For many day care centers, marketing and advertising plays a vital role in the daily operation of their business. Unfortunately, in today's rapidly changing economy, many services do not have the option of spending large amounts of money to market their day care center. On the other hand, there are ways to reach possible clients on a shoestring fund. Taking the time to form a marketing plan will help you reach your goal of maintaining a fully enrolled day care center.

You have to choose a name for you day care business. The reason is that your name is the first thing parents notice about your day care center. So make a name that matches your philosophy and feelings about caring for young children. You can select a name that reflects the fun side of child care or you can name your business after yourself. After that, register with your state's local child care resource and referral agency as they provide referrals for parents looking for quality day care in your area. Also visit your local department of family and children's services as this is the first stop for many parents looking for a day care center. They provide free or minimum priced day care coupon for working parents that meet the income limits set by the state. Ask about leaving your flyers and business cards with the social workers at your local office.

Have business cards made and keep them with you all the time. There are a lot of resources online where you can have business cards made for a reasonable price. Once you have produced your business cards, pass them out at local real estate offices, dentist and pediatrician's offices, as well as in the local library. Spread the word about your day care center as word of mouth is your most cost efficient form of advertising.

Stopover at the schools in your area and leave your name and telephone number to the people working in the office. This is helpful if you plan to offer an after school or summer camp at you day care center. You can also visit local churches and inquire about any mother's groups they might hold at their facility. You can also get the help of your friends and family to pass out flyers and business cards to the people they work and socialize with on a daily basis. Create flyers that you can place around the neighborhood. Include information such as your hours of operation, what meals are included in your fee, the size of your play area and whether your staff is a CPR and first aid certified. You can put the flyers on the windshield of cars, and bulletin boards located at churches, supermarkets and gyms.

Remember that parents are very guarded when it comes to choosing a day care facility. Making sure that your day care business is clean on the inside or out will go a long way in making a parent feel more comfortable leaving their child under your care.