Start A Day Care - Magical Marketing Tool
When opening a day care you are constantly and desperately looking for ways to market your new business. One of the most effective marketing events you can organize is an Open Day. I held one when opening my day care and it proved to be my most successful marketing endeavor reaping rewards to this day.
This magical ‘Open Day’ can be organized just before or, shortly after, you open a day care. The purpose of the event is to allow prospective clients to come and view your facility, ask questions and generally discover your amazing day care service. I deliberately organized a fantabulous event so will detail exactly what my Open Day entailed thus giving you some ideas for when you start a day care.
- I bargained with my local radio station prior to the big day and organized some on air advertising. I figured most of my customers would be commuting so I arranged to have the ads run during drive time. - The radio station threw in a guest appearance by their fleet of personalized, fun cars plus staff handing out fun gifts. They really added to the festive, special feel of the day. - Rounding up a few local kids I had them distribute some promotional flyers locally. My intention was to entice people in by providing a fun, family day out and to that end I arranged; - A bouncy castle. - Face painting. - Story telling. - Clowns. - Snacks for everyone. - Local politician to do the official opening ceremony (so all the local newspapers came to take pictures and do a feature - free!). I opened my day care for tours so people could see first hand what I had to offer; - The day care is on show so excellent presentation is vital. Every playroom was laid out to best showcase the space and equipment. - Staff were positioned in all the rooms ready to talk, answer questions and hand out business cards. -I personally floated around, greeted people and addressed queries. - We also arranged a raffle and asked people to provide their contact details (nice little database thank you) with the prize being a voucher for the day care. The results of that wonderful day are still felt today as many of my enquiries remembered attending the event or hearing about it. Word spread like wildfire as people who attended told friends and relatives. Take the time to fastidiously plan and organize a perfect open day and you will reap the rewards. Impressed people will return or will spread the word to those they know to be seeking childcare. Use this amazing marketing tool and have fun as you open a day care watching it fill up quickly with little kids.
ChildCareOnly.com provides articles and resources for child care providers and parents. Plus, a DVD guide to ‘Starting a Daycare Business’: Open A Daycare The brainchild of Fiona Lohrenz, a veritable font of daycare knowledge, who can be found at her Day Care focused website.
- Fiona Lohrenz
