How to Get More Reviews & Testimonials For Your Summer Camp

One of the best ways to boost your camp’s reputation and attract new families is by gathering positive reviews and testimonials. Here’s how you can effectively collect and utilize reviews to grow your summer camp.

In this article, we’ll explore practical strategies for summer camps to improve their approach to collecting online reviews and turn them into powerful tools for growth and engagement.

• Create a Seamless Feedback Process
• Engage with Parents During Camp
• Incentivize Feedback
• Highlight Reviews and Testimonials
• Leverage Video Testimonials
• How to Manage and Respond to Reviews
• Use online surveys to prompt testimonials

1. Create a Seamless Feedback Process

The easier you make it for parents to leave feedback, the more likely they are to do so. Create simple feedback forms that can be accessed from a smartphone or your camp’s website. For automated follow-up, consider integrating these tools with your camp management software.

How to simplify collecting feedback:

• Automate Requests: Use tools like Activity Messenger to send automated review requests at strategic times, such as at the end of a camp week or right after a camp event. This ensures that parents can provide feedback when the experience is fresh in their minds.
• Keep It Short: Keep your feedback forms short and to the point. Focus on a few key questions that capture the essence of the camp experience, such as “What did your child enjoy most?” and “How can we improve the camp experience?
• Multiple Platforms: Give parents the opportunity to leave reviews on a variety of platforms such as Google, Facebook, Yelp, and specialized camp review sites. This not only increases your chances of receiving feedback, but also increases your online presence across multiple channels.
• Mobile-Friendly: Ensure that your camp surveys are mobile-friendly so that parents can easily complete them on their smartphones or tablets.
• Follow-Ups: If you don’t get a response to your initial request, send a polite reminder a week later. Sometimes parents just need a nudge to complete the review.

 

2. Engage with Parents During Camp

Building a relationship with parents by keeping them informed and involved during camp can lead to better testimonials and reviews.

How to keep parents engagement high during camp:

• Regular Updates: Send weekly newsletters with updates on the camp’s activities, highlighting exciting events and sharing photos of campers in action. This not only keeps parents informed, but also reinforces a positive perception of the camp.
• In-Person Meetings: Give parents a first-hand look at what their children have been doing by organizing a family day or end-of-camp showcase. This provides an opportunity for personal interaction and feedback.
• Virtual Events: Host virtual events on platforms such as Zoom or Google Meet for parents who cannot attend in person. Include live streams of camp activities, virtual tours, or Q&A sessions with staff.
• Open Communication: Encourage parents to share their thoughts and concerns at any time by maintaining open lines of communication. You can prevent negative feedback and encourage positive reviews by taking this proactive approach.

3. Incentivize Feedback

Encouraging feedback through small incentives can significantly increase the number of reviews your camp gets.

How to incentivize summer camp feedback:

• Discounts: Offer a discount on future camp sessions to parents who leave a review. This gives them an immediate benefit while encouraging repeat business.
• Prize Draws: Enter all reviewers in a drawing to win camp merchandise, a gift card, or a free session for their child. This adds an element of excitement and reward for providing feedback.
• Referral Bonuses: Encourage families to leave reviews and refer new campers by offering referral bonuses, such as a discount for both the referring and referred families.

4. Highlight Reviews and Testimonials

Showcasing reviews effectively can build trust with potential new campers and their families. This can be one of the most effective ways to market your summer camp.

How to Use Reviews:

• Website Features: Create a dedicated page on your website for testimonials, and consider adding a rotating testimonial section on the homepage. This allows potential customers to easily see positive feedback from other parents.
• Social Media: Share positive reviews on your social media channels, pairing them with photos or videos of happy campers. This can increase engagement and attract more followers.
• Marketing Materials: Include testimonials in brochures, flyers, and promotional emails. Highlight specific aspects of the camp experience that parents have praised, such as staff friendliness, the variety of activities, or the camp’s positive impact on their child’s development.
• Email Signatures: Add a link to your review page in your email signature, encouraging every recipient to leave feedback or read what others have to say.
• Camp Video: Create a promotional video featuring parent and camper testimonials alongside footage of camp activities. This multimedia approach can be compelling and emotionally engaging.

5. Leverage Video Testimonials

Video testimonials provide a personal touch that resonates with prospects and can be more powerful than written testimonials.

How to use video testimonials for your summer camp:

• Camp Highlights Video: Create a video featuring highlights from the camp season, including short clips of parents talking about their positive experiences. Use these videos on your website and social media to reach a wider audience.
• Interviews: Conduct brief interviews with parents during camp events, asking them about their experiences and what they like about camp. These in-camp moments can be incredibly powerful.
• Camp Stories: Encourage parents and campers to share their favorite stories or moments from the summer. These stories can be compelling and relatable to prospective families.
• Share on YouTube, Instagram & TikTok: Regularly post video testimonials, camp updates, and other engaging video content on you different social media pages.

