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[Pipsqueak]

OK - I need everyones input here please.

The area I am in is in a real downer at the moment - all the minders in my area are all suffering the same and several are packing up as there are just no enquiries/work happening.

My existing mindee will start f/t school come September and I know its a way of yet but I am getting a bit worried.

I have posters in my car, just about everyone at school/nursery/playgroup/toddler knows I am a minder and that I have vacancies.
I have ads going on in several shop windows, I am just about to do a "flyer" drop into the local hairdressers, laundrette, I have left business cards to pinned up in many of the larger/medium businesses round about. I have updated my CIS ad reguarly. I am "visable" round the local CC's. Surgerys and dentist won't let me leave leaflets I have listings in the local directories.

What else can I do????? Help.....

Thinking about a promo offer - although I am not sure how a buy one get one free will work

[Trouble]

i think people go off word of mouth what about nearest hospital, council office, job centre, supermarket wall, nursery wall, factorys in the area i dont know where you live so im only guessing, im sure you can get some kind of help there was a post about it a little while ago my area doesnt do it but someone else on here knows about it

[Mollymop]

l am thinking of doing a leaflet drop through peoples letter boxes near me. As I know there alot of families down my end of town and I hope some of the parents will keep my flyer/leaflet and look me up if and when they need childcare.
It might be worth a try.
Good luck XX

[Trouble]

ask them to put them up at their works

[angeldelight]

You sound like you are doing everything Vik and sound like you have some good ideas

Just wanted to say hope you do fill your places

Good luck

Angel xx

[susi513]

I know how depressing it can be when enquiries are few & far between. It can be hard to think positive, but as Angel says you're doing the right things already.

Some more ideas:

Keep an eye out for For Sale/Sold signs so you can do a leaflet drop for any new neighbours.

Sounds like you have a few childminders close by. Do you have a good relationship with them? Do you give out each others phone numbers if you get an enquiry you can't take/don't want?

How far away do you think people might travel to use your services?
1 - Any big towns, big businesses/industrial areas/shopping centres/hospitals etc whose employees might not live near you but pass you (or near enough) on their way to work?
2 - Any areas around you that don't have many childminders? I looked at local villages, found one has 22 childminders but others have 2 or less, so gives me a good idea where best to advertise.

Will you take on shift workers? Put this in your ads & target hospitals, fire stations & police stations, Tesco 24 hour stores etc....

When someone declines to let you put your leaflet/poster up, ask why, you might be able to get round it. If its because they say you're commercial then try using a list of local childminders so it looks like a community info poster rather than a sales pitch.

Good luck!