Positive word-of-mouth reviews are a vital component of marketing any business, including a daycare center. Anecdotal evidence shows that people are more likely to give credibility to the testimony of a trusted source as compared with messages from advertisements. If you want to grow your daycare business, it’s essential that you take steps to build a network of trustworthy sources who can spread the word about your services quickly and effectively.
One way to do so is by encouraging satisfied parents to post online reviews. As a daycare business owner, you know that reviews are essential. They can help bring in new customers and build trust with current ones. Do you ever wonder how some daycare providers always seem to have excellent online ratings, while others seem to struggle? It can be tough to garner positive reviews, but it’s worth the effort! Here are seven tips that can help you get started.
Keep an active blog
Be sure to have a blog on your website in which you address topics related to child development and the daycare industry. Your readers are likely to have questions about caring for their children and benefits provided by attending daycare centers. If possible, try to include guest posts from other professionals in the child care field who can lend their expertise in these articles for added value.
Be active on social media
Nowadays, social media platforms are a vital part of any business’s operations, and they are especially valuable when it comes to child care services. Child development is a top priority for parents. Get creative when engaging with your readers through sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and other networks. Post photos of the programs you provide, highlight articles from your blog, and encourage others to share their stories about your daycare center. A great way to ensure that your center is on people’s radar is by hosting Twitter chats in which industry professionals can gather online to discuss various topics related to child care.
Respond quickly
If you own a daycare business, there is always the chance that someone will leave an online review on one of your social media pages, Google Maps, or Yelp. This may be good or bad news for your center, but either way, it’s advisable that you respond quickly so that reviewers know that they have been heard. If necessary, consider consulting with a public relations agency to find out how to go about removing a bad review.
Ask parents for reviews directly
If you want great daycare reviews, nothing should stop you from asking for them! There are many different ways to encourage people to leave online reviews about your daycare center. For instance, consider creating a monthly coupon with a personalized QR code. You can also host a customer appreciation event at which you distribute gift cards in exchange for feedback on social media. It’s also important to make sure you have a location where users can easily write testimonials. At the end of the day, it is vital to make sure that you have systems in place to help gather reviews about your services.
Familiarize yourself with Google My Business ratings, and use them wisely
In addition to soliciting daycare reviews from satisfied parents, it’s also important to remember that they can leave ratings and share feedback about your daycare online using Google My Business. If you create a listing on this network, it will help you gain a better understanding of how your customers feel about your business. The information you collect here can help inform your social media strategy and other future marketing campaigns.
Keep track of all of your reviews
No matter how many online reviews you receive, it’s helpful to keep them in one centralized location so you can access them easily when needed. It’s also helpful to consider using a customer relationship management (CRM) system that allows you to add notes and details about customers who post each review. Additionally, pay close attention to the language used in positive reviews so that you can incorporate it into your future marketing efforts.
There is no one magic formula when it comes to receiving positive online reviews of your daycare services, because every center is different. As long as you are willing to put in the work and gather as much feedback from parents as possible, it will help you find out vital information to keep improving the overall customer experience at your daycare center.
LCCM offers integrated digital and offline marketing solutions specifically designed for a child care business. We exist for only one reason: to help you, the child care owner, create and maintain your web presence, dominate business directory listings and search engines in your market, generate enrollments through paid advertising opportunities, and put your center on the map.