6. How to Manage and Respond to Reviews

Proactive management of online reviews can turn negative feedback into an opportunity to showcase your camp’s commitment to exceptional experiences.

• Dedicated Review Manager: Assign a dedicated person to monitor and respond to reviews in a timely manner. This ensures that all feedback, whether positive or negative, receives attention and consideration.
• Handle Negative Feedback: Train staff to respond to negative reviews in a constructive manner, turning potential negativity into an opportunity to demonstrate your camp’s commitment to continuous improvement and camper’s satisfaction.
• Celebrate Positive Reviews: Share glowing reviews and highlight the positive feedback within your camp community and on social media platforms.

Use online surveys to prompt testimonials

Surveys are an excellent way to grow your camp’s online reputation. Here are a few recommendations for using end of camp surveys effectively:

1. Automate Surveys for a Summer Camp

Get immediate and authentic responses from parents and campers by automating the distribution of surveys at optimal times.

• Set Up Automated Emails/SMS: Use your camp management software or email marketing platforms to automatically send surveys via text or email immediately after a camp session ends. This ensures that feedback is collected while the experience is still fresh in their minds.
• Personalize: Tailor the survey invitation to the specific session or activity to make the request for feedback more personal and relevant.
• Optimize Timing: Experiment with different send times to maximize response rates and ensure broad feedback.

2. Keep Responses Internal

Maintain survey responses for internal use only. This approach encourages honest and constructive criticism.

• Highlight Confidentiality: Make it clear in your survey communication that responses will be kept within your camp staff. This assurance may encourage more open and honest feedback.
• Ease of Response: Make your surveys quick and easy to fill out to respect parents’ time, and increase likelihood of participation.
• Act on Feedback: Use the responses to address issues and improve the experience at your summer camp.

3. Filter Positive Experiences for Online Testimonials

Use survey insights to identify positive feedback. With participants’ permission, you can turn this feedback into public testimonials.

• Identify Positive Feedback: Analyze survey responses to identify positive experiences that stand out.
• Follow Up Personally: Reach out to those who have provided positive feedback, thanking them for taking the time to provide it and inviting them to share their experiences with you on public review platforms.
• Guide Your Clients: Provide clear instructions on how to post reviews online for those who want to share their feedback publicly, reducing barriers to sharing positive experiences.

How Activity Messenger Replaces Multiple Tools

Activity Messenger was built with the unique needs of summer camps in mind. It combines essential tools like email marketing, staff management, registration, and digital waivers into a single platform.

Activity Messenger is essential for summer camps looking to streamline administrative tasks and focus more on their passion for providing exceptional camp experiences. Our mission is to make your camp administration and marketing easier and more efficient.

Here are a few more ways Activity Messenger can help your summer camp.

Replace your current Camp registration software (JackRabbit, Uplifter, IClassPro etc)

Camp Management Software
Best Summer Camp Platforms

Alternative to Jotform, SurveyMonkey, SmartWaiver & Mailchimp for summer camps!

Camp Attendance tracking
Start of camp emails
Online medical forms for camps
17 Summer Camp Quotes
Camp counsellor application form
Waitlist Management
Features to look for in a Camp Management Software

 

Frequently asked questions

Why are online reviews important for summer camps? Online reviews improve the credibility and online presence of your camp and make your camp more attractive to potential campers.

For my summer camp reviews, which platforms should I prioritize? Focus on Google, Facebook, and Yelp to increase the visibility of your summer camp.

How can I encourage campers and their parents to leave reviews? Use follow-up emails or take advantage of positive moments, such as after a successful camp event, to ask for reviews. Add a QR code at the camp entrance and automate end of camp surveys.

What’s the best time to ask for a review from campers or their parents? The ideal time to capitalize on a camper’s positive experience is after a great week at camp or a noticeable improvement in a particular skill or attitude. It is also effective to follow up a progress report with a request for a testimonial.

How should I respond to online negative reviews about my camp? Respond to negative feedback with empathy and professionalism. Offer to resolve issues offline, which can help turn critics into advocates and improve your understanding of their experience.

Can incentives be used to encourage reviews, and if so, how? Incentives can be a motivator for reviews when they are ethical and in line with platform policies. Consider offering discounts on future camps.

What kind of impact do reviews have on local SEO for my summer camp? By providing fresh, relevant content and increasing your camp’s visibility in local search results, reviews boost local SEO. They also improve click-through rates as people tend to trust positively reviewed experiences.