How To Get More Clients in Private Practice: RD Edition
There are lots of benefits of becoming a Registered Dietitian and one of those is being able to have your own online private practice! It’s such an incredible experience to go from the standard RD 9-5 to your own nutrition business that grants you the freedom of time, location, and SO MUCH more. However, we all know growing a practice online can be intimidating, especially when your education and ambition is in dietetics and nutrition NOT marketing.
First of all, hear me when I say this: It’s okay that you’re not a marketing master. I definitely wasn’t when I started! It’s just something we all have to learn as entrepreneurs. You won’t find the “secrets” or “hacks” to getting more clients through “bro marketing” or other cookie-cutter methods. They just don’t work for dietitians! This profession is 100% HEART CENTERED and our passion for helping people isn’t just about profit, it’s about making actual life changes in the people we help.
So, whatever growth method we choose we need to keep in mind that the values you hold as an RD are essential to your plan. You need to be honest, ethical, and align with who you are not just as an RD, but as an entrepreneur, and, most importantly, as a human being. All that being said, today I’m going to give you some of my best advice on getting new clients and growing your nutrition business to its full potential.
Here’s what you can do:
How To Get More Clients in Private Practice: RD Edition
Niche down.
If you want to find your dreamy clients and really build your practice into a MEANINGFUL and FULFILLING business, you need to niche down. It can sound a little counterproductive to narrow your reach when trying to grow, but when you niche down, you can much more easily find your messaging and make your ideal clients hear you and what you can do for them.
Think about it this way: if your dreamy client is searching for an RD and they find you and a few other RDs, but your practice specializes in what they need, that dreamy client will choose you! This will also help you establish credibility as an EXPERT in this specific field, which will draw more clients to you!
If you're struggling to figure out your niche, know that this is something we really dive into in The Foundation™ program! As your dietitian business coach, I’ll help you discover what you’re truly passionate about and who you’re uniquely suited to serve.
Lean into your strengths.
One of the most important things you can do when marketing is lean into your strengths. It’s so easy to get sucked into what “you’re supposed to do” and lose sight of what you’re actually good at. If you’re great at talking in front of people, maybe marketing using motivational speaking! If you’re great at making Insta content, do that! Or, if you’re great at creating high-quality courses, get to building those classes.
Take some time to reflect on what you’re good at (and what you enjoy), because it’s probably where your passions and values are too! It’s a great way to stay authentic and create a strategy that you can really excel at. When you lean into your strengths you also allow for more ease, joy and flow in your business and this helps prevent burn out. When you love what you’re doing and show up from a place of joy, the world can feel it and so can your potential clients!
Keep a heart-centered mindset.
Remember how important your work is to your potential client! Your marketing doesn’t need to be flashy with a focus on urgency and lack. In fact, it shouldn’t be! As an RD your WHOLE BUSINESS is driven with passion and heart, and don’t forget that. No matter what strategy you choose, be honest, and sympathetic, and honor who you are as an ethical caring RD.
Your business is all about how you get to change your clients lives through nutrition and the impact this has. When you focus on why nutrition matters to your potential client and how it will support and change their world, thats everything they will need to know to see how and why a heart-centered RD like you will transform their life.
Optimize your website for Google search.
A lot of clients looking for RDs are going to be asking their doctor for a referral, using social media or as highlighted in this section, searching on Google. The goal is for your website to pop up if someone searches for a dietitian in your niche. The best way to accomplish this is by optimizing your website for Google search.
You can find a lot about “search engine optimization” online, but one of the best ways to optimize is through uploading SEO-friendly blog posts. If your blog is focused on nutrition content that’s important to your dreamy client, hopefully your website will pop up near the top of the list every time that ideal client searches for answers to a question.
Again, lean into your strengths. If writing long-form blog content isn’t your thing, don’t do it yet. There are plenty of other ways to grow!
Focus on adding value.
As an RD, your education and drive are so VALUABLE! Realize that you have a wealth of knowledge that the world needs to hear. This can be a significant part of your growth plan! Think of ways you can deliver powerful and insightful information to the community you want to serve. It’s a super beneficial way RDs like you can communicate just how amazing they really are and capture the attention of their dreamy client.
Use calls-to-action.
