Congratulations on starting a new career!

The world needs more doulas and owning your own business is an awesome feeling. It’s great to be completely in charge of your own schedule and your own earning potential - all while you are providing valuable service to new families.

One of the most important things you need to do to ensure you have a thriving career serving new moms and babies is to choose a GREAT business name.

Here are my tips:

Choose a name that is easy to SAY OUT LOUD, SPELL and REMEMBER

When you’re chatting with someone at a neighborhood cookout and they mention a friend who is about to have a baby, you need a business name that is easy to say, spell and remember so that she can pass it along to her friend from memory. If your business is named Doula4You, that person will go home wondering, “Wait, was that ‘Doula 4 U’ or ‘DoulaForU’ or ‘DoulaForYou’?”
Do an extensive Google search

Take the time to really research the other doulas in your area (www.doulamatch.net is a great resource for this) so that you can choose a name that really stands out and sets you apart from local competition. This is a super important step! If you love the name Birth Belly Baby Doula Services, that would not be a good name to choose if someone else in your area owns the name Belly Baby Birth Doula Services. Choose a business name that is very different from the other doulas around you. Clarity = Customers.

You can also search the US Trademark database to see if your name idea is in use anywhere else. Generally, it’s ok to have the same name as someone a few states away, but it’s nice to know and avoids any future legal problems. Also, if that other business has the same name and a similar website URL, you could be driving traffic to that website instead of your own and confusing/losing potential customers along the way.

3. Add the word “doula” to your business name

The number one Google search when someone is exploring doula care is “doula near me”. If your business name (and website) has the word “doula” in it, your website will rank higher in the Google results.

This also succinctly makes it clear what you do. If your business is named “Darcy’s Awesome Baby Services” people will wonder if you’re a babysitter, a nursery decorator or a midwife. Clarity = Customers.

4. Add your city/town to your business name

For the same reasons stated above, including your city in your business name and website URL will boost your rankings on Google and make it abundantly clear where you are located.

5. Register your Business with your State

In the U.S., businesses need to register at a state level only and not at the federal level. Also, it’s not required to register a trademark for your business name (I never have and I’ve been doing this for 14 years).