Baby fairs and marketing your doula business: choosing the right fair, table marketing tips, and how to create your own fair.

Is there a local baby or maternity fair coming up in your region? Tables can be expensive, so it’s important to make an informed decision if this is the right investment for your doula business. If you DO decide to purchase a booth, we’ll explore ways to make sure your birth or postpartum business booth stands out from the crowd and helps you build your practice. 

Is this baby fair a good match for your birth practice?

That’s right, just because there is a baby fair in town, it still may not be the right place for you to promote your birth practice. 

Is it necessary to attend your local baby fair? Absolutely not! Instead, take a careful look at the following criteria to help you evaluate whether or not a particular fair is the right match for you. One client who recently decided NOT to attend the local fair, commented:

“I feel like I am beginning to shed some of the “obligatory” promotion that I was so used to doing. I felt that it was necessary to do these.”

1.  Consider your client niche.

A successful baby fair booth depends to a large degree on having the right mix of fair participants who will be interested in what you have to offer.  Most baby fair organizers will be able to offer you a decent analysis of their predicted audience, including the percentage of pregnant and postpartum, their age range, target geographic range, and whether they are having their first baby.  Here are some good criteria to consider when evaluating the target market of a particular baby fair:

• What level of attendance do event organizers predict for this fair?
• Does the target geographic region for the fair match your client base? For example, are they promoting the event in the big city while you are based in the suburbs?
• What percentage of attendees are likely to be pregnant vs. postpartum?  Of those who are pregnant, consider how far along they are likely to be. Does this match the timing for clients to enroll for your services?

2.  Event Promotion

Ideally, a fair will offer you publicity not only on the day of the event, but in the weeks leading up to the event.

• Will they be running a strong social media campaign that will highlight participating companies?
• Do participating companies get a featured post on the event website with a link to your services?
• Are there options to increase your presence at the event, such as offering a workshop or raffle prize?
• Does the fair provide participating companies with a mailing list of attendees?   Consider carefully how you feel about using this list to promote your practice.  Fairs that offer this “benefit” can sometimes lead to a lot of email spam in participants’ inboxes as all the participating companies email them afterwards.  These are not likely to lead to business for you, as they have not already expressed a specific interest in your services.

3.  What kinds of booths are represented?

Before making the decision to purchase a booth at an upcoming birth or baby fair, take a close look at other companies that have already made the commitment. 

You can also often look to see who has participated in previous years. Are there formula companies?  Franchise companies such as a pharmacy or Babies R Us?  Typically, baby shows with these types of booths are both priced out of reach of most small businesses. 

As well, clients who are drawn to them may be less likely to be resonant with your niche market. As you look at the list of other businesses participating, try to imagine your ideal client – would she be drawn to this type of event?

Baby Fair Booth and Display Tips for Doulas

Set up your space with intention.

Position tables along the sides or back of your booth so visitors naturally step in to explore. If possible, always stand in front of your table – never sit. Way more engaging, and you can meet their eye as they walk by. The more time they spend inside your booth zone, the more likely real conversations will happen.

Keep it casual.

A friendly, low-pressure approach is best when you are meeting potential clients. Don’t forget to smile as they walk by, and be sure to begin by asking them a question rather than filling the silence with a ton of information about your services.

Create visual interest.

Use a clean tablecloth (bring your own fabric that matches your brand colors!), a few props, and display risers to create height and dimension, rather than a flat setup. Layers make your booth feel more professional and eye-catching. Find some beautiful photo frames with glass fronts and use these for display posters – you can insert a testimonial for your practice printed on pretty paper, or photos of you in action.

Bring props! Your birth kit as a doula or childbirth educator includes fantastic conversation starters such as your birth ball, rebozo, or a pelvis model.

Add warmth and personality to your booth.

A small rug softens the space, and a plant or fresh flowers bring it to life. These simple touches help people feel at ease. And of course, chocolate is also good. You can even include a colouring area to keep siblings entertained while you talk with parents.

Offer a place to pause and rest.

Keep two chairs on hand so visitors can sit for a short chat or rest (or to feed their little one). Comfort encourages connection—and conversations are where trust begins.

