by Letisha Wadsworth
Parents can be a strong partner in making your business a success. However, it depends on what kind of relationship you establish from the very beginning. Parents can do so much more than pay fees. Win their support and engage them in the success of your program and you will have lots of new partners. First, take the time to establish parents’ expectations of your services. What do they want you to do each day? What do they expect to learn from you each day? Will you have a way to communicate the child’s daily habits and activities? Are parents’ expectations realistic? Are you willing and able to address their expectations? Unlike a retail store where your customer may be an occasional repeat, you will see your customer daily. Do you have a plan for that daily contact?
Second, it is important to acknowledge the role of parents as the first teacher of their children. Even though you may spend long hours with the child, do not underestimate the relationship parents have with their children. Talk with parents about their child’s habits and activities at home. This will help your work with the child and keep parents focused on the child’s development in your program. Make sure that you talk about overall progress. Don’t greet parents at the door everyday with problems. What message do you convey if your daily contact with the parents is only about problems with their child?
Third, are your rules, regulations, and policies clear to parents? Are they written out so that parents can review them at home? Do they address such issues as lateness, absences, vacations, and when fees are due? Clear policies can reduce areas of possible contention with your customer. Do your policies encourage a partnership with your customer? For example, do you identify key periods when you will communicate the child’s overall progress? Do your policies identify ways parents can help keep program fees minimized through fundraising? Do you have a way for parents to comment on their level of satisfaction with your services? When parents leave your program, ask them for a letter of support or a reference letter. You can even set up a form which they can fill in and then sign. Don’t miss the chance to document their satisfaction with your business. You can use those letters or forms when you seek new funding or seek support from your broader community. Funders, local politicians, or community boards will pay attention to the references or letters of support from the parents you serve.
Parents may come to you with a range of problems that can impact their use of your business. Jobs, housing, access to health care, relationship issues are some of the work/family issues that parents may look to you for help. Do you have some key resource contact numbers that you can share, so that parents can get the real help they need? Be careful not to take on roles that you cannot fulfill. Do refer parents to people who can help, like your local child care resource and referral agency or even the city’s 311 line. While it is important for you to acknowledge these important issues, don’t get caught trying to solve these critical problems yourself.The most important thing to remember is that you need to keep your “customer” happy and to partner with them to do the best job that you can. The keys are:
Clear and regular communication
Survey and document satisfaction
Make expectations, policies and regulations clear
Don’t stray from your job as the child’s caretaker
Let parents know how they can help
Be a partner
When you have a partnership, even problems or disagreements can end with the best outcomes for everyone. It really means that the parents, who believe in what you are doing, can be a partner to help your business thrive and succeed. Tags: Childcare, ChildCare Business,
Friday, February 29, 2008
Marketing: Who Knows About Your Program?
By Letisha Wadsworth
Do you run a wonderful program with happy, eager to learn children? Are all your program slots filled? Do parents tell you they don’t know how they would survive without your child care program? Don’t just rely on word of mouth to send you new customers. Let the whole world know that your wonderful program exists. Here are some marketing tips that will shine a light on you and the work you do.
A sign lets your neighborhood and people walking and driving by know that you are running a program (include license, ages and hours at a quick glance). Make it easy for parents to make appointments to come see your program. When they call tell them when you normally schedule your appointments and tell them what you want them to bring to the appointment.
Be ready when someone calls with basic program information. Don’t make up rules or regulations or fees on the spot. Prepare for the main questions that parents will ask when they call. If you need to, write out some quick points that you want make sure are covered in these calls.
Who do you want to serve in your program? Do you want to cater to your neighborhood, some other neighborhood, a certain job site (i.e. a hospital) or to a special population (teen parents)? Get your information to the groups you want in your program.
Fliers, business cards, websites, T-shirts, and magnets can all be used. One marketing tool is not enough. Everything works together to create a “buzz” about your program.
Your local politicians all know that child care is critical to their voters. Make sure that the politicians know that your business is vital to their voters and the broader community. Write letters of introduction (with some fliers) to your City Council member, Congress members and your local Community Board.
