Summer Camp Email Marketing

Learn about summer camp email marketing and how to create and send newsletters for your camp with this Mailchimp replacement.

Olivier Rousseau

March 9, 2024 Camps 9 min read

In this article, we’ll explore how to create successful summer camp email marketing and newsletter campaigns.

We’ll discuss how to:

Create Newsletters for Summer Camps
How to Increase Engagement With Campers and Families
What to Include in Your Summer Camp Newsletter
Camp Welcome Email Tips
More Summer Camp Email Marketing Tips (with the AMplify Podcast)
Mailchimp Alternative for Summer Camp Email Marketing
More Tools for Summer Camps

Activity Messenger is also a complete Summer Camp Management Software and an alternative to iClassPro and Jackrabbit.

Book a demo to learn more.

About the author: Hi! My name is Olivier, and for over a decade, I’ve been managing kids’ sports programs in Montreal & Ottawa. I quickly realized that most email marketing tools weren’t designed with our industry in mind, and very expensive as you grow. Let’s take a look at how a sports and recreation-specific email marketing tool can increase the return on investment from email marketing.

Create Newsletters for Summer Camps

Creating a summer camp newsletter is a simple three-step process:

Open the email template editor and pick your favourite camp design.
Bring your newsletter to life with compelling content and images, using our Canva and ChatGPT integrations.
Once you’re ready, send it off to your subscribers and amplify its impact by sharing it across your social media platforms.

Summer Camp Email Marketing newsletter example

Increase Engagement With Campers and Families

How Activity Messenger improves email communication for summer camps and why it’s one of the best and most cost-effective ways to market your summer camp.

Identify your audience: Segment your email list into current participants and potential newcomers. Use your camp registration software or CRM to categorize contacts based on their history with your camps.
Make it personal: Use placeholders (mail merge) to include details such as the camper’s name, group or activity focus, or upcoming camp events and meeting details. This personal touch can make your messages feel more direct and meaningful.
Segment your audience: Organize your email lists based on relevant factors such as age group, skill level (beginner, intermediate, advanced), or previous camp registration preferences. This ensures that your messages are targeted to the right group.
Engage with compelling content: Keep your community informed about new camp offerings, spotlight your amazing staff, or share useful outdoor activities and safety tips. Not only is this a great way to keep your camp in the know, but it is also a great way to strengthen the bonds within your community.
Engage new prospects: For potential participants, design introductory emails that highlight the unique aspects of your camps, share testimonials and get to know your staff, and include a clear, compelling call-to-action (CTA) to contact you or register.
Optimize for impact: Use subject lines that grab the attention and resonate with the interests or needs of your audience. Test different headlines. See which ones drive higher open rates.
Visual appeal: Ensure your emails are visually appealing and mobile-friendly (our Canva integration helps with that). Use high-quality images and a clean layout to make your emails engaging.
Measure and adjust: Monitor key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates to understand what works. Use this data to refine your approach and improve your ROI.

📌 Pro Tip: A marketing strategy we use is to temporarily exclude camper already registered for an upcoming camp from receiving certain marketing emails. This means fewer emails for our families. It’s working well – more people are opening our emails and fewer are unsubscribing.

Email marketing and camp newsletters are much more than just filling out your camp for the summer. Parents and campers expect more from their communications. Here are some ideas to include in your outreach leading up to camp and during camp.

Welcome Note

Your welcome message is the first thing the camper sees, so make it count. Share a personal anecdote, an unforgettable moment from camp, or a sneak peek at what’s to come. This section should make your readers feel valued and connected right from the start.

Camp Updates and News

These are the things that keep your camp thriving. Have you recently upgraded your kayaks or built a new climbing wall? Are you introducing a new wildlife education program? Updates like these keep your community informed and excited about your camp’s growth and offerings.

Camper Achievements

It could be a camper overcoming a fear of heights or a group organizing a successful camp cleanup. Use vivid descriptions and quotes to bring these stories to life, and consider including a photo or drawing that captures the moment.

Upcoming Events and Important Dates

Whether it’s a highly anticipated summer show, an upcoming field trip or pizza day, or an early bird registration deadline, keep your community in the loop. Use clear, bold dates and a visually appealing layout to make sure these key moments stand out.

Tips and Advice

Offer words of wisdom from your experience and practical advice that parents would want to hear about. This could include a “what to pack” list that goes beyond the basics, tips on dealing with homesickness, or creative ways to stay in touch with friends from camp. Not only does this section add value to the campers, but it also reinforces your role as a caring and knowledgeable leader in the camp community.

