Wonder What I Am Doing Wrong

[DCMama]

It been a month since I am licensed and I have yet to find a family to join my program. I tried craigslist and got tons of people who are trying to waste my time and not needing child care. I tried flyers...still nothing yet. How do you all find clients? I know a month may not be that long however, I feel like I been working at this daycare for 6 months just trying to get things ready and get officially licensed. It is so discouraging right now. What do you think I should do? Any outlets I should of taken?

[Blackcat31]

Get yourself out there!

Visit libraries, mommy and me groups, YMCA's, school, community events etc etc......

Throw an open house, announce your grand opening, place an ad in your local newspaper, drop off flyers for your area schools to send home with kids, go to the Dr.s office and put up flyers, go to Target/Wal-mart and greet people at the door with a flyer and a Tootsi Roll for their kids like the Salvation Army does, post your web-site/flyers in laundry mats, college commons areas, grocery stores, get car magnets for your vehicle (DH's too)

Most of all...TALK! Tell your friends, family and neighbors to tell everyone they know. Give out a referral reward to anyone who sends a family your way. A friend of mine gave out $10 gift certificates to an area cafe/bakery for anyone who sent a family to her. Small price to pay for advertising.

That's all I got.

[lil angels]

There have been lots of posts on here about this. It it takes some time. Make sure you have hung flyers everywhere you can think of and then go back and make sure they are still there. Check with local churches, gas stations, schools, health clubs restaurants anyone who has a board up. Call your local resource and referral agency make sure they have your openings updated. Get a sign made for your yard. Get some business cards made up and go door to door and introduce yourself and hand them out. Or put them on small candy bars and hand them out for Halloween. Hope this helps alittle it will happen just give it alittle time.

[Trummynme]

Originally Posted by DCMama

It been a month since I am licensed and I have yet to find a family to join my program. I tried craigslist and got tons of people who are trying to waste my time and not needing child care. I tried flyers...still nothing yet. How do you all find clients? I know a month may not be that long however, I feel like I been working at this daycare for 6 months just trying to get things ready and get officially licensed. It is so discouraging right now. What do you think I should do? Any outlets I should of taken?

I am in the same boat you are. I've done flyers, craigslist, online at daycarematch & childcarecenter. I made business cards and have been handing those out like crazy. Today I put a display ad in the local paper. I also contacted the regional resource & referal place and got on their list.

It is very discouraging. I've been working like a mad woman trying to get this thing up & ready. I'm finally ready and nada. I've gotten 1 call so far.

I don't really have any advice, just sympathy.

[Countrygal]

Hello!

I think you must be rather new here, so welcome to the program! I see BC posted just before me. She always has GREAT advice!

If you look back on the threads, you will see that many of us are struggling right now. I have a program that has been running for nearly a year, and when a family left it took me 2 months to fill their spots! From what I read on here, it is pretty common because of all of the SAHMs that are starting babysitting or child care due to the economy, lost jobs, etc.

All I can add to what BC said is to "hang in there"! It's hard, be eventually people will find you. A yard sign will help get the word out, and register on every site you can find on the internet. So far I've had like 6 calls and every single one of them came from a different site! But almost all came from the web. But I live in a very rural area. My CL add did absolutely nothing, as did the bulletin board (local) ad I had out. I'm getting hits from the "care" websites and even from yellow pages.com. So far none of it has cost me a cent.

I hope you get your first dcf very soon and that it was one worth waiting for!

[Countrygal]

OK, this is just not my day, but now my post shows up! I HAVE GREMLINS! HELP!!!

I just thought of one more thing I wanted to add..... I was about to go out to the major businesses in my area (factories, restaurants), and ask them to post my flyer in their break rooms. That's how I got my first dck!

[Thetotspot]

I know how you feel. I started on july 2nd (well advertising 2 weeks before but thats the day I opened)...only had a drop in once a week or so for 5 hours. Advertised and advertised......nothing happened. Then one day I get a call, lady walks in during nap time the next day...crazy as a bat...so now I'm really discouraged...only crazy impossible moms will come...then a young lady walks in a couple days later...her dcp is sick and she has a little one she needs care for temporarily...then a couple days later they all start trickling in. during the same time a daycare (unlicensed) in the next town over closed their doors displacing families and another dcp's husband was put in hospital. It is unfortunate how I got clients but st the same time I realize had I not been there the kids will still be displaced because all other daycares were full. Anyways, the scary thing is I didn't start with clients our in my home, I rented a building in town and stocked it...that was a scary g weeks with no calls...then calls flooded in. build it and they will come. After getting first call I was full with a waiting list in a week...and I am in a town of under a thousand.

[Thetotspot]

I may not have mentioned I'm on main street right across from a grocery store and next to the towns eating hole and sandwiched in by the watering hole...so people drive by our window sign every day several times a day. So definitely put up a sign! People are boundto drive or walk by and remember you when they need it. I also made my phone number very memorable thinking that on the fly people would just automatically think my number instead of looking up local daycares. Unfortunately nobody ever calls...they just walk in if they want to know about openings. Lol.

[Blackcat31]

Oh and keep posting on this site

....as soon as you reach 100 posts Michael will list your daycare for free. (otherwise I think it is $15 per year)

[KEG123]

It took me nearly 3 months to get my first enrollments. It will happen sooner or later.

