Stand Out From Your Competition

If you own your own business, one of theprogram with various learning activities and arts
important factors for being successful is to haveand crafts. A menu was prepared ahead of time
something that makes you stand out from yourand given to the parents at the start of each
competition. That applies to any business,month so that they would know exactly what
regardless if it is a product you sell or a servicetheir child would be eating each day. A form was
you provide. A perfect example is Geraldine'salso created and given to parents at the end of
story.each day that told them how well their child ate,
When Geraldine traded her 9 to 5 job in forhow long they napped, if they had a bowel
self-employment, she started a daycare servicemovement, and other important information
out of her home. Although Geraldine had neverabout their child's day to keep them informed. But
been a daycare provider before, her experienceshe didn't just stop there.
as a parent and the experiences she had withHaving been a working parent herself and a wife,
putting her own daughter in daycare when sheGeraldine knew just how hard it was to have
was working caused her to say to herself, "I cansome alone time with her husband without the
do this." Not only that, she knew she could do itkids. So a Parents Night Out program was included
better!where on one Saturday night out of each month
Through the various daycare services thatparents could drop their kids off between 5:00
Geraldine's daughter was enrolled in during the firstp.m. and 9:00 p.m. so that they could go out and
three years of her life, she learned quite a lothave some fun. The kids would have pizza and do
about what she liked and what she didn't like as asome fun activities. The parents loved it! Not only
parent.were they able to have some alone time, they
One thing she felt was missing was information ondidn't have to worry about who was taking care
what her child did each day. Unless she specificallyof their child, because they already knew
asked, she was never sure what or how well sheeverything about the daycare centre and knew
ate, how long she slept during nap time, if she hadtheir child was in good hands.
a bowel movement that day, or what kind ofOnce the first few clients started spreading the
activities she participated in. All Geraldine was everword about how wonderful this daycare program
really told was if she had a good day or not andwas, Geraldine filled all of her openings and even
what a joy she was. If Geraldine wanted anyhad a waiting list of parents who were anxious to
other information, she had to ask.fill any openings that might come available.
So when she decided to become a licensedThe secret of Geraldine's success was that she
daycare provider, Geraldine took the things shetook something she was passionate about and
liked and the things she did not like and used themknew well, and she made it her own by bringing
to create a unique daycare service that washer own flair and ideas to the business.
unlike any other.So if you own your own business and want to
The first thing Geraldine did was made up anincrease your success, think about providing an
informational packet for prospective clients thatadditional service or something extra that will
included all the information on her daycare.make it worth the buyer's time to purchase your
Anytime someone came over for an interview,product or service-that one extra step that
they were given the packet to take home and gomakes you stand out.
over.Copyright (c) 2010 Catherine Trebble. All Rights
The daycare program included a preschoolReserved.