I'm a worry wart.

I live in the South and it feels like it has been a slooooow year for enrollment. I am just getting very little bites (and sometimes no bites!). I've advertised on Facebook (boosted posts, groups) and I've even put flyers on 60 doors this past weekend. I'll be putting more out later this week. I didn't even get any inquiries from either of those advertisement methods. The inquiries I have gotten do not respond to my e-mails detailing what we do here and my price. The ones who do respond and say it sounds amazing have children much too young.

Is it slow where you are? HOW are you getting more interest?

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I am in the south as well and the summer is always slow for me...August and January are my best months for calls.

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I have spaces open for the Fall and that hasn't happened in years
Usually I fill spots early in the spring. I'm going into a slower time (summer) and I am worried.

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Actually January & August are my starting months lol. I get my calls for Aug in June & I have 2 on waitlist for Jan & March next year (3 kids aging out - my PT babe is going to FT in Jan. when the spot is vacated completely).

I live by Univ of TN Knox so that helps. In August I start advertising the Saturday home games; extra $$ to be made for game specials. You know parents don't want to be taking their young babies to those rowdy games lol

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I have attended many Volunteer Football games over the years....I am several hours from there but well worth the trip.....Been to the orange & white spring game as well many times.

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I am in a tiny town and it is always slow here. Add to that I am higher than the other couple of providers in my town who charge $10 a day. I have all SA right now and need some pre K kids for fall. So I feel your pain! I am going to start heavily advertising again in July for fall spots. I hope that gains me something.

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I'm REALLY not wanting to have to wait until the fall for enrollment for these spots because that means the family will ONLY be enrolled for the school year. I already have 4 part time kids leaving and 3 full time kids leaving. That results in an income loss of 5 full time kids total cutting my income in half. Working on not being so anxious but OH MY.

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I'm not in Knox County but close enough & by a major downtown route so it helps even if it does take 15-20min just to get near the Stadium; worst part is they switched traffic patterns last year & don't allow for left turns anymore down by UT & the Stadium. I'm already booked out for the FL game Sept 24 because all my UT teachers have family coming from FL. Full house on a Saturday & it's still months away

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When things are slow I start to change up my ads. I hardly ever post on facebook but will when I am slow. I will change up my wording on my normal ad spot. I will update my fb page and promote that.

I have put fliers up around town but not much luck with that.

I will check out other providers and centres, note what sets me apart, and promote that aspect of it.

It helps for me to think 'who are my clients'. Where are they? What do they do? Can you post in areas where they frequent? (Library, grocery store, bank) Can you post in areas where they work?

I used to do 2 ad varieties. One that was wordy, describing my program, philosophy, etc. The other was minimal and had the basics. It was interesting to see what ads got which responses. It turns out I had luck with both. I guess some parents don't want all the fluff.

Do you have sahm as clients? I would do an ad specifically for a sahm. How about part time workers? You are closed Fridays, yes? So how about parents that have a grandparent who sits for them one day/week. I know I have a lot of families who want a few days a week only so grandparents can have the others. That might play well.

You do preschool only, correct? Can you partner with a local provider who only does the younger ages? Recommend each other?

Good luck!

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Thank you!
Half of my clients are stay-at-home-moms currently and the other half work but still enroll part time because they have flexible schedules and such.

I don't know of anyone who only does younger ages around here. I am friends with many providers but I've NEVER been told by them that they just referred someone my way OR by anyone interviewing. I refer people their way often (if they're outside of my age range or they need 5 days per week) and let them know.

I used to post wordy ads but recently made one in graphic format (so it could be uploaded as a photo along with the 4 photos of my preschool). It has bullet points and isn't too wordy at all anymore. I thought FOR SURE that would help! It even lists the price range (2.5-year-old's are a different price than the 3-5-year-olds). I suppose that has greatly cut down on my inquiries since they can know right away if the pricing will work for them or not. I used to get a lot of inquiries and no responses back.

We don't actually have a library here. It's in other cities around us. We also don't really have any grocery stores. They're also in other cities and those cities all have a TON of daycares and preschools. I'm more marketable out here because there aren't really any preschools with certified teachers operating them...especially year round.

I have 3 M/W spots open and 1 T/Th. I just started a M-Th child and only have three enrolled that are full timers. The rest are all PT (9 kids M/W and 11 kids T/Th).

