The Doula’s Guide to Powerful Consults: Questions That Close (Without Feeling Salesy)
Consults Aren’t Job Interviews — They’re Connection Points
If you’ve ever walked out of a doula consult thinking, “I nailed it,” only to get ghosted days later—you’re not alone. I’ve been there too.
Here’s the truth: facts don’t close consults. Feelings do.
And today, I’m sharing the swaps—the exact questions that move a conversation from polite to powerful, so you can sign more pregnant and postpartum clients without ever feeling salesy.
❌ The Problem With the Wrong Questions
Most doulas lean on questions like:
“When are you due?”
“Where are you delivering?”
“Have you thought about XYZ intervention?”
While these are fine to know, they don’t build trust. They don’t build connection. And they don’t give her the sense that you are the doula she needs.
I remember walking out of a consult years ago thinking, “I checked all the boxes. I proved I knew my stuff.” And then? She ghosted me.
Because consults aren’t about proving you know birth—they’re about proving you see her.
✅ Category #1: Connection Questions
❌ Not That: “So, how many weeks are you?”
✅ Ask This: “How are you feeling about this stage of pregnancy?”
Why: This opens the door to emotion, not just facts.
Other examples:
“What’s been the highlight of your pregnancy so far?”
“What do you want to remember most about this season?”
Perspective shift: Connection is about listening for feelings, not checking boxes.
✅ Category #2: Vision Questions
❌ Not That: “Do you have a birth plan?”
✅ Ask This: “When you imagine looking back on your birth, what do you want to feel?”
Why: This gets her talking about her ideal outcome, which makes your support the bridge.
Other examples:
“If everything went your way, what would this experience look like?”
“What words do you hope describe your birth?”
Perspective shift: You’re aligning with her vision instead of interrogating her plan.
✅ Category #3: Struggle Questions
❌ Not That: “Have you taken a childbirth class?”
✅ Ask This: “What’s been your biggest fear or frustration as you prepare?”
Why: People hire doulas when they feel understood in their struggles.
Other examples:
“What keeps you up at night when you think about giving birth?”
“What kind of support do you wish you had right now?”
Perspective shift: This isn’t about checking resources—it’s about uncovering what’s missing.
✅ Category #4: Commitment Questions
❌ Not That: “Do you want to think about it and let me know?”
✅ Ask This: “How important is it to you to feel supported in this way?”
Other examples:
“On a scale of 1–10, how committed are you to getting this kind of support?”
“Would you like to talk about what it would look like to work together?”
Perspective shift: Asking directly (but kindly) moves the conversation from information → decision.
💡 Wrap-Up: How to Book More Doula Clients
Here’s your challenge: audit your current consult script. Replace just 2–3 transactional questions with emotional ones from this blog.
You don’t need to overhaul everything. Small shifts in your wording can help clients feel seen—and make saying yes a natural next step.
Ready to Confidently Close Your Consults?
This blog is just a tiny slice of what I teach inside Sell to Serve—my 8-week live program for doulas who want to book clients on repeat without feeling pushy.
Inside, I’ll walk you step by step through:
Consult frameworks that close without pressure
Objection handling that feels natural
DM follow-ups that turn “I’m not sure” into a confident yes
Sales psychology that transforms your consults and your calendar
👉 But doors close Monday at midnight. Once they shut, they’re shut.
If you’ve been nodding along thinking, “I need this,” then this is your moment. Don’t let another consult slip away because you didn’t know what to ask.
👉 Click here to join Sell to Serve before the doors close
I’ll see you inside.
