Other providers' ads.....

[mom-in-alberta]

I was browsing Kijiji. (Looking at the other ads for providers in my area.)
Most of them are great, and I would probably call if I was looking for care.
But some??? :rolleyes:
I know this is awful, and I am going to sound awfully condescending.... But for the love of Pete, people, PROOF READ YOUR AD!!! LoL. Use spellcheck!

Actually, what got to me was seeing ads that actively disparaged other programs or providers. "I don't sit on my couch all day, I play with the kids" or "I don't make the kids stay in the basement, they can play all over the house".
I think there is a way to highlight the best aspects of your situation without taking away from others, no?

Anyway, that just got my goat on a Friday afternoon. Have a great weekend ladies!!
:D

[Inspired by Reggio]

I have never understood the appeal of the 'attack ad' myself ... there are politicials I would never vote for, brand name things I purposefully do not buy etc because of the way they promote and advertize their product by focusing on what hte competition is 'not doing' instead of just focusing on what they have to offer and letting ME reflect on how that may differ from the others ... and the same would go for a provider in fact more so for a provider!

[Sandbox Sally]

Right?? I totally agree. Proofread, people! You don't need to be the best speller in the world to offer preschool care, but at least have enough professionalism to use the spell check feature.

Also? Quit copying my ad. I have seen this twice with two different providers in two different areas, right down to the same capitalization and wording. Oh, you've had the same education as I have? Oh, AND you point-formed your attributes in the same order and wording as mine? Hm. I am judging.

Also, don't contact me pretending you're interested in daycare only to have me find out that you're another daycare. If you're going to email me, don't use your real name and email address that is easy to sleuth. :eyeroll:

[mimi]

If I would read an ad with a spelling error I would not respond to the ad. If you are not picky about your ad, how picky will you be with my child's care? Maybe that's a bit of a leap, but I am a stickler for professionalism no matter what your job is.
I have admired so many great ads from providers, but to me, copying someones text and style is a form of stealing. My ads are not fancy, but they are authentic.

[Momof4]

Mom-in-Alberta, I love people who know how to spell! And grammar is definitely becoming a thing of the past, thanks to texting I suppose. I commend you for loving the creativity of the written word! I can't even read some people's posts due to the consistent bad spelling from post to post. Typos happen now and then and I forgive that. I'm not perfect either. But it's obvious when a person mis-spells the same words in every post. Come on!

For the ads where all they can do is berate other people, maybe they have inferiority complexes and can't think of positive things about themselves. I don't know. But if you use the opposite strategy and post all your fantastic attributes you are going to be the cream of the crop of daycares in your area. That's what I do and always advise others to do, find your niche and strengths and put them on your website and in your ads.

Alphagetti, can you report the people who copy your ad and get them removed fast? I would! It must drive you crazy if that's happening but can't kijiji ban people like that? They should be banned from posting the same ad again at the very least.

[playfelt]

I call a lot of the phrases in ads bandwagon phrases. They come and go and are popular for periods of time. Used to be that saying provide "quality care" actually meant something - that you offered programming and not just babysitting. The current popular one here in Orleans of course is to put no pool in your add. Never was an issue before the drowning and now since many parents are too afraid to go to a home with a pool then saying you don't have a pool actually gets you more calls - all the paranoid parents since they generally have issues on other things too but at least a call is a call. Taking ideas from other ads when first posting is based on assuming that that is the kind of information that parents want to hear and if it applies to your situation then it is ok to use the phrase too in the sense that all the ads basically say the same things. As far as copying the entire sentence and paragraph well that is still plagerism - using the phrase must be done in your own sentence. Then again I provide nutritious meals. I provide a main floor play area. There are only so many ways to say that.

[dodge__driver11]

I know I always mis-spell the same words..on here, but when I am doing up an ad on any site or "doctoring up" my webpage I ALWAYS SPELL CHECK AND PROOF. I mean its common sense people!!

I have to admit though when I am typing in the dark during nap time I miss typos..so..sorry for that I guess. As for removing copied ads...I've gotten a few taken down but they have to be exact or "the powers that be" won't listen.

[sunnydays]

I am really bad for typos too on the forum and in emails. In ads and website I am more careful of course. However, I am also very aware that there are many daycare providers for whom English is not their first language. Therefore, we might want to cut them a little slack for improper grammar and spelling. In the end, does proper grammar and spelling make a better caregiver? Is it what's most important? I don't think so. Some people do not have anyone to help them with editing their ad and some do not know how to use spellcheck. I don't judge them.



