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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2020, both parents were employed in 59.8% of families with children. This indicates a huge demand for professional daycare services and an enormous potential for daycare businesses.
But like with every other business, there is no guarantee of success. How you approach the business and the skills you have will determine whether it works out or not. To give you a start, here are five tips. For your eyes only!
1. Get the Right Licenses
Before beginning operation, get licenses that allow you to run a daycare business. To find out the federal and state requirements you must meet to attain a license, check out the national database for child care licensing regulations.
Issues covered in the regulations involve the staff-to-child ratio, supervision of kids, the safety of the building, and the number of children allowed in a group. Knowing these requirements beforehand enables you to plan a business that’s legally compliant from the get-go.
2. Take Early Childhood Development Classes
It’s not a requirement, but both you and your business will benefit from taking classes in early childhood development. Understanding children and their needs is a good step towards developing a business model that provides the care parents expect.
Plus, having a certification in childcare shows parents that you’re genuinely invested in their child’s wellbeing, so they’ll be more comfortable entrusting their kids to you.
The best part about this is that you can easily take an early childhood care course online, so you can easily fit classes into your schedule.
3. Establish Policies and Procedures
To ensure the smooth operation of your business, establish policies and procedures to be followed by parents and staff.
Before accepting any child, agree with parents on these policies, so there are no misunderstandings or conflicts in the future. This is especially important regarding issues such as cases of sick children, accidents, services provided, and pick-up time.
Every staff member should be aware of the right protocols and procedures to follow in different situations when they’re handling kids.
With these policies in place, you’ll be able to avoid incidents that negatively affect daily operations or ruin your business’s reputation.
4. Ask for Feedback
Parents want the best services for their kids, and they’re more likely to trust a daycare provider if others have recommended them.
Therefore, ask for feedback from your customers, and then use it as proof for your target audience. Have your existing parents submit their reviews on sites such as Yelp and Google, where others can find them easily.
More parents will feel confident in your services if you get good reviews and readily bring their kids to your center.
5. Go Digital
89% of internet users use search engines to look for local businesses. A third of these do so daily. And if they find that a company has no online presence, more than half quickly disregard it. This means that if your daycare business is not online, you’re losing out to your competitors big time. Getting your business online is as simple as starting a website to share information about your services.
On your website, provide all the information curious parents might be looking for before deciding to engage you. Your website can also be a vital part of your marketing, with elements such as SEO making you more visible to local parents when they search for daycares online.
The Path to Success for Your Daycare
Taking care of kids can be rewarding, but it can get frustrating fast if the business end of things is not built on a solid foundation. With the right resources and adequate preparation, you can satisfy your customers and ensure compliance with the law. Other than that, adequate planning will enhance smooth operations and set you on the path to success.
