I think you’re over complicating things. Something as simple as “my friend pulled her kid out of XYZ Montessori” or “i toured this preschool and it was messy” and so on.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are full, and I’m sure the Open Houses are to fill their upcoming spots for summer and next year. And before anyone starts policing me, I am a parent just looking to find care for my son. I know for a fact that competing schools give incentives for shit-talking other schools, Goddard Bethesda being one of them because my neighbor told me that she was offered an incentive and all she had to do was post on Facebook about goddard and two other schools. That’s some pretty shitty marketing ploys right there. Anonymity is fun because you can’t get caught but if you want the truth, ask to speak to some of their families no matter where you go.

What?! I've never in a million years heard that. Our Goddard location didn't do that at all.

Sorry PP here - goddard bethesda didn’t ask their parents to do that - other schools gave incentives to parents for trash talking goddard bethesda, the church preschool down the street, and one other Montessori one.

What?! They offered incentives if you trash talked a school on Facebook? I find that very hard to believe.

Which other schools give incentives to trash talk Goddard? What are the incentives? How did they decide who to offer it to?

This just doesn’t make any sense.

Word of mouth is powerful! Crappy practice and leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.

Word of mouth is pretty different than having people plant false Facebook posts. And you didn’t actually answer any of the questions raised.

Sorry, this still makes no sense and I can’t believe it went down as you described.

Are you kidding right now? Facebook reviews, online reviews etc is EXACTLY what word of mouth is. So Yes, Facebook reviews are word of mouth. Even if it’s true or false, planted or real, it’s still considered Word of Mouth Advertising. It’s cited in Nielsen that 68% of consumers trust online reviews from other consumers. So sorry, but you’re wrong.

I would think most people rely on talking to other parents to research daycares rather than looking at Facebook comments, but fine that is "word of mouth." A semantic debate about what counts as "word of mouth" is beside the point.

The point is I still can't fathom that daycares are incentivizing parents to make negative Facebook posts about other daycares.

Say my daycare asked me to post about another school. If I posted, that could show up in my and friends' feeds. My friends who know that my kid goes to daycare A are going to be pretty puzzled when I talk about daycare B. It wouldn't be worth whatever small payment/incentive my daycare could provide. I guess I could create a dummy Facebook post as if I were some Russian troll, but again that isn't going to be worth it. Plus, my (and most) daycares in this area are already full. Most don't advertise at all and, if they did, they would likely use traditional means of advertising -- not hiring people to trash their competitors.

It all just doesn't make sense. But, maybe the poster who claimed her friend heard about this will come back with more info.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are full, and I’m sure the Open Houses are to fill their upcoming spots for summer and next year. And before anyone starts policing me, I am a parent just looking to find care for my son. I know for a fact that competing schools give incentives for shit-talking other schools, Goddard Bethesda being one of them because my neighbor told me that she was offered an incentive and all she had to do was post on Facebook about goddard and two other schools. That’s some pretty shitty marketing ploys right there. Anonymity is fun because you can’t get caught but if you want the truth, ask to speak to some of their families no matter where you go.

What?! I've never in a million years heard that. Our Goddard location didn't do that at all.

Sorry PP here - goddard bethesda didn’t ask their parents to do that - other schools gave incentives to parents for trash talking goddard bethesda, the church preschool down the street, and one other Montessori one.

What?! They offered incentives if you trash talked a school on Facebook? I find that very hard to believe.

Which other schools give incentives to trash talk Goddard? What are the incentives? How did they decide who to offer it to?

This just doesn’t make any sense.

Word of mouth is powerful! Crappy practice and leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.

Word of mouth is pretty different than having people plant false Facebook posts. And you didn’t actually answer any of the questions raised.

Sorry, this still makes no sense and I can’t believe it went down as you described.

Are you kidding right now? Facebook reviews, online reviews etc is EXACTLY what word of mouth is. So Yes, Facebook reviews are word of mouth. Even if it’s true or false, planted or real, it’s still considered Word of Mouth Advertising. It’s cited in Nielsen that 68% of consumers trust online reviews from other consumers. So sorry, but you’re wrong.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are full, and I’m sure the Open Houses are to fill their upcoming spots for summer and next year. And before anyone starts policing me, I am a parent just looking to find care for my son. I know for a fact that competing schools give incentives for shit-talking other schools, Goddard Bethesda being one of them because my neighbor told me that she was offered an incentive and all she had to do was post on Facebook about goddard and two other schools. That’s some pretty shitty marketing ploys right there. Anonymity is fun because you can’t get caught but if you want the truth, ask to speak to some of their families no matter where you go.

