Child Care Resource Center

Campaign to promote an innovative staffing solution

About the Client

Child Care Resource Center (CCRC) is a non-profit organization based in Lorain, Ohio that helps childcare centers give children a solid start in life by providing teacher training, certification, and other support services. They help families, childcare providers, and early childhood educators across North Central Ohio.

In 2020, in response to a critical national shortage of early childhood teachers and caretakers, CCRC developed an innovative solution, called Child Care Staffing Solutions (CCSS). It includes an easy-to-use app that connects substitute teachers with the child care centers and preschools that need them.

Challenge(s) They Faced

CCRC was trying to grow its Child Care Staffing Solutions program, but they found themselves with a problem. Not enough teachers were signing up for the app, and childcare centers were not using it as much as they expected. CCRC knew they needed to promote it, make teachers aware, and show centers how the program could make staffing easier for them. This turned out to be a bigger job than they anticipated.

CGM Solution

We began with research to better understand what childcare centers and teachers needed. Next, we developed a strategy for building awareness of CCSS through improved branding, advertising, and outreach. If we wanted to reach more centers and teachers, we knew we needed to show them that CCRC’s program was different from anything else available.

Here’s what we did:

  • Conducted market research to better understand the needs of teachers, childcare centers, and families within a five-county area of North Central Ohio.
  • Designed a new logo, brand style guide, and printed and digital materials to present CCSS in a cohesive way throughout the campaign.
  • Wrote core messaging, website copy, news releases, social media posts, and other written materials used throughout the campaign.
  • Prepared billboards, videos, and audio commercials to further spread the information
  • Negotiated with media outlets and developed an advertising budget for the year-long campaign.
  • Advertised on outdoor boards, radio, streaming platforms, social media, and online media to reach a wide audience.
  • Created a direct mail campaign targeting childcare centers and preschools, to help them understand the benefits of the program.
  • Created brochures, posters, and other materials for a recruitment kit, given to community partners to share with people interested in entering or extending early childhood education careers.
  • Wrote and distributed news releases and pitched articles to local media to make the community aware of the program.
  • Developed printed materials like banners, booth exhibits, and giveaway items for conferences and other events to promote the program and interact with individuals in person.

Services Utilized:

Market Research

Branding

Strategy

Campaigns

Websites

Outcomes

Raising awareness for their program was a success! It has made a profound impact on the number of substitute teachers registering and childcare centers are using the program as a result. The exposure not only brought in more recruits, but also helped build stronger relationships with childcare providers. As the program grows, it has been able to meet the growing need for qualified teachers, and now more centers are staffed and ready to give kids quality care.