When first starting your RD private practice, there is so much to take into consideration. It can quickly get overwhelming when there are so many decisions to make!
Should you invest in a website? How should you structure your private practice? Should you take insurance or private pay only? There are so many questions and I’m happy to answer them for you and get you started in the realm of dietitian nutrition coaching. However before I do, first allow me to introduce myself.
My name is Tony Stephan, and I’m a Registered Dietitian just like you. Before I became a dietitian business coach teaching Registered Dietitians how to become successful dietitian nutrition coaches, I served thousands of clients in dozens of countries through nutrition coaching over a time frame of 12 years. Now let me share with you my Checklist For A Successful RD Private Practice.
Building Your RD Private Practice
When building your private practice, there are so many different directions you can go in and there are so many different avenues you can take your business.
And that, my friend, is the beauty of entrepreneurship.
But just because there are so many directions to go in when starting your business doesn’t mean that you should go in all available directions. Here is the thing about building a successful RD private practice. If you want to build a business that stands the test of time, you have to be laser focused on the priorities that matter the most to your business viability. So that’s why I’m so glad to be giving you my Checklist For A Successful RD Private Practice so that you know what you really NEED to get a solid start in your RD private practice.
Checklist For A Successful RD Private Practice
Identify Your Ideal Client
You have maybe heard that having a market niche matters, and I’m here to tell you that it DOES matter. Here is the thing about NOT having an ideal client: If you serve everyone, you end up serving no one! When you have a market niche, it sets you up as the expert in that particular area. Having an ideal client, or market niche, also is very important for content creation and client attraction. If you have helped numerous people lose weight, you will catch the attention of people who are seeking help with weight loss. Whereas if you DON’T serve a specified niche of some sort, there might be confusion about what you do and the value you provide.
By identifying your ideal client, not only will you be more likely to attract the clients you want, but it also helps with content creation. When you are creating content on social media for your business, your content shouldn’t be intended for everyone. It should be intended for your ideal client! Client attraction isn’t about putting random content out there and hoping that someone will like it. It’s about creating content that people will RESONATE with. If you have an ideal client, it’s much easier to create content that a group of people would resonate with.
Create A Solid Business Structure
When starting your own RD private practice, you should have a solid business structure that gives everyone the same experience. Your structure should be clear, concise, and easy as possible. Every client should go through the same process when it comes to applying, contacting, follow up, and payments. A great business structure should be sustainable for you, but also create an exceptional experience for your clients..
Having a solid business structure is the difference between a business and a hobby. A hobby can be great for some extra income, but a business is what you can count on to pay the grocery bill next month! Want to know how you can create a solid business structure in your own RD private practice? Check out our Dietitian Nutrition Coaching Certification. We have helped over 500 RDs just like you level up in their nutrition coaching business and make more IMPACT and more INCOME!
Find A Mentor
I can’t emphasize this one enough! The best way to get ahead is to learn from those who went before you. Learn from their mistakes so that you don’t have to learn from your own. Even after my 12 years as an RD entrepreneur, I still have a mentor to this day. Even though I invest a substantial amount of money into my mentor, it doesn’t cost me a dime! That’s because my mentor, Bedros, saves me from making incredibly costly mistakes.
Here is the thing, my mentor has helped my business ultimately grow further than I could have ever imagined on my own. And that’s because he is a good mentor who has been through the trenches. He “walks his talk”. So when you look for a mentor, find someone who not only “talks the talk” , but also “walks their talk”. You want someone who’s knowledgeable and has experience in your field. You don’t want a business coach who has never actually coached a nutrition client in their life! So look for someone who has the experience you are looking for.
Identify The Legal Steps You Need To Take
This isn’t exactly the most fun topic, but it’s certainly a crucial one! So let’s talk about the legal aspects of your business that you need to consider. However before we get started, it’s important to know that I am not giving legal advice and that it’s always best to consult a lawyer for specific legal advice.
When starting your RD private practice, here are a few legal aspects to consider. What legal structure will you choose for your business? Will your RD private practice be an LLC, and S corp, or something else? There are different directions you can choose to go in for which entity you wish your business to be. Another question to ask yourself is what paperwork do you need for working with clients? You may want a formal client agreement or other legal documents. Your client agreement could include documents such as a cancellation policy, fees for a no show, or billing information. It’s up to you what you decide to include or not include, but ultimately it’s always best to consult a lawyer for specific legal advice.
Create A Marketing Plan
When starting your private practice, one thing you can’t forget to consider is your marketing plan. Afterall, the whole purpose of creating a business is to SERVE people so that you can make IMPACT and INCOME as an entrepreneur RD! So creating a marketing plan is imperative to get people in the door. You could create marketing efforts both in person and online. Or you could do one or the other. Whichever you decide to do, it’s important to CONSISTENTLY show up everyday.
Here is the thing: People don’t buy from people they don’t know! So that’s why showing up consistently is a big deal. When you show up daily, not only do people start to know you, but they come to like you and eventually trust you. So when you’re creating your own marketing plan for your own nutrition business, make sure it’s something you can stay consistent with! That’s where you get people to know you, like you, and trust you.
Bottom Line: Checklist For A Successful RD Private Practice
Starting your own RD private practice isn’t a walk in the park. However it doesn’t have to be confusing. If you want to build a business that stands the test of time, you have to be laser focused on the tasks that make the most impact while creating your RD Private Practice. That’s why I’m so glad to have shared 5 of the most impactful aspects of starting your very own successful private practice.
If you’re looking to start your own nutrition coaching side hustle, you’re in the right place. I’m proud to be a part of the movement of dietitian entrepreneurs who are making more IMPACT and more INCOME! In the Dietitian Nutrition Coaching Certification, we teach our students how to set their dietitian nutrition coaching business up for success.
Check out our FREE resources below to get started.
