
SEO - It's an ongoing chore that pays off big time!
You can't ignore SEO (although I think we'd all like to). It's a lot of work, requires ongoing attention, and is an absolute must, but you can't do it all in one go. SEO is something that builds over time and then has to be maintained. SEO is a topic that is too big for this article, but we will be diving into it in future blog posts, so keep an eye out.
For now, here is the best way to get going with your SEO:
Explore your website platform and see what SEO tools it offers. Wix has an entire section dedicated to SEO with easy steps to start making adjustments. Yoast is an effective SEO plug-in* for WordPress sites. Most website platforms have some SEO tools and are a great place to start.
Add Alt text to your photos (very important) within the SEO tools and check or add meta tags* to your web pages.
Connect your website to Google Analytics* and Search Console* (in that order). This will start to give you insights into where your website's traffic is coming from and how visitors behave. It takes time for the data to accumulate and make sense, so be patient.
Identify your keywords* and start incorporating these into your website content. Just make sure your content is readable and makes sense. Writing content for quality is better than overfocusing on keywords (if you write only for keywords, it will be hard to read). Keywords will help with ranking on Google.
Remember, SEO can take months to build up, so the most important thing is to get started and maintain it as you go.
Visual Content Strategy: Photos Tell It All
You will need visual content like photos and videos for all your marketing efforts. The best photos will be what you (or your team) take during your camps and programs. You will want a clear vision of what the photos should capture (smiling kids, groups of kids having fun, staff interacting with the campers, etc.) and editing guidelines to ensure consistency. Make sure you take photos with intention, not just snapshots. Videos should capture those magical moments in which you can tell a story in 10 - 30 seconds (take a longer video and then edit).
Stock photos can work occasionally, but don't make them the bulk of your visual content. Usually, it's easy to tell what a stock photo is, so if you only use these, it will impact the impression someone has of your programs.
Although it's best to use photos you take during your programs, you can find stock photos (like those above) that have some authenticity and don't feel as contrived as a traditional stock photo does.
Make sure you have permission to use your campers' image or likeness. You can do this with a photo release. All programs should have this! It's best to have an opt-in photo release only because it becomes very hard to manage taking photos when parents can opt-out. You will also lose hours determining which photos you can use and likely won't remember as time passes.
When selecting photos, use common sense, diversify the images and individuals you use, remove identifying elements like names, etc., and have fun developing your story through compelling images. The more you do it, the easier (and faster) it will go!
The most important thing is to plan and recognize that the photos you take today may not be used until your next marketing season. However, you will need these photos and will delighted to have them when the time comes.
In Conclusion: Your Guide to Summer Camp Marketing Success!
Marketing can be fun and manageable when you have a clear plan! This guide has covered essential strategies to get your summer camp marketing on track. As you develop good habits and refine your approach, you'll see your efforts pay off across all your programs. Remember, consistency is key, and taking notes on what works (and what doesn’t) each season will help you improve year after year.
With the strategies in this guide, you’re equipped to start seeing results! If you have questions, please reach out—we’re here to help. Don’t forget to check out our topic-specific workshops and free Q&A sessions for additional support!
Definitions
Advertising Channel (also called Marketing Channel)
A medium or platform used to communicate and promote products, services, or brands. It includes various marketing methods, such as email marketing, social media, websites, print, online platforms, etc., to help attract new customers and drive sales.
Alt Text (alternative text)
A brief description is added to images on websites, marketing emails, blogs, etc., to describe the content or function of the image. It is used to provide access for the visually impaired to convey the image's content. It is also displayed in marketing emails should the image(s) not load properly. Alt text is also valuable for Search Engine Optimization (SEO), as it provides written context about the image's subject matter.
Backlinks
Incoming hyperlinks from one webpage to another. They play a crucial role in search engine optimization (SEO), as they measure a website's authority, relevance, and credibility. Backlinks can enhance a site's search engine ranking because search engines view them as endorsements from other websites. The more quality backlinks a site has, the more likely it is to be seen as a valuable resource, contributing to higher visibility in search results. However, the quality of backlinks is more important than quantity; links from reputable, high-authority websites are more beneficial than those from low-quality or spammy sources.
Call-to-Action (CTA)
A prompt or instruction designed to encourage users to take a specific action, such as clicking a button, filling out a form, subscribing to a newsletter, or making a purchase. Effective CTAs are clear and concise and create a sense of urgency or excitement to motivate users to act.
Content Repurposing
Reusing existing content in different formats (like turning a creative element of an email into a social media post) can be a simple way to generate more engagement with minimal effort.
Conversions
The successful completion of a desired action by a user or customer, typically as part of a marketing or sales campaign. This action could include purchasing, signing up for a newsletter, downloading an app, or any other predefined goal a business sets. Conversions are often used to measure the effectiveness of marketing efforts, indicating how well a campaign is achieving its objectives.
Conversion Rates (additional definition provided for reference)
The percentage of users who complete a desired action out of the total number of visitors or leads is a key metric for assessing marketing success and identifying areas for improvement.
