Asking Parents For Testimonials For Website?

[SunflowerMama]

So my husband things I should add some parent comments/testimonials to my website. For those that have reviews/testimonals on their website/blog did you just email your parents and ask them to submit comments about you/your program? How long had those familes been with you when you asked?

[missnikki]

I would put out a newsletter type thing, mentioning your intention to include testimonials on your site, and ask if they would like to submit a statement. That way, you aren't soliciting them in person, and they can approach you if they want to do it.

[MarinaVanessa]

I just ask the parents of my families to write a letter about what they think of my daycare. I don't mind asking them outright to write letters for me but then again I feel comfortable asking them. From the letters I quote little pieces of them and put them on my website.

I like to ask them for actual letters vs e-mails only because it looks more personal if it's hand written. I take these letters and put them in a binder/scrapbook that potential clients can look through during the interview. I've notived that other people like to look through and read these.

A general notice/newsletter addressed to all of the parents is a good way to bring it up but from my experience if I did it this way instead of asking them directly they wouldn't write one out for me. If I was direct and asked them in person then they would. I would just say that I needed it by such and such date.

[QualiTcare]

i know that i would do that for anyone who asked, but i know a lot of people wouldn't unless there was some kind of incentive. it's sad, but true. maybe you could send out a note and offer to deduct $5 from their bill if they do it (with some kind of word count minimum) - i think you'd get a lot more responses that way.

[Abigail]

I really like your idea of hand-writing them for the scrapbook or binder. How nice! I would add a comments page to your web site, but don't add the same general comments over and over. Some I see just from randomly finding them online say the say "My child was happy" "She was good", etc. I would rather read a paragraph. Maybe you could create a fill-in-the-box type of review with basis statistics.
Date of review: 12/1/09
Age of child(ren) now: 4 years, 2 1/2 years
Attended "daycare name": Full Time for 30 months
Then have a space with a fill in the blank for the parent to write a short review. You could add more statistics like "Best Memory".

Sometimes keeping things just as simple as the parents opinion is good too though!