by admin | Jun 26, 2020 | Blog
You’ve got your website all set up ready to go, but how exactly are you going to tell people about your childcare business? How will you get them to see what services you have available? What are you going to do to get Ninja marketing results? On a limited budget…
This is where the wonders of social media come into play.
But what does that look like, really?
I bet you’ve heard all the big dogs talking about their “social media managers” and “scheduling”, right? However, you need to know what YOU can do to with social media to become a marketing ninja. So I’m going to share my strategies with you for getting the word out about your programs and offerings!
Group inside Facebook for your parents
For many businesses, it’s becoming pretty normal to have a Facebook group for your customers. Running a childcare business is a little different than other industries, but Facebook groups (along with other platforms) are there for you to use and it’s totally FREE! Quite often, marketing can come with a hefty price tag. So we’ve got to be savvy in our choices and seek out the ones that work best and cost the least.
A Facebook group is easy to set up, and you can allow parents access once they’ve enrolled their child. This can then be a private group where you can share photos of the daycare goings on or information about events you’re running. This space can become a really brilliant community for parents, especially for families new to the area. It can even be a super selling point for your childcare setting. Give it a go!
Sharing is caring
Social media is a cheap and easy place to share news and information about your business. You can promote your day care or a new service via an open Facebook page. Use it to explain the different programs you have available or share when enrollment opens up. Even when you’re advertising staff vacancies, Facebook is great for reaching different audiences.
You can use Twitter to get your name out there too, following trends or sharing fun activities you’ve tried with the children. By using relevant hashtags and building your own following, you’ll quickly gain traction and become a resource for the local community.
And of course there are other platforms to get into, especially if you’re really creative. Instagram is fantastic for creating a true “feel” for your childcare business, so parents get to know you and what you’re about. And there’s lots of fun to be had on TikTok if you know some younger families who might be interested in your daycare offerings.
Of course there are other ways to be seen – I’m no stranger to the old school methods – but social media has such a huge reach nowadays, it’d be daft to dismiss it. And I’ve got a free Ninja Marketing Guide for you to check out as well.
Market research
It might sound silly, but researching ideas using social media is an easy way of finding out what people want and need. You can use the search tools to get information about what services local people require. Plus you can check out what competitors are offering. There’s options for asking questions in local community groups. For example putting a poll out to find out if families are in need of overnight care for their children.
By doing your own market research on social media, you can save energy and money that you can instead invest elsewhere in your business. I’ve found that sounding out local parents before I launch any new services has meant I have knowledge of what they want. I can then provide a more tailored childcare. And of course if you want help and ideas with a project to grow your business, there are always people who you can reach out to online.
As someone who’s been in the game a while, I can tell you that social media is resoundingly successful in helping me both communicate & grow as a business owner.
Stay connected
Funny enough, social media sort of does exactly what its title portrays! It’s a key way of making connections and interacting with your community. This might look like a Slack chat with your awesome childcare team. It might be in your Facebook group letting parents know that there’s a bake sale in the daycare the following day. Or it could be a notice on your main daycare page that there’s a local road closure…
Whatever you do on social media, the more you interact positively and socialize, the stronger your relationships with those people will be. Be a helpful resource; be an online cheerleader and supporter of community groups! Get a buzz going around your childcare and everyone will want to champion your business in return.
Once you’re more established, you’ll be able to consider a strategic Facebook Ads campaign. For now though, I’d recommend spending some dedicated time to researching, connecting and building a community with local families you serve in your childcare. Social media is a valuable resource to Childcare Ninjas like you and me!
Ready to become a Ninja Marketing Boss?
If you want to learn more about marketing, I’ve got a free guide to marketing available to you right now! All you’ve got to do is click here.
Leave a comment below to tell me how you’re using social media for marketing. Join like-minded childcare business owners in my free Facebook group, where you can connect with other amazing women and share ideas. You’ll find more tips on how to take your childcare business to the next level!
And if you’d like to find out more about becoming a Childcare Ninja, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re an army of childcare professionals who are sharing ninja-sharp skills to transform our businesses into childcare empires! This is Childcare Ownership all Grownup!
by admin | Jun 19, 2020 | Blog, Uncategorized
Fear is huge. It can be massively overwhelming. The terrifying thought of putting ourselves out there takes over and stops us from showing up. So what can we do about it?
One thing I’m often asked by people just starting out is, “how did you push through your fear to get to where you are now?”.
They’re right I did push on through! So I thought it’d be good to share some of the strategies I have in place.
If you’re just on the beginning of your childcare business journey, I see you. I understand the fear. I was there too. Let me take your hand and guide you through with some tips on showing the fear who’s boss.
