[00:00:00] Libby: If you're looking to grow your business as a registered dietitian, you've come to the right place. If you're not sure what to do or what steps to take next so that you can create flexibility and freedom in your life, then you're going to learn a lot from tuning into our podcast here at Dietitian Boss.
[00:00:17] Libby: I'm Libby Rothschild, the founder of Dietitian Boss, a fellow [00:00:20] registered dietitian and business owner. And in our podcast, I share the highs and the lows, and I talk all about how to grow your business. Get it started and I interview our clients to date. We've had over 200 interviews from clients who share their journey on our podcast.
[00:00:36] Libby: Dietitian boss. Today we're talking about why email [00:00:40] newsletters are important for dietitians and what you will gain from using a formula that will help you grow your audience. Now you might not understand or fully realize the power of email marketing and using emails to grow your business or what your options are.
[00:00:57] Libby: So I want to ask you a couple questions. [00:01:00] Are you sending out newsletters but you're not seeing engagement? Or worse, do you dread writing them because you're not exactly sure what to say. Now, you might not know that according to the Direct Marketing Association, the return on investment of email marketing can reach 4, 200%.
[00:01:18] Libby: Imagine harnessing even a [00:01:20] fraction of that for your dietitian business. So when I first started sending newsletters years back, maybe like six, seven years back, I did struggle with achieving, Open rate at even 10%. But after I applied a few strategies, my open rate did jump to over 20%. And clients began booking discovery calls from my [00:01:40] emails.
[00:01:40] Libby: And then they ended up booking with me and I ended up helping them. So there's a lot of power in getting started and improving your process to really grow your business using email marketing. So if you like the idea of diving in with a newsletter formula, that's what we're going to talk about today.
[00:01:58] Libby: Newsletters [00:02:00] absolutely matter for dietitians. So I want you to know that email is a top channel. for getting clients and retaining clients because you have a high touch connection. So unlike social media, which you hear a dietitian boss, we also love emails land in personal inboxes and they offer a closer, more [00:02:20] trusted relationship than social media posts alone.
[00:02:23] Libby: You might've also heard of the algorithm on social media and how we might have to work with or against the algorithm, but. Email marketing is an algorithm proof audience, meaning you own your list, so your email list is not subject to algorithm changes or platform shutdowns, [00:02:40] much like social media. Also there are dietitian specific benefits.
[00:02:43] Libby: So whether you specialize in prenatal nutrition or sports nutrition, you deliver specialized insights right to your ideal client's inbox. Now, I want you to know why emails are indispensable, so I want to map out a formula that's going to help keep your readers interested and ready to take [00:03:00] action, even if you haven't sent out your first email yet.
[00:03:03] Libby: So there is a perfect newsletter formula that I want to go into, and I have a step by step approach that you can follow to create newsletters. That will resonate with your ideal client might take a little bit of testing, but the sooner you can get started, the sooner you have an opportunity to grow your [00:03:20] business.
[00:03:20] Libby: So you do want to 1st focus on the structure and that's going to include an irresistible subject line. You want to use curiosity or promise a benefit. So, for example, shocking reasons. Why your energy is plummeting, meaning it's not caffeine, right? So that is a really good subject line, because it's going to get people interested in what your [00:03:40] email has to say.
[00:03:41] Libby: So subject lines are important, and they're also something that you can test with time. You want your subject line to be catchy. The next tip includes a warm intro. You want to start with a personal note or a mini success story. So something along the lines of, hi from my kitchen in sunny Florida, where I just [00:04:00] finished whipping up a protein packed smoothie.
[00:04:02] Libby: And then you can give a recipe or go into more detail, but you're giving some context about either yourself or a success story. Third tip would be core content. So you want to pick one main topic or tip and keep it short, sweet, and hyper relevant to your audience. So you want to make sure you're adding value and that's [00:04:20] what's going to help increase the click rate and the open rate.
[00:04:22] Libby: So open rate means somebody's going to read your email and click rate means they're actually going to click through the links if you have any inside of the email and take the next action along their journey. The next tip would be an actionable step. So you want to provide a quick to do recipe link or a mini challenge so that the [00:04:40] readers feel immediate value.
