Where do you get your business from?

[Tealady]

I have been minding since June 2008. I haven't had loads of mindees as I fell pregnant Jan 2009 and so have kept my numbers low. From September I will be down to one mindee who will come for four before school sessions a week.

I do live in an area with a lot of childminders but I used to get a fair few enquiries (not that I could accomodate them all) I am now, however, not really getting any. I am on directgov, families info service, here, childcare.co.uk & *****. My daughter starts school in September and I have left my details with them also. I have also had a poster in the local shop.

I need to get some more business or else it will not be worth my carrying on. It will be a shame as on the whole I have enjoyed being a childminder and although one family has made me want to throw in the towel I have enjoyed working with the other families.

What advertising tactics have worked for you?

[mama2three]

the vast majority of my enquiries have been word of mouth , passed on by other minders etc. There are a few minders in our village and we all get together at cm group , and if we hear of an enquiry we tend to pass on to the minder who can do it..
I have had one enquiry through ***** , but none at all from local posters / advertising.

[manjay]

All mine are word of mouth or passed on from the other 2 minders in my village. I have a website which is more for me to direct prospective parents to when they have enquired but I don't advertise anywhere else. We live in a very small community and I think you would have to be blind to live here and not know I am a childminder. I always wear my polo shirt with my logo on and I attend all the school, nursery and playgroup functions.

So for me getting myself out there has been the most powerful way of advertising. Make sure you let everyone know at the school gates and I wouldn't be surprised if you find some business at your dd's school

Good luck xx

[miss mopple]

word of mouth or my website

[Millenium]

I use Yellow Pages and Thomson Local phone books. They are free to register and once your registration is approved, your entry appears in the online site within a few days. I have had a few enquiries this way.

As mama2three says, word of mouth can be great at putting people your way. Other than that, I get enquiries through the childcarefinder.direct.gov.uk site. I have not used ***** or childcare.co.uk. A recent survey in our county revealed that 74% of parents starting their enquiries for chilcare will turn to their local council or county council first.

As far as your information on the direct.gov site is concerned, do make sure it is up to date and that it works properly for you. There have been lots of comments on these boards about people's entries not being visible when they should be as there have clearly been problems when it all moved across to the new database.

[Tink]

Word of mouth, Childcare.co.uk and my local Childminding directory service.
I've also got advertisements in local shops and also in the back of my car, people around know my logo and know I'm Hazey Dayz and with all this I am full in September

[jelly15]

Most of my mindees have come to me from a well established CM in my village passing on my details as she is always full, for which I am so grateful.

[brightstar]

My car is sign written and that attracts a lot of attention. I also go to local toddlers etc, so got to know loads of local mums, so word of mouth is the main one. I was also approached a lady whilst out with mindees yesterday, she had seen that i was a childminder (car) and wondered if i'd like a stall at her sons cricket team fete. I thought it was a brilliant idea, you could set up a stall with arts and crafts for the kids to do. Print out some leaflets and generally put you name out there. I wish she had approached me last year when i was quiet, in the right place i think it could make quite an impact.

[miffy]

Word of mouth is by far the biggest way I get work, especially when it comes from satisfied parents

I think it's a lot about getting yourself known as a childminder so think about advertising at local schools, businesses and playgroups. Get a fleece advertising your business or a bag you can carry when you go out.
Anything so people know who you are and what you do.

Miffy xx

[snufflepuff]

My schoolies Mum saw me advertised on childcare.co.uk, all others have been word of mouth. Lots of people notice the sign on my car and i once had someone come to me in a carpark to ask for my business card.