Be sure that you market to your local schools. Most of the school age children have younger brothers and sisters who need child care. If you can serve the whole family from infants, preschoolers and after-school children, let parents know about the convenience of your services.
Try an open house celebration that highlights the best parts of your programs. Parents and children can help to sell the program through events like an open house. Use photos, examples of children’s’ work, good food and happy children to let the community know about your business.
Do you belong to a church an association a social group? Find out if you can use their newsletters, bulletins or announcements to talk about your program. You might be surprised at how much interest you can create in these “old” new circles of friends and acquaintances.
Ask to participate in neighborhood health fairs, block parties or community fairs that attract families. Make a bright colorful table with balloons and some fun activity. Make sure you have a sign-in sheet to get contacts for your program.
These are just some quick tips to jump start some of the marketing efforts to make sure that everybody knows your name.
Do you run a wonderful program with happy, eager to learn children? Are all your program slots filled? Do parents tell you they don’t know how they would survive without your child care program? Don’t just rely on word of mouth to send you new customers. Let the whole world know that your wonderful program exists. Here are some marketing tips that will shine a light on you and the work you do.
A sign lets your neighborhood and people walking and driving by know that you are running a program (include license, ages and hours at a quick glance). Make it easy for parents to make appointments to come see your program. When they call tell them when you normally schedule your appointments and tell them what you want them to bring to the appointment.
Be ready when someone calls with basic program information. Don’t make up rules or regulations or fees on the spot. Prepare for the main questions that parents will ask when they call. If you need to, write out some quick points that you want make sure are covered in these calls.
Who do you want to serve in your program? Do you want to cater to your neighborhood, some other neighborhood, a certain job site (i.e. a hospital) or to a special population (teen parents)? Get your information to the groups you want in your program.
Fliers, business cards, websites, T-shirts, and magnets can all be used. One marketing tool is not enough. Everything works together to create a “buzz” about your program.
Your local politicians all know that child care is critical to their voters. Make sure that the politicians know that your business is vital to their voters and the broader community. Write letters of introduction (with some fliers) to your City Council member, Congress members and your local Community Board.
Be sure that you market to your local schools. Most of the school age children have younger brothers and sisters who need child care. If you can serve the whole family from infants, preschoolers and after-school children, let parents know about the convenience of your services.
Try an open house celebration that highlights the best parts of your programs. Parents and children can help to sell the program through events like an open house. Use photos, examples of children’s’ work, good food and happy children to let the community know about your business.
Do you belong to a church an association a social group? Find out if you can use their newsletters, bulletins or announcements to talk about your program. You might be surprised at how much interest you can create in these “old” new circles of friends and acquaintances.
Ask to participate in neighborhood health fairs, block parties or community fairs that attract families. Make a bright colorful table with balloons and some fun activity. Make sure you have a sign-in sheet to get contacts for your program.
These are just some quick tips to jump start some of the marketing efforts to make sure that everybody knows your name.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Welcome To Our Blog
We hope that you will enjoy our growing weekly BLOG of timely information, articles, tips & resources for the NYC child care community.
If you operate a child care business in New York City then this blog is designed just for you. We will save you time and money as you seek vendors, services and valuable information that will enhance the quality of your program, improve administration and reduce operating costs.
Join in on key conversations that will link the child care community in NYC. This is the place to share information, tips trends and changes with child care collegues. Our blog is a forum where we can analyse all the changes that are shaping the world child care business and highlight our challenges and successes.
Your comments will help move our vital discussions forward.
Please communicate with us often; we want to meet your business needs.
If you operate a child care business in New York City then this blog is designed just for you. We will save you time and money as you seek vendors, services and valuable information that will enhance the quality of your program, improve administration and reduce operating costs.
Join in on key conversations that will link the child care community in NYC. This is the place to share information, tips trends and changes with child care collegues. Our blog is a forum where we can analyse all the changes that are shaping the world child care business and highlight our challenges and successes.
Your comments will help move our vital discussions forward.
Please communicate with us often; we want to meet your business needs.
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