Social Media for Doulas can be intimidating! It is especially hard to think about competing with folks who have a whole social media team! As a new doula something is better than nothing and the more you regularly post the more you will flex the muscle of doing it. It will become loads easier with time.

If you want a little slice of how my own online presence has grown over the years, I welcome you to go to Instagram and scroll to the VERY bottom of my feed. There’s no consistency. No color consistency, no font consistency, no strategy! I tell you this to remind you that no one is perfect, not that I’m the standard, and also to remind you that growth is a part of business ownership! You will get better with time!

Key Takeaways:

• Consistency matters more than anything else
• If you have a hard time knowing what to say buy some templates
• Even twice a week is better than nothing!

FREE MASTERCLASS

Wanting more in depth help strategies for finding clients? Join the upcoming Doula Masterclass on May 2nd. Use the link below to register today!

Where are all the clients? 3 Key Sources of Clients that Every Doula Needs!

https://www.harroddoulaservices.com/doula-mentoring-masterclass-1

Social Media Templates:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1462475705/305-doula-instagram-templates-175-posts

CONNECT with Kaely on TikTok or  Instagram

https://www.tiktok.com/@doulacoach

https://www.instagram.com/Harroddoula/

If you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @harroddoula

Kaely Daily is produced by Kaely Harrod of Harrod Doula Services

It is sponsored by The Birth Prep Blueprint Childbirth Class

Music by Madirfan: Hidden Place on Pixabay

Support the show

Finding doula clients is an imperative part of doula work. New doulas are often trying to figure out how to find doulas when they’re just getting started. I remember some advice of just approaching pregnant people who are out in the wild! The reality is that every doula needs various streams of clients, so there are multiple answers to this particular question.

I like to refer to these as slow, medium and fast doula client strategies. Not every doula needs to do all of them, but they are all beneficial and all slightly different in terms of timeline for getting clients.

Key Takeaways:

• There should be more than one stream of clients in every business
• There are slow, medium and fast methods of getting clients
• Most businesses need a mix of all 3!

FREE MASTERCLASS

Wanting more in depth help strategies for finding clients? Join the upcoming Doula Masterclass on May 2nd. Use the link below to register today!

Where are all the clients? 3 Key Sources of Clients that Every Doula Needs!

https://www.harroddoulaservices.com/doula-mentoring-masterclass-1

Resources I love:

Evidence Based Birth: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/

CONNECT with Kaely on TikTok or  Instagram

https://www.tiktok.com/@doulacoach

https://www.instagram.com/Harroddoula/

If you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @harroddoula

Kaely Daily is produced by Kaely Harrod of Harrod Doula Services

It is sponsored by The Birth Prep Blueprint Childbirth Class

Music by Madirfan: Hidden Place on Pixabay

Support the show

Being a new doula can make you feel a lot of imposter syndrome anyway, but when you feel the need to know absolutely everything that does NOT help! Everything is not something that anyone knows! A new doula or otherwise. 

One key to remember is that you DO know more than you think you do! You also have credible resources from training and books and online resources. So there are strategies that make you feel a little less like you don’t know. I suggest saying things like “I’m going to look up the evidence on that and send it to you!” And then actually do that! That will help you grow and learn as well as helping your clients. 

Key Takeaways:

• You do not know everything
• You do not NEED to know everything
• Learn from great books and resources
• Follow up with clients when you need to research before giving an answer

Resources I love:

Evidence Based Birth: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/

CONNECT with Kaely on TikTok or  Instagram

https://www.tiktok.com/@doulacoach

https://www.instagram.com/Harroddoula/

If you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @harroddoula

Kaely Daily is produced by Kaely Harrod of Harrod Doula Services

It is sponsored by The Birth Prep Blueprint Childbirth Class

Music by Madirfan: Hidden Place on Pixabay

Support the show

Meet The Doula events are meant to be a way for pregnant parents to learn about doulas and meet a few as well! It’s also an opportunity for doulas to get comfortable with talking about what they do and how they serve families without having to have people set up a doula consultation individually with each doula. 

I suggest thinking about how/where to meet doulas who could participate, think about locations that would work for hosting and audiences that already exist with pregnant people who are the right target audience. This not only builds the muscle of talking about your services and hearing why families are looking for doulas which helps you to understand what your future clients are looking for! 

Key Takeaways:

• Consider joining or hosting a Meet The Doula event
• Find people to make partnerships with to build your networks and audience! 

CONNECT with Kaely on TikTok or  Instagram

https://www.tiktok.com/@doulacoach

https://www.instagram.com/Harroddoula/

If you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @harroddoula

Kaely Daily is produced by Kaely Harrod of Harrod Doula Services

It is sponsored by The Birth Prep Blueprint Childbirth Class

Music by Madirfan: Hidden Place on Pixabay

Support the show

Just like before a birth it’s important to prepare (check out the last episode for that info!), it’s just as important to have a post-birth ritual or rhythm to help yourself recover. Births are a lot of work both physically and emotionally, so it’s vital to have a ritual of coming down from the work you’ve done as a doula and helping yourself be ready for the next client. 