Camp Behind-the-Scenes

Everyone loves to feel like an insider, and this section gives your readers that exclusive glimpse behind the curtain. Share the creative process behind choosing the summer camp theme, the challenges and triumphs of building a new campfire site, or a day in the life of a camp counsellor.

Photos and Memories

Photos are powerful storytellers that can capture the joy, excitement, and serenity of camp life. Choose images that reflect your camp’s diversity. Be sure to include captions that provide context and invite the reader to see themselves in these moments.

Feedback and Testimonials

The inclusion of feedback and testimonials in your newsletter does more than showcase positive reviews; it opens a dialogue with your camp community. Share both rave reviews and how you’ve addressed constructive feedback. It’s also a great time to ask for testimonials and stories of how the camp has helped or touched a child or children.

Calls to Action

Your newsletter should not only inform, but also engage. Clear calls to action invite your readers to become an active part of your camp’s story. Whether it’s registering for the next session, volunteering for an event, or filling out a camp survey, make it easy for your readers to take the next step.

📌 Read More: How to Start and Run a Summer Camp: Step-by-Step Guide

Camp Welcome Email Tips

I wrote a full blog post about the welcome camp email templates and their use, but here are the highlights.

Unlike traditional email marketing platforms like Mailchimp, Activity Messenger lets you segment and send non-marketing emails, so your important welcome-to-camp email doesn’t end up in spam.

Start of Camp Reminder

The first day of camp plays a crucial role in ensuring a smooth and welcoming start for all campers. But it’s also a stressful day for many campers and families, especially new families. That’s why creating the perfect welcome-to-camp email is so important.

Create the ideal welcome email for your camp:

Personalization is crucial: Use dynamic placeholders in your email template to automatically include each recipient’s specific enrolment information, such as camper name, start date and time, and any important details about the camp specialty they have enrolled in. This personal touch makes each email feel customized and directly relevant to the recipient.
Schedule at the right time: Aim to strategically send these reminders 5 to 7 days before camp begins. I feel this timing is optimal because it’s close enough to the start date to be immediately relevant, but it also gives families enough time to prepare or adjust if necessary.
Include essential information: Your welcome email should serve as a guide to the upcoming camp. Be sure to include important details such as the location (possibly with a link to a map or directions), the start date and time, what to bring, and, if possible, the name of the camp counsellor the child will have for the coming week. This clarity helps set clear expectations and reduce first-day anxiety.
First-day checklist: Include a checklist of items that participants should bring on the first day. This can range from swimsuits, goggles and towels to any special equipment needed for camp. Providing this list not only helps families come prepared but also demonstrates your commitment to creating an enjoyable experience for campers from the start.

📌 Pro Tip: After implementing this communication in our welcome email, we saw an increase in customer satisfaction and retention, and a decrease of over 40% in customer support emails a few days before camp starts.

Check Out Our Podcast For Summer Camp Email Marketing Tips 👇

Subscribe to our podcast on YouTube to discover the latest tips for running your business. In the episode below, Oli and Will discuss some quick tips for maximizing your summer camp email marketing outreach.

Mailchimp Alternative for Summer Camp Email Marketing

When it comes to selecting email marketing tools for camps, cost efficiency is key.

Activity Messenger stands out as an affordable choice for summer camps.

Email Marketing alternative for Summer Camps

Email Marketing Pricing for Camps

Activity Messenger Highlights:

Consistent Pricing: Enjoy stable pricing with Activity Messenger, no matter how many campers you’re reaching out to.
More Than Just Emails: Push your budget further with features like camp registration forms, surveys, bulk SMS, attendance tracking, staff onboarding and medical forms, all included in one platform.

Using Other Platforms for Email Marketing:

Higher Costs: Platforms like Mailchimp and Constant Contact often come with higher price tags
Price Increases with Growth: With many providers, as your list of camp families grows, so do your expenses.
Lack of Camp-Specific Features: Many of these platforms don’t offer specialized features that cater directly to the unique needs of camps.

Choose Activity Messenger for a cost-effective, feature-rich email marketing solution tailored for summer camps.

📌 Read More: 7 best email marketing tools for Summer Camps

More Tools for Summer Camps

Activity Messenger can do much more for your summer camps as an effective alternative to Jotform, SurveyMonkey, Smartwaiver, and Mailchimp. Here are some useful blog articles to discover more about how we can help you grow and optimize your camp: