I Need Kids!!

[JeepGirl6]

Anyone have ideas as an incentive to get clients in?

I have tried "Enroll full time by a certain date and receive 2 free days after one month of enrollment"

I have tried "Enroll full time by a certain date and receive a $25.00 gift card of your choice after one month of enrollment"

I am not getting any calls or anyone that is interested.

Can someone give me examples of their daycare ad? I am wondering what is wrong with my business. I am having such a hard time right now getting kids. Am I wording my ad right? Am I charging too much?

Should I offer a summer special and lower my price for the summer but it goes up the first of September?

It is getting to the point where I am thinking about finding something else part time to pay bills until kids start enrolling.

[Annalee]

Anyone have ideas as an incentive to get clients in?

I have tried "Enroll full time by a certain date and receive 2 free days after one month of enrollment"

I have tried "Enroll full time by a certain date and receive a $25.00 gift card of your choice after one month of enrollment"

I am not getting any calls or anyone that is interested.

Can someone give me examples of their daycare ad? I am wondering what is wrong with my business. I am having such a hard time right now getting kids. Am I wording my ad right? Am I charging too much?

Should I offer a summer special and lower my price for the summer but it goes up the first of September?

It is getting to the point where I am thinking about finding something else part time to pay bills until kids start enrolling.

Summer is hard to enroll kids here. Seems all get aunt, grandma, etc. to keep for free!

[preschoolteacher]

Do you have a website? It has worked WONDERS for me in terms of getting clients. I'd recommend wix.com. They have free templates and can host your site for free. I would be glad to help you put one together if you need any advice. Then I'd start talking to people left and right. I posted my website's link to a local moms' facebook group. I spread the word at church, with my mom friends, and in the neighborhood. Everywhere I go, I bring business cards. Just last night, another mom at the park started talking to me because our kids were playing together... the conversation turned to daycare so I mentioned I have one.. and this morning I got an email from her wanting to go on my waiting list. She had visited my website and loved it.

[JeepGirl6]

Website

Yes I have a website. The counter says I have had 3043 since I made it in February. On my facebook account I advertise on "Buy, Sell & Trade groups for my area. I think all areas have them. The majority of the views are from people on facebook in my area looking at my site. I have had some calls & interviews but nothing came of them. If you pm me I will send you my website link so you can tell me what you think :-) Thanks!

I do have business cards too. I give multiples to my daycare parents to hand out but nothing has came of that either :-/

Do any of you go to local businesses & ask to put your business cards out? I thought about doing this.

I also have a few yard signs. My road is 55mph so It is difficult to read them. My husband ordered 2 new ones made yesterday from vistaprint with "Home Daycare" in big letters hoping to catch peoples eye driving at 55mph. Our house sits back from the Street. You can not see our home from the street

[Chellieleanne]

I advertised on craigslist and had one as word of mouth referral. I was really selective in who I replied to from craigslist though.

In my ad I advertised about me, my experience, my home, and my rates. I got quite a few responses. Interviewed who I felt would work. And they have

Good luckhappyface

[jenboo]

I just had two kids give a two week notice... I'm freaking out!
No bites yet.... Seems to be pretty dry right now

[JeepGirl6]

I just had two kids give a two week notice... I'm freaking out!
No bites yet.... Seems to be pretty dry right now

Thats why I am hurting to...I lost one child last Friday & will be losing 2 more next week.

[DaisyMamma]

I just had two kids give a two week notice... I'm freaking out!
No bites yet.... Seems to be pretty dry right now

Same. Lost two a couple weeks ago. Now one is moving in two weeks.
I usually get calls this time of year :confused:
I'm hoping once it's June people will realize, oh wait! Its summer. What will I do with my SA! ....not that I want a SA.... but hey. $ is $

[DaisyMamma]

Oh I got side tracked.

My calls come from Google places. Are you listed?

[Unregistered]

I'm sorry to hear that you are having a difficult time attracting clients. I know it took a few years to build a steady flow of clients when I opened my child care program.

One suggestion I have is not offering a financial incentive in your ad. When I see that providers are offering a free day of childcare if a family enrolls, I assume that the childcare program is not a successful one. It might make you seem desperate to parents, which might actually turn them off of your program. By offering that incentive in your ad, you might actually be discouraging people to call you.

My strategy is to always present my program as the best around. If people think that other people like my program, then they will be more likely to like it themselves.

[Josiegirl]

What about switching your daycare around about to offer Waldorf, Montessori, or Reggio-inspired activities? Or have someone come in once a week to teach yoga, dance, music, art, anything?
I attended a workshop last night, all about Budgeting for Quality in your daycare. They said when it gets harder to enroll kids, offer something different and what parents are looking for. They said never offer a deal because you're shooting yourself in the foot.

[coolconfidentme]

Oh I got side tracked.

My calls come from Google places. Are you listed?

I list there as well as yahoo, bing & all the search engines..., its FREE!!

I also talk up my daycare with every parent when I'm groceries shopping. Take business cards or flyers to the food stamp offices, AFDC office, social service office, doctor's offices, employment agencies, gas station counter, laundromat or any community bullion board.

[coolconfidentme]

I also give my existing clients (& friends) a finder's fee for referring a child to my daycare.