How to Start a Child Day Care Business 1-2-3
A day care business can be filled with lots of down-to-earth fun - not your typical job. No wonder this
is such a popular field to get into.
Of course there are the basics to starting a day care, but first think about how you can make your business
more enjoyable for both you and your clients. This will set your service apart from other child care services
in the neighborhood who will be competing with you.
For example, would you prefer to work day times, evening or weekends? Do you want to operate a small daycare
and work independently, or grow your business larger and hire several employees?
What age of children do you want to cater to (maybe provide service for an age group that is not found in
your area)? Do you want to provide additional services for parents that they can't find at other day cares.
Describe your ideal business and daily routine - your success will largely depend on how much you enjoy your
business.
There are more families with both parents working full-time jobs, and there is a growing number of single
parents in the work force who are unable to be with their kids throughout the day. So it makes sense that the
demand for child care has increased.
You're likely to find many opportunities to provide childcare service, but with the increased demand comes
parents with a greater awareness of health and safety issues - so you want to make sure that you're prepared
before you enter this business.
So... how to begin your child care business?
- Learn your trade - research child day cares in your area - what activities do they offer? What
features do parents want from a day care and what are their concerns? Interview successful day care
business owners or invest in a basic day care business start-up guide that shows you how to plan daily
activities, set policies and procedures and determine prices to charge clients. Understanding the
"business" side of day care before you start will make your business much easier to run.
- Find your customers. Since people want their children in the care of someone they trust, referral
marketing is the quickest and most effective way to bring in new customers. Word-of-mouth advertising can
work fast, so alert everyone you know, and get involved in community volunteer activities, so more people
get to know and trust you. Creating printed brochures and business cards will also give you a professional
image and help build trust.
- Call your local government office (city or county) to find out which licenses or permits you need, and
they can give you instructions on how to apply. Talk with an insurance agent and banker (you can get
referrals from other local business owners or friends) to get helpful tips on insurance requirements and
basic business management that will save you time, money and hassles in the long run. Even if you don't
plan on setting up a large company, it's worthwhile to meet with knowledgeable advisors who can alert you
to important business information you may not know.
If done right, owning your own child day care business can be very rewarding - for you, the children and the
parents. With a day care, you can start small, and grow at a pace comfortable to you. Learn as you go and have
fun with it - after all, it's YOUR business!
This business start-up guide leads you step-by-step through starting your own Daycare Center. You get real,
valuable, sound advice and practical guidance for starting your own successful child care business.
See what you get >>
- Find out business requirements, how to set prices and how to get a tax deduction when running a daycare
out of your home
- Save Time: How to plan your daily schedule, planning activities for children and
how to keep your clients happy
- Save Money: 40 daycare forms, worksheets, business letters and examples you can use
for your daycare
- Increase Your Profits: 84 ways to advertise and grow your child care business
- Get it Risk-Free >> How to Start a Daycare
Business
How do You Get Customers?
"Referrals" are the answer - but there's an easier, actually fun way to go about it. You may be
surprised.
Here's How: David Frey is one of my favorite small business marketing experts. He's always finding creative
ways to grow a small business, and usually his tactics are free and really simple.
He never ceases to amaze me, so much that I'm glued to his video newsletter every single month. He has put
all of his referral-getting strategies in a package, perfect for day care business owners. It's awesome, and
you can see his free video about it here >> Instant Referral
System.
See also: How to Find Local Customers Online using online directories
Day Care Business Resources:
Hire Help the Easy Way:
Easily find a team of experts to help you build your business - virtually. Save money in overhead
costs, get work done more quickly and eliminate payroll hassles.
- Website Designers and Software Developers
- Marketers, Salespeople and Telemarketers
- Accounting and Bookkeeping Assistants
- People to handle Customer Service and Administrative Tasks
- oDesk makes outsourcing easy and affordable so you can grow your business faster.
- Get a Free Tour, Post a Job
Another Way to Cut Your Daycare Business Expenses:
Any time you cut business expenses, you have the opportunity to increase your returns. This "formula"
can apply when you're first launching your start-up, or in your company's day-to-day business operations. Most
smart day care businesses are on constant lookout for ways they can run their businesses more efficiently,
which often comes down to cutting costs.
In today's struggling and unpredictable economic market, it makes even more sense to watch one's pocketbook.
This is probably why bartering is becoming so popular. In fact, lots of barter exchange websites like
BizXchange have popped up to assist "barterers" find the products or services they need,
and then easily transact the exchange. See More About How You Can Barter
Day Care Business Associations
- National Association of Childcare Professionals
The NACCP is the nation's leader among associations serving child care owners, directors, and
administrators. The organization's goal is to improve, enhance and strengthen the credibility of the people
who lead the child care industry by providing membership services and benefits
- Child Day Care Association
Child Day Care Association (CDCA) was founded in 1969 as a result of the deep interest of a number of child
care center directors in establishing a central organization for child care.
- National Association for Family Child Care
The National Association for Family Child Care is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting quality
child care by strengthening the profession of family child care.
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