Insights by Kirstin Nussgruber, CNC, EMB, BCHN® Acting President: NANP
A question I am constantly asked is how to best differentiate yourself from every other nutrition professional out there. Is finding a niche the answer?
To Niche or Not to Niche I think yes!
A niche is a way of shrinking your competition and establishing yourself as an expert in your field. Focusing this way will channel your time and resources, and increase your credibility with your peers. What do I mean by that? As a trusted expert in your field other practitioners, including fellow nutrition professionals will refer clients to you! A niche helps you become more targeted in your marketing efforts, clarifies your message, and helps you be laser-focused when attracting a target audience.
Finding a Niche For many in our industry, the niche finds us. In my case, my first cancer diagnosis during my nutrition studies sealed my path. But what about those without a personal health challenge who simply feel a calling to help others?
Start by identifying a target audience. Discover what really moves and motivates you, what evokes a passionate, emotional reaction.
-Does seeing overweight young kids in elementary school really upset you?
-Are you itching to intervene when you see an elderly couple pile their shopping cart with pre-packaged meals?
-Are you stunned to discover a bulging belly after menopause despite eating all the right things?
Be sure to choose a niche that continually drives you to learn more. Or ask yourself, how can you offer a perfect-fit solution to help your clients achieve what they really want? Put yourself in their shoes – feel their pain, fears, anxieties, and what they envision for themselves instead. Their wants are very personal. That is your hook.
Nailing your Niche Formulate answers to the typical questions “What do you do in your practice?”, “And exactly how do you do that?” Here’s where you can elaborate more, describing how you help your clients achieve their goals. Here are some examples;
-I help women in menopause regain self-confidence by teaching them how to reduce their belly fat.
-I help mothers of picky young eaters overcome their shame by empowering them to train their kids to become engaged healthy eaters.
-I help passionate dog owners overcome their hesitation by enabling them to cook fast and healthy meals for their pooches.
-I help athletes tame their fear of performance failure by empowering them to eat nutritionally balanced meals that match their activity level.
-I help women with bone health issues overcome their paralysis by enabling them to lead active lifestyles again.
-I help people with blood sugar regulation issues overcome their sugar cravings by enabling them to lead joyful but more balanced healthy lives.
-I help working mothers by teaching them techniques to feed their families healthy meals without spending hours in the kitchen.
As NANP Past President, Miriam Zacharias, states in her book “The Peace Process – Attract a Steady Stream of Clients and Create a Thriving Holistic Practice,” (a must-read for anyone in our business), “Identifying a niche is about focusing your time, energy, and money toward establishing your place in the market and being discovered by a desperate community that needs your help.”
Kirstin Nussgruber, CNC, EMB, BCHN®
Acting President: NANP
