How to Get More Daycare Enrollments

Most daycare marketing says one thing: “Now enrolling!”

Parents don’t search for “now enrolling.”

They look for care that fits their child’s age, their work hours and their drive.

So start with the spots you actually have — then find the families who need exactly those.

step 1Write down the exact spots you’re filling

Before any marketing, make this sheet:

Now you know your message.

Not “now enrolling.” “Two toddler spots, starting this month.” That’s a reason to reply.

Infant spots need the longest runway. Parents of babies often start looking months ahead — some while they’re still expecting.

step 2Make your Google profile do the first tour

Parents search “daycare near me” on their phone, then compare hours, photos and reviews.

Your free Google Business Profile is often the first room they see:

• Pick the one main category that says what you are — like “Day care center” or “Preschool”
• Show your exact hours, including early drop-off and late pickup
• List each program: infants, toddlers, preschool, before- and after-school, summer camp
• Add photos of the rooms, the playground and the kitchen — no children’s faces without a release
• Put a “book a tour” link right on the profile
• Reply to every review kindly — and never mention anything about a child

Say that you’re licensed, and show your license on your site.

Licensing is the main way child care is regulated in the US. Plenty of parents will ask about it.

step 3Make every tour answer the real questions

The tour is where parents decide — mostly with their gut.

Know the questions you’ll get, and have clear answers ready:

• What are the ratios and group sizes in this room?
• How long have the teachers in this room been here?
• How do you handle naps, feeding and diapers for this age?
• How will I hear about my child’s day?
• What happens when my child is sick — or when you close for snow?
• What does it cost, and what’s included?

Then follow up the same day, with the answer to the question they cared about most.

That follow-up — and the ones after it — is the job an AI team can run for you.

step 4Partner with local employers

Employers feel it when child care falls through. Late arrivals, missed shifts, good people quitting.

Hospitals, clinics, schools, plants and big offices near you all have parents on staff.

Offer them something simple — priority on your waitlist, or a small tuition discount for their employees:

One HR contact can put your flyer in front of a lot of working parents at once.

step 5Get known by the people new parents trust

Pediatric offices. OB-GYN clinics. Prenatal and breastfeeding classes. Library story times.

They won’t “sell” your daycare. But many keep a resource board or a stack of local flyers — ask to be on it.

Here’s what that looks like when your AI team does the legwork:

Parent-resource partnersWorking

Find pediatric offices, OB-GYN clinics, prenatal classes and library branches within 5 miles, and write each one a short note asking if we can leave a flyer for new parents.

Find and check each one24/24

Found 24 — 9 pediatric offices, 6 OB-GYN clinics, 5 prenatal classes and 4 library branches. I noted which ones mention a parent resource board on their site.

Each note is 4 lines, names their office and offers to drop off flyers. Want to see the first 5? Nothing goes out without your OK.

Omaha parent partners — 24 contacts.csvSpreadsheet

Tell your agent what to do…

These are slow partners. The flyer you leave in March is for a baby who’ll need care in the fall.

step 6Ask your happiest families to bring a friend

Parents ask other parents.

A recommendation from someone in the same pickup line is hard to beat.

So ask — kindly, specifically, and with a real thank-you:

A referral thank-you is fine. A review thank-you isn’t — Google doesn’t allow rewards for reviews.

Ask every family for a review the same way, at a good moment, with nothing attached.

step 7Host an open house — and follow up with everyone

For many centers, fall is the big enrollment moment.

A spring open house gives families time to plan:

1. 6 weeks beforePick the date

   A Saturday morning, with a teacher in every room.

2. 4 weeks beforeInvite

   Waitlist, past tours, partners’ boards and your Google profile.

3. 1 week beforeRemind

   “See you Saturday — here’s parking and what to expect.”

4. Day afterFollow up

   A thank-you, the open spots for their child’s age, how to apply.

The day-after note is where enrollments happen.

It’s also the easiest one to skip. Don’t.

What to do this week

1. 01
   Write down your open spots

   Room, number, start date.

2. 02
   Fix your Google profile

   Hours, programs, room photos, a tour link.

3. 03
   List 20 employers and 20 parent resources

   The places your next families already are.

4. 04
   Ask current families for a referral

   One kind message, one real thank-you.

5. 05
   Follow up every tour within a day

   With the answer to their biggest question.

Or hand the lists and the follow-ups to your AI team, and spend the week in your rooms.

Questions