4 tips to master online nutrition consultations

At the moment, the whole world is managing to continue active through online platforms and solutions, and nutrition professionals
are no exception. It is crucial that we adapt our usual working methods to this new situation as well, with online nutrition consultations for example, in order to keep business as usual.

Not everything is bad news, as nutrition professionals, we have an advantage as nutritional consultations can be done online just as efficiently.

In this article, Alejandra Puente let us know what are the best practices you should adopt in your virtual nutrition consultations.

1. Generate trust

Generally speaking, it is harder to set up an online business than a physical one that already includes a fixed location and an infrastructure because in a way, that gives it more credibility. That is exactly the first thing you need to do: give your business credibility. You need to create a bond with potential clients so they book your online services.

To do this, you can share your nutrition knowledge on a web page or blog. Sharing marketing nutrition information is a great way for clients to get to know you and show them how you can help.

If people like your content, for them, is exactly the same if they see you online or face-to-face because they want you specifically to help them.

Another thing you should definitely start doing to generate more trust with a client that wants to book with you is to detail what your services include. If a client does not understand what is in it for them it is very likely that they not feel confident enough to invest. Yes, the people interested are likely to ask you everything directly, but still, other potential clients will not.

Make sure to make things as easier and clear for the client as possible, and that the process of booking an actual appointment is also streamlined.

2. Be there

A client has booked an online nutrition appointment with you, so now you need to make sure their experience is as memorable as possible.

You need to make sure that the client does not feel that the fact of not being face-to-face is a negative thing, rather an opportunity to explore other ways of communicating. So here's how using these features can help:

• E-mail: make sure to reply within reasonable time to your clients' queries, so the client does not have the time to feel "lost". If you can't reply right away a simple message saying: "Hi there. I've received your e-mail address. I'll get in touch with you as soon as possible.", is enough.
• The Nutrium mobile app chat if you want a more direct and safe channel
• The video calling integration in Nutrium, which allows you to communicate with clients through video directly on the software.

The goal is that clients feel supported and with solutions suitable and adapted to them.

3. Clear and constant communication

On many occasions, the problem is not lack of motivation or will, but rather that the client did not understand what you meant or interpreted correctly your indications.

Communication problems between the professional and client can be enhanced when not meeting face-to-face since you can reside on body language and speaking tones.

In order to prevent this, you can adapt a food diary record strategy, where you ask the client to record their meals on the following days on the mobile app, by logging the foods, sending you a message, or even photo records. This way you can check if your recommendations were understood and intervene accordingly.

4. Establish regular check-ups

We all know the client whose motivation for a nutrition consultation resides on anthropometrical or bioimpedance measurement check-ups. And it is interesting that checking their numbers on the scale or have a visual representation of their progress regularly is a good strategy to keep clients motivated.

This part of the online nutrition consultation should not be forgotten now that you are only seeing clients online. It should be encouraged that clients take these measurements themselves, with your orientation.

Make sure to pass on to them the correct indications to do so such as the best time a place for measurements, how to position then measuring tapes and so on.

To sum up

As you can see, online nutrition consultations can be just as effective. Our job is to adapt our services to what we know and to what clients can manage to do.

To conclude, just make sure that your clients know that you are "always" available for them and that you are both using all the tools you can to make ends meet.