Who Hires Sleep Consultants?
A sleep consultant may sound to some people like an extravagance. While it’s certainly a luxury, you may be surprised to learn who hires sleep consultants, especially across all demographics. Former students of the Center for Pediatric Sleep Management have been able to serve every type of parent, using the tools they learn in our courses. But like any business, finding your target market can be one of the most important and difficult pieces of creating your plan. If you’re thinking about becoming a sleep consultant, it’s worth considering who you want to work with.
Who Hires Sleep Consultants?
Learn what you can do to find the clients that will hire you as their sleep consultant. The following tips will show you where to look so that you can grow your business quickly.
Deciding Who to Serve
In general, any parent can benefit from working with a sleep consultant. The one group of people who are not likely to reach out is parents who are adamantly against the concept of sleep training. This may be because their child is already sleeping well, or they may have an understanding of the process that makes them feel it’s not right for them. Outside of these cases, you can really expect to see every type of parent on your leads list.
For some people, working with a wide scope of parents is ideal. Others may choose to narrow it down based on other criteria. One example may be choosing to work only with newborns or with toddlers and older children; another may be to focus on twins and multiples. The same principles taught by the CPSM apply across these groups, with your experience allowing you to change course as needed.
Non-Judgmental Approach
CPSM teaches you how to be a sleep consultant to everyone, including a viewpoint that is accessible to all parents without judgment. This is why our students have been able to serve clients you may not expect. A common misconception is that parents who bed-share can’t use sleep consultants. In fact, many of us work with parents trying to move children to their own crib or bed often.
This extends to the methods used when creating a sleep plan. Some parents come in ready to use extinction, while others want to start with very gentle techniques. Sleep consultants don’t tell either group they are wrong, but work within these guidelines to create a program that works for the whole family.
Use Your Network
Because a lot of your marketing will rely on connections you have, it’s common for sleep consultants to attract clients who are similar in some way. Many CPSM students are also doulas and therefore have access to a clientele that aligns with their values as a doula. This may translate to parents being more likely to use gentle techniques or keep babies in their room, for example, making them a good fit as the value alignment already exists.
Many people just don’t know sleep consultants exist, which can be why they haven’t hired one. The more you are able to spread the word and educate people about what you do, the more the market can expand!
If you want to hear real stories from sleep consultants, you can join our Facebook group to chat with us!