What?! I've never in a million years heard that. Our Goddard location didn't do that at all.

Sorry PP here - goddard bethesda didn’t ask their parents to do that - other schools gave incentives to parents for trash talking goddard bethesda, the church preschool down the street, and one other Montessori one.

What?! They offered incentives if you trash talked a school on Facebook? I find that very hard to believe.

Which other schools give incentives to trash talk Goddard? What are the incentives? How did they decide who to offer it to?

This just doesn’t make any sense.

Word of mouth is powerful! Crappy practice and leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.

Word of mouth is pretty different than having people plant false Facebook posts. And you didn’t actually answer any of the questions raised.

Sorry, this still makes no sense and I can’t believe it went down as you described.

Don’t shoot the messenger, man! I can ask her and report back.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are full, and I’m sure the Open Houses are to fill their upcoming spots for summer and next year. And before anyone starts policing me, I am a parent just looking to find care for my son. I know for a fact that competing schools give incentives for shit-talking other schools, Goddard Bethesda being one of them because my neighbor told me that she was offered an incentive and all she had to do was post on Facebook about goddard and two other schools. That’s some pretty shitty marketing ploys right there. Anonymity is fun because you can’t get caught but if you want the truth, ask to speak to some of their families no matter where you go.

What?! I've never in a million years heard that. Our Goddard location didn't do that at all.

Sorry PP here - goddard bethesda didn’t ask their parents to do that - other schools gave incentives to parents for trash talking goddard bethesda, the church preschool down the street, and one other Montessori one.

What?! They offered incentives if you trash talked a school on Facebook? I find that very hard to believe.

Which other schools give incentives to trash talk Goddard? What are the incentives? How did they decide who to offer it to?

This just doesn’t make any sense.

Word of mouth is powerful! Crappy practice and leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.

Word of mouth is pretty different than having people plant false Facebook posts. And you didn’t actually answer any of the questions raised.

Sorry, this still makes no sense and I can’t believe it went down as you described.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are full, and I’m sure the Open Houses are to fill their upcoming spots for summer and next year. And before anyone starts policing me, I am a parent just looking to find care for my son. I know for a fact that competing schools give incentives for shit-talking other schools, Goddard Bethesda being one of them because my neighbor told me that she was offered an incentive and all she had to do was post on Facebook about goddard and two other schools. That’s some pretty shitty marketing ploys right there. Anonymity is fun because you can’t get caught but if you want the truth, ask to speak to some of their families no matter where you go.

What?! I've never in a million years heard that. Our Goddard location didn't do that at all.

Sorry PP here - goddard bethesda didn’t ask their parents to do that - other schools gave incentives to parents for trash talking goddard bethesda, the church preschool down the street, and one other Montessori one.

What?! They offered incentives if you trash talked a school on Facebook? I find that very hard to believe.

Which other schools give incentives to trash talk Goddard? What are the incentives? How did they decide who to offer it to?

This just doesn’t make any sense.

Word of mouth is powerful! Crappy practice and leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.

If the Goddard in Bethesda OP references is the one on MacArthur, I'd just note that there are some other preschools (2 year old and up) within a mile or so of there. Apple Montessori, Suburban Nursery, and Bannockburn Coop are in my neighborhood, and we sent our kids to Clara Barton Center for Children in Cabin John, which I cannot recommend more highly. You should check them all out.

Anonymous wrote:They are full, and I’m sure the Open Houses are to fill their upcoming spots for summer and next year. And before anyone starts policing me, I am a parent just looking to find care for my son. I know for a fact that competing schools give incentives for shit-talking other schools, Goddard Bethesda being one of them because my neighbor told me that she was offered an incentive and all she had to do was post on Facebook about goddard and two other schools. That’s some pretty shitty marketing ploys right there. Anonymity is fun because you can’t get caught but if you want the truth, ask to speak to some of their families no matter where you go.

Sorry, my post reads wrong. Goddard Bethesda was not the ones asking families to post negative reviews. My neighbor was asked by her school to post a negative review ABOUT Goddard Bethesda and the two other schools close to them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are full, and I’m sure the Open Houses are to fill their upcoming spots for summer and next year. And before anyone starts policing me, I am a parent just looking to find care for my son. I know for a fact that competing schools give incentives for shit-talking other schools, Goddard Bethesda being one of them because my neighbor told me that she was offered an incentive and all she had to do was post on Facebook about goddard and two other schools. That’s some pretty shitty marketing ploys right there. Anonymity is fun because you can’t get caught but if you want the truth, ask to speak to some of their families no matter where you go.