This is one more of many things that are very personal in what it should include. So while I can’t tell you exactly what to do I can give you ideas and share why I do the things I do so you can start figuring out your own rhythm. This is something that will change and adapt as you attend more births and get a sense of what your body needs after this work.

Key Takeaways:

• This is my typical routine after a birth:
• I eat! Immediately after I leave a birth
• I usually get home and shower
• I sometimes stretch if I am awake enough! 
• If it’s the middle of the night I get in bed and sleep
• If it’s daytime and my kids are home I hang with them a little before sleeping
• If It has been a really long birth I cancel anything coming up in the next 12 hrs before I go to sleep or I will likely just sleep through it on accident. 

CONNECT with Kaely on TikTok or  Instagram

https://www.tiktok.com/@doulacoach

https://www.instagram.com/Harroddoula/

If you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @harroddoula

Kaely Daily is produced by Kaely Harrod of Harrod Doula Services

It is sponsored by The Birth Prep Blueprint Childbirth Class

Music by Madirfan: Hidden Place on Pixabay

Support the show

Before heading into a birth it’s important to prepare yourself well so you can be as strong and ready as possible. One big unpredictable piece of this work is how long a birth could possibly be. Because of that it’s imperative that you prepare yourself before arrival so you can support your own wellbeing. 

We are all different in how we prepare, so this is just to get you started thinking about what may be a good routine or rhythm for you. We all need different things to both calm us, ground us, and prepare us for the process of giving our clients support. 

Key Takeaways:

• I try to do the following things to prepare for a birth:
• I shower (the night before if I know someone MAY be in labor)
• I eat a small meal
• I hydrate
• I dress comfortably and make sure I have extra socks, etc. in my bag!
• I prepare tea or coffee and a big jug of water
• I pee! As silly as that sounds it’s important to not neglect this! 

CONNECT with Kaely on TikTok or  Instagram

https://www.tiktok.com/@doulacoach

https://www.instagram.com/Harroddoula/

If you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @harroddoula

Kaely Daily is produced by Kaely Harrod of Harrod Doula Services

It is sponsored by The Birth Prep Blueprint Childbirth Class

Music by Madirfan: Hidden Place on Pixabay

Support the show

I remember when I was super intimidated by Doula Consultations. I felt super awkward each time, unsure of what to say or how to engage in a meaningful way with prospective clients. I also always felt like I was selling myself rather than meeting this possible client to assess if we were a good fit for each other or not. Over time I shifted both my strategy and my mindset around these conversations which has made them significantly easier and more successful for me! 

This episode really dives into how I approach Doula consultations now vs when I started and how I used to prepare for them when I was super nervous. If you haven’t done so before, I’d suggest starting with a quick google search of “questions to ask a doula before you hire them” or some such search so you can get a sense of what types of questions you MAY be asked. Then you can prepare in advance for those questions.

Key Takeaways:

• I start by asking “What made you decide to explore having a doula?”
• Plan to give a general synopsis of how you got started and what your philosophy of birth is
• Write out answers to common questions ahead of time so you have them as needed
• Practice helps make this easier! Don’t be discouraged if your first few consultations feel very awkward 

CONNECT with Kaely on TikTok or  Instagram

https://www.tiktok.com/@doulacoach

https://www.instagram.com/Harroddoula/

This podcast is hosted by the Birth Prep Blueprint - comprehensive Childbirth Education for expectant parents to feel calm, prepared and confident about labor and birth. Podcast listeners (that’s YOU!) get 10% off! Use the link below and coupon code PODCAST

https://www.harroddoulaservices.com/birth-prep-blueprint

** The Birth Prep Blueprint is offered for only $20 to anyone who qualifies for any kind of social services (meaning that a family has a lower income to the point that they would qualify for WIC or SNAP or Medicaid, etc.). No need to disclose your income, just which service you qualify for and the link can be sent right over. Just email [email protected] to learn more.

If you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @harroddoula

Kaely Daily is produced by Kaely Harrod of Harrod Doula Services

It is sponsored by The Birth Prep Blueprint Childbirth Class

Music by Madirfan: Hidden Place on Pixabay

Support the show

If you live in an area full of doulas like I do it can feel a little intimidating to put yourself out there and seem like a different or unique option. I am firmly against the idea that you have to market yourself by saying you are the BEST or the ULTIMATE or any other bleh marketing words. You can set yourself apart by building relationships and showing your unique experience without needing to downplay anyone else in the field.

While I can’t tell you exactly what to do to set yourself apart without us having a detailed conversation, this episode highlights a few ways you can consider setting yourself apart as you build your business. 

