Discount Daycares Undercutting Prices and Driving Them Down!

[mac60]

My registration agency does free referrals as well but in 3 years I have only gotten 1 call. They are still a client but I would expect more. What do you think are important things to touch on in ad ad? My cl adds are much longer, but the penny saver is $10 for 20 words and an extra 10 cents per word after that so it can get pricey. Maybe I am not selling myself enough. I typically state

Registered Provider now has openings for your little ones. All meals and crafts included in wkly competative fee. Over 12 years experience, CPR and First Aid Certified. Please call ***x for more info.

Am I leaving something out? What does everyone include?

I think it is short and to the point. I understand the cost involved too, as it can get quite pricey. Where I live advertising in the local paper and word of mouth are what gets you clients.

[originalkat]

I think it sounds good.

Your ad is to the point and sounds professional. I HIGHLY recommend taking the time to make a free website and list it in your ad. Most everyone has internet access now and what a great way to sell your program! Potential clients can see your curriculum, pics of your daycare, more about you etc... and it is FREE for you to do it. You just have to take a little time to create it, copy and paste from your own documents (like a parent handbook if you have one) and upload your photos.

I had been putting it off for some time. It took me several hours to put it together and then I spent a week or so tweeking it here and there to get it just right. If I were a parent looking on CL, I would call the ones with pics or websites before any other ones. Ya know?

I am curious how my new website will go over when I start advertising soon. I hope it will bring a lot of calls. My site is www.greengatepreschool.webs.com
Others had really good sites too...check the Blogs and websites thread from awhile back.

[gbcc]

I do have a website. I list it in my cl ad. That is a good point to list it in the paper as well. My site is www.greatbeginningscc.webs.com.

[originalkat]

Cool.

Ya I would list it everywhere you can.

[Michael]

You can also list on Daycare.com for $5 a month.

https://daycare.com/php/start_new_signup.php

[HappyCamper]

What really hurts...

It really hurts to see providers charge $2.00 per hour when I charge $3.00. Most parents don't seem to care about the perks. I have a huge dedicated playroom, a computer for the older children, cots with clean linens, toys galore, a wall size chalkboard, great curriculum, and two assistants. IMO, I deserve $5.00 per hour for the service we provide, but then I would be out of business.

[Unregistered]

$$$$$$

I know what you mean. I moved to a University town about 5 years ago and prior to that I lived in the Seattle area. When I moved here I thought I would make the same amount of money but I was so surprised. I am still in the same state but DSHS pays us $22. lower than the Seattle area. This town has so many government programs that many of the home daycare's have had to close down. The centers here charge a sliding scale and even if they make to much with the state for help they can get help from the centers. In some cases their portion is 0. I have been operating a in-home child care for 19 years and I have had to get a evening job to make it. We have 8 unlicensed homes here and our licensor says she is just to busy to go and check them out.

[originalkat]

Man that would ****!

Our city is pretty balanced.(Population 450,000) Centers outweigh homes of course and charge more...but they dont offer sliding scales or anything. I dont know how a home provider could compete with that. I think it all comes down to parent preference in my area. Some really like homes better than centers (especially in the early years) Others go with centers. Low teacher turnover, low ratios, family oriented, etc...are the benefits of home daycare. Since I dont take kids under two I have to really appeal to the "preschool" classroom type feel for parents to want to send them here instead of a "real preschool". I wish there was a provider who lived near me who took infants and toddlers so we could refer people to one another.

[gbcc]

We only have one center in my town. It is a Christian based center so they are not really a competition. The next town over has 2 centers though and some will bring their children there until they are 5 and then try to find school age care. The problem in my town is that there are 16 registered providers and at least another 20 that do it illegally. As you can imagine that is a lot of providers for a town you can travel through in 10 minutes!

I mind my own and leave everyone alone but many of the registered providers are turning each other in to eliminate competition. They don't realize the competition is in those hidden non registered providers that charge $40 less per wk. I have become friends with 2 other registered providers and if we are full or can't handle a client we refer to each other. it's also great to bounce situations off each other as well.