CM Club: ADVERTISING TIPS - UPDATED.............

[looneytune]

I've put a new thread together to make the lists a bit clearer, with the extra suggestions added on.

Hope this helps some of the newer mumsnetters who are in need of advertising help.

The first list is for online advertising, below it are other suggestions. If anyone has any suggestions to add, please go ahead

TIP (online adverts)......

When advertising with descriptions, put your area but also mention surrounding local areas, like this for me:

.......in Spencers Wood, Reading (near Shinfield, Arborfield, Swallowfield, Three Mile Cross, Lower Earley etc.).......

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!!

www.gumtree.co.uk
www.nannyjob.co.uk
www.scoot.co.uk
www.ukvillages.co.uk
www.britinfo.net
www.yell.com
www.118118.com
www.childalert.co.uk
www.practicalparent.org.uk
www.familiesonline.co.uk
www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com
www.mumsnet.com
www.touchlocal.co.uk
www.netmums.com
www.askyourneighbour.co.uk
www.childrensdirectory.com
www.tinies.com
www.192.com
www.childminder-uk.co.uk
www.childcareindex.co.uk
www.thompsonlocal.com
www.childcareplaces.co.uk
www.childworks.co.uk
www.kyotee.co.uk
www.familyrapp.co.uk
www.babydirectory.co.uk
www.upmystreet.com
www.thelocalweb.net
www.babyworld.co.uk (can't advertise but can reply to requests for care)
www.justformumz.co.uk
www.ufindus.com
www.movethat.com (London)
www.village-links.co.uk
www.childcareresources.co.uk
www.earlyyearsonline.co.uk
www.simplychildcare.com
www.ufindus.com
www.vivastreet.co.uk
www.the-business-list.com

www.childcaredirectory.co.uk

Other advertising ideas:

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)

Mobile Advertising like NannyNick - \link{http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v636/nannynick/NickCar150.jpg\here}
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 \link{http://www.childcareplaces.co.uk\childcareplaces}(reason have to wait til following week is because they transfer details from NCMA every Friday) Tel: 02082902410
Personalised Car Blinds \link{http://www.tsl-products.co.uk/personalised-sunshades.php\like this}
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! :))

bump for Saz73 :)

bump :)

Got it, thats very helpful, thanks. An impressive list of internet sites! :)

No probs :)

also try adding your name to Yellow Pages and Thompson Local?

You will automatically be added to these directories by advertising online! I am anyway :)

bump

bump

As we have had this list for a little while now, I wondered what responce rates have been to adverts placed at the various places. Are there some places that are better than others?

Where have you advertised that resulted in new work for you?

• Car Blinds - I got these, they look quite good, but the children play with them and ripped them on the first day! I have the pull-down version of the blinds. So they were a nice idea, alas not toddler proof.

I have had three responses in the last couple of months to my mumsnet ad in the classifieds section, a couple from netmums.com and also one from familiesonline.com and hallolondon.com. I also have had a few enquiries from a flyer up in the cafe of my local park and one in the local toyshop.

UKChildminder.co.uk

Thanks for these advertising tips-am slowly working my way through as really need some more mindees.

Will let you know if I have any response from any.

bump

The only enquiry I've had from an online ad is via Care-4 and they thought I was a nursery.

Little Sparkles Clickable Map

TBH a lot of enquiries I get at the momentare from word of mouth. There are a lot of childminders around here and If one of us gets an enquiry we can't use we often give the parent a few other numbers to try if we know someone has a vacancy.

Waht has also worked for me is getting to know the people running parent and toddler groups and leaving adverts with them by the signing in books. Also they can then recommend me if they hear of anyine at the group asking about childcare.

The babies I have looked after have mainly come from enquiries from the CIS though. I think the council must send a lot of lists out around here and they have a reasonably up to date website too, to advetise on.

I've had lots of calls through online advertising but tbh, quite often they say they just found me online so probably just through using google etc. Once I did get one direct from mumsnet ad and I think I also got one through netmums too.

The longer I do this, the more word of mouth helps. My local support minder always recommends me which is nice.

bump for nikki

bump for kangel

bump

bump for mumtoall

fantastic thanks for that.

No probs, hope it helps

bump

For those of you in East Berkshire, there is a new website called Local Parent.
Covers: Ascot, Bracknell, Crowthorne and Sandhurst
Local Parent Website