What is it Going to Take?

[Thriftylady]

So I have one daycare family and things have been going pretty well. Except I can't seem to get anymore families. I finally got another call yesterday but not sure it will pan out. And now these kids came in from school and tell me they are going to be leaving because their mom doesn't like our town's school and their bus! I text mom and she says "well not yet but I want them out of that school district". What is it gonna take for me to get fully going? I would settle for four full time kids. My rates are super cheap right now, since I am trying to get clients I am offering up to 45 hours a week for $65. That is super cheap even for this area. I provide meals and snacks, the school bus stops in my yard (but I would really rather have preschool kiddos). I offer preschool, arts and crafts, cooking classes (age appropriate of course), homework help, free play, rest/nap time. My house is small, but I want a small group anyway and can't keep more than six at a time because I am legally unlicensed. We have a park in walking distance. I didn't have nearly as much to offer in Kansas as I went into it not knowing what I was doing. I stayed mostly full there, I was in a bigger town but really?

[Controlled Chaos]

Have you networked with any other providers? Maybe, they could recommend you when they are full. People are always asking me for referrals to other places when I am full. Maybe stop by their locations with a business card and some cookies? or wine? Or just shoot them an email with some info about your program and suggest sending each other business when you can.

:hug:

[hope]

I would definitely raise your rates. I think we providers set them low because we hear people complain to us how high they are but it cheapens the business you have. You are worth more and your business will be looked at differently once you raise your rates.
Have you tried business cards? Post at library, yogurt shop, bok stores, jump houses.
Call your local schools and ask if you can put up a flyer in teachers lounge, go to local office centers and ask if you can hang a flyer in lunch lounge.
Advertise for drop in care. I have gotten many clients this way!
Do you have a web page for your business?
Flyers in neighborhood mailboxes.
Hopefully it picks up soon!

[Thriftylady]

I would definitely raise your rates. I think we providers set them low because we hear people complain to us how high they are but it cheapens the business you have. You are worth more and your business will be looked at differently once you raise your rates.
Have you tried business cards? Post at library, yogurt shop, bok stores, jump houses.
Call your local schools and ask if you can put up a flyer in teachers lounge, go to local office centers and ask if you can hang a flyer in lunch lounge.
Advertise for drop in care. I have gotten many clients this way!
Do you have a web page for your business?
Flyers in neighborhood mailboxes.
Hopefully it picks up soon!

I will check with the school, we only have one we have a population of 3000 but some people drive through our town to get to work. We don't have any office centers around . I do advertise for drop in care and do have business cards. I don't really know any other providers in the area.

[spinnymarie]

I would definitely raise your rates. I think we providers set them low because we hear people complain to us how high they are but it cheapens the business you have. You are worth more and your business will be looked at differently once you raise your rates.
Have you tried business cards? Post at library, yogurt shop, bok stores, jump houses.
Call your local schools and ask if you can put up a flyer in teachers lounge, go to local office centers and ask if you can hang a flyer in lunch lounge.
Advertise for drop in care. I have gotten many clients this way!
Do you have a web page for your business?
Flyers in neighborhood mailboxes.
Hopefully it picks up soon!

ITA with raising your rates.

[daycare]

I would definitely raise your rates. I think we providers set them low because we hear people complain to us how high they are but it cheapens the business you have. You are worth more and your business will be looked at differently once you raise your rates.
Have you tried business cards? Post at library, yogurt shop, bok stores, jump houses.
Call your local schools and ask if you can put up a flyer in teachers lounge, go to local office centers and ask if you can hang a flyer in lunch lounge.
Advertise for drop in care. I have gotten many clients this way!
Do you have a web page for your business?
Flyers in neighborhood mailboxes.
Hopefully it picks up soon!

ditto on this!!!!!

keep your head up....advertise any way you can. Ask current families to hang fliers at work, church, real estate, etc.

I used to be in sales and they say that it normally takes up to 7 times that you contact someone in some way before they actually respond to having an interest in your business. This is why companies like credit cards, discover is a great one, they will send you an offer every week. A lot of people will cave, open to see whats in side and if the marketing is done right, will be appealing to some.

How do you contact families...

park
dentist, leave books with your card glued to it, or a pocket for your cards to go....you can do this any where

churches
local mothers clubs
library
make donations
volunteer and hand out free bubbles with your company information..

May I ask how many years you have been operating. I found my first 5 years to be the hardest.....

I did everything I could to be known as the lady with the fun preschool program in her house.............

[Unregistered]

I've had luck with my facebook page. Add out lying areas names to your description so when people google it shows up.

[daycare]

I've had luck with my facebook page. Add out lying areas names to your description so when people google it shows up.

what does this mean??

Add out lying areas to names to your description???

I want to advertise on FB, but don't know the first thing of how to

[Unregistered]

what does this mean??

Add out lying areas to names to your description???

I want to advertise on FB, but don't know the first thing of how to

In your description put down all the small cities around you, names of schools, streets close by. My neighbor found me by putting 'daycare provider near XXX street'.

[Unregistered]

Yes to Facebook! Join the mama's Facebook page for your area (you'll have to search to see if there are any) or the schools, dance studios, play gyms etc. Next, you create a new user that is your daycare's name and add pictures often so it comes up at least once a week. It's no different from using your regular facebook account. Most of my business comes from there. Just make sure you only post care related items and nothing personal.

[Unregistered]

Yes to Facebook! Join the mama's Facebook page for your area (you'll have to search to see if there are any) or the schools, dance studios, play gyms etc. Next, you create a new user that is your daycare's name and add pictures often so it comes up at least once a week. It's no different from using your regular facebook account. Most of my business comes from there. Just make sure you only post care related items and nothing personal.

And don't link it to your personal fb. If you add it to your 'work' it links it. This has caused issues for me as I don't want dcp's on my personal Fb

[daycare]

And don't link it to your personal fb. If you add it to your 'work' it links it. This has caused issues for me as I don't want dcp's on my personal Fb

how were you able to create a business page without having to have a personal one.

i have never had a FB, personal or business. I wanted a business page only. i watched a million youtube videos on how to do it and it seems that you can't have one without the other now.

[Unregistered]

how were you able to create a business page without having to have a personal one.

i have never had a FB, personal or business. I wanted a business page only. i watched a million youtube videos on how to do it and it seems that you can't have one without the other now.

The reason you need the personal is to have an administrator for your business page. It only links it if you add where you work to your personal fb.

For example: I already have a business page. If I go and add my daycare's name to my 'work' it will find it on FB and link it. It could be a good thing to some. I just prefer not to mix

[Thriftylady]

The reason you need the personal is to have an administrator for your business page. It only links it if you add where you work to your personal fb.

For example: I already have a business page. If I go and add my daycare's name to my 'work' it will find it on FB and link it. It could be a good thing to some. I just prefer not to mix

Thanks for this tidbit. I had made a business one but had it private because I didn't want it linked. Now I have changed things so I can use it more!

[Thriftylady]

So I am working on a way to turn my office room into a play room, because I don't currently have a playroom. Of course that will only help if I get some darn interviews. I do think it will help, if I can find a way to empty it out. My main issues right now are my daughter's computer and the household printer. Other than that, it is already toy storage . Well and I need to get hubby's friend over here to pick up the big screen tv we replaced and gifted him that he hasn't picked up. May have to tell him come get it or I will find someone else who wants it.