Well, the cutoff for sign ups for my newborn baby care class is this coming Friday. I went in to the office to get the key to the classroom today and the lady told me that they emailed this flyer to 900 state/government employees and NOT ONE PERSON has responded. I just don't know what the deal is. No one has signed up for the Happiest Baby classes yet either. Although, the cut off date for that isn't until May 11th. I just feel so frustrated today. I feel like I keep working and working to get the word out and my name out there and just keep running into brick walls. I will include an attachment of the baby care class flyer with this and you all look over it and see if there could be a problem....is the price too high, too many topics covered, etc. I just don't know what the problem might have been. Please help!
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"Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get." -- Dave Gardner
Gosh, I think the price is great! Where have you advertised--or what type of clients are you trying to reach...and big s--I can so understand your frustration. Your hard work will pay off soon!
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"If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals". ~J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Gosh, I think the price is great! Where have you advertised--or what type of clients are you trying to reach...and big s--I can so understand your frustration. Your hard work will pay off soon!
I didn't personally advertise anywhere because this was mass emailed to government/state employees since I am teaching in a classroom in the agricultural building. They looked over my flyer, approved it, and then emailed it out, to what I was told to be 900 employees. That is why I didn't do any advertising myself. The room I was going to teach in could only comfortably hold about 7-8 couples, so I didn't want to get too many people sign up and have to schedule them at another time, since I don't know when I can fit another time in yet, kwim? Anyway -- I thought the price was fair too, but who knows. I can't believe I haven't gotten just one bite from it....
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"Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get." -- Dave Gardner
I feel for you Dottie....thats why I am procrastinating. I am so scared of doing all of this work and getting nothing!
I think you really need to advertise where you will actually get the attention of new parents.
Then just keep going, word of mouth is the greatest thing.
And ya my experience with gov't employees is that they get so many things crossing their desk and email, that unless they are specifically looking for what you offer they won't even notice. Put flyers up where new moms are. grocery stores, clinics, moms groups at the Y, dance classes......
Thats what i have to get my butt doing to.
Love ya and you really are doing great things for your community!
This Member Says "Thanks!" to doula Michele For This Post:
I second what Michele said, put the fliers up around town yourself. I know my library lets you leave fliers, the supermarket, laundromat, YMCA, Peds offices, GP offices. If you think about it, out of the 900 employees that it was emailed to, how many are expecting or have a new baby? And they are probably so overwhelmed with emails, they might not have even looked at it since it wasn't pertaining to work issues.
Liz
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Elizabeth, CHBE
CAPPA trained postpartum doula
Currently training with CBI for my Lactation Counselor Certification!
This Member Says "Thanks!" to ScootchsMom For This Post:
Dottie,
It is hard. We sometimes have classes that never run - it is hard to see that happen. It can take time to get classes known and the word of mouth to spread. I agree with others on targeting specific venues that parents visit to broaden the field a bit.
I think your flyer is good. Maybe try writing something about what they will get out of the workshop and why it might be of value to them.
Big hugs
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Shawna Lewkowitz, M.Ed., CD (DONA), CPD(CAPPA), LCCE
and
very proud mama to 2 amazing little girls
This Member Says "Thanks!" to syncreo For This Post:
I totally understand the brick wall thing. I am having one of those weeks too. I feel worn out from all the work and not reaping the rewards. Keep the faith. If you build it they will come!
Heather
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However, was the information on how to register, your contact info (who the instructor is) and also where the class held listed somewhere else? I think those would be things that would be important and I didn't notice them on the flyer. I am guessing they were part of the email and not on the flyer though???
I think it is good to put the day of the week on things listing dates too, as you look at something sometimes and see it is in the day and think oh I can't do it during the day not realizing it is a Saturday.
Was it just emailed once or more? Sometimes seeing things again reminds people "oh yeah I meant to talk to my wife about that."
However, was the information on how to register, your contact info (who the instructor is) and also where the class held listed somewhere else? I think those would be things that would be important and I didn't notice them on the flyer. I am guessing they were part of the email and not on the flyer though???
I think it is good to put the day of the week on things listing dates too, as you look at something sometimes and see it is in the day and think oh I can't do it during the day not realizing it is a Saturday.
Was it just emailed once or more? Sometimes seeing things again reminds people "oh yeah I meant to talk to my wife about that."
Good Luck!
-Annie
The information on how to register, etc. was on the flyer that was emailed. That was not the final flyer that went out. All except the info. was on there. As far as I know it was only emailed once....could be part of the problem. It is a learning process as we go. Had I thought about it I would have put more flyers out myself....I just didn't want to get too many people sign up for it and not have the time to do it. Thanks for all of the encouragments!!
