Marketing Your Practice

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Marketing Your Practice

• Betsy Oriolo, MS RD LD CDE
• Owner,Total Nutrition Therapy, LLC
• www.eatright123.com

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Objective

• To educate RDs on effective marketing practices
  and resources to facilitate growth of their
  planned or current private practice.

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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 RDs
• New Marketing CD-rom

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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

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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?

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The 7 Ps (The Game Plan)

• Product
• Place
• Price
• Promotion
• Physical Environment
• People
• Process

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What Worked Business

• Community Newspapers
• Give away something free
• Fitness Centers
• Nutrition Council
• Cancer Centers
• ADAs Find a Nutrition Professional
• A good website
• E-newsletter sign up
• Networking with other RDs
• Whats your niche
• Cross refer to each based on specialty

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What Worked Products

• Articles for DPGs with ads
• Nasco
• Advertising in Todays Dietitian
• NE listserve
• Free email ads 4x/year
• NE site
• Ads in newsletters
• Ads with my local dietetic association
• Constantly thinking outside the box

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What Didnt Work

• Sponsoring local runs
• Too much volunteering of time
• Cost effectiveness?
• Dont give away too much
• Car Magnet
• Various online RD directories
• Bridal Store
• (could have?)

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What I didnt Try

• Phone book
• Cost
• TV or Radio Commercials
• Cost
• Joining networking groups (i.e. BNI)
• Chamber of Commerce

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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

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ADAs MNT Works Kit

• The Role of the RD
• Experiences with MNT
• MNT Providing Return on Investment
• Key Stakeholders Acknowledge Nutrition Services
  Provided by RDs
• MNT Coverage Guidelines
• Frequently Used Codes for MNT

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MNT Works Kit

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

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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)

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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.

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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.

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Other Marketing Ideas

• Possible Marketing Outlets
• Chiropractors
• YMCAs
• 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
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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

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Other Marketing Ideas

• Church bulletins and ads
• Local college or high school publications
• Local magazines
• Check rates
• Employee newsletters
• Holiday cards

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Announcements

• MDs, 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

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Contacting Media

• Identify yourself as a RD and give brief overview
  of your qualifications for speaking on certain
  topics
• The 5 Ws
• 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

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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.

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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

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Creative Calendar

• Good for news topics
• TV
• Radio
• Newspaper
• Also can be used for getting a doctors attention
  or doctors luncheon
• Suggestions for topics by month are provided

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Creative Calendar December

• Christmas
• Hanukkah
• Healthy snacks for the holidays
• Weight maintenance over the holidays
• Girth Control
• New Years Resolutions

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ADAs Media Guide

• http//www.eatright.org/ada/files/0708_media_guide
  _draft_8.pdf
• Top 10 Reasons to Consult with an RD

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Marketing Tools

• Yvette Quantz, RD
• Customized nutrition newsletter
• Affordable
• Professional
• www.foodtherapyonline.com
• Email yvette_at_foodtherapyonline.com
• www.vistaprint.com
• Brochures
• Business cards
• Car magnets
• Hats
• Fliers
• Thank you cards
• Holiday cards
• www.rapidforms.com
• Receipt books
• Mugs
• Pens

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Words of Marketing Wisdom

• Stay organized
• Always think outside the box
• Always have a plan
• Be resourceful
• Good luck!

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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