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Starting any business can be nerve wracking as you worry about whether you’ll get any clients, if they’ll want your services, and how you’ll pay the bills. This is no different when you’re deciding how to start a doula business. The key to finding doula clients is to look in the right places and position yourself as an expert - when the right people see you this way, they’ll flock to you for services! Of course, you’ll also need to do some of the work of marketing yourself and following up on leads to make sure they know you’re available. Whether you’re just starting out and looking for your first client or trying to grow your successful business, Birthbase has compiled some ways that doulas tell us they find clients.
When first starting out (or if you haven’t done so, yet!), there are a couple small details that can have a large impact on how you are seen by potential clients.
Make sure to always have a professional headshot that will be on your website, email account, associations, social media, etc. This small investment can go a long way.
Utilize tools such as fiverr.com to get a custom logo and style guide for as little as $20. A style guide is the branding colors that you will use on sales collateral, website, etc.
It used to require extensive web development knowledge or a contractor to build your own website, but today it’s as simple as a few clicks. A range of services like Wix and Squarespace exist to allow anyone to create a fully functional website, including the ability to schedule and make purchases, with very little technological skill. If you don’t want to manage the project yourself, you can use a freelancer marketplace like Upwork or Fiverr to hire someone that specializes in website development.
Once you have a website set up, you’ll be able to communicate your values and services to anyone who finds your page. You can use Google AdWords to make sure people find your website and once they do, make a case for hiring you.
Protip - Try to get a “.com” domain and also try to have “doula” in the domain (for example, boisedoula.com). This will help you out with getting better search engine placement when someone is looking for a doula in your area. Be sure to sign up for “Google My Business” and manage your website with that tool. You know when you Google a service and a list of businesses show under the map? Using the Google My Business tool will help you get there. Google articles on how to get “local citations.” Doing this will also help you show up organically for doula searches in your area.
Having a professional online presence will be critical to the following ways to getting doula clients.
The people who would hire a doula will inevitably be seeking prenatal care, or even fertility treatment, at a local doctor’s office. Many of these providers like to recommend outside services like childbirth education and doulas - if you can be their recommendation, it leads to an effortless stream of clients. Most people trust their doctors and midwives and will listen to their advice on things like who to add to their birth or postpartum team.
If you don’t know any local providers - no problem! Just follow these simple steps:
A. Create a spreadsheet and list all the clinics and midwives in your area. For some, you may have to dig deep to find their number or email address, using third-party tools such as LinkedIn.
B. Write out a short and sweet email template or phone script. Just let the midwives know why you’re a great resource to help with their clients and ask to meet with them for a short introduction meeting via zoom or in person - so you can elaborate on your skills and they can get a good idea of your personality. If you get along and have similar goals and target clients, you can then work out what referrals look like.
C. Be persistent, but not overbearing. If you reached out via email, then next time try a phone call instead of back-to-back emails.
Many pregnant women, especially first time mothers, take classes to help them prepare. You may even offer classes like this yourself! Even if you do, tapping into local classes can be a great way to meet new clients, and childbirth educators are generally very supportive of doula work and will recommend you as a resource.
Some of these classes may take place at a local hospital or be run independently. You can find them with some simple Google searches or resources, such as meetup.com. Either way, you can contact the teacher just like you would a doctor or midwife and determine if and how you will work together. You may even be able to speak during a class session to introduce yourself to the parents personally!
While the core of your work will be supporting pregnant women and postpartum families, it’s very common for a doula to offer a range of related services. This may include photography, placenta encapsulation, belly binding, or overnight infant care. Someone may be searching for these services and find your website - leading them to hire you as a doula as well as for these additional skills. Having these in your portfolio can bring you more clients as well as extend existing clients’ relationship with you.
If you’re just starting out, it can feel daunting to compete with other doulas who may be more established in the community. A great way to get your foot in the door is to actually work with these doulas as a backup. You may not attend many births, but if a doula is ever tied up with another client and can’t attend a birth, you would be called in to back her up. This would allow you to gain experience and meet new clients, as well as networking with the doula and her contacts in the community.
If you do work as a backup doula, Birthbase allows you to collaborate easily and share information in the app, making communication seamless. You can also use Birthbase to manage your clients’ information so once you have an established client base, you’ll always be on top of your workload!
If any of you reading have other ideas that have contributed to your success as a doula, feel free to contact us with your feedback and we can add it here!
Online or offline, at home or on the go, BirthBase offers you professional peace of mind through smarter business management. See for yourself how one app can transform the way you serve your clients throughout their special journeys.
