Cooperative Extension Fact Sheets

Home Day Care  #2

Marketing Your Child Care

As the need for child care increases, more and more centers and home sites are growing up. Although it seems there is enough demand to keep everyone in business, it always helps to present the best possible impression and to make your services known. Quality programs are of the utmost importance, but people need to know you are there and you are good.

Little Tots Family Child Care and Preschool web site has a long list of Provider Pages that connect you to family child care providers all over the country. They have some great ideas to share with anyone who visits their sites.

One provider, "A Home Away From Home" shares some marketing information from a seminar in British Columbia.

• Make sure all your flyers, ads, and brochures are as professional looking as you can make them. People will respond better to a professional looking ad.
• Use color in the flyers/brochures that you hand out. Research shows that by using 4 colors, people will be 8 times more likely to stop and read it and 9 times more likely to call.
• One provider said she'd advertised several times in a local paper using the less expensive two line ad format. She got no response. Then she put in a large ad with her logo and a bit more information. She received 25 inquiries.
• Saturday editions of the paper have more of a chance of being read by more people. Put your ad in Saturday rather than a weekday.
• Make up or have someone do up business cards for you. It's important to always carry them with you and take advantage of every opportunity to sell yourself. Don't be pushy, but do let people know you are in business.
• Have a sign made up for your front lawn or window (check local ordinances first). You don't have to leave it up all the time, but can put it out when you have vacancies and then put it away when you are full.
• Keep a list of information about yourself and your daycare by the phone. It will be easier to cover all the important points when the phone call comes in for information in the middle of a hectic child care day.
• If it is not convenient to speak with a caller at that time, be sure to explain that you are just too busy with the children. Get their name and number and be sure to call back at the agreed upon time.
• If prospective clients are coming for an interview, have a list of things you want to discuss all ready. It's easy to get off topic and forget to mention (or ask) things during an interview.
• When someone is coming for an interview, make sure that the outside as well as the inside of your site is neat and attractive. First impressions are of the utmost importance.
• When you are out of your day care site with your children, be as visible as possible. Look for good deals on t-shirts or caps and get your name and logo printed on them. Pick a bright eye-catching color scheme.
• Have a magnetic sign made up for your car. That way you can take it off when you aren't on official day care business. Research shows that 600 people a week will see it.
• Contact local realtors. They like to have information packages for prospective clients. If they can inform them of daycares in the area, so much the better for everyone.
• Network with other providers in your area. Get to know each other and see what all of you have to offer. This gives you information for referrals for people that you cannot service and may get you some referrals in return.

Submitted by Patricia Cousineau
URI Cooperative Extension Research Associate

For more information please call 401.277.5255

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