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Yeah... I have to agree that the biggest problem was probably because it was sent out via email. It's hard for us to believe (computer geeks ), but most aren't into the email thing as much as many of us are. I know that at the midwifery where I do reception, we get a lot of faxes and emails that we just delete once we see the subject title, once we see that it's not a lab report or something from the hospital or a client. People at work just don't usually have the time to sort through the email to see what is bad junk and what might be actually interesting. Sorry; I know that your class isn't "junk"!
Actual, physical flyers and mailed postcards would probably work best. Now, we have put up a postcard or flyer on the board that we've received via physical mail at the midwifery! You could also put a notice in the newspaper. Dottie! I'm sure you'll soon discover what works best in your area, and you'll have students coming and loving your classes!
It is real tough what's been happening. I feel for you because I'm going through the same thing right now and the disappointment is huge. I also set up and sent out info for a course and no-one got back to me.
What I've decided to do next time is send out personal ionvitations to groups where mom's are likely to go to like preggie yoga classes, baby stores etc. and have them put them up on their boards so mo9m's can see them and respond directly.
Feedback I got from previous flyers was that when I stated that space was limited it scared of some prospective clients because they hought they probably were to late and so didn't even try.
But then again some call right up to the last moment.
I hope that all the support and advice are helping you see a ray of light and a new direction.
If it was e-mailed as an attachment, probably 99.9% of the recipients just hit delete. Seriously, what's the primary rule for avoiding e-mail viruses and worms?
NEVER open attachments that are sent out to everyone from someone you don't know well.
No way would I have opened a generic message with an attachment. Period.
So even being optimistic that 10% of those who received the e-mail opened it. That's only 90 people. And how many of those 90 will be in your target audience? Not that many. But again, let's be optimistic and say 10% of those who opened it are expecting moms or dads. How many of those 9 people will be first-timers? And how many of those first timers will feel like they need a class?
In spite of what the spammers seem to think, e-mail is a crappy way to advertise. I agree with everyone else - you need to market better - more to your target audience and via non-e-mail marketing.
This Member Says "Thanks!" to UtahDoula For This Post:
I was also thinking, Is that Mother's Day weekend?
Yes it is -- I didn't realize that until after everything was already in the works for the class and the flyer was already done. Now I am seeing all of this stuff in hindsight. Ya know what they say about hindsight??? It sure is true! I guess I will try to have the newborn baby care class another time and just focus on trying to get the word out in different ways about my Happiest Baby Class. Thanks so much for all of the help and encouragement ladies. As always, you all are the best!!
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"Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get." -- Dave Gardner
Well, the cutoff for sign ups for my newborn baby care class is this coming Friday. I went in to the office to get the key to the classroom today and the lady told me that they emailed this flyer to 900 state/government employees and NOT ONE PERSON has responded. I just don't know what the deal is. No one has signed up for the Happiest Baby classes yet either. Although, the cut off date for that isn't until May 11th. I just feel so frustrated today. I feel like I keep working and working to get the word out and my name out there and just keep running into brick walls. I will include an attachment of the baby care class flyer with this and you all look over it and see if there could be a problem....is the price too high, too many topics covered, etc. I just don't know what the problem might have been. Please help!
Well, I can tell you that we have been offering the Happiest Baby at my hospital for 2+ yrs now and I am finally seeing consistent people coming to class. The first year the classes were almost always cancelled which was so hard for me to handle and I was ready to give up. This year we have just had our second class and I again had a good number - 10 people (and two babies)
Don't give up and please try to remember that it takes consistency for people to see something that is out there before they sign up.
This Member Says "Thanks!" to tlcdoula For This Post:
I am getting disheartened and frustrated!
s--I can so understand your frustration. Your hard work will pay off soon!
Quote:
), but most aren't into the email thing as much as many of us are. I know that at the midwifery where I do reception, we get a lot of faxes and emails that we just delete once we see the subject title, once we see that it's not a lab report or something from the hospital or a client. People at work just don't usually have the time to sort through the email to see what is bad junk and what might be actually interesting. Sorry; I know that your class isn't "junk"! 
You could also put a notice in the newspaper. 
Dottie! I'm sure you'll soon discover what works best in your area, and you'll have students coming and loving your classes! 
I guess I will try to have the newborn baby care class another time and just focus on trying to get the word out in different ways about my Happiest Baby Class. Thanks so much for all of the help and encouragement ladies. As always, you all are the best!!