You can add value for your audience in a lot of ways: blog posts, digital downloads, courses, live streams, informative videos, meal plans, etc. If you want to generate leads easily, try offering something in exchange for a potential client’s email address and contact info! Then, you can put them on an email list to deliver more helpful content and information about your business.
Offer complimentary discovery calls.
Providing any type of free or complimentary call can be time consuming, and I hear that. It can feel like a lot of time to invest in a non-paying client. However, what if we switched the way we looked at these types of calls? People are so quick to think they are waste of time but I disagree. It’s a chance to connect with your most dreamy client and hold space to listen to what challenges they are facing.
It’s easy for your potential client to buy-in to and understand the incredible service you offer once they hear your sincerity and understand your unique nutrition approach!
Offering complimentary discovery calls as a call-to-action can be the perfect way to get in touch with your dreamy clients, understand their struggles, their goals and inspire them! These calls are not about giving away free advice, rather it is about listening to your potential client and truly discovering if your program or services are a beautiful fit for them. And if it is, then this call is an opportunity to tell them how you can change their life and help them achieve their goals!
Encourage referrals and collect testimonies.
Word of mouth is HUGE. Most people who work with an RD leave powerfully transformed by the efforts and support put forth by passionate Registered Dietitians like you. This is why often private nutrition practices THRIVE. Their clients can’t wait to get others in their sphere of influence involved with your work to be radically changed, just like them!
This is incredible for you because just by naturally serving your clients well and with your whole heart, you can be securing future clients. You’ll get MORE clients just from working as hard as you already do. Beyond just working hard like you already do, create a special referral program for your clients, and don’t be afraid to ask them for feedback. Testimonials are a fantastic way to get potential clients to see how you can support them and as a result reach out and book with you.
Network and collaborate with other businesses.
As you can see, meaningful connections are essential for getting more clients as an RD. Outside of connecting with clients, you can also start connecting with other businesses and healthcare professionals that align with your values, approach, and personal beliefs. You can get put on online directories, get direct referrals from other experts, be invited to community events, and more. Don’t forget that nutrition is vital to every aspect of health and wellness and that means it’s naturally connected to many industries and businesses. Don’t be afraid to get out there and find networking partners or aligned collaborations!
Use social media as a support.
I don’t believe that a large social media presence is necessary for a thriving online business. In fact, I never had more than 1,000 followers on any social media platform in my own online nutrition practice. While social media doesn’t need to be your whole strategy, it can be an incredibly impactful part of your growth plan. However, if dancing and posting on Reels isn’t your thing, please don’t do it. Remember to play to your strengths and this is especially important when it comes to social media.
Of course, it’s a great complement to other marketing approaches, because it’s free and gives you direct access to thousands of people. It’s also a great way to give back. You can look at your social media presence as a philanthropic tool, a free way to give back to the world by sharing your valuable nutrition knowledge and expertise with those you care about helping. Social media is also a wonderful place to connect with others and start networking. Remember, the networking you do can start there but it doesn’t have to stay on social media.
Perhaps more than anything else, social media can be used to leverage and build alternative marketing approaches like email list building (a personal favorite).
Social media can be a lot of work, so you want to make sure that when you show up on social you do so in a way that aligns with your values. Participate in social media only in a way that feels valuable and authentic to you and your practice.
Hire a nutrition business coach.
Growing a nutrition business on your own is HARD. I know, because I did it and struggled for a long time with the trial-and-error route. That’s why I feel so called to help RDs like you build an online private practice that can fulfill them in every way. You deserve the business of your dreams, and I know exactly how to get you where you want to go. Let’s work on the marketing together and finding your community! Here are the reasons you should consider hiring a dietitian business coach.
You can grow your private practice your way!
When you’re an RD, everything you do with your practice is more than business. You are fulfilling a mission to help people and change their lives through nutrition! That means your marketing strategy needs to have just as much heart as you do, so your dreamy clients can hear and feel the wisdom, passion, and energy you bring to the table. Don’t forget YOU are your greatest asset! There is no shortage of people out there that need your help, it’s just a matter of finding them.
If this process feels overwhelming or you’ve already been trying to grow your business for a while without success, join me and my colleagues for dietitian business coaching! In The Foundation™️ we focus on establishing your business mindset, niching down, understanding your personal and professional goals, getting the legal pieces in order, and learning how to market and message to your most dreamy client. So, whatever you need for your new business, we can tackle it together!