Doula Business Advisor: How to Collect?

Are you having trouble collecting your doula fees? Consistency is important. Hold clients responsible to the agreement and call them on it if they are engaged in shenanigans. The old “I forgot my checkbook” or “the check’s in the mail” (when it’s not!) doesn’t work well if you are counting on your paycheck today and it’s not forthcoming. I have sometimes sat in uncomfortable silence as a response to the “I forgot my checkbook” claim, waiting for the client to work through how she’s going to solve the problem. If she’s not forthcoming, I might say “That’s a problem for me today. How soon can you take care of this?”

Remember, being “sweet” when someone is neglecting their responsibility
to you is an invitation for that person to continue bad behavior. You are not the one who caused this problem, and it is not up to you to fix it. Sweet isn’t really sweet when resentment is behind it.

What about the client who forgets to pay you? You have a lovely prenatal
visit together. You like her and her partner a lot. You are all excited about their upcoming birth. It’s time for you to hit the road. According to your contract together, their final payment is due tonight, and you really wish they would just pull out the checkbook and pay you. Here are some options for bringing up the subject:

“Do you have that final payment for me tonight?”
“Can we take care of payment before I leave?”

Whatever you do, don’t walk out of that house knowing that they should have paid you without having enabled or reminded them to do so. Remember, you are a professional with every expectation of getting paid. As you step into that role, as you own it and take pride in your work, all uneasy feelings about being paid, and paid well, for your time will drop away. The key to having clients who pay you faithfully is to have a matter-of-fact attitude about the business part of your business. Some people will try to make their money problems be your money problems, showing obvious pain as they write you a check or telling you about what they just had to spend to get their car fixed, and so on. You don’t need to engage, and you certainly don’t need to feel guilty (presumably they want your car in working order so you can make it to their birth!). Simply smile and say “thank you” when they hand you your check. It’s just business.

The Doula Business Advisor blog is designed to support the establishment and long-term sustainability of private doula businesses. Patty Brennan is the author of The Doula Business Guide: Creating a Successful MotherBaby Business.

Posted by Patty Brennan on April 26, 2011 • Filed under Doula Business Advisor
Comments (2)

Comments

2 Responses to “Doula Business Advisor: How to Collect?”

  1. Jen Henderson on April 27th, 2011 at 1:41 am:

    Another great post, Patty! I have always taken the approach that you have pointed out and have never had an issue-though I am always very up-front about when I expect my deposit on my website and in my contract.

    Money should not be an uncomfortable subject… We provide a valuable service. I never apologize for my rates or for expecting payment, though I am willing to work out alternate payment arrangements if someone is struggling.

  2. Elizabeth Morrison on May 1st, 2011 at 9:26 pm:

    I had this problem a few times and I would print out an invoice and leave it with the couples at our postpartum visits. BUT Then… another local doula told me about a system that has worked amazingly for me. I have it written in my contract that I require the down payment when we sign our agreement and the last payment is due by check at our 38th week visit. I tell the parents that this check I hold on to and deposit after the baby is born. I have never had a problem since I started to do this. I simply explain to couples that sometimes our pp visit may be delayed due to family visiting (which is true) and I can’t wait that long to be paid.