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JaydensMommy 07:38 AM 09-27-2011
So, I am expanding my daycare to a large daycare. I will be able to hire an assistant and take on 12-14, instead of 6-8 children. I got the approval from the city last week, we are installing the fire alarm later this week. So, I really need to let the parents know this before they see the fire alarm in the wall... I hope that they are all ok with it, I would hate to lose any of them, they are all great. But I don't even know how to start the letter. I would like to hand them a letter and tell them about it as well. Any suggestions?
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AnythingsPossible 07:56 AM 09-27-2011
Sorry no suggestions, just wishing you good luck. I know the majority of my families picked me because of my small size. We have numerous large family homes in our area, so I am one of the rare ones who operates on the low end of numbers by myself.
If any of your families express concern, ask them for specific questions or concerns and be prepared with answers to ease their fears. Hopefully if you do lose any families, it will be easier to replace them with your expanded capacity.
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Meeko 08:33 AM 09-27-2011
Write a very upbeat newsletter letting parents know all about your great news!

Word has got around about how great you are and the time has come to expand!

The city has done it's duty and is happy to approve your day care for expansion!

Word the letter as if this is a celebration, but also a fact that is not open to debate. If some parents leave, then that is their choice (I never lost one parent when I went from 8 to 16 kids)

You could even have a "WE'RE GROWING!" celebration party or BBQ. The parents will feel like they are part of it and are lucky to already have their children in your day care.

Don't say anything in the letter about "sorry" or "hope this doesn't upset anybody" etc. It doesn't matter if it does. This is what's right for YOU and your business and in the unlikely event you lose anyone, you will soon fill their spots.

I think you'll find most of your parents will embrace it and be happy for you. If they are happy with the care you provide and know that won't change...then you have no worries!
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momofsix 10:09 AM 09-27-2011
Originally Posted by Meeko60:
Write a very upbeat newsletter letting parents know all about your great news!

Word has got around about how great you are and the time has come to expand!

The city has done it's duty and is happy to approve your day care for expansion!

Word the letter as if this is a celebration, but also a fact that is not open to debate. If some parents leave, then that is their choice (I never lost one parent when I went from 8 to 16 kids)

You could even have a "WE'RE GROWING!" celebration party or BBQ. The parents will feel like they are part of it and are lucky to already have their children in your day care.

Don't say anything in the letter about "sorry" or "hope this doesn't upset anybody" etc. It doesn't matter if it does. This is what's right for YOU and your business and in the unlikely event you lose anyone, you will soon fill their spots.

I think you'll find most of your parents will embrace it and be happy for you. If they are happy with the care you provide and know that won't change...then you have no worries!
This exactly!!!
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daycare 10:17 AM 09-27-2011
Do you mind me asking your secret to getting kids? I'm in northern Cali and have had a record low enrollment in the history of my 8 years on business.

Congrats on your success. I think a news letter would be great!
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JaydensMommy 10:31 AM 09-27-2011
Originally Posted by daycare:
Do you mind me asking your secret to getting kids? I'm in northern Cali and have had a record low enrollment in the history of my 8 years on business.

Congrats on your success. I think a news letter would be great!
Thank You! I'm not really sure, honestly. I've been licensed for a little over a year, but just started doing this full time in May. Two of my kids I watched at my previous job. And the rest are mostly from my neighborhood. I purchased a sign on Vistaprint and put it in my front yard, I get a lot of calls from that. I am on google and have gotten calls from there as well as craigslist. I have a website and a Facebook business page. This is a big change and a big investment to go to a large daycare but I'm hiring my mom and can't wait to have the help. So, I really hope that I can fill the spots for the large daycare, as of now I have three children waiting for those spots that should be open in a month. And I do have to give credit to God, I've been praying for my business as well as paying my tithes faithfully, even when we were barely making it and it is amazing how he has blessed our family and my business. Good Luck to you, I hope you start getting some more calls!!
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daycare 10:39 AM 09-27-2011
Originally Posted by JaydensMommy:
Thank You! I'm not really sure, honestly. I've been licensed for a little over a year, but just started doing this full time in May. Two of my kids I watched at my previous job. And the rest are mostly from my neighborhood. I purchased a sign on Vistaprint and put it in my front yard, I get a lot of calls from that. I am on google and have gotten calls from there as well as craigslist. I have a website and a Facebook business page. This is a big change and a big investment to go to a large daycare but I'm hiring my mom and can't wait to have the help. So, I really hope that I can fill the spots for the large daycare, as of now I have three children waiting for those spots that should be open in a month. And I do have to give credit to God, I've been praying for my business as well as paying my tithes faithfully, even when we were barely making it and it is amazing how he has blessed our family and my business. Good Luck to you, I hope you start getting some more calls!!
How di you get on google search. I tried that through vista but when I searched daycares mine never came up. So I stopped paying for that.

I also didn't know you could have a business FB.
My husband is afraid for me to have one due to people being able to comment and say rude things. Not that we have enemy's. I don't even have a FB for my personal.
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JaydensMommy 10:51 AM 09-27-2011
Originally Posted by daycare:
How di you get on google search. I tried that through vista but when I searched daycares mine never came up. So I stopped paying for that.

I also didn't know you could have a business FB.
My husband is afraid for me to have one due to people being able to comment and say rude things. Not that we have enemy's. I don't even have a FB for my personal.
I don't pay to be on google. If you go to google.com, down way at the bottom click on business solutions, on the next page scroll down and where it says reach local customers click on Google Places. That is where you sign up for free. The way it works is when someone goes to google and types in daycare and your city, your business will come up. It takes a while for them to approve it. And as far as the facebook page, if you have someone that is mean enough to write mean comments than you are able to delete them, it's your page, your able to remove anything you don't like. My parents look at mine and they always write nice comments and everyone is able to see it. I did make sure to get signed permission from all the parents to put pictures of the kids on there and my website.
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TBird 11:26 AM 09-27-2011
Originally Posted by Meeko60:
Write a very upbeat newsletter letting parents know all about your great news!

Word has got around about how great you are and the time has come to expand!

The city has done it's duty and is happy to approve your day care for expansion!

Word the letter as if this is a celebration, but also a fact that is not open to debate. If some parents leave, then that is their choice (I never lost one parent when I went from 8 to 16 kids)

You could even have a "WE'RE GROWING!" celebration party or BBQ. The parents will feel like they are part of it and are lucky to already have their children in your day care.

Don't say anything in the letter about "sorry" or "hope this doesn't upset anybody" etc. It doesn't matter if it does. This is what's right for YOU and your business and in the unlikely event you lose anyone, you will soon fill their spots.

I think you'll find most of your parents will embrace it and be happy for you. If they are happy with the care you provide and know that won't change...then you have no worries!
I like this advice! Definitely leave out the "sorry'....you are not sorry. This is YOUR business and it's all good!

Also, I would suggest that you play up the fact that you'll have a qualified assistant. People like to know that their services won't change for the worse but will improve. If she's a teacher, or a mother, or has done daycare before it can only be a PLUS.
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JaydensMommy 12:16 PM 09-27-2011
Ok, I did not say sorry and kept it short and simple. I just handed out my first letter and Mom was VERY excited for me. I hope they all react this way. I did let them know I would be hiring my mom and that I was excited about the change. Thanks everyone for the advice. We'll see how everyone else reacts.
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Tags:assistant, expanding, newsletter, parent notification, ratio increase, remodel
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