Canvassing Ideas???

[Rain or Shine]

Hey guys

I am at a loss, All the minders in my area are advertising, I am considering changing career but I really don't want to. :panic:

I have no children currently and just can't seem to find any. I really thought I would have found at least one for over the holidays but nothing.

I am trying to think of canvassing ideas, something out the box and less obvious, also trying to think of something my childminding business has that others may not.

Any inspiration???

This is my website so you can see what I am so far if you want to xxx

http://rainorshinechildminding.webs.com

[Rain or Shine]

BUMP!

Please help guys xxx

[JCrakers]

Im was i the same boat although I have a lot of mindees (mainly schoolies)and at the moment I have 2 leaving for school which leaves me with just 1 2.5yr old all day.

Ive had no phonecalls for childcare since Nov10, so was just about to give up hope until I found a lovely lady looking for a nanny on the internet. She agreed to come and see me after I talked her into having a childminder instead...lol..She came, loved it and her little one is coming for 2 settling in sessions next week.

I tried postcard advertising and droppng them around town, my website is fantastic (made by Pauline), told everyone I know that I had space, I was going to put an advert in the local paper, childcare.co.uk, gumtree, netmums.
Problem here is that there are about 30 childminders in my town and we all have vacancies...so I had to try this lady and it paid off...thankfully
Hope you find something soon, i know how frustrating it is when youre waiting for people to call..

Becky

[Rain or Shine]

I'm the same, lots and lots of minders in my area.

I'm thinking about getting my logo tshirt on, grabbing my postcard and business cards and standing in the main street handing them out.

[marleymoo]

I have tried all sorts in the past - some quite embarrassing when I think backand some extremely costly. I have had t-shirts printed for myself and friends and walked EVERYWHERE in them, car magnets for my own car and for on family and friends cars too. I have left my car with signage parked in children's centres car parks and outside soft play centres, libraries etc. I paid to advertise on a network providing advertising to doctor's surgeries, children's centre and baby clinics. I have professionally printed flyers, biz cards,postcards etc which I give to existing parents to pass on to their own family, friends and work colleagues. I have had promotional balloons on sticks printed and hand out to parents as they leave local school nurseries. I have a website too but I also make full use of my local newspaper. I can't afford to advertise in it but whenever I do something a little bit different with the kids I send a quick email with photo to the editor and, if they're a bit short of news that week, they will print it - free advertising! I haven't had a problem filling vacancies for the past 4-5 years now but I would resort to any of these tactics again if I had to. Don't give up.