Advertising options for small private day homes???

[MunchkinMinder]

Hello everyone! I have a small private day home here in Calgary, Ab for the past year now. I didn't have a problem finding clients at first using free ad sites online like kijiji and usedcalgary. Recently I have had to let one client go due to them not paying on time on a regular basis and another due to mom having another baby.

Does anyone on here have any suggestions on ways I can advertise my day home that doesn't cost any or little money? With the day home being slow right now I just don't have the funds for a lot of advertising. Any help you all can give will be muchly appreciated. Thank you!

[Play and Learn]

If you make up a flyer/poster yourself, and then bring it to Staples and have them print it off in colour on cardstock (make sure you have one or two pictures of your day home on it). Then bring them to consignment stores, nursery schools, elementary schools, grocery stores, libraries to post. Might cost you about $10 for about 20 (i think).

Another option is to make business cards (www.vistaprint.ca is a great place to get cheap business cards - especially if you use their template, and pass them around town, and give some to your current clients to pass around.

Good luck!

[MunchkinMinder]

Thanks for the suggestions...I have tried putting up posters around the neighbourhood but a competing day home seems to repetedly take them down almost right away! Very frustrating...but I will try the other places you have sugested as well as making up the business cards to hand out around the area :yes:

[FS2011]

I have had tons of success advertising online using Facebook as well as creating a website. At first I used Facebook as a personal page, creating my name or parts of my real name and my profile picture as my daycare signage, this way people could identify my daycare as well. I liked local groups, connected with moms swap sites etc posting under that name and eventually I was getting messages constantly for daycare. I then started a "like" page. This also works because you can write all your info and post centre pics etc. A free website has also been a bonus. Now a days, people want quick reference. They want to meet you Without leaving the house. It's been a great tool. I use yola, it's easy and you can post to Facebook to update that way. Good luck!!

[MunchkinMinder]

Thanks, I have a "like" page on FB and have made up a website (not sure how good it is but I did it lol). I have also been putting up ads at my local grocerie stores and convenience stores on their community boards as well as on light posts and mail boxes in the area...

[Gails]

Do you have Early Years Centres in Calgary? (I come from Ontario), these Centres are run through the Y in Ontario, and they do have a binder Mom's are welcome to look through for available daycare in the area, also schools in our area keep a list they give to parents who ask about daycare... I do get quite a few calls from these listings, since they are area specific.