by The Health Sciences Academy — Get free science updates here.
As promised, we had the pleasure of sitting down with fitness professional Christopher (Chris) Barker once more to gain additional insight on some of the challenges faced by aspiring nutrition pros attempting to enter (and master) the market.
He shared his expert advice on facing industry challenges, and how to continue to stay motivated as you gain traction in your practice.
If you haven’t read Part One of this interview yet, click here to catch up!
Or keep reading to learn more about starting and sustaining your own nutrition business…
Q1: Can you define the things that have been the most beneficial for you in building a successful nutrition practice?
Barker explained that one of the greatest advantages you can have as a nutrition professional is an expansive education.
“Really, education and continuing to learn have been the most beneficial for me. That and living in an area that gives me access to clients. There’s a really good local market if you know how to reach it.”
This is an excellent example of leveraging your connections, word of mouth advertising, and knowing who and where your target audience is! You’ll need to decide whether you need to focus your efforts online or to search for clients locally for optimum results.
Q2: What do you look for in an ideal client?
In this instance, Barker shared some insight on how to reach and retain your target audience…
“I look for the people who will benefit the most from what I do. People who need my help to do more than just look good or get in shape, but those who really want to feel good too.”
When we discuss an ideal client, we’re discussing the type of client that works best for your practice. This will largely depend on the types of certifications you have, whether you have a multi-service practice, and the market you’d like to serve.
Barker has used his certification in Clinical Weight Loss to help people make positive changes in many different areas of their lives.
Targeting those who will have the most benefit from your area of expertise is a brilliant way to make sure that you’re serving the right customers!
Q3: What’s your why? What pushes you to continue doing what you do?
Next, we asked Barker about the motivation behind his career, and what keeps him going and pushing for success…
“For me, it’s the clients and seeing people change for the better. Like, knowing that I had something to do with that change, and really improving their health. That’s what pushes me and inspires me to keep doing this – even when my days get really long.
There’s also an emotional impact for the people I help. They don’t just feel better physically, they feel better about themselves and what they’ve accomplished too.”
Knowing your “why” and the motivation behind your passion for nutrition can make or break your career. As Barker points out, there are many different levels involved in the professional payoff. It’s about more than just physical fitness – but about emotional fitness as well.
Q4: Can you describe the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your professional career, and how you’ve overcome it?
“My main challenge has been drumming up business! That can be really hard when you’re just starting out. Word of mouth advertising helped me a lot. I just focused on doing a great job for one client, and they brought me more business.”
Barker also pointed out the advantages of offering your services in exchange for testimonials and images that can seriously boost your marketing efforts!
“For some people, offering free sessions in exchange for testimonials will work really well. Practice with your friends, family, and others who can help build your reputation – then use their reviews to show others that you’re good at what you do.
It’s important to build that confidence and starting small can get the ball rolling. You’ll get better at working with more clients, and you’ll get some great testimonials in the process. So, when someone is looking for a trainer (or nutrition professional) online, they’ll see that you have those reviews and be more comfortable working with you. When someone believes in your ability to help them – they’ll have better results.”
Q5: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
“It’s easy to get tired or to lose your motivation. Make sure that you understand why you’re doing what you’re doing. And really make an effort to reach the people who need your help and who can benefit from what you do.”
During our conversation, Barker emphasised the need to be motivated by something deeper than finances or aesthetics. He shared his genuine desire to help people make lasting positive changes – and that’s incredibly admirable!
When you love what you do and are driven to do an excellent job, you’ll see professional results – and this will translate into long-term success.
Become a Nutrition Professional…
The Health Sciences Academy has fantastic resources for anyone wanting to build a successful multi-service nutrition practice. Everything we do is motivated by science and a desire to improve the quality of life on a global scale…
Want to learn more? Click here to explore our entire suite of certifications today!
