If you operate a summer camp each year, the success of your small business largely depends on attendance. From building trust and confidence in your program, to highlighting safety precautions and an engaging curriculum, it’s essential to show families how brilliant your camp is! You need to show people why their kids will enjoy going to your camp so that they are confident in their decision to register.

Leading up to the start of your camp, much of this can be accomplished through email marketing. Sending emails is still one of the best tools for generating leads and making sales. Read on to discover some pro tips on how to use an email campaign for marketing your camp. Looking for more support to jumpstart your camp? Check out our ultimate guide to starting and running a kids camp.

1. It’s all about the subject line

The subject line is one of the most important components of an email. It's your chance to hook the recipient and encourage them to open your email. When it comes to effective subject lines, we recommend thinking about them the following ways:

Create a sense of urgency

Don’t beat around the bush. There’s no doubt your audience is getting emails from a TON of brands, companies, and services. In order to get eyeballs on your content, be direct with what you’re offering. Including a sense of urgency in your subject lines can help drive opens.

Examples:

- Book now! Camps are filling up fast!

- 25 spots left in our summer camp

- Filling fast! Only a few spots are left

Lead with intrigue

Sometimes the best subject lines leave a bit up to the imagination. Remember, the goal of a subject line is to get someone to open an email. Crafting a compelling line that will increase the likelihood of peaking the receiver’s interest is encouraged.

Examples:

- Guess what’s almost booked…

- Did you hear the news..?

- Are you going to join..?

Showcase why you should be considered

If a subject line is the first place to get a recipient's attention, sometimes it’s important to sprinkle in information about why your camp is the best option. Maybe you’ll highlight the safety precautions you’re taking or how many people return back to your camp year over year. Whatever you choose, make sure that your value is showcased clearly.

Examples:

- Here are daily cleaning precautions we’re taking at our camp.

- Here’s why 80% of our campers come back every year.

2. Provide incentives

We’re not in favor of spammy sales tactics — after all, your programming should speak for itself! However, people do respond well to incentives. In other words, it’s always a good idea to provide content of value in your emails. While a subject line helps people open an email, we still need them to click through to the next destination after reading it.

If your ultimate goal is getting more kids signed up for your summer camp, you need to start by getting the word out to parents. Things of value you can provide in your email include discounts, exclusive online content, summer tips for fun in the sun, etc.

3. Use strong calls-to-action

Finally, implement strong CTAs (calls-to-action) in your emails that will nudge people to engage with your business. The goal is to start a dialogue or lead readers down a funnel. 

Effective CTAs typically include a navigation tool or button that makes it easy for a reader to respond, schedule an appointment, sign their child up, etc. You can generate more leads by making these CTAs and other promotional items time-sensitive.

Want to improve your email marketing for your camp?

Are you looking to maximize attendance at your summer camp? If so, invest time and effort in your email marketing to start connecting your camp with clients. Follow the tips listed above to improve your open rates and engagement. Looking for more marketing ideas for your small business? Check out our guide.

And if you'd like to see how Sawyer for Business can help, book a demo to see how else we can help you easily manage and take registrations for your children’s camp.