Archive for Stand for Something
An Advocacy Letter That's Also Good Marketing
Posted by: | CommentsOne of the best teachers I've learned from, Joshua Rosenthal of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, once said that you can make more progress when you aim for the middle ground with your actions and words.
He was referring to the die-hard, my-way-or-the-highway, food police type wellness pros that tend to alienate rather than welcome people to their way of thinking.
This can be off putting and often leaves the public thinking, "there goes another weird health nut ranting and raving about the doom and gloom of another evil food."
So what's a wellness pro to do when you have a undeniable passion and strong opinion about health and wellness?
It's all in how you say things.
It's all in how you present yourself.
And mostly, it's all in the energy that's behind the words and actions you choose.
Take for example Alexandra Jamieson of NutritionforEmpoweredWomen.com, of the hit documentary fame, Super Size Me.
She's clearly passionate and a strong proponent of the vegan lifestyle. She takes a stand, talks about what she thinks and is able to speak with anyone about veganism. All without being abrasive, combative or sounding like another health food nut. I suspect this is a big reason she's a sought out speaker.
For example, when she recently went to her new pediatrician's office for her son's check-up, she was dismayed by seeing a bowl of fructose-laden, artificially dyed candy being offered to kids.
She could have handled this in many different ways. She could have made a comment to the receptionist (that might have only served to make him/her feel dumb for not knowing what was in that candy).
She could have right then and there stomped out of the doctor's office and wrote a nasty blog about them, or demanded to speak with the doctor in-between appointments (probably catching the physican in a less than optimal moment).
Nope. Instead, she wrote a warm, thoughtful letter about the possibility of upgrading that candy bowl and hand delivered it with a package of the natural, vegan friendly candy that could replace the junky kind in the office.
You can see a copy of this letter, and the doctor's remarkable reply, on Alexandra's blog here.
Not only is this letter clearly taking a stand, but it's presented in such a way that was most likely to get through to her pediatrician, and delivered with a good dollop of kindness (read: not assuming this person is a ninny), patience and appreciation.
I suspect Alex will get a whole lot back from this interaction, beyond a vegan friendly bowl of candy in the office. It may even help to grow her business in referrals, partnerships and more.
The next time you're ready to fire off a comment about what's right and what's wrong about health and nutrition, consider that there may be a way to communicate what you do that not only will ensure it gets heard, but in a way that may be great for your business too.
Here's that link again to see what Alex wrote to her pediatrician.
To your continued success,
Karin
About the Author: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners.
In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about marketing, messaging and making more money doing what they love. Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband, Drew Rozell, who also runs a successful coaching business.
Be Flexible About How Your Expertise is Expressed
Posted by: | Comments
Are you flexible about how your expertise is expressed?
Like this quick tip? Then don't miss my weekly marketing material insights and resources for wellness pros here: http://mmmaven.com/newsletter
About the Author: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of authentic marketing strategies.
In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about making more money doing what they love. Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband, Drew Rozell, who also runs a successful coaching business.
How Private Practice Policies Helps Your Wellness Biz Grow
Posted by: | CommentsThis summer I'm working with a small group of wellness pros to show them how to brand and launch their wellness business the right way.
After getting clear on their brand, message, niche market and service offerings, the first thing I asked them to do was set up their private practice systems that help their wellness biz grow, and make them look and feel like a total pro.
And one of those systems is getting clear on your private practice policies.
Things like:
- cancellation and no-show policiy
- make-up for missed session policy
- payment plan
- business hours and in-between appointment availability
- how to book appointments with you
- pre-framing testimonial and referral requests
- session time frame and what happens when clients show up late (hint - you end on time no matter what time they show up)
- and whatever else is relevant for your modality (IE - if you're a massage therapist, let people know if they are supposed to tip you or not, it can be really uncomfortable for your client if they're not sure)
This should NOT be pages and pages of do's and don'ts, but should fit neatly onto one page and languaged in client supportive verbage. IE - "I want the very best for you. Please try not to cancel your appointment. If you do need to cancel your appointment… ENTER POLICY HERE."
