At a typical fair, each business has a designated space. Vendors are usually are provided a table, a chair or two, and maybe an electrical outlet. The organizers may also put up a small sign with the business name at the back of the booth.

Beyond what is provided, it is up to you to make your booth a place that people want to come and visit. One way to get ideas is to go to some fairs and see what attracts you. You may notice that many exhibitors have their table at the front of the booth, right up to the aisle where people are walking. The exhibitor may have some items displayed on the table, perhaps some brochures, and they’re sitting at the table, available to talk to the people passing by. Most of the time, what happens? People keep walking. Especially if it is crowded.

Here are some ways to cozy up your space:

Money has an energy all its own, fluid and expansive. Take care of it and it will take care of you. Neglect it, abuse it, or hold onto it too tightly, and it hits the road.

I’ve seen how some practitioners in the healing and helping fields have difficulty with money… how they make it, keep it, and grow it. One’s relationship with money affects how much (or whether) that practitioner will charge for services and the opinions and judgments one practitioner has about one another around this topic.

So what’s the number one rule? Your potential customers are really not that interested in what you do and how you do it. What they really want to know is, what’s in it for them?

So you’ve worked on your cocktail line and you have a great statement about what you do for your ideal client. How do you know your cocktail line is effective? When the response you receive is “Tell me more”? So, what will you say next?

Marketing is telling people what you do and how your services will solve a problem people have. One important factor you must understand about marketing is that it is a continuous process. The “Rule of Seven” in marketing means that it takes an average of seven times before a prospective client will buy from you. That being said, it’s not enough to print up some business cards and brochures to hand out, build a website, and wait for business to come. There is much more to do in order to effectively market your business and attract customers.

There are many ways doulas set their prices and even whether or not to charge. Different doula organizations suggest different methods of whether, when and what to charge. I will go out on a limb (and may be disagreed with vehemently, I know) and discuss some ways that others I’ve spoken to have structured their pricing. Hopefully that will help you to decide what works best for you.

Let your clients and colleagues know how much you appreciate them during this Thanksgiving season!

Search for mother’s groups on Meetup.com. Find some interesting groups, especially those related to pregnancy, and email the organizer. Let the organizer know you are available for public speaking opportunities and would like to do a presentation at an upcoming event.

Do you wear other hats? Are you a childbirth educator, a postpartum doula, a photographer, a massage therapist, or any hold any other title in addition to being a birth doula? You should package your services.

A simple way to set yourself apart from your competitors is to effectively describe your services.