CM CLub: Raffle prize - Terms & Conditons: THE SMALL PRINT

[KatyMac]

OK- I am offering a childminding voucher as a raffle prize.

On the back will be terms & conditions of use - but not too small a font

How does this sound?

Childcare available for up to 40 hours, to be used by 31st October 2008. This offer is available to new customers only and can also be exchanged for 20 hours baby-sitting in your home. OFSTED adult:child ratios must be kept at all times, so times and dates must be by mutual agreement. Minimum session 6 hours, maximum session 10 hours, for children aged between birth and 16 years. There is no cash alternative.

Strange raffle prize? Can I ask what the raffle is for, who will be buying tickets?

Carnival at the village - big event 2 days

It is more for advertising than an anticipation of use- but I want to cover myself

It was used last time - it's worth between £120 & £140 so it's worth winning - even if all you do is have an afternoon off each day of the holidays

Last time a grandma won & she & her daughter went out shopping and left the children with me

Oh I see. The bit about 'for new customers only' made me think of only people that would be using your childminding services regularly in the future. What would happen about settling in visits? Or would parents and their children already know you?

Lots of them 'know' me as DD's mum, through 2 schools, rainbows, brownies, guides, ballet, church etc

Plus settling in I don't charge for - not sure how much I'd do for just 40 hrs (ie 1 week ish)

But for school age during the holidays it's nice & easy anyway

What I don't want is the people I already have winning & reducing my income (selfish that I am)

Is it a bad idea?

I thought quite nice

No - is a good idea. Very generous prize. One of my childrens schools had an auction of promises and I put myself up for an evenings babysitting.

I've added

? Appropriate paperwork must be completed.
? May be used by more than one family ? subject to above conditions.

Gosh it's hard to print out 2 sides the right way up

I think its a terrific idea, wish I'd thought of doing it for our village carnival today!

I would do vouchers each worth no more than 1 day or 1 evening babysitting though. If you give 5 x 1 day vouchers instead of 1 x up to 40 hours, the raffle provider can choose whether to put them together for one prize or having 5 prizes. And depending how the raffle is run it might give you 5 announcements in front of a whole bunch of people as well - (and the next prize is ...). Unless its a hamper style raffle where one prize winner gets a whole box of stuff.

Oh I wish I'd thought of that - what a good idea

Why not print some up and slip then into the raffle anyway

I would avoid the use of AND. Instead reword, so that it is very clear that it is either childminding for 40 hours OR babysitting for 20 hours.

Also may be worth putting down very clearly what the hours/days are.

Perhaps something like:

Childcare available for up to 40 hours at my home (Registered Childminder), to be used by 31st October 2008. Alternative: 20 hours evening baby-sitting at your home.
Offer available to new customers only.
OFSTED adult:child ratios must be kept at all times, so times and dates must be by mutual agreement.
Daytime childminding available: 8am-6pm Mon-Fri.
Evening babysitting available: 7pm-1am Mon-Sun.
Minimum session: Daytime Childminding 6 hours, maximum session 10 hours, for children aged between birth and 16 years.
There is no cash alternative.

The daily voucher idea looks good as well. Helps avoid potential issues with minimum session lengths, days/hours etc.

Too late

But a good idea

So how are things going Katy... any new mindees coming along soon?

Thinking of vouchers, a couple of years ago I did a Gift Voucher. Only ever printed one of them, and it has never been redeemed.
Thing about vouchers is that a percentage of them are never redeemed. Thus why when a promotion (the Hoover Free Flights Promotion some years ago springs to mind) is done and the uptake is high, it can cause issues.

Hope your village carnival goes well. Get as much publicity as possible - become a walking bill-board handing out leaflets/business cards etc.

Not really

Gift vouchers are not really an option - but I'll have a think about it

Maybe (about the billboard) - but it's throwing it down here