How to Get Clients as a New Childcare Provider or Nanny Agency Owner
Starting a childcare business or nanny agency can be challenging, especially when trying to attract consistent leads. After over a year of research and conversations with more than a hundred childcare professionals, childminders, nanny agency owners, and recruitment specialists, I’ve found one common issue: the struggle to generate steady leads.
From my experience running a 7-figure services agency, here’s what I’ve learned:
What You Don’t Need When Starting Out:
If you’re not generating at least £100,000 annually, you don’t need the following:
- A fancy multi-page website
- Your own domain
- Google Ads
- A funnel (if you know what that is)
- A logo
- Billing package software
- SEO (do you really need someone 3,000 kilometers away to find you?)
Many people waste time and money on these things, hoping they’ll magically bring in clients. These are just tools, and they should be implemented once your business starts making money—not before. You can’t just flip on Google Ads and expect clients to flood in.
Focus on the Basics First
Without the fundamentals in place, like understanding your ideal client and how to serve them, even the best marketing won’t help. You need a solid foundation before worrying about fancy tools and strategies.
Essential Steps to Attract Clients
- Identify Your Ideal Client
- Who are they?
- What outcomes are they seeking?
- What are their pain points and frustrations?
- What do they want for their children, and what can they afford?
Knowing this allows you to position yourself in a way that attracts the right clients. Don’t waste time on clients who see childcare as a commodity and only care about the lowest price.
- Start Small and Build Relationships Successful childcare providers didn’t begin with massive client lists. They started with a handful of loyal clients by genuinely asking what parents needed. They listened and over-delivered.For example, my first client meeting was supposed to last 20 minutes, but I spent 2.5 hours listening to their childcare concerns. I undercharged and over-delivered, gaining a glowing testimonial in the process. This built trust and opened the door to more clients.
- Offer Exceptional Value Early On Underpricing your services for the first few clients may sound counterintuitive, but those glowing 5-star reviews will be worth thousands in future business. Aim for excellence, not just profit, when starting out.
A Simple Recipe for Getting New Clients
Here’s what you really need to start attracting clients, without spending thousands:
- Single Page Website
- Keep it simple. Explain your basic services, availability, and how to contact you.
- Include snippets from conversations you’ve had with parents that highlight what they value in a childcare provider.
- Introductory Video
- Record a 60-second video explaining who you are and what you offer.
- This helps parents see the person who might be watching their children—building trust and connection.
- It doesn’t take long to do; in fact, my own video took just over 4 minutes to script, practice, and record.
- Booking Calendar
- Make it easy for clients to see your availability and rates.
- Reviews & Testimonials
- Reviews are one of your most powerful tools. Start with just two or three, but aim for more over time.
- Reviews show new clients the value you provide and help build credibility.
- FAQs
- Address common concerns parents have when choosing a childcare provider.
- Use questions from real conversations with past clients to populate this section.
- Social Media Links (Optional)
- If you’re active on social media and want to share, include these links. However, they aren’t necessary when starting out.
Conclusion: The Path to Success
Getting started in the childcare industry doesn’t require fancy tools, expensive ads, or an elaborate website. Begin by truly understanding your client’s needs, over-delivering for a few, and using their reviews to build credibility. With these basics in place, everything else will begin to fall into place.
If you’d like a sample of what a simple, effective single-page website looks like, check out Essex Night Nannies.
And if you’re looking for more strategies, download our free “Get More Clients for Nanny Agency Owners” cheat sheet!
