Marketing Tips for a Reggio Emilia Inspired Preschool

[daycarediva]

This moderator..... Enrollment Dwindling...haha.

Sir or Ma'am my business makes close to 30K a month with 32 kids and 2 are part-time. We have rave reviews from parents on our social sites as well as documented correspondence through emails. In fact I brought a sense of humility when I came to this site...especially when someone suggested "Flyers." My personal income from my job outside of my business is 85K. In fact my expertise could probably help a lot of people because I took a business from the ground up and generated more than a quarter million in a little over a year. I'm serious if anyone wants advise ask away!

Again, you're triggered and your support on here is laughable when just about everyone has a fictitious name. What exactly does registering do when you can use a name like Blackcat31 to be an internet bully.

I'm so unbothered at this and it's becoming quite humorous that you're spending your day on lil ol' me. Someone on the other side of the planet. I've tried to turn this conversation around so many times but I see you all want to focus on this fake outrage and hurt feelings from someone you never met.

:: oh my word. If you're making so much money, why haven't you just hired a marketing company?

I was the director of a basic childcare center making significantly more than what you are (see how that sounds pretentious). We had no issues with enrollment, despite me being hired on to change how the center operated.

FLYERS in a mass marketing campaign, mailed directly to homes generated a good portion of our business.

But I honestly think that if you/your center/your staff come across this ostentatious to parents, they wouldn't want to enroll anyway.

The other issue is most likely rates. If you're making 30k/month, net, with just about 30 kids enrolled, you're over priced. Parents can typically aim for a quality/cost compatibility, but most aren't going to pay college tuition payments towards daycare if they can help it.

The home daycare operators you are thumbing your nose at right now are the ones who have the kids you want in care. It's true. We don't have the overhead so we can undercut centers AND maintain high quality. Every.single.time.

I'm dying at 'triggered' though. First time I have seen that online outside of reddit. ::

[Unregistered]

I have hired a market consultant but being honest I find daycare forum and likes to be spot on with marketing.

Also in our area preschool on average is 1500 a month. That's that going rate out here. I see folks posting $120 a week. That would be part time half day preschool in this area.

[Unregistered]

You do know there's a social identity and real life engagement with people. Both of which can be mutually exclusively. There are racist on social sites that are legit cops, teachers, and politicians.....

In your disdain and so over it approach you replied and gave me insight. So thank you!! It's social media and I do think some people are being overly bothered. Like...oh you're rude on here so you must be rude to your families. Huh??? I hope our engagement with strangers is strikingly different than with family and close relationships we have with our families.

[daycarediva]

I have hired a market consultant but being honest I find daycare forum and likes to be spot on with marketing.

Also in our area preschool on average is 1500 a month. That's that going rate out here. I see folks posting $120 a week. That would be part time half day preschool in this area.

My rates for in home are similar to yours. So you're making 30,000/month NET before taxes, payroll, mortgage/rent, insurance, child care expenses? for over 30 children? That doesn't sound great at all for a center.

There are obviously two people posting, based on grammar and sentence structure alone.

The tone of your post was rude and demeaning to providers who ARE successful. We have parents, center staff, directors, in home providers, group care providers, assistants, etc on this forum with a WEALTH of information. Many in this business for 20+ years. We are well aware of every way to market, what common issues are, and what parents are seeking.

Eg. The app you posted- many of us have been using that for over a year.

Flyers do NOT look desperate.

We are well aware of how to market on social media. IME- sensory/messy play and group photos of children looking at the camera generate the most feedback.

If you only have 500 followers, after a year, you need to reevaluate your business. I had that in a year with a HOME daycare/6 kids.

This is an amazing place with a wonderful network of men and women who I have had the pleasure to learn from and grow as a provider and business professional, but you're not going to get anywhere posting like you BOTH have.

[Unregistered]

I don't even conduct tours at the preschool.... So the assumptions are laughable. I haven't conducted a tour in over a year. I work a regular 9-5. I know my strength and it's not tours. Actually my personality is perfect for vendors who solicit. haha

[Unregistered]

Well social media followers really mean nothing if the engagement is low. I've learned that too. I've seen people with with 10K follows and they average maybe 100 likes. I've seen people with a few 100 with the same number of likes and countless comments.

How much are you charging a week?

[daycarediva]

You do know there's a social identity and real life engagement with people. Both of which can be mutually exclusively. There are racist on social sites that are legit cops, teachers, and politicians.....

In your disdain and so over it approach you replied and gave me insight. So thank you!! It's social media and I do think some people are being overly bothered. Like...oh you're rude on here so you must be rude to your families. Huh??? I hope our engagement with strangers is strikingly different than with family and close relationships we have with our families.

I was going to ask you to PM me your center link and I could give you advise, but based on this comment alone, nope.

Good luck, and I would hire someone to write for you as well. As another poster suggested, it sounds as if english is a second language to you and many of your sentences are convoluted and difficult to understand.

[daycarediva]

I don't even conduct tours at the preschool.... So the assumptions are laughable. I haven't conducted a tour in over a year. I work a regular 9-5. I know my strength and it's not tours. Actually my personality is perfect for vendors who solicit. haha

Who assumed you conducted tours? :confused:

Maybe because you're so out of touch with parents you are struggling with enrollment. As a director, every parent knew my name, face and would see me active and engaged. *I* gave tours. *I* hosted monthly parent events. *I* was on social media raving about my staff member of the week, star (child) of the day, and working on community involvement (eg. we funded a tball team, hosted bake sales for charities, had a 5k family fun run, pot luck dinners, etc)

YOU are the face of YOUR business. NO staff member is going to care about it like you do. Just some food for thought.

Well social media followers really mean nothing if the engagement is low. I've learned that too. I've seen people with with 10K follows and they average maybe 100 likes. I've seen people with a few 100 with the same number of likes and countless comments.

How much are you charging a week?

Yes, I had amazing engagement. Teachers would post dozens of pictures daily for each room, tag parents, etc.

Rates are tricky anyway, because my area is different than 30 miles in any direction.

[Unregistered]

To say 30K a month does not sound great however you do not know any of our overhead is questionable. You also said that people on here have 20 plus years experience in childcare. I have 1 year. So I think it's solid. But ok, point taken.

You're also right again I think your expertise is valuable that's why I'm here asking away.

I personally haven't picked up a flyer to learn about a new business in maybe 15 years. It's comes off as if you're marketing. I know you're probably thinking...well duh market! Lol. Have you ever seen big companies disrupt flyers? We aren't a big company I don't want my words mixed up. I also said in my aforementioned post it's something we would do again if that's was you advise.

[Unregistered]

Oh I wasn't questioning your engagement. I was just saying that the number of followers doesn't mean the business has high engagement. Our parents do the same! Have you heard of the app Brightwheel?

[Josiegirl]

Well, BC you troll you. :confused: If you're gonna be like that you could at least furnish the drinks.

[Unregistered]

I'm so not the Director of the program.

[Unregistered]

My mom is actually the director and works at the preschool every single day from 6:00am-6:30pm. She's taking off 2 days since we opened. Has not missed one day of work even after getting in a car accident. I appreciate that advice and parents have commented how happy they are to see the owner of the preschool present every single day.

[Unregistered]

Well, BC you troll you. :confused: If you're gonna be like that you could at least furnish the drinks.

Josie girl would you like wine or tea?