Marketing for dietitians

If traditional business marketing - whether for online or face-to-face services - has you feeling icky then you’re not alone. Many dietitians and health professionals feel that much of the status quo strategies of marketing don’t really ‘fit’ for them.

And unfortunately there’s not too many alternatives out there so most dietitians end up either forging ahead with strategies that just don’t feel right OR burying their head in the sand and ignoring marketing all together.

Marketing for dietitians can feel fraught. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Why does marketing feel so ‘icky’?

Firstly, it’s not you.

And it’s not even necessarily the strategies that traditional marketing uses (although, let’s be honest, some of the strategies are definitely a problem!)

Usually it’s a values disconnect.

The values of traditional marketing are much like the values of many of the systems you see operating around you, such as diet culture. And if you don’t share those same values then that’s where a disconnect can come up. The good news is that you can bring your values as a health professional into your marketing as a dietitian. So let’s get clear on what’s going on and how to do things differently.

First, let’s chat values and marketing.

What are the values of traditional marketing?

The values of traditional marketing are not the same as the values most dietitians hold. Traditional marketing values are a reflection of the systems and culture around us. It looks a little something like this:

• Based in 'power over' dynamic

• Uses manipulation to influence

• Utilises shame, guilt and blame

• Promotes a ‘one right way' approach

• Can be coercive & override consent

• Encourages you to outsource your intuition

• Undermines trust (yours and that of the humans you share your work with)

And for most health professionals these are simply not the values you practice by. So there’s a big disconnect. And when it comes to marketing, dietitians often can’t find a way to do it effectively while still staying true to their values.

The kicker is that the ‘blame’ for the disconnect gets placed on the individual - you. And if you’ve been in a situation where you were made to feel like you were the problem I’m sorry you were made to feel that way. It’s much like how diet culture puts the blame for the diet failing on the individual.

Traditional business strategy tells you that if you’ve got a problem with marketing it’s a ‘you’ problem - and that’s simply not true.

It’s not a ‘you’ problem or a mindset issue, it’s a values disconnect. And the answer? Changing things at a values level.

So, before we jump into a different way to do things let’s get on the same page with our understanding of what marketing is.

Marketing: what is it exactly?

From the dictionary "the action or business of promoting and selling products or services".

So basically telling humans about the work you'd like to share with them. That’s something most dietitians are comfortable doing.

However, when dietitians think marketing it’s common to think advertising. Marketing does encompass advertising and sales, but it’s much broader than that too. In reality marketing is almost EVERYTHING you do in your business.

Now that statement isn’t meant to scare you but more to get you thinking that marketing isn’t a separate task ‘over there’. And it’s a reminder that much of the tasks you actually feel comfortable doing - reaching out to referring agents, following up with past clients or simply talking about your passion for nutrition - are ways to share what you do (aka marketing).

An effective marketing approach is embedded in all the things you do in your business because most tasks you undertake will be telling humans about the work you’d like to share with them.

From your social media strategy, to your website, to the customer service experience you provide, to collaborating with in and outbound referrals. It’s all marketing.

And it doesn’t have to feel icky or like you’re ‘always selling’ something.

And the key to that is bringing your values as a health professional and human along for the ride. Let’s chat an alternative way to approach marketing as a dietitian or nutritionist (or any health professional for that matter!).

Marketing in an authentic, human centred way

First up, let’s start with a shared understanding again here. The definition that I hold around marketing, especially as it relates to a marketing approach that works for you the dietitian and you the business owner AND brings your values into the picture is this: marketing is about signaling to the humans you'd like to share your work with what you do and why you do it. It's about creating a space where you both envision a better world.

Authentic, human centred marketing in a values based business is relational rather than transactional. Relational marketing is about reframing your actions and activities towards cultivating relationships. And I think that’s something most dietitians want more of in their business.

Relational, human centred marketing is based in a very different set of values than those you see up above. Most importantly, it’s based in your values. AND there are also some shared characteristics where we can start.

Relational marketing is marketing that:

• Centres care over urgency

• Is grounded in consent and transparency

• Doesn't leverage shame or judgment

• Considers inclusion

• Recognises and respects the humanity of all parties involved

And when you are undertaking marketing in a more relational and human centred way it’s different than traditional marketing. Here are a few things I’d invite you to hold front of mind:

• There is no 'one' or 'right' way - this is simply one way of many

• Shift your expectations to the process around your marketing rather than the outcome of your marketing

• Actions you take speak louder than the words you say

• Intent matters, impact matters more

• If we want business and our profession to be different WE need to do things differently

• It takes time - a lot more time than traditional marketing sells - anyone that tells you differently is probably trying to sell you something!

At the end of the day human centred marketing creates a space for everyone involved to show up (and leave) as their whole human selves.

3 ways to get started in your nutrition business with doing marketing differently

So, now we have the ‘lay of the land’ when it comes to traditional marketing and shared understanding of the possibilities for dietitians in doing marketing differently how exactly do you get started?

1. Know your values - even if you are a very values driven human getting clarity on and wrapping words around your values is a very useful exercise to do. There are many online tools to get you started, I have a 3 part podcast series and also a workbook to support the action of pulling your values out of your head and actions and articulating them in a way that you can use to support your marketing and your business. Use the method that works best for you.

2. Use your values as a filter - take any previous learnings, anything you read on the interwebs, any trainings you do or podcasts you listen to and run the advice and info through your values filter. Listen to your body - is there a disconnect? Check it against the different values/characteristics above - is it human centred or the ickier traditional route? Use your critical thinking skills and your values based intuition to take what serves you and leave what doesn’t.

3. Develop a values driven marketing plan - maybe you’ve got an existing one or you’re starting from scratch but either way you can use your values and the characteristics of human centered marketing to guide and develop a plan that works for your business and fits for you