4 Easy Holiday Marketing Ideas for Your Camp

I don't get the chance to post about summer camp marketing as much as I'd like to anymore, but I didn't want the year to end without giving you a few last-minute marketing ideas you can use for the Holidays. (I say "last minute," but you've still got a couple weeks left so there's still ample time to put these ideas in place if you choose. )

1. Host a Holiday / Reunion Party

Celebrating is on everyone's mind this time of year. "Traditional" organizations throw Holiday parties for their employees, customers, families, clients, and friends. Why not do this for camp? I'm aware of camp's that have New Year's Eve parties, and they charge money for it. Whether you ask people to pay is up to you, but in my mind, the main opportunity/benefit here isn't making money. Instead, it's getting everyone (campers and staff included) back together in one place to reminisce about the good times you had last summer and talk about the fun coming up at camp next year. Of course, you'll show your camp video, hang photos from last summer all over the walls, and hand out "party favors" including your brochure and a nice offer to sign up for camp early. Don't forget to have one of your favorite counselors dress up as Santa, too, so campers can take photos with him!

2. Attend as Many Holiday Parties As You Can

Do you have any friends who own businesses and serve the same customer base as you (kids/moms/grandparents/families), but don't directly complete with you? How about the toy store down the street? The mini-golf place across town? The pediatric dentist two miles away? These people are probably having Holiday parties, too. Are you attending them? Can you arrange get on their guest list if not? Attending these parties would be a great way to make a few new contacts, if not prospects, for the coming camp marketing season.

3. Get Creative with your Christmas / Holiday Cards

I assume you're sending Christmas cards to camper families this year? Not a bad plan, but EVERYONE does that, so you need to make sure your card stands out. But how? Well, if you're sending a traditional Holiday card, stick a lottery ticket in there. You can bet every person will remember your gesture! Another idea is to send a video card rather than a traditional one. Gather a few counselors or office staff together to say "Happy Holidays" on the video. Then email the video to all your customers and  prospects and post it all over social media, too. And by the way, when you make your video, don't forget the subtle use of "product placement." Everyone should be wearing camp gear, your ropes course should be highlighted in the background, etc.

 

4. Make a Special Offer You Wouldn't Otherwise Make ... It's the Holiday Season, After All

This is the season of giving. That means you have an opportunity to do something special for customers and prospects you've never done before. How about an enrollment offer or discount you wouldn't otherwise make?  Do you know any mommy bloggers or other people of influence? Have them send a quick email out, or sponsor one of their emails, offering their subscribers a special Holiday discount at your camp, exclusively for their subscribers and no one else.  Not only will you be creating lots of goodwill, you'll also generate a few more bucks this time of year when it's generally still your slow season.

 

Good Luck!

That's it for now. Let me know if you have any questions. I'll try to post more in the future. I wish you much prosperity in 2017 and a camp overflowing with enrollment and a long waiting list next summer.  Happy Holidays!

-Eric

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How Three Simple Words Can Exponentially Improve the "Fear Factor" in Your Marketing

Did you know using the "fear factor" to generate enrollment is a hallmark summer camp marketing strategy?

Don't get me wrong. I don't think you're consciously trying to "scare" people into signing up for camp. But I'll bet you've been using the fear factor at least two different ways in your marketing -- and I'll bet you've been doing it for years.

Early Bird Discount

When you offer an Early Bird discount price, you get a huge flurry of enrollment at the end, right? That's because people are afraid of missing the deadline. When you tell folks, "Our Early Bird Discount Expires December 1" (or whatever your particular deadline is), you're using fear to motivate them to sign up by the cutoff date.

Limited Availability

Another way you use fear in your marketing is by playing the space-availability card. When you tell parents to "sign up now because space is getting full," you make families fearful their kids won't be accepted into your program because you might not have room for them. The fear you create with this message causes parents to sign up now rather than waiting till later when it might be too late.

How to Exponentially Increase the "Fear Factor" Effectiveness in Your Marketing Strategy

Even though each of the above marketing strategies -- your Early Bird discount deadline and limited space warning -- can be extremely effective on their own, they become much more effective when combined together and the following three simple words are added in:  "...Whichever comes first."

Here's what I mean:

"Our Early Bird Discount Expires December 1 OR when space at camp sells out, whichever comes first. "

Now when you disseminate a message like that, you're REALLY using the fear factor to your advantage.

Just combing the Early Bird discount deadline and the threat of limited enrollment space makes your marketing message twice as effective. But when you also add the words, "Whichever comes first," your marketing improves exponentially. The synergy you created by combing your Early Bird deadline and limited availability message might be effective enough, but NOW you've got people worrying they might not get into camp EVEN if they meet the Early Bird deadline itself.


So what does this mean for you? For one thing, it becomes a real motivating factor for people to sign up right away. That means you're getting paid sooner rather than later, something all us are looking for all the time.

It also impels parents to spread the word about your program to their friends, because in this day and age, many families sign up for camp together. 

Bottom line, if you're looking for a quick and easy new marketing strategy to use, I urge you to try this. I've used it in my own marketing, typically in email campaigns, and it's quite effective. Try it!

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