Marketing Your Practice

1. Marketing Your Practice Betsy Oriolo, MS RD LD CDE Owner,Total Nutrition Therapy, LLC www.eatright123.com

2. Objective • To educate RD’s on effective marketing practices and resources to facilitate growth of their planned or current private practice.

3. Betsy Oriolo, MS RD LD CDE • Owner, Total Nutrition Therapy, LLC • Provides in home visit nutrition counseling throughout the Greater Cincinnati Northern Kentucky areas • www.eatright123.com • Creator of diabetes and weight management CD-rom series for RD’s • New Marketing CD-rom

4. Marketing Plan • Details the necessary actions to achieve one or more marketing objectives • Can be for a product, service or brand • Covers 1 – 5 years • May be a part of an overall business plan

5. Things to Consider • Who are your customers or clients? • What is it about you that attracts clients to you? • What are their key characteristics? • What are their needs and wants? • What do they expect the product or service to do? • What do they think of the organization and its products or services? • What are their buying intentions?

6. The 7 P’s (The Game Plan) • Product • Place • Price • Promotion • Physical Environment • People • Process

7. What Worked: Business • Community Newspapers • Give away something free • Fitness Centers • Nutrition Council • Cancer Centers • ADA’s Find a Nutrition Professional • A good website • E-newsletter sign up • Networking with other RD’s • What’s your niche • Cross refer to each based on specialty

8. What Worked: Products • Articles for DPG’s with ads • Nasco • Advertising in Today’s Dietitian • NE listserve • Free email ads 4x/year • NE site • Ads in newsletters • Ads with my local dietetic association • Constantly thinking outside the box

9. What Didn’t Work • Sponsoring local runs • Too much volunteering of time • Cost effectiveness? • Don’t give away too much • Car Magnet • Various online RD directories • Bridal Store • (could have?)

10. What I didn’t Try • Phone book • Cost • TV or Radio Commercials • Cost • Joining networking groups (i.e. BNI) • Chamber of Commerce

11. What I did my 1st year: • Business & marketing plans • Small Business Association • Article and ad in local small newspaper • Became insurance and Medicare provider • Appeared several times on local TV & radio • Fliers, newsletters, doctor blitz • Hired subcontractors

15. ADA’s MNT Works Kit • The Role of the RD • Experiences with MNT • MNT Providing Return on Investment • Key Stakeholders Acknowledge Nutrition Services Provided by RD’s • MNT Coverage Guidelines • Frequently Used Codes for MNT

16. MNT Works Kit • Works Kit Powerpoint • Media Materials (MediaTab) • NNM Month Materials • Press Releases • Video Library • Become a Media Spokesperson • Application online

17. Become an ADA Spokesperson • Baltimore; Chicago; Cleveland; Denver; Detroit; Los Angeles; Miami; Minneapolis; New York City; Phoenix and Washington, D.C.  • African-American Nutrition Specialist (Any US City) • Latino Nutrition Specialist (Any US City)

18. ADA Spokesperson • Be an ADA member. • Have been an RD for at least five years (advanced degree and/or specialty certification desirable but not required). • Have a minimum of two years experience in working with the news media (television, radio, print and electronic). • Possess and demonstrate strong communication skills and a positive demeanor.

19. ADA Spokesperson • Be knowledgeable in food and nutrition science, current food and nutrition topics, ADA position statements and two or three areas of expertise. • Be free of conflicts of interest. • Have sufficient flexibility in his or her work schedule to permit media training, interviews (often on short notice), preparation time and occasional travel and other assignments. • Promote, support and attend state, district or national Association activities. • Fax machine and a valid e-mail address.

20. Other Marketing Ideas • Possible Marketing Outlets: • Chiropractors • YMCA’s • Daycare centers, preschools, schools • Send press releases to TV stations • Weekly radio spots • Doctor lunches • Churches • Write for websites • Signature line on emails • Link to other nutrition/health sites www.dietitiancentral.com

24. Doctor Lunches • Find out who is the office manager • Get to know their names and faces • Secretarial staff • Let them know how much you appreciate their referral • Send follow up progress notes, thank you notes • Consider cost of providing staff lunches and marketing materials

25. Other Marketing Ideas • Church bulletins and ads • Local college or high school publications • Local magazines • Check rates $$ • Employee newsletters • Holiday cards

26. Announcements • MD’s, healthcare facilities • What are your areas of expertise? • What insurance do you accept? • Are you self pay only? • Results will bring referrals • Success with patients • Weight loss, improved blood sugar, lipids, etc

27. Contacting Media • Identify yourself as a RD and give brief overview of your qualifications for speaking on certain topics • The 5 W’s • Pitch letter or email • No more than 250 or 300, grammar and spelling • Follow up regarding your pitch • Future follow up with new story ideas

28. Letters to the Editor • Address the letter "To the Editor." Letters should be exclusive to the publication, timely, no longer than 150 words. • Most publications print an average of 10 letters a day. That means the competition is intense. So, when conveying your message to the editor, make it clear, current, concise and compelling.

29. Working with the Media: A Handbook for Members of the ADA • Print, TV, radio • How to approach media outlets • Dealing with interviews • Story Ideas • Creative Calendar • Sample Pitch Letters, Press Releases, Media Advisories • Key ADA Messages

30. Creative Calendar • Good for news topics • TV • Radio • Newspaper • Also can be used for getting a doctor’s attention or doctor’s luncheon • Suggestions for topics by month are provided

31. Creative Calendar: December • Christmas • Hanukkah • Healthy snacks for the holidays • Weight maintenance over the holidays • “Girth Control” • New Years Resolutions

32. ADA’s Media Guide • http://www.eatright.org/ada/files/0708_media_guide_draft_8.pdf • Top 10 Reasons to Consult with an RD

33. Marketing Tools • Yvette Quantz, RD • Customized nutrition newsletter • Affordable • Professional • www.foodtherapyonline.com • Email: yvette@foodtherapyonline.com • www.vistaprint.com • Brochures • Business cards • Car magnets • Hats • Fliers • Thank you cards • Holiday cards • www.rapidforms.com • Receipt books • Mugs • Pens • Referral form folders

34. Words of Marketing Wisdom • Stay organized • Always think outside the box • Always have a plan • Be resourceful • Good luck!

35. Marketing CD-rom Sale! • Receive a 10% discount off our new Marketing your Private Practice CD-rom for the next 2 days • Includes modifiable forms: • Gift certificates, fliers, bridal promotion, doctor & private practice referral forms and letters, marketing plan, promotional fliers, marketing tools & resource lists and more… • Visit us at www.eatright.123.com www.eatright123.com/products.htm