A lifelong educator, Ramona Jones has shaped young minds and nurtured children’s growth in the Philadelphia school district for more than 30 years. Recognizing a need in her own community to provide a safe place for young children to learn and develop, Ramona and her son Marcelous made the decision to open their own learning center in Bristol Borough, Pennsylvania.
“We truly believe that by helping one child and one family, we can ultimately help an entire community,” says Ramona, owner of Discover Learn and Grow.
During startup mode, Ramona and Marcelous were consumed with lengthy to-do lists to open their learning center. Their efforts to market the business were minimal: They hosted several events to grow the business and introduce the community to their services. While these gatherings opened a few doors, their preschool would need a more comprehensive marketing plan to increase exposure, enroll children in their programs and boost cash flow.
“Our number one challenge was letting the community know we exist,” says Ramona.
Building awareness and establishing a trusted brand
There are approximately 75,000 child care facilities in the United States, making it challenging for newcomers like Discover Learn and Grow to stand out in their field. The marketing team at Deluxe helped the business compete by enacting a two-fold strategy: Establish a brand that families can trust and capture local families searching online for child care.
Knowing how vital it would be for Discover Learn and Grow to gain the trust of the community, the marketing team at Deluxe outlined a plan to showcase Ramona’s expertise, while also clearly articulating the unique programming and services available to parents and guardians.
Rebuilding website and branded materials
While Ramona and Marcelous were ahead of the curve creating their own logo and website, the branding and messaging fell short of their credentials and service offering. Deluxe recommended starting with a clean slate, complete with a website makeover, to rebuild the story of Discover Learn and Grow that would properly mirror the passion Ramona and Marcelous have for helping children flourish.
Designing a new logo (and new name)
The original logo — while playful — did not reflect the educational nature of the learning center. And at six colors, the design was expensive to reproduce in printed materials like brochures and business cards.
Original logo:
New logo:
Deluxe refreshed the logo, selecting shades of red and orange to keep a bright and positive feel, and choosing a modern font and icon to communicate growth and development. Deluxe also recommended including logo versions with and without “early learning center.”
Creating branded brochures, business cards, apparel and packaging
After refreshing the logo, Deluxe carried the new design across multiple customer touchpoints, including print marketing, funneling all their efforts into one, unified brand.
Customized brochures and business cards outline program options for parents. Branded apparel reinforces the brand and helps parents, children and the community easily identify staff members.
Branded packaging offers another brand impression to parents of children attending birthday parties at the center.
Personalized holiday cards provide a meaningful connection with clients.
Building a robust website
Discover Learn and Grow’s original website did not reflect the exceptional quality of their service and educational expertise, nor did the site drive calls from potential clients.
The search engine optimization (SEO) experts at Deluxe discovered that families do extensive online research to find the right child care provider. The team recommended that Discover Learn and Grow’s new website address common concerns and questions.
Keyword research showed heavy volume for the following types of searches:
- Pricing (38,000 average monthly searches)
- Types of programs (15,000 average monthly searches)
- Education and curriculum (3,500 average monthly searches)
- Health and safety (1,400 average monthly searches)
The new website design includes a homepage that mirrors the personality and passion Ramona and Marcelous have for their community and their approach to preparing children for success in school. It also provides the visitor quick access to information on programs, pricing, curriculum and health and safety policies. The new site also lists additional services such as birthday party packages and upcoming events in the community.
Social media profiles get a refresh
Deluxe also helped Ramona and Marcelous with social media marketing, extending their new branding across channels like Facebook. Many parents ask for local referrals using their social networks, so it was important for Discover Learn and Grown to appear on Facebook.
Old Facebook page:
New Facebook page highlights refreshed brand
Building momentum in the community
Two months after the new, search-engine-friendly website launched, online visitors were spending nearly four minutes on average there, viewing more than three pages during each session.
Since then, Discover, Learn and Grow has attracted plenty of attention. Eighty five percent of visitors to the website are new, suggesting the business is connecting to new clients. The website has become a helpful and appreciated resource that’s enticing families to schedule a visit to the center. Today, the center has exceeded its enrollment goal of 22 full-time students.
“We are at capacity and are looking to expand to a second facility!” Ramona said. “Deluxe and the Small Business Revolution greatly impacted our business and left an indelible mark on our lives and heart forever.”
This downloadable guide covers marketing in 8 easy-to-understand sections — each filled with professional tips and advice you can put into practice right away.