This may have already been brought up--so forgive me if it is a repost.

Do any doula's approach expecting mom's while out? I don't mean go "belly hunting", but if you happen to be out grocery shopping or walking in the park, do you ever approach a pregnant woman and offer your cards, or an explanation of your services?

No. It's tacky. And I detest aggressive marketing tactics. Besides what happens if she's NOT pregnant?

I'm "desperate" for clients so I thought about it but never did it. We just moved and there are sooo many pregnant moms in the area. Obviously pregnant. Doulas are not that common. Couple weeks ago, while my family ate out, we were served by a pregnant mama and I gave her my card after little chit-chat.

I have'nt done it, but if the timing is right, why not.
If you chat a little bit and then leave her with your card, I don't think it's tacky at all.
However, just walking up to any pregnant woman and giving her your card, that would be tacky.

I haven't and wouldn't...but...I don't think it's "tacky"...so I didn't vote. It's just not my style (I'm not a sales person). Besides, what IF she isn't pregnant? LOL!

There are many good reasons to not do this and only one reason to do it- and it is a selfish one.

There are many, many better and less invasive ways to get clients. This is not a good tactic in most cases. I know there are exceptions, but in general it is a bad idea.

Do a quick search and you'll find another, very long thread on this very topic with lots of anecdotes that will convince you!

I've thought about it, but never done it.
I can tell you what though, I wish someone would have done that when I was pregnant. It's something that, as old as it is, is a new thing to my generation. I had never even heard of Doulas until I was researching online for labor and delivery jobs!

All and all, I wish a Doula would have hunted me down and told me.

Nope

I said Yes, but I understand how you ladies feel- it could be enormously tacky. I have only done it twice, and I've never walked up to a woman and handed her a card. I also try not to assume that women are pregnant. My most direct approach if I see someone who seems pregnant is to make chit chat with her and make general comments about pregnancy and what I do; i.e., "Goodness it's hot out today! My client hates it- she's seven months along." I am a little too sissy to do that one. The one I am most proud of is that I frequently eat out at a particular local restaurant, and we know some of the staff quite well. I saw a pregnant waitress(not our waitress) and after we had eaten, I was yapping with our waitress, who already knew what I did, and I said, "I bet you know a lot of the locals. I'm trying to promote my business- if you know anyone who's pregnant, would you mind taking my cards and sharing them? I'm offering my services free right now."

Honestly, what I do most is talk about it all the time, which isn't hard as much as I love this job. And it's a *little* bit more appropriate than talking about how handsome, smart and wonderful my husband is. I get birth stories every day! Even from men with no children!! "Well, my sister-in-law was in labor for 16 hours and they wanted to speed 'er up a little and she said No flat out..."

I believe that I do engage in what I consider aggressive marketing tactics- I have been too shy in the past to ask people for such little things as donations to a cancer run I was doing. I have deliberately built my business on a foundation of marketing, mostly aimed at making it really easy to access my information- being first in Google search, leaving flyers and business cards around in appropriate places. I am thinking of branching out into radio adverts, we have a terrific independent station here- especially since I now have a booth at a street fest, they can advise people to hit the street fest, which they're already doing! (BIG fest. BIG.)

Just my 0.02 dollars.

I would never walk up to someone and give them a card.

One of the IBCLC lacation consultants in my area puts her business card bookmark style business card in breastfeeding/new parenting books. Barnes and Noble does not know, or they don't care.

I thought that was very clever of her and sucessful way to reach women.

Bookstores her dont allow it. I also think it's uber unprofessional and tacky.

I voted no.
Set up a legitimate booth, ask the store to host a baby day or to rent the space after hours to do a talk.

A belly gets enough unwanted attention, touches and showcase. You would just add fuel to that fire. And to me if she is pregnant enough to notice, then we've missed the boat.

No one seems to be throwing out her bookmarks, maybe she has permission. At Barnes and Noble they have all types of bookmarks for free on the counter.

Bookmarks on the counter and stuffing bookmarks in books are two different creatures in my opinion. Here it's done on the sly and the marketing materials aren't left exposed so unless the store employee takes a book down and flips through it they have no clue it's there.

I just detest in your face marketing tactics. Magazine inserts, etc so I'll never jive with putting things in books at a bookstore. Im not opposed to having them at the counter or in a holder in the pregnancy section with the stores permission though.

I hear ya!