I know I always mis-spell the same words..on here, but when I am doing up an ad on any site or "doctoring up" my webpage I ALWAYS SPELL CHECK AND PROOF. I mean its common sense people!!

I have to admit though when I am typing in the dark during nap time I miss typos..so..sorry for that I guess. As for removing copied ads...I've gotten a few taken down but they have to be exact or "the powers that be" won't listen.

[mimi]

Of course we should cut each other slack with our typos here. How many of us take a moment from the chaos or are listening to the CIO baby as we post. I think many on their last nerve have posted here so the typo's are forgiven.:rolleyes:

[mom-in-alberta]

After I posted this, I saw one in which the provider put up pictures of the kids skating, with no helmets? Hey, I don't care what you do with your kids (within limits, of course!), but I hope you aren't taking DC kids on the ice without helmets? Some of them were pretty little!!

I would be super ticked if someone ripped off my ad.... :mad:

And, I know it seems judgy... because it is... but if you are advertising in the written word, it should be correct! English is a second language for many, of course. Then it should be all the more important to have someone else look it over. It only takes a second. Does it tell me what kind of person you are, or if you will be good to my kids? No. But it tells me you are professional, and pay attention to detail. 2 very important things in a caregiver.
I also feel that each ad that says "ill pick up ur kid and wtch him for a few hrs" (yes, I saw that one!) detracts from our profession as a whole. But maybe I am overthinking it too much, LoL.

[Momof4]

Typos due to thumbs on tiny keyboards are perfectly understandable. People who blame autocorrect for the same misspelling daily are just liars. Funny!

[sunnydays]

On the flip side, I don't mind the unprofessional ads too much as it makes mine stand out all the more ;)



After I posted this, I saw one in which the provider put up pictures of the kids skating, with no helmets? Hey, I don't care what you do with your kids (within limits, of course!), but I hope you aren't taking DC kids on the ice without helmets? Some of them were pretty little!!

I would be super ticked if someone ripped off my ad.... :mad:

And, I know it seems judgy... because it is... but if you are advertising in the written word, it should be correct! English is a second language for many, of course. Then it should be all the more important to have someone else look it over. It only takes a second. Does it tell me what kind of person you are, or if you will be good to my kids? No. But it tells me you are professional, and pay attention to detail. 2 very important things in a caregiver.
I also feel that each ad that says "ill pick up ur kid and wtch him for a few hrs" (yes, I saw that one!) detracts from our profession as a whole. But maybe I am overthinking it too much, LoL.

[Momof4]

Good point sunnydays! :laugh:

[treeholm]

I can't resist commenting because I teach communications at the third year level at a university. I tell my students that they must proof read all documents, but MOST IMPORTANTLY anything that is going to be their first impression with a potential client. So, in this example, those of you who post with typos in the dark, no problem. We already "know" you a bit, so we'll cut you some slack... or at least, even I will, and I'm a stickler for grammar. I don't expect everyone to be obsessive about grammar in their personal life ie. facebook etc. BUT, if you are placing an ad, and there are grammatical errors, I assume (not fair, I know) that you could not be bothered to take the time to check your ad. I might then assume, that you would "cut corners" in your diligence in other areas, so I would not call you. If I receive resumes with grammatical errors, they go right into the garbage. It is my first screening step. I've taught dozens of HR professionals, and they say the same thing. As for English as a Second Language people, I have tons of ESL students too. I tell them there is NO SHAME in having trouble with a second language! It is an amazing skill to speak more than one language, so don't feel badly about errors, just make sure to have someone else help you with proof reading... someone who does speak English fluently. In my mind, there is no excuse for an ad with errors. Even John Grisham has an editor... So, if you can't write well (and that probably isn't the primary skill needed for an excellent caregiver) at least take the time to get help so that you don't appear as someone who can't be bothered to get help when needed.
Off my soapbox now, thank you. This is a pet peeve of mine, because I have students turn in shoddy work that gets them a 2 or 3 out of 10, and then they come and play the "I'm an ESL student so I can't write English" card... I ask them if they still want a degree from an English degree-granting institution since they don't seem to think it is important to get help with English.