Just because school is over doesn’t mean students have used up all their energy for the day. To keep kids active and learning, after-school programs are a popular alternative to sitting at home watching TV. However, there are nearly 90,000 after-school program providers in the U.S. If you want students to attend your classes, here are five tips to market your after-school program and stand out from the pack.

Hang flyers around town

Students come to your classes after school. So naturally, one of the best places to market your after-school program is in schools! Design eye-catching flyers to hang around local campuses to reach students directly as they go about their studies.

The key to a successful flyer campaign is professional designs. You want your flyers to grab attention and look fun enough to encourage students to learn more. Since you’re busy with your classes and likely don’t have time to design professional flyers from scratch, use templates.

There are hundreds of after school program flyer templates available from websites like PosterMyWall. Simply find the template that best fits your program’s style, customize the information with the easy drag-and-drop editor, and you’re ready to print!

One look at your amazing flyers and students will be begging their parents to sign them up. You can also hang flyers in other spots around town, like malls, restaurants, stores, and even offices to promote your after-school program directly to parents, too!

Create a user-friendly website

Promotional flyers can only hold so much information. And before parents allow their kids to attend after-school classes, they’re going to want to know everything they can about it. A user-friendly website is an essential marketing tool for any after-school program.

Think of your website as the online home base for your after-school program. It’s where students and their parents can learn about your program offerings, enroll in classes, and contact you for more information. The more parents can learn about your after-school program, the more comfortable they’ll feel sending their kids.

Include a link to your website on all your other marketing collateral. And for physical materials, like your after-school program flyers, don’t forget a QR code!

Share reviews and testimonials

Before shipping their kids off to an after-school program, parents will likely want to hear what other parents have to say about the classes. Show them you’re the best with plenty of testimonials and reviews.

According to surveys, 98% of consumers read reviews online before making any purchasing decisions. And when it comes to something as important as their children, you can bet parents will want to see at least a few reviews before enrolling.  

Actively collect reviews and testimonials from happy students and parents currently involved in your after-school program. Ask them to add their reviews on sites like Google and Facebook, and you can upload their loving testimonials to your website and other social channels. A large number of positive reviews is a great way to stand out from other after-school programs in your area.

Go behind the scenes

There’s no better way to show potential students how fun your classes are than giving them a behind-the-scenes tour.

There are a few ways you can go behind the scenes. First, you can take some videos and pictures of your students during some of your classes and upload them to your website and social media accounts. This will let people see your after-school program in action on their own time.

Another way to go behind the scenes is to host an open house. Invite students and their parents to your after-school program to observe and even possibly participate in some of your classes. One glimpse at how much fun (and educational) your classes are, students and parents will happily sign up.

Start a referral program

Some of your best marketing tools are sitting in your classrooms: your students! They know first-hand how amazing your after-school program is, and they can tell all their friends to encourage them to sign up. They just might need a little incentive to get the conversation started.

A referral program is a great option for any after-school program. By offering your current students (or their parents, really) a discount on their tuition for every new student they bring in, you’ll encourage them to actively spread the word about your after-school program and bring in a bunch of new students.

Bring new students to your after-school program

Ready to get new students for your after-school program? Promote your classes with professional flyers hung around town, a user-friendly website with plenty of information, plenty of reviews and testimonials, behind the scenes tours, and an incentivizing referral program.

Once students and parents get a glimpse of your amazing after-school program, they’ll be itching to sign up. Now get out there and spread the word!