Where have people found the best place to advertise?

[wonderwoman80]

Hi, Just about to begin advertising as only just become registered. Just wondered what places people have found to get the most response from?

[Velleity]

I had a lady come round to visit today who had seen my card in Sainsburys

The enquiry before that had come from posting my business cards through people's doors. I did my street and the three closest to it.

[M&AsMummy]

I have found through word of mouth. There is a shortage of childminders in my area though so dont know if this had an impact.

I have 2 daughters aged 1 and 2 so only have 1 full time place for an under 5. I am booked up already even though i'm not registered yet for 1 little boy 3 full days and another little boy the other 2 full days starting in January. The parents could not get a place with any other childminder locally. They are both friends of friends who heard from them I was registering and contacted me to put there names down.

Facebook, setting up a business group page could be a way to get your business out there and shared between friends of friends, don't know how you feel about it though as I know alot don't like it. x

[Carrie1983]

I HAD planned to advertise through the following means:

Newspaper
Parish Mag
Local noticeboards
Chn's centre, school, drs, vets, hairdressers, shop noticeboards,
School newsletters
Local magazines which are delivered to every home in the area every couple of months
A website of my own
On as many websites as I can find - like childcare.co.uk
FIS
Signage on my car
Flyers in other people's cars
Business cards on the desk in chn's centres etc and also carry around and hand out as I spread the word
A postcard drop to all houses in the area
A banner on my back fence and front gate/sign in my window
Uniform for me/tabards for the children
Branded pens, keyrings etc

I have my pre-reg on friday and just waiting for my CRB. I have been advertising as a soon to be registered minder, on childcare.co.uk for about 3 months. By July I had a full time mindee and her part time 5yr old brother lined up for September. Yesterday I took on a 5 year old boy for afterschool/overnight care. I have one space left for 0-5 and one left for 5-8 but no space left in my car (without making things a pain, and I don't need to make my life a pain as I don't need to earn anymore!). So I am as full as I want to be and have only used one method. I live quite rurally (in a farming/market town).

I still plan my website, car/fence signage, flyers in certain places, adverts on websites like childcare.co.uk and FIS etc, but I won't be paying for ads in magazines or newspapers or doing postcard drops now as I see those as real hard push advertising which I don't need at the moment.

If I hadn't filled up, I'd have said the postcard drop may have been the best way.

[Toothfairy]

Most of my work comes from;

* School - most of the parents know me as I was on the PTA for a couple of years.

* Word of mouth

* Vacancy co-ordinator of my local Childminding Group and advertising on their website

* *****

* Childcare.co.uk

[Mollymop]

Mine have mostly come from the gov website, which you automatically get put on when you register, word of mouth, ***** and Childcare.co.uk and my facebook page ( I have one set up for my childminding business)

[Emily'bubbles]

Mine have all come through word of mouth, im quite lucky lol

[Natternic]

I'm still struggling with this one too, have put up flyers everywhere that will let me! The people that you think would help you say they can't, it's so damn frustrating
Managed to talk the health visitor into it today,she really like me when I had my son, so that was good.
Registered in Internet sites like yell, Thomson, *****, free index,anywhere that's free as money has run out!
Are you in touch with other local cm? Theybmight pass work on if they're full.
Good luck