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This means that other areas will be picked up when people search on google and other search engines. All my business so far has been outside my own village so if someone is searching their area and say you are the village next door, as long as it's in your adverts, you should appear on the search!
Does that make sense???
BTW, most of these things take a little time to appear online so be patient
Some of these allow links to websites (IF you have one) for free, others charge and others don't offer it. Anyway, get yourself on as many as possible and you should find (given time) that you appear on things like searches on google.
I.e. if you put 'Childminder in Spencers Wood' (that's me ), you should see me listed loads!!
If an NCMA member, tell them you want to take part in their care-4 advertising. They will register you and the following week you can advertise on childcareplaces the reason you have to wait til following week is because they transfer details from NCMA every Friday) Tel: 02082902410
For those of you in East Berkshire, there is a new website called localparent Covers: Ascot, Bracknell, Crowthorne and Sandhurst
Ebay (I have had lots of requests to build websites for other childminders through advertising my childcare vacancies however no enquiries for actual childminding, but you never know! )
Otheradvertisingideas:
Posters/postcards (our CIS give out their proper postcards to use if helps) etc. in:
Newsagents
Post Office
Local Shops (one of mine lets me put business cards on counter)
Supermarket Notice Boards
Local Village Notice Boards (outside village halls etc)
Toddlers Groups
Pre-Schools
Library's
Staff Notice Boards (ask your friends if they have one at work)
Health Visitor
Dr's Surgery (mine doesn't have facility but some do)
Yellow Pages (I appeared automatically as did online with them)
Thompson Directory (I appeared automatically as did online with them)
WORD OF MOUTH - groups etc!!! (probably best way to get recommended)
Oh yeah, another one I forgot..........I have a signaturestrip that goes out automatically with all my emails. Just has my name, Ofsted Reg'd CM, phone numbers, website, email. I've had a couple of enquiries this way - you never know who may see it and think 'oh, I need a childminder!'. I once replied to something on 'Freecycle' and the lady replied back asking if I could look after her twins. I was full but great unexpected enquiry!
Forgot to put this on for some reason...........if you have any new homes being built nearby, have a word with the people on site in charge of sales etc. They may take business cards for you! One of my old mindees mum's worked for xxx Homes and was in sales and said part of her job was to give information on local schools, childcare etc etc.
Another thought (after seeing someone looking for childminder as moving house)..............how about asking local Estate Agents if you can leave a pile of leaflets/business cards???
i work for a CIS and just wanted to add, make sure your details are up to date with your local CIS, add a few lines about your service to make you stand out from the competition, and most importantly make sure you've given them the necessary permissions to advertise you. we get loads and loads of calls from parents looking for childminders...it's a free service so do take advantage!
hellsbells - why won't CIS list Approved forms of childcare? Are you being told the same thing as me - it's a iChIS problem, a DfES contractual issue, or are you being told something different? Also, has your local authority started getting the spreadsheet from Ofsted for OCR - and what do you do with the data, seeing that iChIS won't let you enter it!
put leafelts on the cars in mums and baby spaces when you go to the supermarket.
do a leaflet drop in your local area.
do some courses and swap numbers with other childminders close by. go to mums and tots groups. tell EVERYONE you are a childminder!!!
I tried our local chip shop. and found they do not charge and there is always a queue.. Neither do the other two I then visited, neither of those do I ever buy from and they advertised for over a month before it got taken down.
registered childminder in Theale, Reading has vacancies for 3 months to 12 years, member of the NCMA whom I also have insurance through, first aid trained, clean CRB check, currently doing my EYFS course and looking to gain my health and hygiene certificate soon, pick up from local schools, play groups and nursery. I offer a smoke free home with lots to do. My opening hours are flexible and food can also be provided, please contact me zena.bennetts@tesco.net
A word of caution re yell.com. I put a free ad on there when I first registered, and got pestered by their salesman to buy an advert. He couldnt get it into his head that I was FULL, and needed no more business. Grrr...
this a really great list, its helped alot thank you so much. how about speaking to local primary schools and seeing if they will put you in there news letters. a few in my area have agreed to do this.
Pleased you found it useful I will ask the school about their newsletters but not sure they will as they have their own after school club, we'll see though
Thank you for bumping for me. Off for the school run now but I will certainly start working my way through all the ideas later on when DD goes to bed!!
Just been on gumtree, where do you advertise on there? I have just done an add but it is in the Nanny/household help section? That was the closest I could find!
On Gumtree, I suspect the categories would be: Work Wanted Business Services
The Nanny section may not be appropriate as it is jobs offered, rather than work wanted. However I do see Childminder available ads crop up in the Job listings. I've posted on Gumtree myself in the past, and have had my advert moved by Gumtree Admin. So if your ad is manually checked by Gumtree staff, then it may get moved (or even deleted) if they feel it is in the wrong section.
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