Marketing Tips for Family Child Care Providers

Name your child care and develop a logo to use on business cards, letterhead, brochures, and advertising.
     Business Cards: include you business name, Name, address (optional) and phone number.  If you have an e-mail address or web site, include them on the card.  It is also a good idea to put down how many years you have been doing child care (ex. licensed since 1995).  Carry some cards with you where ever you go.  You never know when someone will approach you looking for child care.
     Brochure: A brochure can be used as a quick guide to your child care.  Include a brief summary of your program, your qualifications, hours open, your philosophy and/or goals as a provider, and your selling points (flexible schedule, preschool program, small group, large play area ect). Also include you e-mail address, web site address, home address and phone number.  Use brochures to give to potential clients who may have interviewed but are still making a decision (instead of giving them your entire handbook).  You may also mail them to potential clients.
     Letterhead: Put your logo and your child care name on the top of letters you write to clients.
     Flyers: Make flyers announcing your openings and hang in places that are popular with young families; grocery stores, libraries, toy stores, etc.  Make the flyer eye-catching by including pictures or graphics of children.  Include the following information: name of your business, ages you have openings for, hours you are open, benefits of your program, e-mail and web site addresses, phone number.
     Newsletters: Do up a monthly newsletter for your child care.  Pass them out to the parents in the morning on their way to work.  They may read them at work and show them to other people who may be looking for child care.

OTHER MARKETING TIPS

* advertise in the local papers
* call your local Resource Agency and get on their referral list
*  Give an incentive to current families.  If they refer someone to you that uses your child care for ___ months, they will get a week free child care or a discount.
*  join your local family child care association
*  Make or purchase t-shirts with your child care's name on them.  Have the kids wear them on field trips.
*  hold an open house, or host a Family Child Care Home Tour
* maintain the outside of your home as well as the inside in order to attract parents.
*  return ALL calls left on answering machines from prospective clients