Let’s talk about Childcare Incentives.

2 weeks free childcare, a free scooter per enrolment, Coles/Myer vouchers for referring a friend – even 1 year’s free childcare.

We’ve all seen them, and maybe even used them from time to time in a bid to generate new family enrolments and boost service occupancy. But the question is – do they really work?

Here our team at Enrolment Hub discusses their experience with a range of incentives and what you need to ensure your incentive is successful.

1. Honesty is the best policy

if you say you’re offering something, you need to deliver it! We’ve lost count of the times we have been told of an incentive, only to find out that in the end, there actually isn’t any benefit or outcome for the family.

2. Don’t overcomplicate it

Make it simple for families to understand and importantly easy for them to redeem. If families are enrolling because you offered them something, make sure they receive it, know when they are receiving it and it occurs within the first 6 months of enrolling. If they feel you are being honest with your promises, and feel the benefit from them, it will breed family loyalty and positive word of mouth within the community. Experience has taught us that keeping it simple benefits everyone – and make a big ‘to-do’ when their incentive comes into effect!

3.Think outside the box

We’ve said it before, incentives have become very commonplace in early childhood, so differentiate yourself from your competitors by thinking outside the box if you want to make a splash in the marketplace – your campaign will be far more effective if it is the only one of its kind in the marketplace!

4.Have strong and clear Terms and Conditions

Make it clear what families are and most importantly are not entitled to as part of this offer. Cover all your bases (no one ever thinks T+C’s are going to be succinct) and make them available to families at all times. That way you will minimise any questions in the future regarding the incentive offer. Make sure you have taken your team thoroughly through these T+C’s so they can answer those all-important questions that will inevitably come!

5.Inform your team

Sounds simple – but it doesn’t always happen. Make sure that you let ALL your team, from management to Area Managers, Centre Managers and centre teams know what the offer is, when it will be advertised, to whom and what the offer parameters are. Also get them interested and involved in sharing this offer with the community, with families and their own networks to cost-effectively extend your advertising

6.Market, market, market

Have a strong and strategic marketing/advertising plan in place before you offer any type of incentive. Use all the resources available to you in order to get the word out in the most effective way. Use digital and traditional channels but also mobilise your team and their local area knowledge.

7.Internal offers must breed loyalty

Internal incentives, such as referring a friend, should have a dual purpose. 1) to utilise your family’s networks to boost awareness of your service and increase your occupancy 2) to encourage and drive loyalty in your enrolled families. It’s important to really understand what your enrolled family’s value to devise an offer that will be unique to them and importantly, valuable to them, to entice them to get out and start advertising to their networks.

8.Dot your ‘i’s’ and cross your ‘t’s’

Before advertising the offer, make sure that your CCMS and policies are ready to roll so that the incentive will run smoothly.

Offering an enrolment incentive can be a fantastic advertising and brand awareness tool, but it’s important to do it right. Our marketing and enrolments team have a wealth of experience working with a range of incentives – why not touch base with them and we can chat through what might work for your service and families.

You can contact them here.

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