Story: How my local nursery triumphed over a national chain

At the nursery's request, names and locations in grey have been altered to preserve privacy.

A local nursery in Bournemouth has cleverly tackled competition from a big nursery chain by creating a buzz and getting people talking in the community.

Educating Our Future (EOF) was running for over a decade before facing steap declines in enrollment after the Big Heritage Foundation (BHF) opened 3 new locations in the city. BHF offered lower fees due to its efficient nation-wide model with a lower cost of care per child, while EOF prided itself on being a family-friendly and community-oriented business. 

After a couple years of fierce rivalry, EOF started facing a noteable decline in enrollment in part due to BHF's massive online advertising campaign. The daily fees were the same, but the higher cost per child incured by EOF coupled with funding issues put a significant strain on its overall finances.

Facing what seemed to be an unvoidable outcome, the owner of EOF, Mrs. Stewart, consulted with an extended family member working as a business analyst in the elderly care sector.

"...he said home care mostly depends on people telling each other about good services. For example, if an older person's children are married, their spouses might also need to care for their own parents. So, if you do a good job, you can get lots of new clients through friends and family. Many of our clients come to us because we're located near their homes or work, so I didn't think his point mattered...at first."

Stewart came to the realization that in order to enhance her nursery's profitability, she needed to target parents residing in affluent neighborhoods across the city. Recognizing the value of her services, she saw an opportunity to increase fees for daily childcare and educational programs. She aimed to attract discerning parents seeking high-quality care and education for their children, by strategically positioning her nursery as a premium option.

" We began organizing trips to key parts of the city, making sure to pick activities that really catch the eye. Our aim was for parents to see kids having a great time—laughing, playing, and fully engaged—with our logo right there alongside. That way, they'd think, 'I want my kids to experience this too.' "

Examples of outdoor activities drawing attention:

1. Nature Appreciation. EOF coordinated with the city to have children seed, water, and clean various plants and trees in some of the parcs and communal areas of the targeted markets.

2. Unstructured Nature Play. They provided binocular toys and little explorer hats to the children and asked them to share one thing they observed that they found fascinating.

3. History Appreciation. They organised guided tours of monuments, buildings and streets of cultural significance in partnership with a local touring business.

4. Art Appreciation. They attached a large canvas to a wall and allowed every child to contribute to painting and decorating the mural. 

"Each kid wore a bright vest with our logo, though you couldn't spot the logo straight away. So instead of the usual buggy, we purchased a wagon with a banner on the sides and our logo on it. It's quite affordable but not something you see every day, so we got loads of attention when we took walks in those areas because the kids really enjoyed riding in it."

Unlike traditional buggies, stroller wagons can carry older children up to 5 years old (depending on the model). Some brands specialising in nurseries, such as Petit Wagon, also provide ad banners allowing businesses to transform the buggy into a daily marketing engine.

The wagon was a fun and engaging experience for the children, but it also provided a unique and effective way to promote the nursery as an upscale early years education center. Within a couple months, EOF noticed an increase in inquiries and registrations from parents who wanted their children to share in these experiences. 

EOF had found a way to triumph over BHF, not by expanding or by competing on their terms, but by staying local and increasing its profitability. It had shown that it could offer every child an engaging premium experience that was different from the rest.

February 2024, by Richard Stevens

UK Childcare Chronicles | Communities