For Doulas · 4 min read
How to Find Your First 10 Clients as a New Doula
Relationships, Not Marketing Budgets
The first clients are always the hardest to book. You don't have reviews yet, you don't have a referral network, and you're asking a family to trust you with one of the most important days of their life on faith alone. The good news is that none of your first 10 clients will come from a marketing budget. They'll come from a handful of real relationships, and from showing up consistently in the places expecting parents already are.
Start With the Network You Already Have
Before you spend a dollar on marketing, tell everyone you know that you're taking clients — friends, family, your own prenatal yoga or fitness class, your pediatrician's waiting room, your place of worship, your kid's school parent group. Ask directly: "Do you know anyone who's pregnant or planning to be?" A lot of folks say yes to a specific ask, rather than a vague "let me know if you hear of anyone."
Build Referral Relationships With Local Providers
OB-GYNs, midwives, lactation consultants, pelvic floor physical therapists, and pediatric practices all talk to expecting families every day — and most of them are actively looking for doulas they trust to recommend. Reach out to a handful of practices near you, offer to drop off business cards or a one-page flyer, and ask if you can do a short intro at a staff meeting. A single strong relationship with one busy OB practice can bring you steady referrals for years.
Show Up Where Expecting Parents Already Are
Childbirth education classes, breastfeeding support groups, and local parenting meetups put you directly in front of people who are actively planning their birth. So do local Facebook groups, Nextdoor, and community boards — search for terms like "due date club" or "[your city] moms" and introduce yourself as a resource, not just an advertisement. A free "meet the doula" info night at a coffee shop or community center costs almost nothing and lets people get familiar with you before they commit.
Make It Easy to Say Yes
Offer a free 20-30 minute consultation call so families can ask questions with no pressure. Keep your intake process simple and fast. And if you can accept insurance, say so clearly — for a lot of first-time parents, whether a doula is covered by their plan is the deciding factor between hiring one and going without. Getting credentialed with insurance plans widens the pool of families who can realistically afford you, which matters most when you're still building a client base.
Want to take insurance clients without doing the billing yourself? Orka handles credentialing, eligibility checks, and claims so you can focus on care.
Ask Every Client for a Referral
Your first few clients are your most valuable marketing asset. After a birth goes well, ask directly: "Do you know anyone else who's expecting? I'd love an introduction." Most happy clients are glad to help but won't think to offer unless you ask.
Track What's Actually Working
Ask every new client how they found you, and document it. After a few months you'll see clearly which referral sources are worth more of your time — and which ones you can stop investing in.
Getting to 10 clients is mostly a numbers game of relationships, not a single clever marketing trick. Focus on a few referral sources, make your intake and payment process painless, and let word of mouth do the rest.
Orka Health helps doulas across California get credentialed, bill insurance, and grow sustainable practices.