The early years marketplace is no stranger to significant marketing efforts as companies strive to sell their goods and services to new parents. Brands like Pampers, Cow & Gate and Farley's resonate with feelings of familiarity and establishment. It is no coincidence, however, that brands and products enjoy high levels of awareness among consumers. It is the result of many years of marketing investment and effort.
What's this got to do with nurseries? Well, I think that at a time when Government initiatives are seeking to establish new publicly-funded settings, and the industry faces up to a smaller market of very young children, there is significant pressure being brought to bear on existing nursery operators. Many have never had to think about issues of reduced demand, competition and marketing as much as they do now.
It's strange that for what is a very considered purchase, there is so little marketing to sell nursery places in evidence. So, what can nursery operators do to change this? Let's start with prospective customers.
The Yellow Pages is a natural place to start any search. But as you open the big yellow book you are overwhelmed by a wide selection of nursery ads, all seemingly offering and saying much the same thing.
In the absence of a familiar brand name, choosing can all too often become a matter of pot luck, or a morning spent ringing round a large number of nurseries. Believe me, I've done it myself, in the days before I had my own nursery business.
Most nursery groups do have well-established identities, but if you stopped five people in the street, I doubt that any one of them could name a childcare provider. The truth is that unless you are in the market for childcare or have had experience of a nursery operator, the industry is pretty invisible. I think this is something of a missed opportunity.
There are different views on how important a brand name is for a childcare business. Some parents are attracted to a small, owner-managed setting because they feel they are getting something a little more personal and somehow less commercial than a corporate provider. Not for them the slick, uniform world of the corporate nursery operator. For them the nursery name is of no more than passing interest.
For others, a nursery that forms part of a group can suggest greater stature and higher quality, often by virtue of being in a bespoke building or having a smart website and brochure. For them, choosing a branded nursery gives reassurance.
Let's look at some leading nursery groups. What do the names say about the nurseries?
Take Just Learning. Is it saying 'just starting to learn' or is it 'just about' early education? You could say that the name doesn't really explain what the business is about, which is a shame. While an early years education is an important foundation, there's a lot more to life in nursery than that.
How about Kids Unlimited? Is a popular slang word right for an organisation where I am considering placing my three-month-old baby? It creates an impression of the company that is somewhat different from the reality, because the nurseries I have seen are anything but slovenly. While I get the humour in the name, it doesn't warm me to the company, which is a shame, given the quality of the operation.
Some operators have dual branding. For example, BUPA, which has an impeccable brand name that provides credibility and reassurance, still chooses to use a generic name - Teddies - for its childcare operation. Sure, I understand the desire to present a soft, cuddly image to differentiate the nurseries from the healthcare activities, but there are countless nurseries with similar names and identities and only one BUPA. I know what I would do.
I like the sound of Magic Nurseries - there's a promise within the name - and Tom Shea's new Child First also makes a strong statement about the company's philosophy.
In my view, if you can say something positive about your business with your brand name then you are going to stand out, and represent something that is likely to be perceived as being different and better. You can't say that when you are called Little'uns, Brats and Rug Rats - nurseries I have come across in the past. And as for Gentle Stream, you can draw your own conclusions!
A strong, confident identity and a distinctive brand name can become a valuable asset for your nursery. It can provide a strong hook upon which to hang your marketing and promotional activities. It can also enhance perceptions of your business among your customers, staff and suppliers.
So get creative! I'm sure you will enjoy the process and will reap the rewards of higher awareness and better understanding of what your nursery is all about. Send me a copy of what you do. I'd welcome it and promise to stick it on my wall! NW
Paul Richards was founder and chief executive of nursery chain Academy Childcare. He now runs Castle View Care Consultants (tel: 0845 869 5421, e-mail: paul richards@castleviewcare.co.uk)
Greater stature
Soft image
HOW TO BRAND YOUR NURSERY
- Start with your nursery name. What does it say about your nursery? Is there an opportunity to link it to a location or place name to give it added context? Appropriating a town or landmark can give you 'ownership' of an area, which is quite handy for marketing as it makes you a natural choice for parents within the area.
- How does your logo look? In our image-driven, design-aware age, is it as up to date as it could be? You don't have to scrap it altogether, but simply rework it if it looks a little dated. Changing the typeface or going for a new colour is perhaps all you need to do.
- If you use a graphic, think about ringing the changes. Add your own personality with something other than the industry-standard building blocks/bunnies/rainbows/ducklings. Adopt a colour as your theme to really get noticed. Look at Easy Jet!
- Why not have a competition within the nursery and invite children, parents and staff to submit ideas for a new logo design? Alternatively, approach a local school, who could turn your project into course work for a graphics class. If that does not appeal to you, then your local high street printer can design a logo for as little as £35.
- The internet has revolutionised many businesses, so why not yours? It has also started to replace traditional methods of marketing to new customers. E-brochures are replacing printed versions, with the huge benefit of being easy to update, straightforward to produce, and, most of all, a whole lot cheaper. Having an online presence is a very credible way of branding and marketing your nursery.
- If you don't have a website, you will find an increasing number of internet-based companies that provide you with a step-by-step tutorial on building a website that you can be proud of.
Keep the site simple and easy to navigate. Include facts and information that will make a visit to your website valuable for your potential customers, and make it friendly to encourage a further enquiry.
- Don't forget to feature your name and nursery logo. Make it big and bold. In a crowded market, it really is about shouting a simple message clearly, if you are going to reach your potential customers.
