How Can I Start My Babysitting Business?

Once you have completed your babysitting basics-such as CPR and First Aid Training and a babysitting course-you need to start letting families know that you are ready to babysit. Create a job profile on an online babysitting resource, such as Care.com. Leave a babysitting flyer in neighbors' mailboxes. Post an ad in local coffee shops, the library or Post Office, or in other stores where they have a business card board set up.

Also try using social media outlets. Share your ad on your Facebook page and Twitter. Ask your parents to send an email blast to all their friends and colleagues announcing your availability to babysit.

Check out the career centers and student newspapers at local colleges to see if nearby families are looking for help.

There are different ways you can advertise your babysitting services on Care.com. All babysitters 17 years-old or older can sign up for free to become listed as a "Basic Provider." Some babysitters who use Care.com may opt to pay for a membership to be listed as a "Premium Provider."

Premium Provider Membership: A Premium Provider Membership costs $20.00 per month. The membership includes an enhanced background check as well as a VIP notice of new jobs in any particular area. Premium Providers will be the first to find out about new jobs posted on Care.com. Plus, a Premium Provider will be ranked higher in the site's search results. That means when a family searches through babysitters listed on Care.com, your picture and profile will be one of the first they see. A Premium Provider Membership lets you contact even more families by reaching out to families in your area that may be looking for care but haven't yet posted a job. Ultimately, a Premium Provider Membership allows you to be more proactive in your job search.

Once your ad is up and running, prepare for the calls to come in. To run a successful babysitting business, you need to be organized! Call prospective families back in a timely fashion, be prepared to answer questions about yourself, and have a calendar ready to book a meet-and-greet interview. Buy a planner to organize your babysitting jobs and to keep a record of clients' contact information, addresses, even the kids' birthdays!

>>Have more babysitting questions? Return to the main Babysitting FAQs.