Tips for Advertising for prospective Birth Mothers

 

Although we use the word “advertising” because that is how people search for this information, there is something inherently dehumanizing about using this word in relation to a woman in crisis. As you follow our tips, keep in mind that this is a human being we are talking about, and a person that may well be in your life for life. Progress with respect and compassion.

  1.  Notify your personal network of family and friends that you are interested in adopting and would appreciate their keeping you in mind if they hear of an opportunity. Ask them to spread the word to their circle of friends. We recommend sending a letter via old fashion mail.  Letters are infrequent enough now to stand out as something important. You may want to follow up with an email to make it easier to include a link to your adoption website. See below.
  2. Analyze your personal network to see who might be more likely to come into contact with expectant mothers with an unexpected pregnancy who might be considering an adoption plan.  Contact these people by phone or in person and ask how they might be able to help you find a potential birthmother match.
    • Doctors and lawyers – Even if they do not deal with pregnant women often in their practice, they may know gynecologists, pediatricians, or family practice docs or lawyers who might.
    • Guidance counselors
    • Social workers
    • Clergy
  3. Think through in advance about the need to strike the balance between your need for privacy and your need to spread the word.  In order to cast your net wide, you will need to share your adoption journey.
  4. Do not send out a mass mailing to people you do not know asking them about a potential match. It will likely just end up in the trash.
  5. You must talk with your adoption agency or adoption attorney about what type of adoption advertising your state allows. If you need help finding an adoption agency, check out our resources at the Creating a Family Choosing an Adoption Agency page.  If you need help finding an adoption attorney, check out the Creating a Family Adoption Attorney page.
  6. Set up a website for your adoption journey.  Keep it simple. Include photos and your adoption profile.  Although certainly not necessary, you may want to include a blog, but you will want to be circumspect about how much of your impatience and frustration you want to share.  Do not spend a lot of money on setting up this website. It need not be fancy.  You likely will not get many hits, so this should not be where you spend the bulk of your money.
  7. Make up some inexpensive business style cards with your name, a photo, your situation (for example: “Longing to be parents through open adoption”), your website URL, and your contact information. Hand them out if you strike up a conversation with someone and this topic is mentioned and they seem interested.
  8. Use the internet and online social networks to spread the word that you are looking to adopt.  Most people now use the internet as their primary way of gathering information. Endless possibilities including Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube, and parent profile type sites. See our Top Ten Tips for Using the Internet to Find Prospective Birth Mothers and our Do’s and Dont’s for Social Networking for Adoption.
  9. Print advertising is not dead. Post ads in rural shopping guides, Penny Pinchers, daily newspapers in college towns, give-away newspapers, etc. Get suggestions from your adoption agency or adoption attorney about what states you should focus on when advertising outside of your state.
  10. Place notices on bulletin boards where expectant moms may be. Keep in mind that many women consider adoption due to financial difficulties, so focus on places where poorer women may be, such as Laundromats, grocery stores, libraries, beauty parlors, and trailer parks. Always ask permission before posting.