| In Part 1 of setting up a new Nursery we looked at | | | | nurseries, pre schools, kindergartens and day care |
| how important researching the Nursery market was | | | | centres in the area all wanting the provide a service to |
| along with making sure you get your finances right | | | | the same children and parents as you. |
| from the very beginning. | | | | So what can you do to make your Nursery stand out |
| This next instalment will deal with 2 further issues that | | | | from crowd? And what shouldn't you do? Here are |
| anyone looking to open their own nursery, Pre School, | | | | just a few tips: |
| kindergarten or day care centre needs to know. They | | | | Make sure you:a. Focus on the benefits not the |
| are Business Plans and your Competitors. | | | | features of your Nursery and tell parents and anyone |
| 1. Nursery Business Plans | | | | with an interest in your new Nursery how they would |
| Your Business Plan really goes hand in hand with | | | | benefit from using you. If you have a new purpose built |
| market research and finances. Do your research so | | | | Nursery then explain exactly what this means - your |
| you know how many children your new Nursery is | | | | children will be safe and secure and will benefit from |
| going to have as this will have a direct effect on how | | | | the latest learning tools.b. Have a unique selling point |
| many staff you need, what size premises you need | | | | (USP). As a new start nursery standing out from your |
| and how much you can charge parents. And ultimately | | | | competitors will be vital. Your USP might be your |
| how much money you need to borrow. | | | | location, it might be the quality and qualifications of your |
| When it comes to writing Business Plans many people | | | | staff or it might be that your have extremely |
| over forecast what the first year is likely to bring. You | | | | competitive rates or low staff to child ratios. Whatever |
| have to be realistic in that if this is your first venture | | | | it is - tell everyone and make sure you constantly tell |
| into owning and running your own nursery it will take | | | | them. |
| time for people to become aware of what you have | | | | And when it comes to your competitors:c. Don't tell |
| to offer. Work hard in the first 12 months and you | | | | people how bad your competitors are. Instead just |
| could well have a full nursery at the end of year one. | | | | focus on the positives of using your new Nursery and |
| Don't assume you're going to full from day one though | | | | let the people decide.d. Don't forget that you can learn |
| and make sure this is reflected in your Business Plan. | | | | from them. If they do something well then do it as well |
| And how are you actually going to get children into | | | | - but do it better.e. Remember that to stand out from |
| your Nursery? | | | | your competitors you can join trade associations, |
| Include in your business plan a simple marketing | | | | become involved with the local community, chamber of |
| strategy like a SWOT analysis to show people how | | | | commerce or make sure the service providers you |
| serious you are about your new venture. A SWOT | | | | use are experts in their fields. |
| analysis looks at your Strengths, Weaknesses, | | | | One such nursery expert can be your Insurance |
| Opportunities and Threats. | | | | Broker. They can provide you with risk management |
| Your strengths might be your location or your vast | | | | advice and make sure your new nursery, your staff |
| experience of the Nursery World. Your opportunities | | | | and your children are protected and have peace of |
| might be that having checked the census you know | | | | mind. |
| there will be a real demand for Nursery places in your | | | | A fact of life is that accidents can and do sometimes |
| location. | | | | happen. Make sure you get Nursery Insurance that is |
| Your weaknesses might include that you're a new | | | | tailored to your new nurseries needs. Business |
| start business whilst your threats are likely to include | | | | Insurance for nurseries (even new nurseries) doesn't |
| other nurseries, pre schools, kindergartens and day | | | | have to complicated so get advice and guidance from |
| care centres. | | | | a nursery insurance broker and make sure your new |
| Ultimately your goal with be to turn your weaknesses | | | | nursery, pre school, kindergarten or day care centre |
| and threats into strengths and opportunities and on that | | | | starts as you mean to go on. |
| note let's look at one of your main threats - your | | | | In the final part of Setting up a new Nursery - Avoid |
| competitors. | | | | the common mistakes when starting up in the Nursery |
| 2. Your Competitors | | | | World we'll look at some top tips to make sure your |
| Unless your extremely lucky you're likely to have other | | | | nursery opening goes to plan. |