[00:04:41] Libby: Next, you want to have a single call to action. A call to action means you're telling them what to do. So for example, you want to say click here to schedule a 15 minute discovery call or hit reply to this email with your biggest challenge. So you're either selling them into a service through a purchase button or a [00:05:00] discovery call button, or you're having them engage by responding back and you can learn more about your audience.
[00:05:06] Libby: So you can really get. Some interesting results by using calls to action in your email marketing strategy. So with a formula in place, let's now discuss the tools that can make sending newsletters an absolute [00:05:20] breeze. So tools in tech to simplify your newsletters are important to talk about because so many of our clients here at Dietitian Boss get overwhelmed, including us.
[00:05:29] Libby: Technology changes. It updates. We have to stay current with what decisions we want to make. Maybe we've, increased. The amount of subscribers we have. So now we have moved up a tier with our [00:05:40] service providers. So these are all important things to factor in your online business. I want you to know how to execute your newsletter strategy without getting overwhelmed by tech, because you are capable of working past some of those tech barriers.
[00:05:53] Libby: So first let's talk about email service providers. For example, Mailchimp, ConvertKit, MailerLite, we use Kajabi. [00:06:00] So you want to look for tag based automations so that you can send targeted emails to different people on your email list. That is more of an advanced strategy, but you want to think about using tags in your email marketing strategy to help optimize how you're reaching the right person at the right time to help you create more of a community and [00:06:20] sell your products and services.
[00:06:21] Libby: Then you want to think about. Automation features. So welcome sequences, build familiarity. So if somebody joins your email list through a lead magnet, meaning you've given them something for free that they voluntarily opted into, you do want to follow up with a couple nurturing emails. Then you want to think [00:06:40] about design and layout.
[00:06:41] Libby: So something simple is fine. You want to use a template, fewer images, more text, and you can use tools to create header graphics, but you can also keep things simple at first and make sure that your layout is effective. Next, you want to think about testing and analytics. So tracking open rates and click through [00:07:00] rates is really important.
[00:07:01] Libby: Meaning if you're sending out regular emails, you want to have some kind of a Google sheet or some kind of an Excel or spreadsheet that shows the amount of emails that you sent. The amount of click through rates, the percentage of open rate. And if something looks off when you're looking at patterns, you can change the subject line or the call to action to [00:07:20] improve your metrics and your analytics.
[00:07:22] Libby: So now, how does that all translate into actual business growth? So let's connect the dots. How newsletters can grow your dietitian business. This is the next topic I want to focus on because newsletters are directly tied to business outcomes like more calls booked, [00:07:40] better brand visibility, and higher sales.
[00:07:43] Libby: And who doesn't want that? So when it comes to nurturing your leads, meaning you're nurturing the people that might be interested in buying a product or service that you sell, when you send consistent emails, that's going to demonstrate your expertise and build your brand recognition over time. Those who have [00:08:00] subscribed or opted into your email list, they're going to become paying clients.
[00:08:04] Libby: Second, there's cross promotion. So direct readers to, let's say, new blog posts or podcast episodes or freebies. And then you can mention exclusive discounts if you offer them for any, let's say products, maybe you've got a digital product that you're selling [00:08:20] or you're running a promotion and you can track how many signups do come from email alone.
[00:08:25] Libby: So that's going to help you understand how you can best use email marketing for your advantage. Next is client testimonials. So you can share a snippet of how you helped a client overcome, let's say, emotional eating and that's going to build social proof [00:08:40] instantly. Again, you need that client's permission, but those are opportunities and ways that you can build that community with your audience.
[00:08:47] Libby: Now, next example would be brand partnerships. So if you are, let's say a sports dietitian, you could partner with a local gym for a co branded challenge. So your email list is a direct marketing channel for these collaborations. [00:09:00] So this all sounds good, but let's ensure that you avoid the pitfalls that can sabotage your efforts.
[00:09:05] Libby: So some of the common newsletter mistakes that we've seen are the typical errors that crush engagement and lead to unsubscribers, meaning that people who opt out of your email list. So that would include if you're inconsistent with your [00:09:20] schedule. So you don't want to vanish for months, aim to email at least once per month, every other week if possible, and even better if you can send out weekly emails to your email list.
