Feeling really downhearted, CMs any advertising tips?

[LingDiLong]

So after getting off to a brilliant start when I registered in February, it's all gone a bit flat. I very quickly got 4 mindees, lost 2 very suddenly recently in pretty stressful circumstances (not my fault I hasten to add!), then the third cut back to just one morning a week due to financial problems. Plus his mum keeps not sending him for that morning...and not paying me for it either despite my contract stating I need paying if they miss a day. I'm not sure how to broach this without losing him altogether...

Back in May/June I had loads of enquiries and had to turn people away as I was full on 2 days. Then I lose all this business and I'm not full at all. I've tried recontacting everyone but with no success.

I'm advertising on yell.com, googlemaps, childcare.co.uk, findababysitter.com, mumsnet, netmums. Got a Facebook page and a blog. I'm now coming up on the first page if you google childminder + my home town.

I was thinking of putting some posters up locally as well. Is there anything I'm missing? I feel really cheesed off and like I'm failing at this before I've really started...

Hang in there, it will get better. May/June isn't that long ago so will probably pick up again as summer moves into autumn. Could you try contacting some local Children's Centres to make sure that they know about your services. Could you ensure that Children's Services are aware you have spaces if you are willing to take vulnerable children. Are you registered for two year old funded children? Many of these little ones would thrive with a childminder.

Hi mellowcat. Our nearest Children's Centre is way over on the other side of the city to me so not much mileage in letting them know I don't think. I am on the FIS website though and the local HV knows about me. I could find out about taking vulnerable children though, I had wanted to get a little more experience under my belt but it might be worth sounding out my inspector to see what she thinks. I'm in Wales and as far as I'm aware we don't have 2 year old funded children here...

Thanks though, those are all good ideas. And hopefully it will pick up soon...and I'll be moaning about being too busy!

hiya, Im in the same boat, been registered a year now and it has been so tight with all the start up costs. I'm also in a very rural area so there is just not that much business out there. I did get a mindee through printing out business cards with vistaprint, plastering them everywhere think they were less than a tenner. Im in Scotland so with the SCMA I would imagine there is an equivalent in Wales. Once you are up and running I think word of mouth works best. Hope things pick up, you might get a few when the kids go back to school.

Good luck

Thanks mrsrantalot. I have got some business cards printed actually and not had much chance to give them out. Maybe I'll get plastering too! I'm with the NCMA so maybe I'll see if there's any resources on their website.

Hope things pick up for you too!

I did a successful leaflet drop round our estate and have had about 5 enquiries over about a year, people remembered my leaflet when they needed help I took on a full timer and and after schooler from the enquiries, the others didn't need one in the end. I reply to any local ads on childcare.co.uk too.

OP, you need to charge for the contracted morning whether the child comes or not. This won't help with you feeling so deflated - you are letting that family take the mickey.
When I started out 4yrs ago, I felt like you. I thought I would be full within a month. It took me around 12mths to really get established.
You sound a very nice CM with a lot of motivation to please your families. People will soon start piling in! X

You're not in South Wilts/NW Hants by any chance are you?! Am on the lookout..

Are you prepared to do before/after school care, if so could you advertise at local primary schools maybe?

Get the money you're owed. Make sure clients pay you in advance.

Postcards and business cards from vista print are my friend. An ad in a local post office might help. Go to toddler groups and make sure people get to know you. Make sure other local Childminders know you have spaces, because they may be able to pass people on to you.

I always find that I have loads of enquiries when I have no spaces and none whenever I'm available. It will pass.

LingDiLong sorry to hear your feeling down. I hope this helps

As someone mentioned advertise within your local Childrens Centre.

Have you got any kids of your own? if so use the opp to chat to mums etc and let them know you are a childminder

Does your local school have your details. Not sure if this is still happening within school (advertising)

You could leaflet drop on in your area.

advertise at your local mother and toddlers group.

Recommendation works well. You could ask your pass parents to fill in feedback on your services

have you considered what is needed to run a creche for courses within the childrens centre etc.

You could also register for emergency childminding if you are flexible

Do yo attend a childminding group? Brilliant change to advertise.

Wishiwas, thanks that's definitely worth considering if this dry spell continues.

Bigpaws and HSMM, you're right of course, I should charge regardless. But I think the mum is genuinely skint and she only sends her DC to me because she had twins a few months back so she doesn't have to use me for work. I think if I start charging I'll force her hand and she'll stop using me altogether. Gah, the business side of this is really tough.