Stamp on any negativity
Right from the start, I told myself I needed to recheck my negative thoughts. I didn’t know at the time, but this is actually a cognitive behavior therapy technique, commonly known as “Stamping on your ANTS” (Automatic Negative Thoughts). While we’re talking about negativity, ditch the friends who cast doubt on your dreams. If they were true friends, they’d be supportive and not fill your head with fear. Get rid of the “judgy” energy sappers!
I focused on the positives and every day I told myself I was capable. That I believed I could achieve my goals. Positivity attracts positivity. You call in what you put out. By believing in myself, other people believed in me too. They could see I had the determination and character to succeed, and I began to feel more confident in myself because I was telling myself each morning that I’d get there!
Also, I’ve written a blog about getting into the right mindset that you might find helpful.
Make fear an outsider
Above, I wrote about changing your friends. I mean it! As a childcare boss, you’ve got to surround yourself with people who want to see you succeed! After a few years I realized this is what I needed to do in order to be successful. I actively seeked out my own cheer leading squad. They have got my back, and I’ve got theirs. I can ask their advice, I can tell them when I’ve achieved a goal, I can celebrate! All without fear of judgement. Best thing I ever did.
Not only do I now have a squad, but I’ve kicked fear to the curb. I don’t need to feel afraid about trying new business ideas out, or worry that I’ll be judged. Fear no longer plays a part. There’s no seat at the table for it. Bye Fear!
If you’re not sure where to find your squad, I’d recommend joining the free Childcare Ninjas Facebook group. Here you’ll find like-minded women who want to grow, learn and celebrate your success! It’s full of amazing childcare business owners at various stages of their careers and they’re waiting for you to join them…go on! What are you waiting for?
Baby steps
After you’ve worked on your mindset, you’ve got to make plans on where to go. The way to do this is baby steps. I started with one step, then another and another. It’s not as overwhelming when you’re moving in small steps!
Make a plan for each week and break it down into little chunks, you will be able to conquer those tasks. And every time you do tick something off or reach a milestone, the fear slips further and further away. It can’t get to you any more.
These are just a few of the ways I’ve pushed through the fear to achieve success. I’m now 13 years into running my business, I now own multiple childcare facilities, and I’m bringing in multiple six figures. I don’t say this to show off, I’m saying it to demonstrate that YOU CAN TOO! We’re made of the same stuff, you and I. And I can’t wait to see you achieve it.
I wonder if any of you have strategies for overcoming fear when it comes to your business? Feel free to leave a comment, I’d love to hear what you do!
If you’d like to know more, I have created some helpful videos and resources for you in my Childcare Ninja membership, to make your life a little easier, and to enable you to grow your childcare business into your own little empire.
Are you in the Childcare Ninja Facebook group yet? We are an army of childcare professionals who are sharing ninja-sharp skills to transform our businesses into childcare empires! This is Childcare Ownership all Grownup! Interested in becoming a part of the community? Join us for more tips on how to make your childcare business the success it deserves to be!
by admin | Jun 12, 2020 | Blog, Uncategorized
Being a childcare business owner comes with a lot of responsibility. Not only do you have the precious loved ones of parents at the center of your business, you’ve got a plethora of childcare professionals to care for. So how can you help your team become the childcare rock stars they’re destined to be?
Since I’ve been running my childcare business for over 13 years, you’ll know I have learned A LOT in that time. In all honesty, I’ve made countless mistakes, but I’ve also helped numerous childcare workers achieve their goals! And I try to make sure I learn from every slip up, so that it doesn’t happen again.
One thing I’ve been successful at over the years is building a great team to work with me. I have developed strategies and leadership skills that allow me to support them and help them grow.
Here are a few of the ways you can do this too, to help your team flourish:
Help your team notice their strengths and weaknesses
Get to know your employees in the workplace. Sounds cheesy, but identifying their strengths and weaknesses is the key to unlocking the potential of each member of your team. Spend time with them playing with the daycare children, observe the way they interact with others and how they carry themselves. Are they confident? Do they feel able to ask for help?
Paying attention to your team’s strengths and weaknesses means you can provide them with support in all the right places. You can seek out opportunities for professional development training where needed and do it in a positive way. As a Childcare Ninja, one of your most important jobs is to detect these strengths and weaknesses, then use that knowledge to propel their productivity and get them on board.
Part of this is actually being honest about your own strengths and weaknesses with your team. Learning together can be a massive turning point! Talk about your own journey and let them see it’s okay to recognize where you need to do the work, but it’s also great to celebrate how far you’ve come.