What?! I've never in a million years heard that. Our Goddard location didn't do that at all.

Sorry PP here - goddard bethesda didn’t ask their parents to do that - other schools gave incentives to parents for trash talking goddard bethesda, the church preschool down the street, and one other Montessori one.

What?! They offered incentives if you trash talked a school on Facebook? I find that very hard to believe.

Which other schools give incentives to trash talk Goddard? What are the incentives? How did they decide who to offer it to?

This just doesn’t make any sense.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are full, and I’m sure the Open Houses are to fill their upcoming spots for summer and next year. And before anyone starts policing me, I am a parent just looking to find care for my son. I know for a fact that competing schools give incentives for shit-talking other schools, Goddard Bethesda being one of them because my neighbor told me that she was offered an incentive and all she had to do was post on Facebook about goddard and two other schools. That’s some pretty shitty marketing ploys right there. Anonymity is fun because you can’t get caught but if you want the truth, ask to speak to some of their families no matter where you go.

What?! I've never in a million years heard that. Our Goddard location didn't do that at all.

Didn’t do what at all? Hold open houses or connive parents to trash talk competitors? I hope they didn’t!

The latter.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are full, and I’m sure the Open Houses are to fill their upcoming spots for summer and next year. And before anyone starts policing me, I am a parent just looking to find care for my son. I know for a fact that competing schools give incentives for shit-talking other schools, Goddard Bethesda being one of them because my neighbor told me that she was offered an incentive and all she had to do was post on Facebook about goddard and two other schools. That’s some pretty shitty marketing ploys right there. Anonymity is fun because you can’t get caught but if you want the truth, ask to speak to some of their families no matter where you go.

What?! I've never in a million years heard that. Our Goddard location didn't do that at all.

Sorry PP here - goddard bethesda didn’t ask their parents to do that - other schools gave incentives to parents for trash talking goddard bethesda, the church preschool down the street, and one other Montessori one.

Ooh got it. I was confused.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are full, and I’m sure the Open Houses are to fill their upcoming spots for summer and next year. And before anyone starts policing me, I am a parent just looking to find care for my son. I know for a fact that competing schools give incentives for shit-talking other schools, Goddard Bethesda being one of them because my neighbor told me that she was offered an incentive and all she had to do was post on Facebook about goddard and two other schools. That’s some pretty shitty marketing ploys right there. Anonymity is fun because you can’t get caught but if you want the truth, ask to speak to some of their families no matter where you go.

What?! I've never in a million years heard that. Our Goddard location didn't do that at all.

Sorry PP here - goddard bethesda didn’t ask their parents to do that - other schools gave incentives to parents for trash talking goddard bethesda, the church preschool down the street, and one other Montessori one.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are full, and I’m sure the Open Houses are to fill their upcoming spots for summer and next year. And before anyone starts policing me, I am a parent just looking to find care for my son. I know for a fact that competing schools give incentives for shit-talking other schools, Goddard Bethesda being one of them because my neighbor told me that she was offered an incentive and all she had to do was post on Facebook about goddard and two other schools. That’s some pretty shitty marketing ploys right there. Anonymity is fun because you can’t get caught but if you want the truth, ask to speak to some of their families no matter where you go.

What?! I've never in a million years heard that. Our Goddard location didn't do that at all.

Didn’t do what at all? Hold open houses or connive parents to trash talk competitors? I hope they didn’t!

Anonymous wrote:They are full, and I’m sure the Open Houses are to fill their upcoming spots for summer and next year. And before anyone starts policing me, I am a parent just looking to find care for my son. I know for a fact that competing schools give incentives for shit-talking other schools, Goddard Bethesda being one of them because my neighbor told me that she was offered an incentive and all she had to do was post on Facebook about goddard and two other schools. That’s some pretty shitty marketing ploys right there. Anonymity is fun because you can’t get caught but if you want the truth, ask to speak to some of their families no matter where you go.

What?! I've never in a million years heard that. Our Goddard location didn't do that at all.

Anonymous wrote:Can the Goddard Bethesda poster, whether it is a parent or the owner, shed light on how they are treating tuition during the pandemic?

Why don’t you just call them instead of getting the news second hand?