7 skills for dietitians to use in their nutrition business

Have you ever wondered what the best skills for dietitians are when it comes to reaching more clients, improving self-confidence, and dominating social media? We’re sharing the top skills that every professional should master so you can take the nutrition world by storm. 

Whether you just graduated college or have been in the nutrition field for awhile, chances are you’ve developed a long and varied list of skills. While they will all play some role or other throughout your career, some will undoubtedly be used more frequently than others. But which ones will be most useful in your professional career? 

In this article, we’re sharing the top skills for dietitians to have so you can boost your nutrition business and enhance personal growth. Whether you’re just starting out or are a seasoned expert, these tips are meant to provide inspiration and insight so you can take the nutrition world by storm. 

7 skills for dietitians to use in their nutrition business

1. Be socially perceptive

Being socially perceptive is one of the most valuable skills for dietitians to have. Regardless of if you’re working with physicians, fellow dietitians, or other clients, it’s important to be aware of the actions of others so you can respond accordingly. 

For instance, if you have a client who isn’t talking much but is slouched over in their seat, sways back and forth, or turned slightly away from you, it could be that they are nervous and anxious about the topic of discussion (or even the session in general). By picking up on feelings, facial cues, body language, and unspoken words, you can understand these reactions, let clients lead the discussion, and tailor your approach in a way that addresses the situation. 

By doing this, you are able to offer tailored nutritional guidance that works for each client, while making them feel comfortable and heard.

2. Stay flexible with your services

A lot of thought and consideration goes into the services you offer to your clients; yet as time goes on, you may need to make changes to your program and offerings to better suit their needs. Here are some questions to consider when assessing your programs and the need for potential changes:

• Are there other services you can provide that are more beneficial or impactful (both to current and future clients)? 
• What are the current trends, and do your services reflect those?
• Do these trends give you a different perspective on how to fulfill needs?
• Would sending a client survey help provide a better understanding of what they want?
• What can you do to increase the value of your services?

Depending on how you answer these questions, you may find that you need to let go of programs that are no longer working for your business. After all, a key skill to have is to be open and flexible to changes that meet the needs of your clientele. 

3. Get online

Marketing yourself can feel a bit awkward at first, but it is a critical skill to have for growing your business and getting your name out there. Online marketing is simple and effective, but it can take some practice to get used to. Here are some of the top ways to market yourself online to boost your business and reach more clients.   

• Social media: Taking advantage of social media platforms is one of the most efficient (and easiest) ways to share content with your audience. Whether it’s reposting your own videos, posting articles, or resharing other people’s content, you can make these platforms work for your brand and reach a large number of people while staying true to your niche.
• Website: In today's technologically advanced world, it’s essential to have an online space for your nutrition business. Whether it’s a blog, website, or landing page, people need to know what your business is about and what services you offer. This can be done by having good SEO; whether it’s keyword research, recipe plug-ins, long form articles, alt text, and/or meta descriptions, SEO is vital to increasing the visibility of your business and attracting more clients. Learn more about the importance of SEO for nutrition professionals and how Nutrium can help.
• Email marketing: This is a powerful tool to share information about your services, discounts, or upcoming events. To make the most out of your email list, you can create toolkits that offer free content in exchange for emails. This could be creating meal prep guides, healthy meal ideas, or other wellness content, but in general, it should be relevant to your audience and in line with your brand. By creating free content for people to use, you provide value in exchange for their email, which you can then use to send out content that will further market yourself.

Need more inspiration? Check out this article on how to create memorable nutrition content. 

4. Develop strong reading comprehension skills

The nutrition field is constantly evolving as new information becomes available. As such, it is important to stay up to date on the latest research, food trends, and social media topics and critically read them to decipher the content. After all, not all research (and other online information) is created equal, so as a dietitian, you must be able to filter through the noise to provide the most accurate information to your clients. 

5. Spend time in the kitchen

Chances are if you’re a dietitian, you love food, so the kitchen may often act as your happy space. However, you can also use your cooking skills to translate into your nutrition business and further help your clients!

If your services include recipe creation and meal plans (whether for clients or side hustles), then you can further buff up on your cooking skills and deliver tasty food that meets nutritional needs. Whether you experiment with a new appliance, perfect your knife skills, or find a new spice combination, you can take this knowledge and pass it onto your clients to help boost their confidence in the kitchen. Plus, you can create better tasting recipes that everyone is sure to love!

6. Identify and solve complex problems

There is no one size fits all approach to diet and health, which is why identifying (and solving) complex problems is another one of the key skills for dietitians to have. Every client is different and presents a new opportunity to highlight your strengths and the value of your services; as such, you may find yourself taking an out-of-the-box approach to help people reach their goals. 

By focusing on each client as a whole, you can identify any health issues and their current dietary and lifestyle habits to give the best nutritional guidance possible. This may mean reaching out to other professionals for their input, or diving into current research to assist in your care plan. However you choose to approach a complex nutrition client, rest assured that with the right problem solving skills and a healthy dose of patience, you will be able to further develop your skills and better meet your clients’ needs.

7. Be confident in your professional abilities

Self-confidence is widely considered one of the best skills (and qualities) anyone can have, yet it’s easier said than done. Unfortunately, the old adage “comparison is the thief of joy” rings true in many cases, and you may find yourself second-guessing your abilities, knowledge, and people skills when looking at other nutrition professionals. 

To avoid this, practice daily affirmations, reduce negative self-talk, dress for success, and know that you are here for a reason. After all, you are where you are today because of your knowledge, skill set, and expertise. When you follow your instincts, trust your gut, and stay confident, you will make decisions that are best for you and your professional career.

Summary

In this article, we have shared some of the most important skills for dietitians that you should dominate. If you’re looking to start a new venture, improve your interpersonal relationships, or take your business to the next level, then having certain skills can help you reach your goals.

Whether it’s dominating self-confidence or mastering a website, you can focus on honing your skills to reach a wider audience and better impact current clients to take the nutrition world by storm.

We are always working toward bringing you the best nutrition content, so we welcome any suggestions or comments you might have! Feel free to write to us at info@nutrium.com.

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