Advertising

[starlight1]

I do have 5 children on roll which are all from word of mouth I full time and 4 before and after school. I am now looking to advertise for more during school hours.

What has been the best method of advertising for you and have you any tips?

Thanks

[SammySplodger]

My local NCT branch do a quarterly magazine, 1/4 page colour ad only cost £22. It's pretty well targeted; bumps up to parents with big toddlers. Copies are also put in GP surgeries and various other baby-friendly places locally. I have also paid for leaflets to be put in the 'goodie bags' at their Nearly New sales. Have had lots of enquiries as a result.

[Rick]

I do have 5 children on roll which are all from word of mouth I full time and 4 before and after school. I am now looking to advertise for more during school hours.

What has been the best method of advertising for you and have you any tips?

Thanks

I tried lots of ways, most are free, apart from upgrading to gold membership on childcare.co.uk. Try yell.com, local website classifieds section or chat section? Try 'google places'. After a few weeks your business appears on google's first page of results and also on a google map.

Basically I typed in 'Bath Childminder' or just 'Childminder' and saw what websites came up and tried to get on every one!

[chezzagriff]

I have been on google places for a while and Im still on page 4 but if you were to type in the area of Liverpool Im from I come up on the first. Put leaflets up in the local sure start centres and put a few in the local doctors and hairdresses

[lynncjt]

Don't forget Netmums and Facebook, I've had business from both of those. I have my own FB page and I check on the local selling pages as sometimes there is a request for childcare on them.

[RuthJ]

I am on childcare.co.uk and pay monthly when I have vacancies to fill. I've had 2 clients from there and both are still with me :)

Also our local family information service are helpful and send out a database of childcare providers to parents who request it.

[shortstuff]

Most of my lo's have come to me through word of mouth from other CM's in the area. We are all in the very lucky position of being full. I also gained one through my own website as it appears very high when doing a google search on CM's and the area i live. Hth

My advice build good relaitionships with CM's around you. Then you can offer parents another cm's details to let them make an informed decision. I find this a great way to show parents what i can offer. You are more likely to get families on board which are a good fit for you, your setting and business.

[MessybutHappy]

I've had one via childcare.co.uk, I'd pay the extra if I was actively looking for another family. I have my own website and am working at making that move up the search lists!

[jackie 7]

I am going to try my local nct and see if I can put in an add. I was thinking of putting up an ad in my local teaso but when I put one up in newsagents I got asked to look after a 28 year old with a mental age of 3. Said no!

[Little Puddings]

Most of mine have been word of mouth, parents approaching me in the school playground and lately from childcare.co.uk
Also there are a group of us (though I'm sure there are more minders that I don't know) and we pass each others numbers on if we haven't got the space.