Make sure they have something to remember you by

A stack of business cards is a smart way to make sure they have something to take home to remember you by, but even better is if you can gather their emails. Consider a free giveaway they can sign up for at the table, or a QR code on the back of your business cards that will take them to a bonus offer on your website – a giveaway or perhaps a discount for fair attendees.

Network with other birth and postpartum business owners.

One of the best benefits of attending a fair like this is the opportunity to network with other business owners who have tables. Be sure to research the other businesses attending the event to strategize on possible ways to collaborate or have talking points to bring to the conversation. Attending the maternity fair is a fantastic way to build your client referral network and identify creative partnerships with other birth and postpartum professionals, such as midwives, chiropractors, or acupuncturists.

How to create your own birth and baby fair

Years ago, I sat in a circle with a group of holistic birth professionals, including a midwife, childbirth educator, chiropractor, acupuncturist, massage therapist, photographer & doula.  We were sharing our frustration with an upcoming corporate-style baby fair at which booths would run an average of $800 – $1000, far out of our price range.  And so, of course, we began to scheme and dream about creating our own fair: Birth Fest.

Envisioned as an alternative to the larger-scale convention center baby fairs, we wanted to create something truly local and affordable, showcasing the best of what our community had to offer.  Birth Fest was a beloved part of the Vancouver birth scene from 2006 – 2011, welcoming hundreds of families each year.

Organizing your own birth fair is a lot of work, but it comes with significant benefits attached to your efforts.  There is, of course, the obvious benefit of creating a fair tailored to your niche market and showcasing your birth practice.  More important, however, is the impact of taking a leadership role with the fair – increasing your visibility, building relationships, and best of all, establishing yourself as a hub within the birth and postpartum community.

After 5 years, we were ready for something new and decided to let go of this vision. Here are a few of our lessons learned along the way:

Be clear on your vision for the fair

What types of booths would you like to include?  Services? Baby Gear? Artisan Crafts? As well, consider what age range you want to represent for families with young children? Look carefully at your booth selections to ensure there is a good balance of options for families at all stages of pregnancy and new parenthood.

You will also find it helpful to set clear criteria for booth selection.  Consider the types of businesses that might apply to join you and how you feel about larger companies, such as a pharmacy, education savings plan, or a chain baby store, being included.  Do you want to meet the WHO Breastfeeding Code as part of your criteria?

Create partnerships

If your goal is to keep the event affordable for small businesses, the price of a large hall can be daunting.   Consider approaching a local community center or church to collaborate with you by donating the space?  Is there a local print or online magazine for young families that might join you as the event sponsor?  Identify local businesses that might be open to donating materials, such as flowers, balloons & helium, as well as snacks for volunteers (consider picking up day-old bakery items the night before). Additionally, explore options for raffle prizes.

Share the work

While you could certainly plan a birth and baby fair all on your own, it will be a lot more enjoyable as a team effort, working together with a few other like-minded businesses.  Recruit a team of volunteers to help with set-up, the greeting table at the event, and clean-up (which admittedly is harder to get volunteers for).  New doulas are often more than willing to contribute, as this is a great chance to get connected with other business owners in the birth or postpartum community.

Have fun with the decor

We discovered there are countless ways to spruce up a community gymnasium. We wanted the feel of a “Birth Lounge”, using luscious pinks and red cloths (sourced from a discount fabric warehouse), plenty of holiday light strings, and flowers on every table. We even covered a birth ball with pretty fabric and threw it up in the basketball hoop!  A breastfeeding nook with cozy chairs and pillows was set up in a corner. A tent borrowed from a local farmers’ market vendor, combined with a few rocking chairs, pillows & stools from home, created a lovely, quiet nook for parents with babies who needed to breastfeed or have a snuggle.

In conclusion…

When you stand at your booth or build your own mini-fair, remember this: it’s not about showing up—it’s about showing you. Choose a fair that attracts the clients you love, design a space that speaks to your heart and your work, and step into it with the confidence of someone who cares. Whether you’re surrounded by banners or hosting your own maternity and baby fair, you’re creating connection.

You’re not just marketing—you’re extending the reach of your practice and your voice in the birth community. So go ahead. Be visible. Be bold. And let the families who need you find you when you show up fully.