My Diabolical Marketing Plan! :D

[jessrlee]

I have three early morning moms that happen to work at the same place. I know they stop and grab a to go breakfast almost every morning, so yesterday I filled three ziplock containers with biscuits and gravy for a morning treat.

Turns out they all ended up waiting until their AM break to eat them, and when their coworkers noticed the matching containers and food they told them about their amazing daycare that sent them with breakie that morning. I guess one of them pulled out my card and gave our phone number and website address and several of their friends put it in their phones!

I have had several extra hits on my website since then, and one lady emailed me to ask some questions! I will totally be making a habit of surprise brekkie!

What are some of your off- the - wall marketing ideas? Do you do anything to encourage WOM?

[SunflowerMama]

That's so nice of you! I bet they loved it! Hope you get some great interviews and great dcks out of it.

[Michelle]

you sneaky little thing
what a cool idea!

[Sugar Magnolia]

Whoa! Great idea! That rocks! I have a marketing thing I do: I plan a cool activity that has some kind of community involvement angle. We adopted a soldier and sent his unit 158 movies I collected, we had a march-a-thon for cystic fibrosous. We made a Veterans Day poster for the VFW. Have a cool event, take pictures, send to local paper!
I also offer a cool, crisp 100 dollar bill for referals. If someone a parents refers actually signs up, say hello to Mr. Franklin.

[Pammie]

I also offer a cool, crisp 100 dollar bill for referals. If someone a parents refers actually signs up, say hello to Mr. Franklin.

Wow! That's quite a referral bonus I give a $25 gift card to clients (current and former) that refer a family that signs-up.

I LOVE the break idea - I'm sure that it has an extra impact that all 3 of the moms were enjoying them at the same time too! Super great idea!

I bake a tray of cookies, brownies or muffins and take them into the secretary of my neighborhood elementary school a couple of times each year as a "thank you" and "please remember me" for when families at the school come into her office to ask for daycare referrals. (I also take in a fresh stack of my business cards) I get a steady stream of inquiries from her referrals - some b/a school care, some families looking for care for a younger sibling, and best yet - even teacher referrals.

[CheekyChick]

That was very sweet and a great idea...

I give gift cards for referrals and flowers to (some) mother's on their birthdays.
Ummmm... I guess that's it. I need to step it up. LOL!!!

[jessrlee]

Good ideas ladies! I need to schmooze with our secratary (especially since I live right across from the school!) The kiddos and I have gotten a lot of compliments from the teachers (I had to take forgotten lunches over several times) the teachers are always amazed at how good and quiet my little group is

I do give a $50 referral bonus.

I also plan to hand out cards to patrons of our garage sale this weekend. I WILL fill these 3 slots! (and as soon as I do a million people will call me! Soooo frustrating!)

Thanks for the ideas!

[Pammie]

I also plan to hand out cards to patrons of our garage sale this weekend.

A friend of mine did that, with a little coupon attached that was redeemable for a dozen homemade cookies when prospective clients came to interview! She booked and signed 3 clients that way

If you have a daycare logo shirt to wear during your sale, or some yard signs, that could be free, easy advertising too

[dEHmom]

i never thought of a referral bonus. But when do you give the bonus? after they have completed a certain amount of time? or right when they sign up? because I had a family sign up through referral and then a few months later they had to pull out. so that would've been money gone. kwim?

[Pammie]

i never thought of a referral bonus. But when do you give the bonus? after they have completed a certain amount of time? or right when they sign up? because I had a family sign up through referral and then a few months later they had to pull out. so that would've been money gone. kwim?

I give it at the end of the new client's first week. I give $25 gift card - even if they leave after a short time, I'm only out the equivalent of one day's worth of care.

[MarinaVanessa]

I give a $50 bonus off their weekly fee for referrals after the new refferal has completed four weeks with us.

In July we have a hot air balloon festival in which I volunteer to help and I wear my daycare's t-shirt and hand out business cards. I get free balloon ride tickets for helping out which I give to the kids at daycare. The parent's love it. While I'm volunteering I make sure to bring up the fact that I volunteer so that I can get the tickets for my daycare kids and how they're all excited. I'm hoping to fill this last spot I have from this year's networking.