Waiting is a big part of the process to adopt a baby.
But when you’ve been waiting a long time, it can feel like it’s the only part of the process.
If only there was a way to shorten your wait.
Well, there is. Actually there are many ways.
That’s because when you’re adopting a baby through private domestic adoption, you have the ability to reduce your wait time by taking control of your outreach efforts.
It all depends on how fast you connect with a prospective birthmother. And the more proactive you are in reaching out to her, the faster you’ll find a match and the sooner you’ll adopt.
Here are 8 simple things you can do right now to reach out to a prospective birthmother and speed up your wait time.
1. Write a compelling adoption profile
Your adoptive parent profile is not only your introduction to a prospective birthmother. It’s one of the most effective networking tools you have. So it only makes sense that you should put the time and effort into creating yours so that it’s the best it can be. With an honest and accurate profile, you have the chance to make a strong first impression with a prospective birthmother without saying a single word and laying the groundwork to what could be a lifelong relationship.
2. Sign up for multiple agencies or licensees
In the old days, your only chance of meeting a prospective birthmother was through an agency. It was the way matches were made. The internet has shifted a lot of the control away from agencies but they’re responsible for their fair share of adoption matches. Registering with an agency can put you on the map. However, registering with more than one agency can boost your exposure even more. And it doesn’t have to make a huge dent in your pocketbook. Find an agency and licensee with little or no upfront fees, that only charge when you find a match.
3. Be active on social media
Other adoptive parents have connected with birthmothers through social networks, and you can, too. Sites like Facebook and Twitter are great tools to update your family and friends on your adoption journey. But they’re also a proven way to meet and get to know prospective birthparents. The trick is to keep your profile up to date with interesting and engaging content. Even if you don’t use it to find a match, joining a social networks can have other benefits if you’re interested in interacting with other adopting and adoptive parents.
4. Be flexible with your criteria
When it comes to adopting a baby, it’s important to know your comfort level. Having a clear sense of what you’re capable — or not capable — of taking on can help you focus your adoption search. For instance, you may decide that you’re not ready to take on a child with special needs or of a different race. But being too specific in your choices — for instance, specifying that you’re only interested in adopting a girl — could paint you into corner and add to your wait time. The more flexible you are in regards to the age, race, gender and medical condition of the child you’re looking to adopt, the larger the pool of prospective mothers you’ll be shown to and the more opportunities you’ll have to find the child that’s right for you.
5. Create a personal website
Today when a prospective birthmother is looking for information about adoption or adoptive parents, chances are one of the first place she’ll visit is the internet. Knowing that, you’ll want to create a strong online presence. Building a personal website is a great way to do it. It’s a wonderful way to give a prospective birthmother a peek into your life and get yourself out there in a place where you know they’re looking for parents. Getting a website is easy. You can either hire a professional to build you one or create one yourself with a do-it-yourself platform like Weebly. No matter how you do it, establishing a digital outpost where prospective birthmothers can find you will help you take your outreach efforts to the next level and increase your chances of finding a match.
6. Explore advertising and paid search
A personal website can help you reach out to a prospective birthmother. But if she can’t find it, how useful is it? Unfortunately, the motto “build it and they will comes” doesn’t apply to the internet. As the number of adoption websites and online profiles has increased, the ability to stand out and get noticed has become harder and harder. Building a presence through search engine optimization is possible, but it takes months, and a fair bit of skill, to do. And when you’re hoping to adopt a baby, you don’t have that kind of time to wait. You want results right away. Which is why you might want to consider paid search through advertising tools like Google Adwords or Facebook ads. Using their services can help you drive targeted traffic to your site or online profile and generate possible leads.
7 Join a adoption profile service
Advertising can boost your reach, especially when you’re looking for fast results. But if it’s not done right, it can get costly. Joining an adoption profile service can be an effective alternative. It can not only give you an instant web presence. But you can also piggyback on its optimization and marketing efforts and get the word out about your plan to adopt in ways you wouldn’t be able to do through a personal website or paid search.
8. Word of mouth
Ah, the best for last. When it comes to shortening your adoption wait, nothing beats word of mouth. Getting the word out is by far the simplest and least expensive networking tool of all. After all, the more people you tell, the more chance you’ll have of spreading your message and finding the birth family that’s looking for you. With adoption, you never know where, when or how that match is going to happen. So if you want to speed up your wait, casting your net as widely as you can and telling everyone you know is the way to go.
Waiting is a big part of the process to adopt a baby. But when it comes to building a family, nobody likes to wait. taking advantage of these tips and tools can help find a match faster. but keep in mind that at the end of the day, a fast match isn’t as important as the right match.
Looking for ways to shorten your wait to adopt a baby? Check out our adoption profile writing and marketing service.