How do you market a dietitian service in 2020? Competition is fierce and it seems like it takes a lot of effort to stand out. We put together a list of marketing tips and ideas that will help you work smarter, not harder in 2020.
When we started our blog, a couple or years ago, our first article was about marketing tips for registered dietitians and nutritionists. We just felt that this segment had not been explored enough and we wanted to provide information that was tailored for this particular field. While many of those ideas still work today, we decided to come up with an update and more ideas that better reflect the business world in this new decade. Some strategies are more suitable for RDs that are just starting out and are planning out their marketing efforts, but all could inspire and help those looking to put their names (and services) out there.
Today, the topic of nutrition benefits from an impressive amount of interest from influencers, bloggers, fitness experts and others who are not necessarily trained as registered dietitians. Of course, most of these people know how to use digital tools in their favor and grow their audience as opposed to a dietitian who might not be just as tech or online savvy. This is how, often times, the wrong information spreads to the masses and so many misconceptions are born. We hope that by implementing the tips and ideas below, RDs and trained nutritionists will also be able to grow their online presence and get their message across to as many as possible, while also getting people to walk through the door of their office.
1. Grow your Instagram/Twitter account
We’ll just go ahead and assume that you do have one, since this is 2020. Instagram and Twitter are among the world’s top five social media channels, and both are still very popular in the U.S. and beyond. As a general rule, you do not have to be present on every social platform, but you could benefit a lot by growing your audience on the channel where you do seem to get more attention and interaction.
While Twitter is great for some quick knowledge sharing and comments on the day’s trending topics, Instagram is useful when you have a visual story that you want to share. Whether these are before and after images of patients, along with their motivating stories (make sure you get their approval before sharing) or Stories from conferences, posting regularly and keeping things relevant will eventually bring you more followers and partnerships. Just put more effort where you are seeing a response and know that there are many guides out there to help you go in the right marketing direction.
2. Share your knowledge
Nutrition, just like many other fields out there, is something that keeps evolving and no one can really say they know everything about it. It’s a constant learning process. Thanks to an RD’s experience with patients, some theories prove to be true, while others less so. Don’t be afraid to share bits of your knowledge and experiences for free. You can do so by writing articles (as a contributor to an industry magazine or for your own blog), creating an e-book, a newsletter or even a series of social media posts—written or video. This will boost your credibility and help you build a name for yourself.
3. Start a podcast
Podcasts are a huge marketing tool today and a great way to delve deeper into a topic, trending or not. You can also have guests, which means you could make the most out of the conferences you take part in and invite some of the speakers on your show. At first, you could try a monthly podcast, which doesn’t require too much time and effort. There are countless guides on how to start a podcast and a few good ones come from RDs. Giving them a listen might be a good starting point to see what it’s all about and choosing the topics that haven’t been covered yet. In a podcast you will be able to highlight your unique voice and make the best of whatever makes you stand out. Don’t forget that this too takes some planning and commitment, so that you have a regular flow and gain some loyal listeners.
4. Budget
Just like any other part of your business, marketing also needs a budget. Experts claim that somewhere around $3,000-$5,000 would do at the beginning for a website, a logo and some promotional materials. The costs rise if the marketing plan includes professional videos, e-books or even organizing online courses for others to take part in. This last part might even become a secondary business branch for RDs and nutritionists. Online courses are very popular and a great way to consolidate your name after you gain the relevant knowledge and experience. These might not be the best option if you are just starting out.
5. Plan, plan, plan
Random success is rare, so it’s best to plan and organize. This might sound scary, but it shouldn’t. A marketing plan doesn’t necessarily have to be complicated, but it should include some goals, the above-mentioned budget and a timeline. Updating it regularly will give you a clear idea of your progress and also shape the next step. Brainstorming is underestimated, so if you do have the opportunity to work together with someone on this—even if it is a freelance marketer that you hire to launch your marketing strategy—take it, or create it.
We would love to hear your thoughts on marketing strategies for dietitians, so join the conversation on our Twitter page.