So you’ve passed all the daycare inspections required by your state. You’re licensed and have all the equipment and are ready to go..but you don’t have any clients. How do you get families into your daycare and fill up enrollment? We asked daycare owners on the Own A Daycare Facebook page for their creative ideas for advertising a daycare. Here are some of the best tips:
- Ask your local paper if they would interview you as a local new business – get your name in the paper for free. Put business cards in any public places that will let you.
- I donated 5 free hours to the local school for a silent auction. They are making a tri fold board up for me to display my daycare at the school.
- Place an ad on Craigslist. It’s free to post an ad and many people are now choosing this option to look up classified ads. You can post every 48 hours to keep your ad running at the top of the list.
- I started a Facebook page with my daycare friends. Then I added everyone I know plus anyone who wanted or friends of friends. I have found half my kids this way.
- Submit your daycare business to the search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing. When someone searches the internet for daycare in your area, your business will come up. Have a satisfied customer leave a comment under your business name to help boost your rankings with the search engines.
- A lawn sign is a necessary marketing tool. Once you make the initial investment of a sign, it’s a free way to advertise every time you need to. Invest in a durable, professional sign. The sign you place in your yard will be the first contact most people have with your business. It’s important for this sign to tell people that you take your business seriously.
- Referral Agencies are a free way to advertise your openings. Check your county’s local resource and referral program (CCR&R) and inquire about other referral programs in your area.
- I have created a really nice brochure with information and photos, other than word of mouth hanging those around town has been my best advertising.
- Word-of-Mouth is a perfect advertising tool for marketing your daycare. It’s effective and it’s free. It’s the perfect tool, but you need to put effort into spreading the word. Tell everyone you know and everyone you come in contact with that you operate a daycare and have openings you’re looking to fill.
- Network with Other Providers. Introduce yourself to other providers in your area and use each other for referrals. Keep in contact with each other. If one provider is full and receives a phone call, they can refer the family to a provider with an opening and vice-versa.
- A flyer or brochure that you created on your computer can be distributed in your neighborhood mail boxes, posted on community notice boards or distributed in child-laden areas such as the cars in a church parking lot, the laundry mat or the grocery store. Be sure to check your local ordinances for distributing advertising in this manner.
- Ask to post flyers in the local library, schools, churches, grocery stores. Get promotional pens and randomly leave them at the bank, stores, local hospital, etc.
- I had an open house for my daycare. I offered 50% off the first week if you signed a contract with pay the same day it worked all full and stay that way.
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