Find out how a four-location New Jersey childcare organization that relied entirely on referrals to fill enrollment went digital, saw inquiries increase across all locations, maintained strong occupancy levels, and found a marketing partner that approaches the relationship like a trusted advisor rather than a vendor.
Overview
Academy House Child Development Center provides early childhood education and childcare services for families throughout New Jersey. With four locations, three in Jersey City and one in Plainfield, the organization is committed to building safe, nurturing learning environments where children can grow. A dedicated staff, strong focus on child development, and lasting relationships with families are what set Academy House apart. For years, word-of-mouth referrals kept enrollment steady. The challenge was filling seats consistently across all four locations in competitive markets, without a reliable way to reach parents who were actively searching for childcare.
The Challenge
Before Hibu, Academy House relied heavily on referrals—a valuable but unpredictable source of enrollment leads. In a competitive market like Jersey City, referrals alone weren't enough to consistently fill openings across four different centers. The organization needed greater online visibility and a more predictable way to generate inquiries from parents actively searching for childcare and early education programs. As Leyda Mora put it, the goal was to stop waiting for parents to find them through word of mouth and start reaching them where the search actually begins.
The Hibu Solution
Hibu rep Brian Jenkins distinguished himself from the start by taking the time to understand Academy House's enrollment goals and the specific challenge of marketing multiple locations simultaneously. Rather than a generic package, Brian presented a strategy built around their situation and backed it up with consistent communication and transparent reporting throughout the partnership. "Having a dedicated representative who genuinely cared about our success gave us confidence in the partnership," Leyda said.
Brian's ongoing involvement has remained a consistent point of value. He stays accessible, follows through on commitments, proactively brings improvement ideas, and reviews performance with the team regularly. "It feels like we have a true marketing partner rather than just a vendor," Leyda said. That’s a distinction that matters especially for a multi-location organization where consistency of support across sites is essential.
The Results
Since partnering with Hibu, Academy House has seen increased online visibility, more phone calls, and more website inquiries—with prospective families reaching out to schedule tours and learn about enrollment across all four locations. Inquiries from families who found the organization through search results, digital ads, and the website have translated into new enrollments and helped maintain strong occupancy levels throughout the centers.
The biggest business impact has been the shift from reactive to predictable. Instead of waiting for referrals to come in, Academy House now has a dependable digital presence that continuously introduces new families to its programs. "The peace of mind that comes from knowing our marketing is actively working for us has been extremely valuable," Leyda said.
To another childcare or service business owner still relying on word of mouth, Leyda's perspective is direct. "Today's parents are searching online before making decisions, and if your business isn't highly visible, you're likely missing opportunities. Having the right partner makes all the difference." She would recommend Hibu, and Brian specifically, without hesitation.
In a 90-day period, Hibu’s digital marketing for Academy House Child Development Center generated:
- 407 Leads
- 1,993 Ad Clicks
- 3,013 Website Visits
- 277 Engagements
Hibu is a leading provider of digital marketing solutions to local businesses across the US. With Hibu, your business has a truly integrated marketing program designed to increase your visibility online, drive visitors to your website and generate leads. Visit Hibu.com or call us at 855-409-6569 today to get more from your digital marketing.