Give your team wings to fly
Being a business owner is a fine balance of wanting to have control, but also letting go. I get it. Your business is your baby. You’ve put in hours and want to make sure everything is managed PERFECTLY. I know. I hear you! But the problem with this comes when you’ve got to take an unforeseen break – say, an emergency with your mom – and you’ve got to let someone else take the reins. Firstly, you’ve got to have systems in place for if this does happen. Secondly, you need to know your team will cope okay without you.
So, while you’ve got the opportunity, allow members of your team the opportunity to grow. Let them take on tasks you might normally reserve for yourself. Give them the chance to be creative in their problem solving before you step in. Help your team help themselves! When you see how brilliant they are in situations, you’ll be able to rest easy when the time comes for an operation (or even – GASP! – a holiday).
Show your team that you care
Working in childcare is hard. Especially when you’re new to it and you’re young and learning constantly. Do you remember? Was there a manager or childcare owner who went the extra mile to support you? I didn’t really experience this, so I do my utmost to be the change I want to see! I want to create a culture of kindness in my daycare centers, for both the children AND the staff.
Before you freak out, I’m not saying we all go on spa breaks together and play team building games in lunch breaks! I’d just say that there’s a real need for us as business owners to set a good example. Let’s be creative with incentives to get the team working together for a common cause. A little friendly competition here and there, like a Bake Off or a poster design. A “Random Acts of Kindness” tree in the staff room is a lovely touch I’ve seen before.
And most of all, take time to show them that you care. I love writing my team cute hand written notes, so they know I’m thinking of them. A little kindness really does go a long long way. And they’ll remember how you treated them, hopefully going on to lead as you’ve done when the time comes.
I hope this has shown you how to lead your team to become the rock stars they’ve always meant to be! Let me know in the comments if you have any other tactics to share. I’m always keen to develop my leadership skills and continue my own Childcare Ninja journey!
Before you go, have you found the Childcare Ninja Facebook group yet? We are an army of childcare professionals who are sharing ninja-sharp skills to transform our businesses into childcare empires! This is Childcare Ownership all Grownup! Interested in becoming a part of the community? Join us for more tips on how to make your childcare business the success it deserves to be! And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram!
by admin | May 22, 2020 | Blog, Uncategorized
As childcare business owners it is super important that we promote our businesses all the time. We are the business! So we need to learn how to put ourselves and our businesses into the spotlight. This will bring you all the success you’ve been dreaming of.
So how do you get the word out to the neighborhood about your brand new childcare business? What’s the best way to reach the entire community and get a buzz going before you’ve even opened your doors?
Here are 3 tips on how to spotlight for success in your new childcare business:
1. Start sharing before you open
Before you’ve got clients and before you’re anywhere near ready to open the doors to your new childcare business, you need to start spreading the word. You want to build up a buzz. Get people having conversations about your new business.
Talk about your exciting new challenge and share your journey. This is where social media is brilliant. Put up posts saying “Coming Soon” and share some details about what it is you’re doing – highlight the unique and the memorable. Generate some interest through your social network.
When you go to pick up your own children from school, make time to chat to parents and teachers about your new business venture. They’ll take an interest because they know you, and they’ll spread the word for you without any effort.
If you can, get your logo and contact details put on your car. I had mine put on our minivan, and I’d get leads from people who’d seen it parked at the mall, or when it was outside the church. It’s all about visibility! Think outside the box to shine a spotlight on your new biz.
2. Build rapport
It’s time to really put some effort into building rapport with other businesses. These relationships are crucial to building a successful childcare business. Not only do you want to be developing connections with schools, you should reach out to other childcare providers. There’s room for everyone. Do this by sharing your resources – maybe you’ve found a cool website or printables they might find helpful? You can help each other out by offering to send people their way when you’re full (or the client is not a good fit for you) and vice versa.
It’s not only educators that you should build a rapport with. Think about those businesses in the neighborhood who work with parents and families. Stores, libraries, bus drivers…How can you connect with them?
A great personal example is one of my neighbors. He is in real estate. We’re not friends, just acquaintances, but because he’s seen me out and about with my daycare kids, he knows I’m good at what I do. So, when he shows a new family around, he mentions my services. I never asked him to do this, but whenever we’ve met on the street I’m always polite and ask how he and his family are. These personal recommendations are vital!
3. Don’t sleep the old school
Just because we’re in a digital age, doesn’t mean you should only focus on online spotlighting! Don’t discount the old school strategies of promo. There’s a lot to be said for putting a flyer through your neighborhood doors! It reaches the grandparents and elderly relatives who will then pass on the news about your new childcare business opening to their family members who might be in need of help. Social media doesn’t reach this generation, so going door to door, having conversations and sharing the news is a great way of spreading the word!
