Advertising my vacancies

[patevans]

I have got posters up in my window and car, advertised on netmums, childcare.co.uk, directgov, shop windows, on my facebook

what else can I do?

[jumpinjen]

local shops, especially the ones by bus stops.... doctors surgeries, local hospital notice boards, link with your children's centre.... try cold-calling other minders locally to make some friends and offer to swap numbers to pass on enquiries that you can't hep and ask them to do the same for you... and would they like to meet up at the park??

Jen x

[patevans]

Non of the local doctors will display it, neither will surestart, nor the library :rolleyes:

the other local minders have my posters in their windows but still no enquiries :angry:

[singlewiththree]

Do you have your own website? I also joined my local business form £25 a year and for that I get an advert on their website, I have also got a link on my local area website, netmums, childcare.co.uk, obviously direct.gov.uk. I am also on google maps so if people put my area and childminder then they get me first. I have a domain name with my area in it too so it comes up first.

Saying all that I'm in the same position looking for mindees but its just another option.

[patevans]

Do you have your own website? I also joined my local business form £25 a year and for that I get an advert on their website, I have also got a link on my local area website, netmums, childcare.co.uk, obviously direct.gov.uk. I am also on google maps so if people put my area and childminder then they get me first. I have a domain name with my area in it too so it comes up first.

Saying all that I'm in the same position looking for mindees but its just another option.

Yes I do have my own site which is on the google search I think, getting really fed up with all this now just want some work :rolleyes:

[flowerpots]

try printing off a little flyer to give to the school and ask them to hand it to children when they go home, i got 500 from vista print for about £53, the school handed them all out and now im full and have a waiting list.

My local surestart centre has a duty to work with local childminders and said they had to help me n anyway they could so happily put up my poster, i would just query with your surestart centre what they are actively doing to work with local childminders, they may have a group or something you could go along to. hth

:thumbsup:

[pinkbutterfly]

I agree with flowerpots. My surestart has been very helpful. They have a special noticeboard for childminders where we can advertise. Also I asked to see what information on me they hold on file to send out to parents who contact them for a list of local childminders. I updated the information. There is also a special playgroup for childminders and children in our care. Once a month they even organise a special session with activities linked to EYFS so we can make some observations etc I have made friends with my local minders and we swapped telephone numbers so we can pass on enquiries we can't do ourselves.
I've only been registered for a couple of months but already have 4 children on my books. Two of whom I already knew (I'm friends with mum). One came from the list that Surestart holds and one came from netmums. I have placed two adverts (paid) at local newsagents and post office but had no enquiries. Make sure you up your netmums posting every now and then so that you are on the first page. Also go to Yell.com and Thomsondirectory or whatever it's called and put your details there - it's absolutely free and you'll show up on theor website as well as the printed copy. If you have your website make sure it's google friendly and has all the right keywords in it so that if somebody searches for 'childminder+your town' you end up on the first page. Hope this helps.

[patevans]

I'm wondering if its because I charge for so many days of my hol per year that its putting people off contacting me :huh:

[Pauline]

You could try on here in the vacancies section :)