Filling in after\before school spots

[omnishock]

Hello fellow daycare operators!

I have a bunch of spots in after\before school program I need to fill up in spring. I have 5 schools in relatively close distance from the center and I understand filling in spots with students from same school make most sense. I tried contacting principals to see if they are interested in cooperation but got little to no interest on their side. Can anyone share their experience dealing with schools? Most question is how can I advertise effectively to parents? Thanks in advance for any feedback!

[Rachael]

No school us going to give you direct access to parents. And school's have to be careful not to be seen endorsing any one provider.

I've had success in my local Elementary wholly because I worked there for many years. Although even they wouldn't place a flyer on the front desk, they did let me place one on the notice board. The school secretary is usually the quickest route in.

[torontokids]

I got the principal at my local school to send a flyer home with all the kindergarten parents. They were agreeable to it, then the principal left before I could get the material to her. The 2nd principal was more hesitant but I convinced her after I explained the other principal had already agreed to it.

If I was you I would advertise on Kijiji, Craigslist, here and put up notices on lamp posts and fences near where parents do pick up and drop off. I would also focus on one or two schools as it would be physically impossible to juggle that many pick ups. Maybe find out which school does not have their own B&A program and focus on that one or even better, the school the shortest distance from your house. Go to the school during pick up and drop off, chat up parents and hand out cards/flyers. Even if they don't need you, they may know someone who will.

I did a major advertising blitz when I started which included the above as well as hanging out at the park, library etc and chatting up moms. They are your best resource!

[omnishock]

Thanks guys! Will try suggestions you made and report results!

[Rachael]

One other thought - Vista Print and other similar company's have some great and inexpensive ways to advertise.

Get a magnetic door magnet printed up with your day care name and contact information and park it near the school - "BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PLACES AVAIL. CALL 123-123-1234" Something like that.

If your house is on the main route to school, get a lawn sign with the same. They are just like corregated cardboard and you buy a H-shaped metal frame for a couple of bucks extra and just press into your lawn. Parents will see it then as they drive by.

Business cards too - always good to slip under the wipers of cars if there's an event at the school and place flyers on the community mail boxes if you have them too.

Do you have a little local publications. There's one in my community which goes out quarterly I think. A small business card sized ad in there is quite cheap. I've done that once before but for me, that's timing based.

Just some other ideas.

[omnishock]

Now I noticed there are private licensed daycares that are NOT on school property (offsite) and still endorsed by school with flyers and affiliation on website, any idea how they are doing it? I have a huge issue filling up spots for after school program even tho all similar programs around are on waiting list for years now.