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I'm busy, I get the great majority of my inquiries from April-August. It tends to fill my waiting list.

I will say that the amount of people I would like to enroll/have on my waiting list is no where near where it has been, it would be a 'lesser of two evils' sometimes vs 'gosh that family was great, we are going to make a great team!'

I don't advertise at all anymore, it has been a little word of mouth. I get the most business from friends of my clients who saw a tagged photo on facebook. I have been tagging parents like crazy for months, it generates a bunch of 'likes' and many pictures get parent comments from friends asking about care, commenting on activities, etc.

I made my website mobile friendly. I went PDF/paper free on forms. Getting an app for other communication. I just got an instagram, too. ALL of my parents love it.

I don't have ANY of this personally, and I have needed my teen for help WAY too much.

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Do you post photos as your personal account? I guess what I mean, are you friends with the parents? Or are you posting from your daycare fb page and tagging parents? And then do you have to be friends with them? Gah, I need my teen to help!

What do you post on instagram? Just pictures of activities? (I don't 'get' instagram at all )

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See, I tag my parents too on my business Facebook page in photos but it generates no interest. So, there ya go.

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It has been slow here too I have one opening for 2 yr old ( well someone who would be 2 by August)

It is always feast or famine....

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Well I now have an unexpected opening... parents are pulling because I have had to remind them about my fragrance free policy too many times & they are complaining about it ... they knew at sign up about the policy 6 months ago (inc fragrance free detergents & no fabric softener at all) & the no smoking immediately before pick ups

same family refuses to listen & I'm tired of my asthma being set off among other issues due to chemical allergies. Sorry, but I have chemical sensitive babies in care also & I technically fall under revised ADA laws for fragrance free workplace (which is my home too)... yes folks there is such a thing now. Can't afford to lose income, but my health is irreplaceable

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I'm BAFFLED by your clients. Is it THAT hard to buy a fragrance free detergent/etc. at the store instead of the fragranced one? They're next to each other, for pete's sake!

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See when it comes to fabric softener it's the actual chemical & the fragrance that affects me... I scratch until I bleed if someone uses dryer sheets and then I touch their clothes. And yes, dad chain smokes all the way to my house before pick up - he reeks not only of nasty construction BO but smoke daily & other parents have noticed it & said stuff to me. They don't get it but it's not just me, but 2 of my babies it hurts

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I don't think he can help his job but the rest is VERY preventable.

I use FF everything- a few of the moms must bathe in perfume every morning. It's VERY strong. I wash all of the dc kids things so it bothers me less. One Mom sniffed dck once and said "it doesn't smell clean", clean does not equal 'detergent' smell ya know!

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My page is set up as a personal page, not a business account. I tag each parent (almost daily) in photos.

Instagram I don't get at all. The teen is doing it, thank goodness.

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It isn't that difficult to not use fabric softener. I never have. I've always just used vinegar or wool dryer balls in the dryer. That is not expensive (in fact, both are cheaper) and they're both REALLY easy. I'm so sorry you have such a painful reaction. That really is awful!

I wouldn't be able to handle smoke either and I am not sensitive to it. It's toxic to you, it's toxic to his child, and it's toxic to the others having to breathe it in.
It sounds like this has less to do with YOU and your allergies and policies regarding them and more to do with HIM and his complete lack of respect for another human being who is caring for his little one. I pray you get a WONDERFUL, thoughtful client in their place.

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What do you wash?

I provide and launder a cot sheet, blanket, and lovey and their personal cubby towels and spill towels. But, their clothing? I haven't. Should I be?!?

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Exactly... I know it's his right to smoke too, but not when it affects a business that has a smoke & fragrance free policy. They are my only smoking family, but it's just recently gotten real bad - wonder what they would do if their next daycare has a fragrance free policy

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Yeah I think it can be a rollercoaster for many providers. Here are a few ways you could try to get more interest. Some it sounds like you have already tried, but a few might be new.

Stay encouraged, things will pick up!

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Today, for some reason, I decided to open my "other" folder on Facebook. There was a message from a teacher from the first week in June asking about September care. I messaged her back right away, apologizing for the delay and giving her my contact info. She called within minutes. We are meeting in July. It would be an almost 4 month old GIRL

Fingers and toes crossed.

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Thank you!

WOOHOO! Hope it goes well!!

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