Slow Enrollment?

**Annalee** · 06-21-2016, 10:22 AM

I am in the south as well and the summer is always slow for me...August and January are my best months for calls.

**Play Care** · 06-21-2016, 10:31 AM

I have spaces open for the Fall and that hasn't happened in years

Usually I fill spots early in the spring. I'm going into a slower time (summer) and I am worried.

**LysesKids** · 06-21-2016, 11:06 AM

Originally posted by Annalee

I am in the south as well and the summer is always slow for me...August and January are my best months for calls.

Actually January & August are my starting months

. I get my calls for Aug in June & I have 2 on waitlist for Jan & March next year (3 kids aging out - my PT babe is going to FT in Jan. when the spot is vacated completely).

I live by Univ of TN Knox so that helps. In August I start advertising the Saturday home games; extra $$ to be made for game specials. You know parents don't want to be taking their young babies to those rowdy games

**Annalee** · 06-21-2016, 11:11 AM

Originally posted by LysesKids

Actually January & August are my starting months

. I get my calls for Aug in June & I have 2 on waitlist for Jan & March next year (3 kids aging out - my PT babe is going to FT in Jan. when the spot is vacated completely).

I live by Univ of TN Knox so that helps. In August I start advertising the Saturday home games; extra $$ to be made for game specials. You know parents don't want to be taking their young babies to those rowdy games

I have attended many Volunteer Football games over the years....I am several hours from there but well worth the trip.....Been to the orange & white spring game as well many times.

**Thriftylady** · 06-21-2016, 11:13 AM

I am in a tiny town and it is always slow here. Add to that I am higher than the other couple of providers in my town who charge $10 a day. I have all SA right now and need some pre K kids for fall. So I feel your pain! I am going to start heavily advertising again in July for fall spots. I hope that gains me something.

**EntropyControlSpecialist** · 06-21-2016, 11:19 AM

I'm REALLY not wanting to have to wait until the fall for enrollment for these spots because that means the family will ONLY be enrolled for the school year.

I already have 4 part time kids leaving and 3 full time kids leaving. That results in an income loss of 5 full time kids total cutting my income in half.

Working on not being so anxious but OH MY.

**LysesKids** · 06-21-2016, 11:30 AM

Originally posted by Annalee

I have attended many Volunteer Football games over the years....I am several hours from there but well worth the trip.....Been to the orange & white spring game as well many times.

I'm not in Knox County but close enough & by a major downtown route so it helps even if it does take 15-20min just to get near the Stadium; worst part is they switched traffic patterns last year & don't allow for left turns anymore down by UT & the Stadium. I'm already booked out for the FL game Sept 24 because all my UT teachers have family coming from FL. Full house on a Saturday & it's still months away

**childcaremom** · 06-21-2016, 11:42 AM

When things are slow I start to change up my ads. I hardly ever post on facebook but will when I am slow. I will change up my wording on my normal ad spot. I will update my fb page and promote that.

I have put fliers up around town but not much luck with that.

I will check out other providers and centres, note what sets me apart, and promote that aspect of it.

It helps for me to think 'who are my clients'. Where are they? What do they do? Can you post in areas where they frequent? (Library, grocery store, bank) Can you post in areas where they work?

I used to do 2 ad varieties. One that was wordy, describing my program, philosophy, etc. The other was minimal and had the basics. It was interesting to see what ads got which responses. :

: It turns out I had luck with both. I guess some parents don't want all the fluff.

Do you have sahm as clients? I would do an ad specifically for a sahm. How about part time workers? You are closed Fridays, yes? So how about parents that have a grandparent who sits for them one day/week. I know I have a lot of families who want a few days a week only so grandparents can have the others. That might play well.

You do preschool only, correct? Can you partner with a local provider who only does the younger ages? Recommend each other?

Good luck!

**EntropyControlSpecialist** · 06-21-2016, 12:00 PM

Originally posted by childcaremom

When things are slow I start to change up my ads. I hardly ever post on facebook but will when I am slow. I will change up my wording on my normal ad spot. I will update my fb page and promote that.

I have put fliers up around town but not much luck with that.

I will check out other providers and centres, note what sets me apart, and promote that aspect of it.

It helps for me to think 'who are my clients'. Where are they? What do they do? Can you post in areas where they frequent? (Library, grocery store, bank) Can you post in areas where they work?

I used to do 2 ad varieties. One that was wordy, describing my program, philosophy, etc. The other was minimal and had the basics. It was interesting to see what ads got which responses. :

: It turns out I had luck with both. I guess some parents don't want all the fluff.

Do you have sahm as clients? I would do an ad specifically for a sahm. How about part time workers? You are closed Fridays, yes? So how about parents that have a grandparent who sits for them one day/week. I know I have a lot of families who want a few days a week only so grandparents can have the others. That might play well.

You do preschool only, correct? Can you partner with a local provider who only does the younger ages? Recommend each other?

Good luck!

