Discover my favorite tools as your Website Doula.
I know marketing your business online is A LOT of work. There are plenty of details required that you might not have thought about. We all need systems to better support your clients & make your admin easier.
The list goes on... I’m here to help point you in the right direction! Here are some of my top recommendations as the Website Doula:
Shopping Carts
I love love love ThriveCart. The checkout page design options are fantastic, and it has an excellent interface for user checkout with options to upsell with bonus offers as well as subscriptions, free trials, coupons and more. Plus you can get a special one-time purchase price of $495 instead of pricy annual fees. This is what I use now for all of my online sales and courses. Check it out!
Note: This is does not serve as an online store with multiple products in your cart, but rather a checkout funnel for services & products. You can, hover, include bump up offers, upsells & downsells if you wish.
Wondering about Shopify? If you're wanting a full shopping cart, it's an excellent platform if you have a business that is primarily ecommerce.
Online Scheduling
Having clients be able to automatically book and even pay for sessions through your website is a great way to save time AND make it easy to work with you. My top options are:
Book Like a Boss > Lots of great functionality for appointments, packages & classes, this is what I have used for years.
Acuity Scheduling > The higher-level plan includes HIPAA compliance for care providers.
Calendly > Integrates well with Honeybook client management system.
Your Website Privacy Policy & Cookies
Privacy laws are tricky - different in every state and country and always changing. Unless you have a great lawyer in your back pocket keeping tabs on it all, I highly recommend Termageddon for your site privacy policy and cookies setup. It will automatically update for you as privacy laws evolve.
Annual pricing is $119/year (before my coupon code!). This is HIGHLY recommended for your site's legal protection as you collect client data.
If you use the link below you can use the coupon code DOULA for a 10% discount.
Dubsado, Honeybook & 17hats
When you have a growing practice, having a tool that effectively helps you nurture potential clients & manage your existing client load makes all the difference. There are lots of great options out there.
My #1 choice is Honeybook for the user-friendly interface (click here for a free trial & to save 20% on your first year)
Dubsado and 17hats are also popular options for wellness business owners.
Online Course Platforms
If you're looking to offer courses, I have three great options for you!
Thrivecart is my favorite - the most affordable option out there as both a shopping cart & a course platform, with a lifetime purchase of just $495 or pro for $695 You get a shopping cart for services & products, payment plan options, bump offers, upsells & down sells, and an excellent course platform that meets most client needs. Get a 30-minute thrivecart setup session free when you purchase using my link!
Or, consider using Thinkific (get one month free!). This platform is designed solely for course delivery and the higher-prices plans include features such as quizzes & community.
Email Marketing
If you want to send newsletters or create email nurture sequences, you need an email marketing tool.
ConvertKit & Active Campaign > Ready to really commit to email marketing? These are my top choices for clients who are well established, growing, and active in their marketing.
Mailerlite > The best fit if you are just sending out an occasional newsletter to your client base or want to setup a simple giveaway.
My Doula Village
My Doula Village is the ONLY membership community for doulas that gives you affordable access to a doula business coach & marketing expert (The Doula Darcy) AND a supportive community of other doulas. Get the tools and support you need to get more clients and grow a sustainable doula business without feeling like you’re doing it alone. This membership includes a library of video trainings, a private Facebook group, and monthly live Office Hours with The Doula Darcy and more. Learn more here
One to One Doula Mentoring & Business Coaching
Get personalized support, mentorship and coaching from The Doula Darcy to scale your doula business. Save 10% with coupon code SJWEBSITE10.
Doula Website Templates
Simple semi-custom doula website templates. Save 10% with coupon code SJWEBSITE10.
Web Hosting
Based in Canada, Websavers provides fantastic affordable hosting for my clients all over North America. If you're in the USA you'll save about 30% thanks to the exchange rate. Skilled support team (instead of a massive call center), no overloaded servers, automatic site backups, and affordable. I have been with them for many, many years.
Secure Passwords
When it comes to passwords, I've seen it all. Your dog's name, birth year, fave food, the same exact password for everything... We all know we "should" be better about creating secure unique passwords but somehow it's always at the bottom of the list. I'd like to introduce you to LastPass. I would be absolutely lost without it.
Google Workspace
My top choice for client emails is to pay for Google Workspace (gsuite) Starter ($6/month) or Business Plan ($12/month). This allows you to have a domain-based email such as hello@mywebsite.com that is totally independent of your hosting = more reliable & faster service that is less likely to be flagged as spam. SIGN UP NOW
Email Signatures
Have you always wondered how people create those fancy signatures at the bottom of their emails? Here's my secret!
Wisestamp > You can create a beautiful customized email signature in less than 5 minutes, including features such as your photo, social media icons, and even your latest blog post.
Secure Passwords
When it comes to passwords, I've seen it all. Your dog's name, birth year, fave food, the same exact password for everything... We all know we "should" be better about creating secure unique passwords but somehow it's always at the bottom of the list. I'd like to introduce you to LastPass. I would be absolutely lost without it.