Very often, policies are non-existant or entirely way too loose in the wellness profession.This gives the client too much wiggle room to well, wiggle out of their committment to themselves and to you, and subjects your practice to the whims of your client. Not a great way to ensure you'll be in business years from now.
No matter what you put in your policies, the first thing to understand is that they are designed not to create strict rules and regulation, but to be in service of your client AND your business. It's not unusual for a wellness pro to make sure everyone gets what they need, no matter the cost to their own personal and professional well-being. Consider policies as another way of setting empowering boundaries and making sure you as the wellness pro is well taken care of too. Anything less than that makes your practice unsustainable and does not support you doing what you love in any dedicated way.
Your policies (or "details of working together" as I like to call it) are designed to help your clients succeed. And they are designed to protect your business from the very nature of the the business that you are in. In any transformational work, where your client base is attempting to heal, transform or achieve something they have not been able to do so on their own, it's natural for them to get scared and want to bail, even as they enroll in one of your programs and plunk down some money.
To ignore this is simply bad business. To acknowledge this is to create policies that gives them the nudge they need to follow through and honor their word. IE - If you offer a payment plan, consider shortening your clients' payment plan to complete BEFORE the end of your program . Your client is more likely to finish their program and continue showing up for their sessions, and therefore create success for themselves, when they've already paid.
Another example: If you know that a certain percentage of your clients will not show up or follow through with your recommendations, no matter what you do, then plan for it and create a supportive policy. This is a GIVEN in the wellness industry. If you ignore this, you would be taking a serious financial risk every time you took on a new client. Fitness centers know this and that's why they have automatic monthly billing. If they left it up to their clients to pay them when they showed up to work out, they would be out of business fast.
Bottom line: Clear private practice policies help your and your clients thrive. And who doesn't want that?
To your continued success,
Karin
Like this quick tip? Then don't miss my weekly marketing material insights and resources for wellness pros here: http://mmmaven.com/newsletter
About the Author: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of authentic marketing strategies. In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about making more money doing what they love. Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband, Drew Rozell, who also runs a successful coaching business.
Marketing Material Tip: The use of "we" vs. "you"
Posted by: | CommentsIn marketing materials, and in particular your newsletters, health and wellness pros tend to use the word "we" when speaking to their reader.
"We all need to… " or "When considering XYZ, we must also think about…"
I find this to be habit of softening your opinion's effect and make it palateable to a wider audience.
The intention is good, as you want your message to resonate with as many people as possible, but it's largely ineffective.
It can also be an unconscious way of not standing out too much and avoiding the risk that not everyone will like what you have to say.
However, if you want to make your message memorable, you have to have an opinion.
Not a loud, pushy and obnoxious opinion (unless that's your authentic style) but an opinion that gives the reader a sense that you are taking a stand for what you know to be true and that you're not afraid to share it.
Your willingness to state your opinion actually gives confidence to your readers in your services and products.
Anything less weakens your message and frankly, makes you sound less confident about your expertise.
A better and more powerful way to present your work is to use the word "you."
This is more direct and speaks to the reader as if you are writing only to them. It really hits home and it's more personal. It's bolder, fresher and doesn't 'beat around the bush.'
And in the health and wellness field, most potential clients desire that wake up call. They need it in order to take the risk of investing in your services/products and chance giving their health goals another go.
One way to help you step into this more effective communicating style, is to imagine one particular person that you loved working with, who achieved great results working with you, and write to THEM.
Those who are similar to them will REALLY resonate with your words and those who simply aren't ready yet, won't — and that's actually perfect.
Speak directly to your readers, rather than speaking about them, and you'll have a greater impact.
To your success,
Karin
Like this quick tip? Then don't miss my weekly marketing material insights and resources for wellness pros here: http://mmmaven.com/newsletter
About the Author and WellProNet.org: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of authentic marketing strategies. In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about making more money doing what they love. Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband who also runs a successful coaching business.