Cockadoodledoo, I'm not I'm afraid, not even close. Hope you find someone soon though!

Mum2, I do have kids of my own so a lot of the mums at our local school know i'm a childminder now - this is where all my customers have come from. I advertise up there too. I've also let the teacher who runs the after school club know about me and given her my business cards in case they're ever full or they get enquiries from people who want longer hours than they can cater for. No childminding groups here but I've made sure I've introduced myself to local childminders so they all know about me.

Thanks for all the advice, it helps just to have some sympathetic ears to bend!

I think you have to charge her, as it is better business sense not to have a mindee than to have one who doesn't pay. If someone comes along wanting that place you can offer it, if she's given it up. I would also think that it will be quiet until the end of August at the earliest, it is a very quiet time for people to get jobs too.

Could I recommend that you get a website, a lot of people tend to google, even if its not very blingy it helps.
Mention the activites you will do each day, a few pictures of your house, your ofsted registration, your childcare ethos, your USP.

Or you could could leaflet an NCT group.
I used to run postnantal groups for the NCT and we had a couple of new childminders who gave me leaflets to give out. You can also advertise in the NCT pamplets that go out to new parents - the local ones only cost 30-40. You can go to the NCT website and get details of your local group.

Do you think you need a USP? ie only doing under 4's or schoolies. Charging slightly more and having less children, including nappies, food, being organic?

Can I also suggest that you don't charge for your own holidays and give at least 6 weeks notice if you do need holidays - I did try a chilminder and it didn't work at all as she gave less notice for her holidays than I needed to give for my work (and charged for them! - which if you're claiming to be self employed if a little odd).

Can I also suggest that you charge in advance - all nurseries do.

With your current non payer - just call her up and explain that you've had a few enquiries and you've notcied that she didn';t come on xxx and xx day, does she still want the place. Then explain your new charging method.

Good luck

Thanks mummytime, you're probably right. Everyone's in holiday mode so I guess everywhere is going to be quiet.

Karoleann, thanks, it's really good to get a parent's perspective. At the moment I have a blog and I've taken some tips from here and managed to get it on the first page when you google childminder + my home time. It shows all my activities etc.

I'd not thought of leafleting an NCT group, that's a great idea. I'm going to get in touch with my nearest one this week. In terms of an USP I'm not sure...there actually isn't a lot of competition here in terms of childminders. People tend to use Nurseries or grandparents. Maybe I need to think of some USPs to compete with the former (obviously I can't compete with the latter!). I already don't charge for my holidays, I totally agree that it seems really odd and unfair to charge for them! I give 4 weeks notice at least.

I second getting a website I use Yola - it was free to create although I bought my domain name for about £7.99 for the year.

It has a v useful contact link that forwards enquiries via email which I pick up in my iPhone.

I registered last November and although I had lots of people asking me to have their children when I was training, I am only just up and running in June!

I have been unlucky!
List one parent cos I wasn't registered in time and she started with someone else the day my reg cert came in the post
Then I have been strung along by a few people.
And circumstances haven't quite worked out.

I was stopped at school the other day though and asked for September. So I guess it takes time to get your name around.

Your big advantage over nurseries is that you offer 'home based care" and can take the kids on lots of little trips (to the park or shops etc.). But also make it clear that you offer the EYFS just like Nurseries as parents may not always realise this.

Marypoppins, it's good to know even 'Mary Poppins' has struggled to get started!! Thanks. Mummytime, in Wales childminders don't have to follow the EYFS but I've been considering doing so anyway (I probably do already through all our activities but don't do any related paperwork). Maybe I can get myself organised so I can advertise the fact that I do (or will do) Learning Journals etc?

Reality, I'd been wondering about doing some car advertising. I'm really paranoid that as soon as I use them I'll cut someone up or something and get reported!!! Didn't realise you could get them cheap though, I'm going to look into that, thanks.

I would second the car magnets. We got some and it has been really good getting us recognised.

I understand your fear but the attitude we have is that anyone out there could be our next clients. Keeping that in our minds keeps us accountable. My dh who works with me dislikes the mothers meetings in the high street that are hard to get around with their pushchairs but he is pleasent to them. It would be the same in the car with you. It can only help build up a local awareness which currently your not getting.