I only advertise when I am actively looking because I think it wastes both parents' and my time to do it any other way. Since we can't overlap kids it means we have to know exactly what date a space will become available in our daycare.

I sometimes get requests through my childcare association or from people seeing my old website which is still out there and to those I just say sorry no spaces at this time and then give them an idea of when I anticipate my next opening coming available. I do keep the emails though as in this business we never know and a mom could start mat leave early or move or grandma moves in with them whatever, and then I would go back to those that have emailed and let them know.