Low Cost Promotions Can Help You Market Your Program
Marketing your family child care business doesn't have to cost a lot of money or take a lot of time.
Here are two easy and inexpensive methods for marketing your program to potential clients:
Welcome Mat
Think of all the people who come to your home: friends, neighbors, postal carriers, delivery persons, children in the neighborhood, salespersons, religious missionaries, survey takers, and so on.
A welcome mat on your front doorstep with your business name on it may make some of these visitors your next clients. This is an unusual promotion idea that attracts attention. Those who see it may tell someone else about your business. The welcome mat even works when you are not at home.
Look in home-product catalogs or Google "custom welcome mats" for companies that make them.
Keepsakes
Getting your business name in front of as many prospective clients as possible is a major goal of all marketing efforts. One way to do this is to distribute keepsake items that have your business name, phone number, and website address on them.
If your keepsake is a fun or useful item, the potential client might keep it at home or work in plain view where others might see it.
Give keepsakes to your currently enrolled parents and past clients, as well as to current and former employees. Mail keepsakes to parents who contact you by phone or visit your home for an interview. Pass them out at parties, picnics, and those you run into on field trips.
Here are some keepsake ideas to help you market your program:
Bumper stickers, buttons, calendar/day planners, can openers, caps/visors, chip clips, coffee mugs, cup holders, Frisbees, headbands, key chains, magnets, magnetic clips, mouse pads, Mylar balloons, notepads, pens/pencils, pins, soft-foam balls, stickers, T-shirts, water squeeze bottles.
Many keepsakes can be individualized with a child's name, which makes them perfect welcome gifts for children on their first day at your program.
To find companies that make keepsakes, Google "bulk personalized keepsakes" or look in home product catalogs.
What keepsakes have you purchased?
Tom Copeland - www.tomcopelandblog.com
Image credit: https://creativemarket.com/jstrick4/4517666-CUSTOM-DOORMAT-MOCKUP
For more marketing ideas, see my book Family Child Care Marketing Guide.
