10 Ways to Promote Your Doula Business Through Education
The birthing community at large doesn’t understand what birth and postpartum doulas actually do. Then adding virtual support left even more pregnant people trying to figure us out.
Here’s why that is a problem: People don't invest in things that they don't understand.
If the vast majority of expecting families don’t really understand doula support, and some have never even heard of the word ‘Doula,’ how can we expect them to hire one? Sadly, most don’t. Only 6% of families hired a Doula for birth (EBB, 2012). It’s clear that we have some explaining and educating to do.
It’s our job to take on that responsibility so that we can move our missions forward in the world in a big way. The textbook definition of a doula doesn’t tell us much. Dig deeper than the google definition to understand what sets you and your business apart, and share your why with your potential clients.
How are you making sure that your audience can see and understand exactly what you do, how you support, and the value of said support?
Here are 10 ways that you can start educating your community about Doula support - beyond the definition.
1. Think of the pre-Doula version of you from the past
Go back a few years (or more), to the version of you that wasn’t yet involved in birth work. What would you tell that version of yourself about Doula support?
Hint: your ideal clients are probably very similar to you from the past. The you that didn’t yet know. Write a post, or create a video that speaks to what you would tell your past self.
2. Paint a picture
Okay, not actually paint a picture, unless you’re an artist. Rather, when you sit down to create content, how can you paint the picture in your content? Think visuals, graphics, or personal stories. Personal stories (that you’re comfortable sharing) can help you bring a concept to life, painting the picture.
For example, during my birth on the bedroom floor, I was in a lot of pain. When my doula arrived, she knew my preference for perennial counter pressure, so she grabbed a tan-striped bath towel, and gave me the butt hug that I needed to feel supported.
Do you see how that's painting a picture? Instead of saying, “providing physical support during birth,” I shared that she gave me a butt hug with one of my tan striped bath towels. It resonates differently, right? The way that you explain things, and tell stories, can bring the scene to life.
3. Share and teach about the history of birth support
As birth professionals, we know that hospital births weren’t always the norm. We know that generally, people had babies at home with midwives. Hospitals were reserved for emergencies.
This is not common knowledge, no thanks to the for-profit systems that employed propaganda against midwifery and drove people to ‘safe’ hospitals. But I digress.
What can you do to help? Research and share historical stories to help your audience understand the role of midwives and doulas throughout the history of humankind.
4. Normalize receiving birthing support
The goal here is to make birth and postpartum support as normal as hiring a wedding planner (amen?!).
People don’t blink an eye when hiring a wedding planner. They understand that you could plan your wedding by yourself, but having a wedding planner’s expertise creates an experience beyond what you could create by yourself. Wedding planners know the ins and outs of the industry. They have a deep pool of experience to pull from. Brides-to-be understand the service and see the value.
How can you help the pregnant community value birth support in the same way they value wedding support? Make a list of the ways that your potential clients may have sought out or paid for other professional support, and communicate the support of a doula in ways they can understand through comparison.
5. Explain birth support team roles
A lot of first-time parents that I have worked with over the last few years don't realize that an OB or a midwife is not sitting at their bedside throughout their birth. Most of the time, laboring families are alone, and checked on regularly by nurses... unless they have a doula.
When you’re talking to your audience, explain the difference between Obstetricians, Midwives and Doulas. You might do this on video, in a written post, IG story or an email. And then, of course, repurpose and share this information again and again, over time, for those who missed it the first time.
6. Share others’ birth stories
Of course, this is only with clear and expressed permission. I suggest asking past clients if they’re comfortable sharing their birth story on your platform. For potential clients that are in the ‘like’ stage of the know → like → trust journey, hearing someone else’s experience working with you is powerful. A testimonial of a positive birth experience is incredibly powerful.
Sidenote: you can even ask friends, fellow birth professionals, or even your parents(!) - just to get the word out about what’s possible.
7. Share your birth story
Pregnant people love to hear birth stories, and they want to get to know you. Telling your own birth story is an opportunity to connect with your audience on a deeper level (‘trust’ stage of the know→ like→ trust journey).
If you’re not sure how to relay your own story, have a listen to Episode 17: Telling Your Birth Story is Marketing (& how to do it).
8. Share doula statistics, but make it hit
There are loads of charts and infographics on the internet with Doula statistics, why you should hire a doula, and higher satisfaction rates. My suggestion is to share the statistics in a creative way, beyond the numbers, to paint the picture and go deeper in your posts.
Here’s an example of a recent Instagram post I shared:
“My prenatal visits at the OB’s office generally went like this the first time around:
1️⃣ Pee in a cup
2️⃣ Check weight & blood pressure
3️⃣ Rotation of OBs check the baby’s heart rate
4️⃣ OB: “everything looks great, any questions?” Well, no, because I don’t know what I don’t know 😒🙄.
I was massively grateful that we were physically healthy, and still scared and uninformed. And clearly, I wasn’t alone, as part of the:
👉🏼 85% of low risk pregnancies (CDC 2006)
👉🏼 98% births that occur in hospitals (CDC 2006)
👉🏼 78% under the care of an Obstetrician (J Perinat Ed 2012)
👉🏼 31% of C-sections in the US (CDC 2018)
👉🏼 94% that did NOT work with a Doula (only 6% did, per EBB 2012)
Pregnant friends of the world: I’m glad you found my corner of the internet. I’m committed to making sure that YOU are informed, in a way that meets you right where you’re at (at home).
Doula family: we know that my experience is just a slice of the sh*t pie that is the maternal healthcare system. So how do you help change the stats for your community?
Start with information - talk to your community online. If you’re new-ish, start talking (or writing) anyway, so that *your* ideal clients of the world can find YOU. In case you need to hear this: it’s safe to let people get to know you beyond your logo, graphics and credentials.”
9. Talk about the transition period
The entire world has been in a transition since March 2020. The way that you do your work is part of that transition, and it’s okay to share that.
There are families that prefer virtual support, and others that are looking for in-person support. Wherever you, and your audience, are in this transition, communicate how you can support them throughout.
10. Speak to your experience
How have you received virtual support? I’d start with making a list. Here are a few ideas to get you started: virtual therapy, virtual doctor visits, or a business coach. For example, I use Voxer (a messenger app) to support my clients and mastermind members.
Then, how has virtual support changed the way that you… show up as a parent, a partner, a business owner, etc? Share that, and you’ll connect more deeply with your potential clients.
I hope this list inspired you to start educating your community, beyond the google definition of a doula. To go deeper with your content, and connect with real humans on the other side of the computer or phone. We live in a time where we have incredible technology tools that allow us to easily communicate with pregnant people of the world. Let’s use it, so that we can move our missions forward in the world in a BIG way.