A Postpartum Doula’s Guide to Marketing

At ABG Postpartum Doula, we take a great deal of pride in the ways we have incorporated business training into our doula training. We want folks to leave our program feeling confident about starting their own business if that’s what they choose to do. (We recently addressed working for an agency + other doula business models, which could be helpful to revisit. Also, find our blog with tips for business basics here!)

All business owners have to do some type of marketing in order to spread the word about their services and to find their customers or clients. Marketing simply means any activity that helps promote or sell your products or services. That said, there are many, many ways to market doula services, and we will share some of our favorites in this article.

How to Get Started

First things first, it’s important that you get clear on your “ideal clients” and your offerings. Additionally, you’ll need a phone number, website, and/or social media page for people to reach out to you. Your vision for your ideal client is one that helps you create marketing messages that will support you in attracting the people you most want to work with. There are lots of ideal client exercises out there (like this one), so we suggest exploring a few.

As far as offerings go, we suggest starting with just a few offerings because as you get more experience, you’ll be able to tweak them to align with your capacity and goals. Land on a service and rate that you feel really confident about. By the way, this process usually requires doing some market research and getting a sense of what other doulas in your local area are offering and charging. It’s key that you also consider how much YOU need to make and how your offerings align with this in order to make this work sustainable.

From a very practical standpoint, you need a place for potential clients to land. This may be a website or a social media page, and in some cases, it could just be a phone number or email address. Once you start putting your messages out into the world, people will need a way to reach out when they’re interested. While a website is the most recommended tool for marketing, we know that sometimes you just need to get started. If you aren’t able to get a website ready yet, we suggest you prioritize doing that as soon as you have the resources for it.

Getting Your Message Out There 

Once you have your ideal client in mind, know your offerings, and have a place to send interested clients, it’s time to think about where and how you may find these clients. Below is a list of places that we have seen many doulas find success. We recommend starting with a few of these avenues at first and adding as you go. There’s no need to try to do it all, especially at first and especially alone! 

1. Network with other doulas and/or birth professionals. This will always be one of our biggest tips! Not only will you likely find trusted colleagues with whom you can build community and friendships, you may also develop relationships that lead to mutual referrals. You might also consider getting to know local pediatricians, midwives, and/or OBGYNS who may be referral sources. People tend to refer to folks who they’ve met and vetted, so take time to network and build relationships. 

2. Offer to speak at events for pregnant and/or postpartum folks. In many communities, there are support groups, meet ups, and other educational gatherings that are looking for birth professionals to share knowledge to their attendees/community. Spending 15-30 minutes sharing your knowledge can equip parents with new information and may initiate relationships with people looking for your services.

3. Post in local Facebook and other social media groups. There are LOTS of moms’ groups on FB in the Austin-area, for example. Many of these groups allow for marketing on certain days of the week or month. There are also frequent posts for folks who are specifically looking for doula referrals, and this could be a place to share your contact info or website. Additionally, we suggest checking in to the groups weekly and searching for keywords in your wheelhouse; this will give you the opportunity to answer questions and engage in the community. In this way, you can build recognition as someone who is knowledgeable and establish relationships vs. just pushing your services.

4. Utilize social media to create content. We’ve found that many doulas are able to gain confidence in their abilities as they create and share knowledge and information across social media. That said, if this is something you absolutely do not enjoy doing, don’t force it. Authenticity is best when it comes to any type of marketing. 

5. Join relevant associations and directories. Some cities have doula associations, and as part of membership, you may be listed on the provider directory. There are various doula platforms (like DoulaMatch) out there that offer paid listings, and it may be worth trying one or two of them. Additionally, some doula training programs offer directories. 

6. Talk to your people! Share about what the work you are doing with friends and family members. Help them understand what a postpartum is and does, such that they can refer people to you when they hear about a baby on the way. Word of mouth is a powerful and organic way to market your offerings. 

Join Us for Postpartum Doula Training

ABG offers both online (self-paced) and in-person trainings for folks who are interested in becoming postpartum doulas. We’d love to be a part of your journey in growing your postpartum care business.

*Photo credit: Canva