Top 3 Marketing Tools Every Preschool & Daycare Should Use to Grow Enrollment

Running a preschool, daycare, or early childhood education program means wearing a lot of hats—and marketing is one of the most important. Whether you’re trying to increase enrollment, improve parent communication, or boost your online visibility, these three tools will help you work smarter (not harder).

Here are 3 must-have marketing tools every preschool or childcare provider should use with each offering a free version, perfect for small daycares and preschools.

1. Canva: Create Beautiful Marketing Materials in Minutes

Best for: social media posts, flyers, signage, email newsletters, and brand consistency.

Canva is a free, beginner-friendly design tool that makes it easy to create professional, polished materials, even if you have zero design experience.

You can choose from hundreds of childcare-friendly templates to quickly design:

• Open House flyers

• Instagram posts

• Parent newsletters

• Curriculum brochures

If you need advanced features, Canva Pro gives you brand kits (great for multi-site centers), premium templates, and time-saving design tools.

💡 Tip: Use Canva to keep your brand consistent across your website, social media pages, and printed materials.

2. Mailchimp: Stay Connected With Families Through Email

Best for: parent communication, waitlist follow-up, marketing emails, and tour reminders.

Mailchimp is an email marketing tool that helps you send newsletters, manage subscribers, and track email performance.

The free plan allows you to:

• Send up to 500 emails/month

• Store up to 500 contacts

• Use basic email templates

Paid plans unlock automations, advanced analytics, custom branding, and A/B testing—useful for larger or multi-location programs.

💡 Tip: Send a monthly email update with program news, classroom highlights, and any available spots in upcoming sessions.

3. Google Business Profile: Get Found by Local Parents

Best for: increasing local search visibility and building trust online.

A Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is one of the most powerful free marketing tools for preschools and daycares. It helps your program appear when parents search for terms like “preschool near me” or “daycare in [your city].”

By claiming and optimizing your listing, you can:

• Appear on Google Maps and search results

• Display key details (hours, contact info, website)

• Collect and respond to reviews

• Share updates, photos, and events

Make sure your listing is fully completed with accurate contact info, program details, and current photos.

💡 Tip: If you have any families who are very happy with your daycare or preschool, encourage them to leave a review as this helps boost your local Google search results ranking.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need a large budget or a marketing team to make a big impact on your preschool and daycre enrollment. Tools like Canva, Mailchimp, and Google Business Profile can help you promote your preschool or daycare professionally, improve communication with families, and grow your enrollment at no cost.

Need help setting up or using any of these marketing tools? I offer marketing consulting for early childhood programs from strategy and audits to hands-on support.

📩 Contact me at annieliuconsulting@gmail.com to learn more about my services to help you create an action plan to better marketing your childcare center.