Key Takeaways:

• You can add uniqueness in your business name
• You can highlight your expertise in your website or marketing materials
• You can highlight your philosophy and how it differs from other doulas
• Set yourself apart from other doulas in the types of support you offer

CONNECT with Kaely on TikTok or  Instagram

https://www.tiktok.com/@doulacoach

https://www.instagram.com/Harroddoula/

This podcast is hosted by the Birth Prep Blueprint - comprehensive Childbirth Education for expectant parents to feel calm, prepared and confident about labor and birth. Podcast listeners (that’s YOU!) get 10% off! Use the link below and coupon code PODCAST

https://www.harroddoulaservices.com/birth-prep-blueprint

** The Birth Prep Blueprint is offered for only $20 to anyone who qualifies for any kind of social services (meaning that a family has a lower income to the point that they would qualify for WIC or SNAP or Medicaid, etc.). No need to disclose your income, just which service you qualify for and the link can be sent right over. Just email [email protected] to learn more.

If you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @harroddoula

Kaely Daily is produced by Kaely Harrod of Harrod Doula Services

It is sponsored by The Birth Prep Blueprint Childbirth Class

Music by Madirfan: Hidden Place on Pixabay

Support the show

Marketing yourself as a doula is vital to the process of getting clients. Oftentimes the strategy that works the best varies from person to person. From referrals to social media to teaching classes and organically meeting pregnant people there are many different ways to approach meeting and working with clients.

Location is also a big factor here because in smaller communities with fewer doulas you have the potential to have more exposure if you make good connections with providers and other people who work with pregnant people. If you are in a bigger city where the doula market is more saturated you will have to think about connecting with the right niche of people rather than just pregnant people in general.

Resource Mentioned:

National Black Doula Association: https://www.blackdoulas.org/national-directory

Key Takeaways:

• I have gotten the highest percentage of clients from other doula referrals
• My next biggest source of clients is from teaching classes and client referrals
• Third biggest source of clients is meet the doula nights and events
• Fourth is doula match
• I get very few people from social media marketing

CONNECT with Kaely on TikTok or  Instagram

https://www.tiktok.com/@doulacoach

https://www.instagram.com/Harroddoula/

This podcast is hosted by the Birth Prep Blueprint - comprehensive Childbirth Education for expectant parents to feel calm, prepared and confident about labor and birth. Podcast listeners (that’s YOU!) get 10% off! Use the link below and coupon code PODCAST

https://www.harroddoulaservices.com/birth-prep-blueprint

** The Birth Prep Blueprint is offered for only $20 to anyone who qualifies for any kind of social services (meaning that a family has a lower income to the point that they would qualify for WIC or SNAP or Medicaid, etc.). No need to disclose your income, just which service you qualify for and the link can be sent right over. Just email [email protected] to learn more.

If you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @harroddoula

Kaely Daily is produced by Kaely Harrod of Harrod Doula Services

It is sponsored by The Birth Prep Blueprint Childbirth Class

Music by Madirfan: Hidden Place on Pixabay

Support the show

Cost of doula services is a hot topic. As you know, I care deeply about people being paid well in this work. I do also care deeply about equity and access to doula care. I just firmly do not believe that should happen at the expense of the doulas. We need better systems in place to support families who have less financial resources and ALSO support doula work as a sustainable and well-paid career. 

Episodes About Doula Pay:

Episode 94: How Much Do Doulas Get Paid?

https://www.harroddoulaservices.com/kaely-daily-podcast/how-much-do-doulas-get-paid

Episode 97: Doula Burnout: How Do Doula Rates Impact Burnout?

https://www.harroddoulaservices.com/kaely-daily-podcast/doula-burnout-how-do-doula-rates-impact-doula-burnout

Key Takeaways:

• Some people use sliding scales
• Some people use grants for nonprofits to allow for services to be free or low cost and still pay the doulas
• Some people use donations where people can donate toward services for others
• Some people have specific lower rates for people on Medicaid or other Social Services
• There’s more than one way to do this! 

CONNECT with Kaely on TikTok or  Instagram

https://www.tiktok.com/@doulacoach

https://www.instagram.com/Harroddoula/

This podcast is hosted by the Birth Prep Blueprint - comprehensive Childbirth Education for expectant parents to feel calm, prepared and confident about labor and birth. Podcast listeners (that’s YOU!) get 10% off! Use the link below and coupon code PODCAST

https://www.harroddoulaservices.com/birth-prep-blueprint

** The Birth Prep Blueprint is offered for only $20 to anyone who qualifies for any kind of social services (meaning that a family has a lower income to the point that they would qualify for WIC or SNAP or Medicaid, etc.). No need to disclose your income, just which service you qualify for and the link can be sent right over. Just email [email protected] to learn more.

If you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @harroddoula

Kaely Daily is produced by Kaely Harrod of Harrod Doula Services

It is sponsored by The Birth Prep Blueprint Childbirth Class

Music by Madirfan: Hidden Place on Pixabay

Support the show