Who doesn’t want their books to be fuller? It’s not often that the people who are seeking support within their business are the ones who have hit capacity in their business.
Often dietitians are left wondering why they aren’t attracting clients/more clients and that’s when they start to internalise it and blame themselves. What I’d like to share with you today are my tips for how to sell more by solving problems, not by selling how you do it, but WHAT you do and the end goal because I’m sure it’s more around your messaging rather than you as a dietitian that’s stopping you from attracting the clients you want to see.
As most of you know, I am a bariatric and weight loss dietitian and I can guarantee you, our clients when preparing for surgery, don’t pick up the phone and say I want to lose weight. That’s not the thing that’s making them take action now because I can assure you, there have been many people in their ears over the years about their weight. Something happened to make them want to take action at that very point. They pick up the phone because retirement is imminent, and they want to travel the country (when we could travel) enjoying the life they never got the opportunity to live when grinding the 9-5. They have tried to start a family and have now reached the point where they are being referred to a fertility specialist for ART but they know if they lost the weight, they could avoid going down that road so they are going to get themselves healthy first OR they’ve just been diagnosed with what I call the trifecta – high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes and instead of managing these conditions with multiple medications, they’ve decided that they’d rather focus on themselves and come back down into a healthier weight for themselves first. So you can see where I am going. It’s the end result they want. What weight loss will give them, not just the weight loss. The ability to keep up with kids, to fall pregnant without IVF, the get off medications associated with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, increases in their diabetes medication. The active retirement. That’s what they buy into, not the how you do it.
Let’s take a look at how you can sell more as a dietitian, see more clients, generate more income in your private practice by solving problems of your ideal client, and selling outcomes and desires, not your hourly time.
Truly understand who your audience is:
I suggest getting 10-20 survey results to help you understand who your audience is and what they are motivated by followed by interviewing ~5 of them to delve deeper into their persona so you can gain the best knowledge possible of who it is you are selling too. If you haven’t already, profiling your ideal client is a must.
This is a crucial step in marketing. Knowing your target audience’s preferences, motivations, and pain points allows you to tailor your services and messaging to their specific needs.
List the key outcomes your client wants from working with you:
Emphasizing the benefits your clients will receive from your services is key. People are more interested in how a dietitian can improve their lives rather than the specific details of your methods. Key tip here is to make it less about you and more about them. What ways will you benefit them in their lives? Speak to their problem, not the how you are fixing it.
Highlight Results:
Brainstorm the results your offering provides your clients. Do you know what results you get your clients and what that means to them? It is important to have a clear understanding of the results you can help your clients achieve and making sure these align with your clients goals. I know you know what you do, but what do you help them achieve by working with you? Are you saving them time, money, improved health, better relationships, less medication, improved relationships etc.
Build Trust:
Trust is a major thing when investing in your health and developing a therapeutic relationship with someone. Can you showcase your qualifications, any additional training you have done, how can you showcase your expertise, share any success stories from clients who have worked with you before? For our non DAA members, how can you use testimonials and reviews to help you build trust? Be consistent in your branding, messaging, and marketing efforts. Consistency builds brand recognition and trust.
Educate & Provide Value:
Building on from how you are going to showcase your expertise, what are you going to do to regularly share valuable content? What platforms can you utilise and are those platforms where your clients are hanging out? Some options include sharing valuable content through blogs, social media, podcasts, webinars, you tube as some examples. Using these platforms helps you to position yourself as an expert but also helps potential clients understand the value you can provide. Ensure that your marketing materials do have a clear call to action (CTA) that prompts your listener, reader, visitor to take the next steps with you in your sales funnel.
Benefits sell, features tell:
This is an important marketing principle. This form of marketing presumes that selling is the process of connecting your offering to what it helps your customer do (features) to get to the goals they desire and eliminate the pain points they face. So for example, with our 30 day business bootcamp, the benefits were that it helped dietitians who were confused and overwhelmed with how to start their business gain the clarity they needed to understand what they did and for whom and how that looked. The features were that it was 30 days of video, audio and printed content/workbooks with weekly live coaching calls. Can you spot the difference? You should focus on selling the benefits of your services (ie weight loss, improved gut health, better sports performance, recovery or reduced injuries etc) rather than just listing the features (4 week program with video content).
Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP):
What is the number 1 compelling reason that people will buy from you? This is also known as your unique selling proposition. I can guarantee you there are a heap of dietitians out there doing similar things as you weather that be weight loss, IBS management, paediatric allergies or sports nutrition. The field of dietetics is popular but are you super clear on why someone would choose to work with you over someone else and how do you communicate that in your marketing messaging? Defining your USP is vital for your business to survive. Is it your approach, your specific expertise, or a unique method you employ? Your USP should be clear in your business marketing.
Effective marketing for dietitians involves a multi-faceted approach that centres on understanding your audience and offering them compelling reasons to choose your services.
First and foremost, understanding your audience is paramount. Doing your research with to help you find out more about your ideal clients helps you tailor your services to their specific needs and desires. Profiling your ideal client allows you to create targeted messaging that resonates with them.
When it comes to selling, I urge you to lead with value and get clear on your messaging so you are coming from a place of what results you can provide for the pain points your clients have because as long as you get them the results, it doesn’t matter how you do it when you are selling to them. They buy the outcome and who you are.
Do emphasize the benefits of your services, focusing on how you can improve your clients’ lives. It’s not about you; it’s about how you can solve their problems and deliver the results they desire. Clear and compelling outcomes aligning with your clients’ goals are crucial.
Building trust is essential, and showcasing your qualifications, expertise, and success stories can go a long way in establishing credibility. Consistency in branding and messaging reinforces trust over time.
Educating and providing value through various platforms, such as blogs, social media, webinars, and podcasts, positions you as an expert and demonstrates the value you bring to potential clients. Ensure your marketing materials include clear calls to action to guide your audience through the sales process.
Remember, benefits sell while features tell. Focus on selling the benefits of your services, highlighting how you can improve clients’ well-being, whether it’s weight loss, better gut health, sports performance, or other outcomes.
Lastly, your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is your competitive edge in a crowded field. Clearly define why someone should choose you over others and communicate this unique advantage in your marketing.
By implementing these strategies, you’ll be better equipped to connect with your target audience, address their needs, and stand out in the competitive field of dietetics. Your marketing efforts will not only help you attract more clients but also build lasting and trusting relationships with them.
