This article was published in partnership with Nutritionist Liliana Silvestre (2963N).

To stand out as a nutrition professional, you have to make sure you deliver the best nutrition service possible.

Nowadays, the general population is increasingly interested in health and consequently in their eating habits.

Every day new articles, posts, Facebook groups, and bloggers pop up, and the dialogue is pretty much the same: the ideal diet. Even though there are a lot of qualified professionals who are the ones with the most knowledge to advise about nutrition, and yes, it's us, nutrition professionals!

The number of nutrition professionals has consequently been increasing, and nutrition services are showing up in every corner. This is why it is important for you to stand out, but here's the big question: How to offer the best nutrition service to our client? Let's look into it.

The best way for us to test an excellent service is by thinking like the consumer, our client, only then we can understand what we can improve. Here are some important key topics for us to offer the best nutrition service.

Chose a suitable office/practice

It might not look like it, but our workplace is of extreme importance when seeing clients.

Let's think about this for a minute. Imagine an open field office, no isolation, noises around it, uncomfortable sitting, and no guarantees whatsoever of confidentiality.

Would you, as a client, like to return for a follow-up, even though you had a great experience with the professional? Probably not. So keep this in mind when offering your clients your services.

Beware of your language and body behavior

The way we communicate is halfway through success. Clarity, simplicity, good voice projection, and posture are just a few details to take into account when you are communicating with clients.

We not only transmit a message when we are talking but also how we present ourselves, that is why it is also essential to keep eye contact with our client. This allows creating a trustworthy environment as well as showing empathy. Two of the most important features of the practitioner-client relationship.

Charge what you offer in your nutrition services

It's important that you charge clients a fair price for your services.

We are well aware that clients always have the tendency to choose the cheapest option and by charging a fair price you will be valuing your work, and your peers' work as well.

You probably have seen people promoting nutrition consults for less than the normal rate or even free services, that all depends on what you want to transmit. One-hour personalized nutrition appointment focused on the client and given by a qualified nutrition professional is certainly more valuable than a tenner.

A lot of clients know that an excellent service has its cost, so think thoroughly about what you want and must charge.

Creating a pricing table is not always easy, especially when circumstances are hard. Check our article on how to price your services in a time of crisis.

Show personalization

Ideally, this shouldn't even be on the table, as each human being is different and has different needs and likings, nevertheless offering personalization is key.

If 15 minutes is not enough to gather all the information to increase the duration of your appointments, don't end up providing recommendations that are not suitable for that client or you'll end up losing them.

Add in small detail, such as their favorite foods, recipes and show that you have total confidence in the meal plan/recommendations you have created.

Innovate your nutrition service!

There is nothing wrong with meal plans created by hand and on paper, don't get me wrong. But we are in the XXI century, after all, the technology era, and showing that you are keeping up with it is crucial.

Invest in the right software product that helps you plan and organize your appointments, gives your clients a mobile app, and streamlines all the calculations and the nutritional assessment.

Add in your logo to make it more personal, work by goals or do content in social media, such as Q&As. Show you can innovate and be dynamic, your clients will love it.

Show empathy

Obviously, you do not need to be your client's best friend, just show them you care and that they can count on you and trust you. This will bring you closer to your clients and improve your confidence.

A simple birthday message or a "that's okay, we'll keep working on it!" for not achieving a goal will make all the difference. However, if you are not comfortable with that, reassuring your clients during the appointment that you are in this together and you're focused on giving your best will make your clients much more motivated.

Practice evidence-based science

Last but by no means least, the cornerstone of nutrition counseling is to always provide evidence-based information, for that, keeping updated with the current research is crucial. You can do that by attending events, workshops, courses, and also researching by yourself.

To conclude

There are some fundamental aspects you should take into consideration when providing a nutrition service with quality which can vary from the prices you practice to the connection you make with clients.

All the topics referred above have extreme importance and when put into practice will definitely improve you as a professional.

This article was published in partnership with Nutritionist Liliana Silvreste and it is a part of Nutrium's new signature on the blog to promote and share experiences and knowledge among peers.