Default Style Register
Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Craigslist
DestinyAja 05:58 AM 05-26-2016
I just opened my home daycare a few months ago. I posted my first ad on Craigslist and got 6 kids all within 2 weeks! I was so surprised. But I think I'm realizing that the Craigslist families are not the best to work with. What kind of pros and cons have you all had from Craigslist? Is it worth it? What about giving out flyers door-to-door in the apartment complex's in my area???? Has anyone had success with that?
Reply
JackandJill 06:48 AM 05-26-2016
The best clients I have had come from Facebook ads in different moms groups.

Craigslist is 50/50 for me. Right now my best family is from Craigslist. But I know what you mean, I let go or pass on waaayyyy more Craigslist families than I do Facebook ones.

Ive never tried door to door, but I live in a really quiet neighborhood. I would definitely try it if you are in a complex, lots of potential families
Reply
Laurel 06:50 AM 05-26-2016
Originally Posted by DestinyAja:
I just opened my home daycare a few months ago. I posted my first ad on Craigslist and got 6 kids all within 2 weeks! I was so surprised. But I think I'm realizing that the Craigslist families are not the best to work with. What kind of pros and cons have you all had from Craigslist? Is it worth it? What about giving out flyers door-to-door in the apartment complex's in my area???? Has anyone had success with that?
I have gotten a few from Craigslist and all turned out fine.
Reply
DestinyAja 06:54 AM 05-26-2016
Originally Posted by JackandJill:
I let go or pass on waaayyyy more Craigslist families than I do Facebook ones.

Ive never tried door to door, but I live in a really quiet neighborhood. I would definitely try it if you are in a complex, lots of potential families
Well I live in a house in a quiet subdivision, but there are a couple apartment complex's near me that I thought about passing flyers out at. So I'll see how that works. When you say that you pass on cList families, what do you mean? Like after they come by to meet you in person and you realize you don't want to take them on. What do you do/say?
Reply
Miss A 07:21 AM 05-26-2016
Originally Posted by DestinyAja:
Well I live in a house in a quiet subdivision, but there are a couple apartment complex's near me that I thought about passing flyers out at. So I'll see how that works. When you say that you pass on cList families, what do you mean? Like after they come by to meet you in person and you realize you don't want to take them on. What do you do/say?
Are you interviewing potential families. Before taking them on? If so. Then you can just tell the families at each I review that you are conducting interviews and will call them back with a decision in X amount of time.

Interviewing will also help you weed out the potential clients ts you do not wish to serve. When I first opened , I took anyone who contacted me. Now, I am more firm and know that I run this show, and I can pick who I ant, and who will best meet my needs. I choose the interview time to be open and upfront on my policies, and I make sure parents are clear on them when they enroll.
Reply
spedmommy4 07:26 AM 05-26-2016
Two of my favorite families came to me from Craigslist, but I know what you mean. I've also met some really interesting people through Craigslist that I would never want to work with.
Reply
Blackcat31 07:30 AM 05-26-2016
No matter how you get clients, it's important to filter them.

If you enroll families/children that are not a good fit then you will have trouble from the get go.

The key to being successful and operating smoothly is making sure you enroll ONLY those clients that you can communicate openly and honestly with and clients that share your child guidance/education/rearing philosophies.
Reply
finsup 09:07 AM 05-26-2016
Most of my clients are from Craigslist. I get a lot of interest from fb but not a lot of follow through (I.e. showing up for the interview). Craigslist interviews are 50/50 between crazy and great. Generally, my families come from Craigslist and are a lot better now that I'm picky when I interviewing!
Reply
BabyMonkeys 12:41 PM 05-26-2016
The 3 families that I have had for the first 2 1/2 years I found on Facebook. They have been AMAZING. I couldn't ask for a better set of parents. I had some seriously crazy people contact me though. My interview process is long, and I doubt most people would be willing to jump through the hoops if they were nut jobs.

The very first phone call has successfully weeded out most of the people that call me. If they don't sound like I even want to waste my time interviewing them I let them know that I charge 4 weeks to start and that will cover the last 4 weeks of care. No one has taken me up on the offer.

If I decide not to scare them away, I send them my handbook and then schedule another phone interview to make sure we are on the same page. If that phone call goes well I invite them for an interview. I do not give my address out until right before the interview.

The in person interview I go over all of the information and tell them that I will let them know in the next few days what I've decided.

I strayed from that process one time. I accepted a little girl because I was just getting started and just wanted to get someone in the door. I had the little girl for 10 hours and then late that night DCF called me to ask if I had seen any signs of abuse. I had the child 10 hours! I never saw them again.

Trust your gut and be patient.
Reply
grandmom 01:49 PM 05-26-2016
Did you tell them you were new? If so, I'd say that's the majority of the problem. Families who are in the hard-to-deal-with category often move from new provider to new provider. Partly because the seasoned ones filter them out right away. Partly because the families know they can't get away with their cr@p. Never tell them you are new at this.
Reply
DestinyAja 03:14 PM 05-26-2016
What questions are you all asking to weed them out?
Reply
Reply Up