You can take out adverts or write short articles for your community newsletter or local newspaper. You’ll be surprised how effective this can be. And don’t forget that having business cards is still a thing! They’re cheap to have made and super easy to leave in places that people will see them. I’ve lost count of the number of families who’ve picked up my cards in the bank or at the grocery store and given me a call!
I hope these strategies will help you take action and you’ll now go out and spread the word about your brand new childcare business!
The world needs what you’ve got to offer.
Don’t shy away from the spotlight!
Interested in becoming a part of the community? Join us for more tips on how to make your childcare business the success it deserves to be! The content you’ll have at your fingertips is unique to childcare businesses, because I was tired of joining groups for advice, but finding it irrelevant to my needs. So here we are! A one-stop shop for Childcare Ninjas!
Have you taken my Childcare Ninja quiz yet? And don’t forget that I also have a free Facebook community for childcare providers. Check it out here.
by admin | May 15, 2020 | Blog, Uncategorized
The majority of us starting out in this industry are beginning on a tight budget. Unless you’ve got huge savings or an investor – lucky you! – you’re going to be developing your childcare business with limited cash. So I thought you’d find it helpful if I shared some ideas of how to save money without risking the professional look and feel of your business.
Here are three ways you can begin to grow a wildly successful childcare business on a budget:
1. Plan the flow on a budget
Now is the time to sit down and think about how do you want your childcare to run. What kind of childcare is it going to be? What exactly will you be offering parents? When I first opened up, I decided I’d offer something that other day care centers weren’t – 24 hour care and weekends too. I knew I’d be setting up as a home childcare, so I needed to make it unique and fun, as well as homely. What will your specialty be?
You can write down goals for the future, but for the time being, you’ve got to focus on what is feasible right now. There’s no point overspending on activities or resources that’ll drain your cash and leave you struggling later in the year. So plan activities to your budget.
One of the ways I did this was making exciting trips to different parks with the children in my care. We ventured further than their local play parks, instead taking sentimental trips to my old childhood park on the other side of town. The kids love going on adventures to new places, and your bank account will love it even more!
If trips to the Science Museum are not feasible right now at the start of your business, do science experiments at home in the garden or in the local park. Make a rain gauge or a sun dial with the kids to put outside, or make some erupting art! Kids love fun and are oblivious to your budget! However, you can aim for bigger things once you’re established!
2. Search for closures
This sounds a bit strange, but hear me out! There are always going to be dentists, doctors, offices and other places closing down, so while you’re on a tight budget, keep a look out. Often these closures mean there’s tons of furniture and other resources – even toys!
When I first set up my home childcare business, a friend of mine came by one day with a cute table and chair set that he’d received from his job (which at the time was a doctor’s office that was remodeling). With a little love and attention, it looked fantastic set up for my kids to play games on or with some coloring activities laid out on it!
And I know plenty of childcare owners who get ahold of some awesome second hand Lego and other sought after toys for an absolute bargain because they’ve taken time to read ads in local papers, spent Saturday mornings traipsing round yard sales or local garage sales. Being thrifty is an excellent way of staying on budget and there’s absolutely no shame in it!
3. Get crafty with some D.I.Y
This is a chance to get really creative!
I’ve already mentioned my little table set upcycling project, but there have been many since! And I love getting the kids involved too! We’ve done decoupaging with photos of all the kids who’ve gone through my childcare over the years; covering table tops with the images and protecting with a couple of layers of PVA glue.
Check out local builders merchants and traders, who might have excess pallets they’re looking to shift. And wow, there are so many ideas online for making fun things with pallets! You could try your hand at making a buddy bench for the garden, or even a wendy house for imaginative play! I love the idea of getting the children to join in the fun and paint. And older ones are capable of using tools when they’re supervised and are taught how to use them properly. Think of all the joy and pride they’d have using furniture they’ve made themselves!
And once you’re more established, you can branch out and get other people to build fun talking point pieces for your childcare. A couple of years ago, I was able to have a whole market play center built by a local craftsman, and it is still going strong! And the kids who attend and their parents love it. People sometimes even ask me, “are you the day care with the cool play market?” and I’m like, “aaaaah yes we are!”.
I hope you can see now that being on a budget doesn’t mean you’re not able to be awesome. You just have to think outside the box and get really creative with the little you have. And the passion you show by spending time creating a schedule that your kids will love and learn from will come across. By using your free time to make upcycled furniture you’re going to demonstrate to families how much you care!
Are you in the Childcare Ninja Facebook group yet? We are an army of childcare professionals who are sharing ninja-sharp skills to transform our businesses into childcare empires! This is Childcare Ownership all Grownup! Interested in becoming a part of the community? Join us for more tips on how to make your childcare business the success it deserves to be!
