Advertising

[Jo Jo]

When is the best time to advertise my childminding buisiness before or after pre reg visit from ofsted.
Any ideas on how to advertise would be very helpful :)

[jo.jo76]

If you advertise too early you run the risk of letting people down. Might be best to wait at least until after pre reg visit, which is what I've done.
My visit was in Dec and I'm still waiting on my partners CRB to come back before I am registered. So if I had started to advertise when I sent off my forms in Oct I would have probably lost any new parents by now!

[swindonminder]

I advertise at my local school, on childminding sites such as childcare.co.uk and netmums, I've also got business cards that I have put up on the notice board at my local shops and hand them out to family and friends. The best way of advertising though is by word of mouth, speak to parents at the local school or introduce yourself at baby clinics or toddler groups to let people know your registering to become a childminder.

:)

[Rmead]

I've just started advertising, my crb is back and my visit has been done just waiting on one social service check. I have put on my website that I'm awaiting registration. You just need to make sure you don't advertise as registered before you are.
I designed leaflets and business cards and ordered on vistaprint but have to wait to give those out as they say registered. I've joined childcare.co.uk and messaged a couple of parents who are looking for childcare March onwards. I will go to local school and surestart centres. I'm leaflet dropping in my estate once registered. I also made a Facebook business page with links to my website so that friends can "like" it and hopefully it will spread around some local friends/friends of friends that way.

[LilyBelles]

i advertised on any website that i could and also posted business cards through letterbox's around my home, this is time consuming but i have had a lot of feedback even if its not from the person living there they may have given to a friend or family member they know needs a minder

[Jo Jo]

Thanks for all you great advice :thumbsup:

[Doofuz]

I have been mentioning to my friends and family that I intend to start childminding, I gave them an over estimation on when I think I will be starting and I have been told a couple are interested. That's as far as I will go until my CRB is back. Then I can go all out :D

I plan on purchasing a t-shirt for me to use when I am out with the children. I have heard from a friend that this gets a lot of attention in the playground. Business cards, cards in window of shops, word of mouth, and possibly a small ad in the yellow pages, if things start to go well. Swindonminder mentioned the websites - my husband gets calls from netmums for his chimney sweeping business so I will be going on there too. My friend has a facebook page for her business, parents can comment and find out a bit more about her, see photos etc. I can't wait to start advertising :D