Doula Training Was Awesome! Now What?
Posted on:
April 16, 2018 | Become a Doula, Doula Business, Doula Training
Have you taken a ProDoula doula training recently? Yeah? I remember that sense of excitement. All of the new possibilities!
And I also remember the “Now what?” questions.
Whether it has been days, weeks, or months since your doula training, there are some first steps I suggest you take as soon as possible; a little direction that I believe can help propel you into your vision of success.
So, here goes!
Tell everybody!
Talk about it! Use your favorite social media platforms to make people near and far aware of your excitement, your new skill set, your passion, and your pre-certified status as a professional doula.
No need to start with, “I JUST took a doula training…” Instead, aim to inspire and inform, inviting people to ask you for more information on your services and your fees!
People will get excited with you and many will be curious to know more about your new professional status.
Tell everybody, Part 2!
Make a list of every OB, midwife, chiropractor, massage therapist, pediatrician, naturopath, etc that you already know.
Stop by each of their offices and request a coffee date so that you can fill them in on what you’re up to, and how you might be able to collaborate to help serve their patient base. After you’ve connected with everyone on this list, start a new list of practitioners you don’t know yet and repeat!
Get started on your certification packet!
Don’t wait! Within days of completing your training, you will have received all of the documents you need to begin the written and practical portion of your doula training and certification.
Keep your forward moving momentum by breaking it down into bite sized pieces, working on one bite at a time. You will learn more, deepen your understanding of thought provoking ideas, review your manual, and stay motivated to gain clients.
Stay connected with others from your training!
I’d wager that you connected with at least some of the doulas in your training. If so, you have some great opportunity to foster long term connections that will benefit each of you!
Could one of them make a great partner or backup doula for you? Maybe you’d be great study buddies? If nothing else, encouraging colleagues are worth their weight in gold.
Big or small, write that business plan and work it.
Regardless of how “big” you want to go with your doula business, make a solid business plan, and work the plan.
One great resource is the business plan template available in the ProDoula online shop. It offers guidance in building your plan with dynamics specific to doula work in mind. Be willing to rreview and potentially revise your plan quarterly, as your business settles in, grows, and changes.
In the midst of it all, remember your support system!
You have access to a large team of Doula Trainers! Any of whom you can reach out to for guidance and support.
You have the office staff filled with mad skills, available and hard at work for you every Monday – Friday from 9am – 6pm Eastern Time! Do you have that number? (914) 400-3494
You have a large community of doulas from all over North America, Europe, and beyond who are actively involved in our Membership Group on Facebook and who you have the chance to meet in person each year at our ProDoula Conference!
Getting started after your first doula training is a big deal! We know first hand because we’ve been where you are and we never want you to feel like you’re doing it alone!
Kristyn Blocher Owner, Doulas Northwest , Director of Training & Development, ProDoula
