Our long and winding customer journey – why every step along the way counts

Our Board invests heavily each year in marketing and promotions. We’ve been building our Kidsfirst brand now for 30 years and it’s one of our biggest assets. You’ve seen our website, the mall doors, digital billboards, our Facebook posts, digital ads, maybe you’ve google-searched us too? We juggle our spend each month to ensure we are doing the right things in the right places at the right time. And we are constantly reviewing and updating activity to make sure we meet the mood of the market and keep Kidsfirst – and kindergarten – at the top of the list for prospective families.

In terms of the path to an enrolment application, we know that it’s a big decision and one that is not as simple as making a regular ‘purchase’. It would be a very rare parent who would go from seeing an ad to filling out an enrolment form. Couple this with the age-old marketing adage that something has to be seen three times to even register, and it makes sense that the brand needs to be seen in so many different places, in different ways. Just as all the elements of our marketing programme work together, this is a collaborative effort from Head Office and at the kindergartens – Kotahitanga – we’re better together!  

It’s always hard to know what clinched the final decision for a family to commit because customers tend to cite the last thing they saw. But we do know that our people are the most influential and credible marketing tools we have. Every conversation you have about Kidsfirst, at kindy, in the street, or at the supermarket is ‘selling’ – or not – both Kidsfirst and kindergarten. When you’re at a BBQ talking about your work, you’re helping to build or reinforce the brand. The way we answer an email or phone at Head Office speaks volumes about Kidsfirst and how it will feel to be a part of it, whether it’s a prospective family or staff member. On regular walks in the community our kindergartens are promoting themselves and the wider brand in a very visual way, and reminding communities that we’re a part of them. Fundraising efforts are a great opportunity for visibility but also to walk our talk in terms of whanaungatanga. When we connect with others at attend community and professional events – we’re reminding people about what we do and why we do it. 

Kindergartens that go the extra mile for themselves, rather than relying on Head Office marketing efforts alone, make a big difference to their waitlists and rolls. We know this from the intensive work that has been done for and with our Focus kindergartens over the past few years. 

Events like Open Days and Stay and Play are an important part of the picture in marketing our kindergartens. The impact goes beyond attendance on the day, and every event stimulates online interest in kindergartens, too. Promotion around Papanui’s 8 April Open Day saw a three-fold increase in traffic to their kindy page the week before the big day. Events like this also give everybody a chance to share the kindy Aroha online.

Around half of our kindergartens now offer Stay and Play sessions, which create opportunities to connect, or solidify relationships with prospective families and the local community. Getting your flags and footpath sign out every day can be a chore – but today might be the day that the new family sees it for the first time.

Our Facebook and Instagram pages are great places to get profile for day-to-day kindergarten news or a special event like a fundraiser or kindergarten open day. It’s easy to submit your story and images here.

Remember, our customers typically don’t make a decision on their first or only encounter. You may think that when they called you or visited that they made that decision on the spot.  But we know that they will have encountered two or three Kidsfirst “touchpoints” before they made that choice. Perhaps they saw a poster in the Plunket rooms, then they spotted your flag, then they saw the digital ad for Stay and Play – and that’s when they decided to engage by doing a google search and going to our website – BEFORE they called you.  That’s quite a bit of effort and it tells us they are serious, so what you do at this point is crucial. Is it time to review your strategies and processes for connecting with new families when they call or walk in? Or on your waitlist, or out on your walks?

Every little thing you do to promote your kindergarten and connect with your community is a step closer for those families to making a decision to enrol. 

If you want more information, or to make a marketing and promotions plan, just email jenny.pitama@kidsfirst.org.nz and we’ll get together soon!

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