economy and business

[dharma]

i'm still in training, but wondering wondering if the economy is affecting anyone right now. i'm still working full time as a librarian, and will be for a while, but would love to be able to venture out with a few things i want to combine to do full time, including being a doula. thanks!

[FLLucinda]

Totally sucks for me.... I have one repeat client in April and that's it for the calendar. I don't think other doulas in my area are gaining many clients either. Looking at cutting my rates big time....just to be able to keep doing what I love!

[Hypnomomma]

I saw what was going on in the economy and shifted focus from my doula services to lower cost alterntives such as my comfort measures class. I still have doula clients but I limit myself to one family a month because of my own large family so I havent been effected in that way. I however did see a huge drop off in prenatal massage and belly casting. I do offer a payment plan for doula clients if they put it on a card(perfer debit card because credit is evil but each family decides whats best for them)I have a great merchant account that only costs me $8 month and 3% transaction fee. I think that helps alot!

[DoulaCindy]

Well, I didn't have any paying clients have a baby from October-December. Though I did do two volunteer births during that time. I have 2 paying clients in January, 3 between Feb. and April (one a repeat client), and I have had two more people contact me that sounds very promising. One was a referral from a previous client and one found my website a few months ago and talked to me before she was pregnant. Just contacted me and said she is now about 6 weeks along. So I have maybe 7 upcoming ones. That is pretty good for me. And most of these ladies contacted me very early in their pregnancies. Still not booming business but I'm definitely happy with it. I was a bit bummed that I didn't have any in the fall. I kept wondering WHY I didn't have any. I felt like God had a reason for clearing up my calendar. And yep...we've been through 2 bouts of Strep. 15 cases in our family of 10 since Thanksgiving. One child didn't appear to have it but was a carrier. So we are still going through the second round. In hindsight, that break was probably a good thing.

I'm sure the economy is causing a lot of women to go without doulas. I'm never quite sure exactly how to advertise that I will work with people on the money part. Part of me is afraid that people will say they can't afford it when they can. Even though I state on my website that I will work with them, I'm sure some see how much I charge and think there is no way I could even come down in their range. But if I really click with a couple and they want a doula for the right reasons, I will donate my time. Often they pay a little bit that ends up covering my expenses like food and gas money that I spend that day and for the visits. I might not get enough to cover babysitting, but my daughters are my babysitters so we work that out in other ways. The first time I had a doula I couldn't afford it. We did end up paying her $100, and then later I did a backup birth for her and insisted she keep the fee. I felt better doing that because I soooo appreciated the fact that she would have done my birth for free when we were struggling. I think most of the time I will be conpensated in one way or another. If it isn't monetarily, then it might be experience or I might get a new friend out of the deal! So it makes me sad to think that some women are going without doulas because of the economy!

[happydoula]

Honestly, I haven't had too much trouble with getting doula clients, but my classes have been slow. Go figure!

[Brie+3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoulaCindy I'm never quite sure exactly how to advertise that I will work with people on the money part. Part of me is afraid that people will say they can't afford it when they can.

Have you thought about doing a sliding scale? This is how I am able to advertise lower rates and flexible payment plans. Its working really working out well.


For me, I see 'the worst' of the free fall over, and families living more within their means and accepting this is our new reality.

The first few months after the big fall out in August 08 business dried, but it's starting to come back around again. I was booked all of December, I have an ok January-March planned, I still have space to take last minute 'shoppers' I am starting to interviews lined up for April & May.

[doularina]

I try not to take on more than one client per month and I'm constantly turning people away. I have wealthy clients and people who gather up their pennies and negotiate. NYC has sooo many doulas, but still not enough for the amount of interest, I guess.