Advertising tips

[sarah707]

Promoting your childminding provision

There are many different ways to advertise your provision to parents - and it is important that you utilise as many as possible to raise your profile in the local community.

Internet advertising

The more links you can create on the Internet, the better chance parents have of finding you if they search for a childminder within a certain area. It can be hard work setting up the initial links, but once they are in place you simply need to monitor and tweak them from time to time.

Ideas for places to post your details, used by Childminding Forum members, include -

• Childcare.co.uk - write your free advert Babysitters, Childminders, Nannies, Nanny Jobs, Private Tutors - Childcare.co.uk.
• Facebook - create a business page and let all your friends and families know about it.
• Twitter - make links with other childminders in your local area and advertise each other’s vacancies.
• Website - once you have created your website you need to link it in as many places as possible. For example, add a reciprocal link to the Childminding Forum post it on there; link to local childminders and local businesses so you are advertising each other.
• Use classified sites such as Gumtree, Thomson Local and Yellow Pages - beware of any sites which request money for advertising.
• Put your advert in the appropriate area in the free Childminding Forum advertising section.
• Use Google as an advertising medium - you can post your business name and a little map with your general location to help parents who are looking for childcare in your area.
• Set up an e-mail signature so that each time you send an email to friends, children’s parents and other contacts you are advertising your childminding business.

Advertising material

There are a wealth of advertising opportunities in your local area, but some are harder to find the others. To prepare yourself for local advertising you might find it useful to -

• Order business cards – print your own or get some prices from local companies.
• Design a leaflet about your services to give to people who are interested or do a leaflet drop in your local area. You never know who is looking for care or who knows someone in need of a childminder.
• Write a postcard to display in local shops – make sure it is eye catching and ask, ‘Would I answer this if I saw it on a notice board?’

Local advertising

• Word of mouth is one of your most powerful tools - tell everyone you know what you do. Tell people when you are out shopping in your town - you never know who they know! Tell parents in the playground if you pick up at school, playgroup or nursery – now is not the time to be shy!
• Ask at your local health centre / dentists / doctors surgery / gym / schools / church newsletter / toddler groups / Children’s Centre / library if you can put up a leaflet.
• Design and print a banner for the back window of your car.
• Make links in your local area and work together with childminder colleagues - we all need to help each other by passing on contact details if we are full or cannot help the family because the timing is wrong. Share your business cards and contact details with each other and work together!

Protect yourself!

Childminders are in a very vulnerable position as we work from home, mostly on our own. Be careful about who you invite into your home and, if you are concerned, offer to meet in a public location such as your local toddler group or coffee shop for the first interview - or arrange the meeting in the evening when another adult can be present.

Never accept payment by cheque or bank transfer until you have met the family and be aware of scams where you are offered more money than required for the deposit and then ask for money back. If you are in any doubt about an approach from a family, ask for advice on the Childminding Forum first.

Please add more ideas below

[lilac_dragon]

Thank you Sarah

[MessybutHappy]

Thank you Sarah!
I'd add:
Magnetic signs for the car &
***** allow you to advertise for free
Google "childminders in (your area) & see what comes up, then copy!!! I found all sorts of other sites to advertise on.

Hth

[loocyloo]

i have a fleece jacket that says 'childminder' on the back - i wore it everywhere i went and it did get people talking to me!
i have tshirts that say 'registered childminder' on the back - i only wear these when i am working.
i have an umbrella ( google personalised umbrella ) with my logo on, and 'registered childminder'.

none of these have my name or contact details on. i would rather someone approached me for information.

i have a couple of bags ( tote bag and 'pe' type bag ) that have my logo, my name and 'registered childminder' printed on. i use these to hang on my buggy, or when i am out & about with the children.

i always keep a few business cards in the pockets of all my coats & jackets, in all my bags and in my buggies and car! word of mouth is the best form of advertising.

before i had any minded children i went along to local toddler groups and helped make snack/teas etc, helped to set up and tidy up, and played with the children and chatted to the parents. a couple of children came to me through toodlers.

[hectors house]

I am full at the moment but when I do have any spaces I thought I would hand out cards outside the NCT sale or find out how I can have my cards put in their bags, I have seen adverts in them for kids swimming lessons etc.

I always have business cards in all my coats, even my dog walking jacket - dog owning parents often like childminders with same interests and they know I will take their children out for walks each day.

[MiniKins]

Advertising is about getting yourself known and remembered…but don't stop at just an advertisement, that way you become just another childminder ~ The key to future business is to get yourself remembered, and to be remembered you need to stand out from the others…but stand out in a positive way.

Your best adverts will always be parents themselves so never compromise your reputation…an aggrieved parent can do a lot of damage. Always strive to make clients ambassadors for your business. Parents spend a lot of time chatting to other parents and that's how word about you (positive and negative) will spread.

There's a certain amount of truth that advertising is a 'numbers game' i.e. if 100 leaflets gets one reply, 1000 leaflets will give you ten ~ However, childminders are limited by the number of parents requiring placements.

Sure, many parents will prefer to check out every childminder in an area but there will still exist a certain amount of kudos from being well-known ~ in these cases you need to be 'on your game' when they visit you, have all your 'features and benefits' worked out and remembering how personality and approach are important. You need to 'tick all their boxes' but also suggest a few that they hadn't thought of, preferably unique to your setting.

Equally many will be lazy and just choose the first one that meets their requirements, which is why you need to be at the top of the list.

Want instant results? I will always maintain nothing beats targeted direct marketing, in the sense of seeking out and approaching those who might need your service ~ I've posted before about handing out leaflets in the high street and how well that has worked for us.

How many times have you asked yourself "How come they chose XXXX? Why didn't they come to me?" could it be that they didn't remember you?

Lots of great ideas listed in Sarah's original post, and a good point about keeping safe. Magnetic signs as Messy suggests work well and I bet loocyloo's stuff gets results.

Perhaps the next topic should be 'How do we promote ourselves when we get an enquiry?'

Edit: Oooops...there is! http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/fo...ldminders.html