There are so many ways to attract parents to your daycare, utilizing the internet is a big one. I will go over using the internet in the article below and some other options for getting parents through your door.

Attracting parents to your daycare can be done by using a website, yard signs, online reviews; open houses, Facebook and your family & friends. First of all utilize the Internet to it’s full capability. Start out strong with a good website and be sure to encourage positive reviews of your daycare on websites like Yelp, Google, and Facebook. A few other methods of gaining clients are: yard signs, open houses, and word of mouth (friends and family), they may seem old-fashioned but they are still affective. Facebook is also a great resource for not only generating a buzz through, ‘word-of-mouth’, but it is also great for showing the community who you are and what your business is about.

You are using these advertising method to build customer trust even before they step through your doors. Trust is essential when your customers are parents and their children. Word-of-Mouth is a great method for building trust. Gaining the confidence of the customers is essential in getting those positive reviews and keeping that buzz going. They will recommend you to their friends this way and you will continue to see more parents coming through your doors.

WEBSITE

Consider a website, this is a great way for your business to look professional in today’s world. You will need to get started by purchasing a domain name on websites like, godaddy.com, squarespace.com and wix.com. Make sure to include an “About Us” page which displays your qualifications, what you offer at your daycare and contact information. If you can afford to hire someone to help, this would be especially beneficial if it’s your first time building a website.

 

YARD SIGNS

One great way to advertise which is also cheap is to put up yard signs. If you place them in strategic spots where parents will see them, you will find these yard signs bring in customers. Also, this is a great opportunity to network with other businesses. Go in and ask them if you can put your yard sign outside their business, talk be friendly and they may ask for some mutual advertisement in return. You can also find other places around your community where you can post yard signs for free.

 

ONLINE REVIEWS

To get started a very effective method for attracting parents is to have good reviews online. Of course this requires you have client’s to start out with, this is something you have to gradually build up and always keep working on. If you know a parent or a child had a great experience with your services encourage the parent to leave a good review, you can also ask your teachers to ask for reviews. This method is effective with the target audience because this generation of parents oftentimes start their search for a daycare with a quick Google search and sometimes solely rely on these reviews.

Also, make sure to reply to reviews. This shows that you are friendly, open and professional. Make sure especially to reply to the negative reviews. Replying to negative reviews may result in the customer felling the issue was resolved so they delete the comment, or it shows other customers you are willing to take negative feedback.

 

OPEN HOUSES

Offer the parents a chance to visit your faculty during an open house. This way they can familiarize themselves with you and the daycare. If they interact with the place they are more likely to feel comfortable leaving their children with you.  Encourage questions and comments during the tour. To get more parents through the door during the open house try hosting a family event, like a BBQ with balloons.

 

FAMILY & FRIENDS

Use all of the resources available to you, including your friends and family. Talk to your family and friends about your business, and they can talk to people they know about it too. This way your family and friends can build up your potential customers trust too, because word of mouth can be an effective method to create a buzz. Use your Facebook as a business platform, spread the word of your business by posting about it on your personal Facebook page.

Learn how you can advertise your daycare on Facebook!

FACEBOOK

You can also create a business Facebook page for your daycare. Facebook is a great way to showcase who you are and what your daycare is about. Keep active on your page, post about events or give updates on the improvements to your daycare you may peek people’s interest. Generating comment on your pictures, which be conscious of how you reply. Be sure to maintain a level of professionalism and show your personality at the same time.

Getting parents to trust your daycare with their children can seem like an uphill battle, but the more you push the easier it will become. Start out with Facebook, even if that is all you can do, keep at it and build up from there. Let your friends and family know about your business venture, and I am sure they will be more than happy to let other people they know who have kids about your daycare. If you keep putting your business out there and keep finding more ways to advertise, you will find yourself with the snowball effect.

Keep at it, advertisement can be expensive and tedious. Utilizing something as simple as your personal Facebook page can be an effective start for you. You can also give yard signs a try. They are also a great networking tool for local businesses, ask if you can put your sign somewhere on their property and you have opened the door to a business relationship. Always keep building up ,host an annual open house and if you keep at it you will become a staple daycare for your neighborhood.

 

RELATED QUESTIONS

How should I organize my daycare space so that it looks good and is effective too?

Utilize designated spaces for specific activities and/or things, like a messy zone. This would be an area for messy play, like painting or using a water table. Doing this will also help you keep other areas clean. A cubby area is also essential, it’s necessary for for storing the children’s personal items, like their little backpacks and coats. You will also want a nap zone to make nap time as relaxing and easy as possible.

How do I make my daycare stand out?

You may be inclined focus on big flashy ads and events to get your facility to stand out. However, what you really need to pull the attention of your target audience is focus on the basics. Make your daycare stand out by being extraordinary , keep it clean, well staffed, and most of all put care into what you do and parents will notice. You would be surprised how much this will appeal to parents, and also be as transparent as possible with your clients.

Where is the best location for a daycare?

You want to look for a building that is close to a main street. You want to keep an eye out for convenient parking, parent’s will appreciate it toting around fussy little ones.

 

Please note: This blog post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult a legal expert to address your specific needs.

To learn more on how to start your own daycare checkout my startup course and documents here.

 

 

Sources:

https://hoppingin.com/7-power-tips-get-customers-daycare-fast/

https://ibisstudio.com/how-to-attract-parents-to-your-daycare-marketing-tips/

https://tuiopay.com/blog/make-your-childcare-center-stand-out/