[DCMama]

Thanks for all the wonderful advice. At a time like this, it just get depressing a little that's all. It's nice to have people that already been there give you some encouragement like this. I truly appreciate. There's a nearby school near my home that I haven't approach because school did not start for them yet. I'm planning to approach them next week when school does resumes. I wonder if I need to talk to the office or just go around and put my flyers on staffs and parents cars. kinda intimidated... I will pray

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

Took me 3 months for my first kido after relicensing (I took a year off) and then another couple months before my 2nd and 3rd... and they didn't stay long. Honestly, after 2 years being relicensed I feel like I am at a good spot with my enrollments.
Hang in there.. it does take time.

[Nickel]

I know EXACTLY how you feel. I felt the same way. I started advertising in the beginning of July and I finally got my first dck. She starts tomorrow. At first I had few contacts, then interviews and no enrollments, now it's been busy and I've had people contact me, lots of interviews and 3 dck! It will happen. Just hang in there. Oh, and look at facebook groups. Like swap and sell groups. i was able to post on a few of them and that's how I got some of my parents.

Check out everyone elses prices around you and then make your fee lower. Advertise your SPECIAL price. Get at least a couple of children and then go back up to normal price. Or stay at your special, fill up and bring in good money, slowly replace lost chidren with the price you originally wanted.

I advertised for months to no avail. Dropped my price by $25 and i got kids coming out of my ears.

Consider offering abnormal time ranges also, if willing, this gives you a whole new clientel.

Remember, everyone who has children are keeping them somewhere already, give them cause to come to you and they will come. It is better to lower your price and be full than to go for months with no children, average out your loss and see if it is worth it.

Good luck

[DCMama]

@blackcat, The post 100 posts will be one of my goal!

@everyone, I'm starting to feel maybe I should advertise from the beginning when I was still starting up my daycare and plant some seeds into people minds. However, I was not allow to advertise until I have my license so that was a little set back.

When I stared....it ended up taking a year before I had good steady clientelle. Money was so tight for us. In the beginning, I had lots of "drop in" or part-time people. Ideas to help boost things....teachers, Mom's clubs or church groups, neighborhood flyer, ad in newspaper, other providers in your area who may have to turn away families due to not having enough space in their programs, signs on corners (like garage sale signs)..move them around often in your school area, Halloween is coming up....if you put a business card attached to your handouts, I believe you can claim this as business expense as well. Great promo.

Be patient but deliberate about getting your info out there. They will come. As you are in this business longer, you learn what type of client you wish to attract etc. Then you can be more choosy as to how you interview and select your families.

For what it is worth.....best wishes to you.

[momofsix]

Also, if you're comfortable doing so you could put a copy of your flyer and cl add on here and we could let you know if there are some things you could add/change etc to attract more people.

[renodeb]

I wouldnt say your doing anything wrong. I have to say that I got most of my clients from word of mouth, craigs list (Im not a big fan of cl but its free), Also where I live we have a resource and referal list with all of the licensed dc providers on it. Check into that if your town has one.I printed up some business cards and always have a handful in your purse (you would be suprised at how many times you will be able to hand one to some body) also, I leave my card every where I go. (restaurants, community bulletin boards, I also have a card holder at my front door so people can grab one, if you have any one in for carpet cleaning, repair work whatever, ask them if you can give them your card and ask them to leave one of theres, I have done that alot. One thing I did is made up some shirts for the kids to wear (make one for yourself) with your dc name and number on the back. I choose school bus yellow b/c its a color that he associated with being happy. I cant tell you how many people remember me from those shirts. (I got the shirts from michaels) they have all diffrent colors there. I actually use them for when we go on field trips but its a great tool. Its funny, I always find a way to mention my occupation. It takes some time but it will happen.
Debbie

Originally Posted by DCMama

It been a month since I am licensed and I have yet to find a family to join my program. I tried craigslist and got tons of people who are trying to waste my time and not needing child care. I tried flyers...still nothing yet. How do you all find clients? I know a month may not be that long however, I feel like I been working at this daycare for 6 months just trying to get things ready and get officially licensed. It is so discouraging right now. What do you think I should do? Any outlets I should of taken?

You can find a lot of ideas to promote your program in the Family Child Care Marketing Guide, which is published by Redleaf Press, www.redleafpress.org.

[Danie362]

I am new to this as well. I am in the process of getting licensed and wanted to start on my promoting. I really like you ideals.

[ritah]

Originally Posted by renodeb

I also have a card holder at my front door so people can grab one, if you have any one in for carpet cleaning, repair work whatever, ask them if you can give them your card and ask them to leave one of theres, I have done that alot.

Love this idea! Thanks renodeb!

[moshimoshi]

I am in the same situation. I haven't had any full-time enrollments since May. Honestly, it has been demoralizing at times to feel like I'm pouring everything I have into my business and having nothing to show for it. I have been working toward promoting my business and improving my skills and program. Finally, this week, I had two inquiries and both scheduled interviews. I got funding for an online course study for the CDA. It's been an incredible week for sure.

Many of us have been suffering through this economy as well so it is not something "wrong" with what you are doing. Just stay encouraged and continue to take steps forward and do what you can to promote and improve your program and skills. Good luck.

I tried to upload a webinar by Kris Murray about marketing in the Digital Economy for ECE Programs. It's too big, but I'm sure you can search it.

[DCMama]

yeah, thank you for understanding. I just spend so much money on improving my daycare and I wish I had some kids to share those things with. A lot of activities waiting to be shared, it is hard. What do you all do to stay sane during this process?