[00:09:32] Libby: Second tip would be don't be too pushy or overly salesy. Now, it's typically not an issue for those in our community and dietitians we coach. They've got [00:09:40] quite the opposite to teach them how to sell. You want to focus on value first. So you don't only want to email when you're selling something you want to email to build Community and focus on making sure your emails are adding value to your potential customers.
[00:09:53] Libby: The sales are going to follow naturally as you're building relationships. Now, you also want to avoid an unreadable [00:10:00] format. So you want to use short paragraphs and bullet points and test on a phone for easy reading. Next, you don't want to ignore segmentation. So different niches or interest groups are going to need different angles.
[00:10:12] Libby: So your IBS clients might not care about marathon training. If for example, you have multiple things you're [00:10:20] offering, multiple product services or areas of expertise. A better example would be if you do prenatal and infertility, you might want to create a segmentation for those who are trying to get pregnant for those who are looking for pregnancy nutrition.
[00:10:33] Libby: So that's one example. Another example could be people who have purchased current clients can compared to people who are [00:10:40] potential clients. So you can create different segments within your email marketing strategy. I can do a dedicated episode to talk just about segmentation and the power of segmentation.
[00:10:49] Libby: Well, before we wrap up, here's a quick recap of our main points and some immediate steps that you can take. I want you as listeners to [00:11:00] mentally catalog some crucial information about email marketing to help drive home this week's episode. Subject lines. They have to spark curiosity.
[00:11:09] Libby: One main topic. Keep your emails simple, concise, and relevant. One call to action. Don't confuse readers with too many asks. Consistency. Send [00:11:20] a predictable schedule. Could be bi weekly, could be once a month, but keep it consistent. Tools and tech. I want you to think about using automation and segmentation features.
[00:11:31] Libby: And finally, avoid mistakes. No long winded email, no random frequency. So now that we've gone over a recap, let's talk about some takeaways [00:11:40] and next steps. So I want you to know exactly what to do next. So for simple implementation steps, I want you to draft two to three subject lines for your next newsletter and then pick the best one.
[00:11:51] Libby: I want you to spend 30 minutes segmenting your list by dietary concern or interest, and then I want you to preview future [00:12:00] content. So I'll be talking about advanced email automations in a future episode if you're interested. So stay tuned. And at this point, I want to invite you to level up your newsletter game with our help.
[00:12:12] Libby: So inside of our membership called the library, we have a step by step newsletter. templates and ongoing support so that you can customize [00:12:20] your templates to fit your audience, including learning how to segment appropriately to boost sales and build community. So when you join our library membership, you'll have access to me, my team, and our content and regular updated content on a monthly basis.
[00:12:34] Libby: So if you want our step by step guidance, I invite you to join over at dietitianboss. com. We've got email [00:12:40] outlines, call scripts, and more. Head over to dietitianboss. com to join the library today. So, I want to remind you that we have additional resources. We have this podcast and many of our other podcasts available with transcripts and summaries on our website.
[00:12:55] Libby: So, remember that every email that you send is a chance to build trust and [00:13:00] transform lives through nutrition. So, don't hesitate. Start creating those newsletters now. Okay, thank you for tuning in. Next time, we can dive more into the secrets of building an email list from scratch. So, keep an eye out. On your inbox for more updates to come.
[00:13:15] Libby: Looking for support to grow your dietitian business or even get started. I [00:13:20] invite you to join the library, our monthly affordable membership that shows you exactly what to do every step of the way so that you can create the business of your dreams. Not sure if it's the right time. The membership gives you an option to.
[00:13:33] Libby: Go at your own pace. We have modules, a roadmap to show you exactly what to do, and monthly live [00:13:40] calls, as well as new content that we release every single month based on requests. Inside of the library, we have four stages of business. So whether you come in getting started or you want to enter the membership and grow or scale your business, we have the appropriate resources for you and our team, including myself, available to answer your questions.
[00:13:58] Libby: Head on over to [00:14:00] dietitianboss. com and check out the library today. We'd love to see you there.
