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Hello Everyone
This is my first time on the forum, anyhow i am looking for some advice or should I say a bit of guidance. I am opening my daycare in January 2012 and I have been handing out flyers and I have also set up an account on daycare bear website but I haven't got any calls or emails as yet. I was wondering if anyone have any other ideas that might help me market my business even more.
Thanks
Dorean
Welcome to the forum Dorean and I hope we can help you get started. Do you say that you are new in your ad or mention that you have a lot of spaces to fill because neither of those things are a good idea. Do you have ads on kijiji and godaycare and in large companies with internal sales systems?
Do you have a website? If you would like help with your ad you can pm somebody and we would be happy to give you advice. Do you have a good contract ready? These are the first tools you need to have in place. Good luck.
Try re-writing the ad to tell more about yourself and try adding pictures to your ad on daycare bear. You can also try putting you daycare ad on kijiji. You could hang a 'daycare available' sign with the phone number outside your house, hang a sign in the local library or grocery store.....go to Early Years with your own children and ask the Early Years leader for some leads or tips or whether you can leave them with your sign or cards, chat up some of the moms at early Years playgroups or other playgroups and mention that you run a daycare. maybe they will need daycare or know someone who does or have some tips. Do you have a local facebook group for your town? You could place a blurb on the local facebook site for your town and say you have openings....
I second the need for a website ~ now a days it is a must for sure with lots of photos so they can have a 'virtual tour' of the program and even if it is all your own kid at first engaged in play show photos of kids having 'fun' in the program ~ avoid any reference to be NEW and focus on what your program has to offer and the experience you have with children ... unlike with a car or house NEW is not a selling feature sadly.
Second the getting yourself out to playgroups and parks with your own children and business cards and even a sign on your stroller stating you do home daycare and have spaces. Are you in Ontario? Most OEYC have home childcare 'binders' that we can place ads in so I would check that and if you are in another province see if they have any sort of equivalent support for home childcare business?
ASK FAMILY & FRIENDS to promote your new business ... do they have HR offices with bulletin boards or Intranet postings that you could get them to play your ad in ... word of mouth and referrals are the BEST form of getting your business out there!
Magnet ads for your vehicle or signage on your property if your city bilaws allow these ~ awesome to get the name of your business and website URL out there to the community!
I have vinyl window clings that all my current DCF's put on their vehicles. That way they are traveling advertisement for me.
In past years I have also held and "Open House" to bring in interested clients. I also give current parents a discount on any new referrals they bring in (after new family enrolls and stays 6 months). I also send out post cards/business cards with Halloween candy, give out cards at community events. I even helped sponser a local event by donating some supplies and a $100 cash donation so my child care name was mentioned several times during the event as well as having my child care name written on all the event news and flyers.
I also hang flyers in local schools, colleges, doctors offices, libraries, grocery stores and anywhere families go.
Oh awesome idea ~ I have car magnets for myself and my spouse but never thought of getting extra and asking DCF if they'd put one on their vehicle ... although I do admit as I am typing this the thought popping in my head is I would be a little gun shy of what kind of 'driver' they are cause what if they are a horrible driver and the person seeing the ad thinks it is YOU driving since its got your business on it and than you end up with 'bad word of mouth' ... I know I often think with commercial driven vehicles 'if that is how you drive not sure I want you paying same attention to detail on my electrical work or plumbing' :oQuote:
Originally Posted by Serendipity
This is a great idea but my issue as a parent is that I don't want "everyone in the world" to know what daycare my children go to for safety reasons. I would definitely spread word about the daycare to family and friends but I don't want pedophiles etc knowing where they can find my children. As sad as it is, the world is a scary place. Better safe than sorry!Quote:
Originally Posted by Serendipity
My window clings are smaller so basically the car would have to be parked for someone to read the info. I also live in a small enough town that safety concerns about where a child goes to care is not a big dea.
My clings say "My child is loved and care for at XX's Childrens Academy" and then has my contact info.
I hand them out in the enrollment packet I give new clients. They aren't required to use them or even keep them but I have noticed that almost ALL of the families I gave them too have used them on their cars. I even had one family ask for a couple more so the dad and grandparents could have one too.
I think thats a fantastic idea Serendipity. The sticker is advertising where the child goes and if by chance the person is driving badly, its not a reflection on you as your sticker clearly states that the driver is a relation to the child versus the provider themselves. I also like the way that you offer it as a choice and it sounds like you aren't pushy about it either so good on you. I'm sure its a novelty to the family members so most would gladly display it which is fantastic advertising for you :)
Can I ask you where you got them made, and what size they are?? Thanks
The clings are 6 inches by 6 inches. They have my logo on them as well. I originally ordered them through Vista Print at a pretty good cost but last year I enrolled a family who owns a printing business so now I have them do all my printing. I have magnetic car signs, the vinyl clings, business cards and a 6 foot long vinyl banner for my fence all through them.Quote:
Originally Posted by bright sparks
I think the window clings cost me less than $25 for 50 of them when I went through Vista Print but I am not 100% positive as it has been awhile now.
When I interview prospective clients I always ask where they got my name and number and several of my last few clients have said window clings and/or my banner.
Oh I :wub: the 'my child is loved and cared for at ..." concept Serendipity ... addresses my concern about crappy drivers for sure cause it clearly indicates that it is a client driving it!
See I love networking cause even after 25 years in the field Istill learn something new daily in this field!