Google Analytics
A free web analytics service provided by Google that helps businesses and website owners track and analyze website traffic and user behavior. It offers insights into various aspects of website performance, such as the number of visitors, page views, bounce rates, session durations, and user demographics. With this, businesses can gain valuable insights into how users interact with their websites, which marketing channels drive the most traffic, and which pages or content are most popular. These insights help optimize website design, improve user experience, and make data-driven marketing and business decisions.
Google Search Console
Another free tool provided by Google to help website owners maintain and troubleshoot their website's presence in Google Search results. It offers insights into how Google crawls and indexes a site, providing information on search traffic, keyword rankings, technical issues, and user experience metrics. It helps website owners understand how their sites perform in Google Search and provides tools to improve visibility, fix issues, and enhance user experience.
Informative Marketing Emails
A type of email designed to provide valuable information or updates to recipients without overtly promoting products or services. Informative marketing emails aim to educate, engage, or inform subscribers about topics relevant to their interests or needs. Examples include newsletters, company updates, product releases (or new services provided), and educational content. These are effective ways to build relationships with subscribers, demonstrate expertise, and maintain engagement over time. They help create a balanced email marketing strategy by offering value to recipients without always focusing on sales or promotions.
Keywords (concerning SEO)
Words or phrases that represent the primary topics or concepts on a website or webpage. Search engines use these terms to understand and categorize web content, helping to determine its relevance to user queries. Keywords play a crucial role in SEO because they connect what users search for with the content businesses provide. Proper keyword research and application can improve a website's visibility in search results, attract the right audience, and drive more traffic and conversions.
Low-Hanging Fruit
Easy, achievable opportunities can yield quick results with minimal effort or resources. The term is often used to describe marketing activities, prospects, or sales targets that require little effort to execute or convert, providing a favorable return on investment in a short time frame. While these opportunities can be valuable, balancing them with long-term strategies is important to ensure sustainable growth. Examples include engaging existing customers, email marketing, and content repurposing*.
Marketing Calendar
A strategic planning tool used by businesses to schedule and organize marketing activities, campaigns, and events over a specific period. We recommend three months (ideally aligned with the annual quarters). It serves as a roadmap to ensure marketing efforts are well-coordinated, timely, and aligned with business goals.
Meta Tags
Snippets of text or code embedded in a webpage's HTML that provide information to search engines and browsers about the page's content. Although meta tags are not visible on the webpage, they are critical in search engine optimization (SEO) and user experience. These tags help search engines understand and categorize web content, affecting how a page is indexed and displayed in search results. There are a variety of meta tags, so use your website platform's built-in SEO tools to manage these.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC)
A digital advertising model where advertisers pay a fee each time their ad is clicked. This model is commonly used in search engine advertising, like Google Ads, and social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn. PPC allows businesses to bid on specific keywords or audience segments to have their ads displayed to relevant users. We do not recommend child activity providers run Google or LinkedIn Ads or boost Facebook posts. However, you may encounter industry-specific directories or marketing websites that provide a PPC option, so it's important to be aware of the terms and concepts when you encounter this.
Platform (also known as Software As A Service (SaaS)
A platform is a software or service that provides the tools and infrastructure for building and managing digital content or services without needing coding skills. It serves as a foundation for users to create, manage, and deliver tasks like sending emails, building websites, or running online stores. Often provided as Software as a Service (SaaS), platforms simplify complex processes by offering an all-in-one solution.
Plug-In (concerning websites)
A piece of software or code that can be added to a website to extend its functionality or add new features, allowing users to customize and enhance their websites without extensive coding knowledge. Plug-ins are valuable tools for website customization, enabling users to expand their site's capabilities with minimal technical effort.
Promotional Marketing Email
Designed to drive sales or generate interest in a product, service, or special offer and focus on persuading recipients to take a specific action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a service. These emails typically use persuasive language, clear calls-to-action (CTAs), and appealing visuals to encourage recipients to engage with the content and ultimately make a purchase.
Rate-of-Investment (ROI)
A measure of how much money you make compared to how much you spend on a marketing campaign. It helps determine if your marketing efforts are successful and profitable.
(Note: This could be a very long, complex definition, so we will keep it short and sweet for this article's purpose.)
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
The practice of improving a website's visibility in search engine results. The goal of SEO is to make a site more likely to appear at the top of search results when users search for relevant topics, which can lead to more website traffic and, ultimately, more business. Effective SEO helps websites rank higher in search results, making it easier for users to find them. This can lead to increased visibility, traffic, and potential customers.
(Note: SEO is a very complex concept, and books have been written about it, so once again, we will keep the concept simple for now.)
Segment (concerning email marketing, such as an audience segment)
A specific subset of your email audience that is grouped based on shared characteristics or behaviors. Segmentation allows you to send more targeted and relevant emails to different groups within your email list, leading to better engagement and conversion rates.
Swag
Branded merchandise or promotional items are given away to promote a company, product, or event. They are typically distributed to create brand awareness, engage with customers, build goodwill, and generate leads.
Word-of-Mouth (WOM)
Informal communication between people about products, services, brands, or experiences. It involves individuals sharing their opinions, recommendations, or experiences with others, usually friends, family, or colleagues. WOM can be a powerful form of marketing because it is based on personal recommendations, which often carry more weight and credibility than traditional advertising. WOM is valuable for marketing because it can increase brand trust, customer loyalty, and organic growth.
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