Thank you!
Half of my clients are stay-at-home-moms currently and the other half work but still enroll part time because they have flexible schedules and such.

I don't know of anyone who only does younger ages around here. I am friends with many providers but I've NEVER been told by them that they just referred someone my way OR by anyone interviewing. I refer people their way often (if they're outside of my age range or they need 5 days per week) and let them know.

I used to post wordy ads but recently made one in graphic format (so it could be uploaded as a photo along with the 4 photos of my preschool). It has bullet points and isn't too wordy at all anymore. I thought FOR SURE that would help! It even lists the price range (2.5-year-old's are a different price than the 3-5-year-olds). I suppose that has greatly cut down on my inquiries since they can know right away if the pricing will work for them or not. I used to get a lot of inquiries and no responses back.

We don't actually have a library here. It's in other cities around us. We also don't really have any grocery stores. They're also in other cities and those cities all have a TON of daycares and preschools. I'm more marketable out here because there aren't really any preschools with certified teachers operating them...especially year round.

I have 3 M/W spots open and 1 T/Th. I just started a M-Th child and only have three enrolled that are full timers. The rest are all PT (9 kids M/W and 11 kids T/Th).

**daycarediva** · 06-21-2016, 04:50 PM

I'm busy, I get the great majority of my inquiries from April-August. It tends to fill my waiting list.

I will say that the amount of people I would like to enroll/have on my waiting list is no where near where it has been, it would be a 'lesser of two evils' sometimes vs 'gosh that family was great, we are going to make a great team!'

I don't advertise at all anymore, it has been a little word of mouth. I get the most business from friends of my clients who saw a tagged photo on facebook. I have been tagging parents like crazy for months, it generates a bunch of 'likes' and many pictures get parent comments from friends asking about care, commenting on activities, etc.

I made my website mobile friendly. I went PDF/paper free on forms. Getting an app for other communication. I just got an instagram, too.

ALL of my parents love it.

I don't have ANY of this personally, and I have needed my teen for help WAY too much.

**childcaremom** · 06-21-2016, 04:59 PM

Originally posted by daycarediva

I'm busy, I get the great majority of my inquiries from April-August. It tends to fill my waiting list.

I will say that the amount of people I would like to enroll/have on my waiting list is no where near where it has been, it would be a 'lesser of two evils' sometimes vs 'gosh that family was great, we are going to make a great team!'

I don't advertise at all anymore, it has been a little word of mouth. I get the most business from friends of my clients who saw a tagged photo on facebook. I have been tagging parents like crazy for months, it generates a bunch of 'likes' and many pictures get parent comments from friends asking about care, commenting on activities, etc.

I made my website mobile friendly. I went PDF/paper free on forms. Getting an app for other communication. I just got an instagram, too.

ALL of my parents love it.

I don't have ANY of this personally, and I have needed my teen for help WAY too much.

Do you post photos as your personal account? I guess what I mean, are you friends with the parents? Or are you posting from your daycare fb page and tagging parents? And then do you have to be friends with them? Gah, I need my teen to help! :

:

What do you post on instagram? Just pictures of activities? (I don't 'get' instagram at all :confused::

**EntropyControlSpecialist** · 06-21-2016, 06:43 PM

Originally posted by daycarediva

I'm busy, I get the great majority of my inquiries from April-August. It tends to fill my waiting list.

I will say that the amount of people I would like to enroll/have on my waiting list is no where near where it has been, it would be a 'lesser of two evils' sometimes vs 'gosh that family was great, we are going to make a great team!'

I don't advertise at all anymore, it has been a little word of mouth. I get the most business from friends of my clients who saw a tagged photo on facebook. I have been tagging parents like crazy for months, it generates a bunch of 'likes' and many pictures get parent comments from friends asking about care, commenting on activities, etc.

I made my website mobile friendly. I went PDF/paper free on forms. Getting an app for other communication. I just got an instagram, too.

ALL of my parents love it.

I don't have ANY of this personally, and I have needed my teen for help WAY too much.

See, I tag my parents too on my business Facebook page in photos but it generates no interest. So, there ya go.

**MrsSteinel'sHouse** · 06-22-2016, 08:29 AM

It has been slow here too

I have one opening for 2 yr old ( well someone who would be 2 by August)

It is always feast or famine....

**LysesKids** · 06-22-2016, 10:15 AM

Well I now have an unexpected opening... parents are pulling because I have had to remind them about my fragrance free policy too many times & they are complaining about it ... they knew at sign up about the policy 6 months ago (inc fragrance free detergents & no fabric softener at all) & the no smoking immediately before pick ups

same family refuses to listen & I'm tired of my asthma being set off among other issues due to chemical allergies. Sorry, but I have chemical sensitive babies in care also & I technically fall under revised ADA laws for fragrance free workplace (which is my home too)... yes folks there is such a thing now. Can't afford to lose income, but my health is irreplaceable

Slow Enrollment?

Slow Enrollment?

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