Most gym owners get into their nutrition coaching business to help people live a life of health and wellness. Sure they want to make some money, and fully anticipate they will. However, many times, no business plan and a lack of systems and processes prevents the nutrition business from living up to its full potential.
In this blog post we will discuss four pillars a successful nutrition business should keep a pulse on. Doing a wellness check on your own business, just like you do on your nutrition clients is extremely important if gym owners want to thrive, not survive in this competitive world of other nutrition professionals.
What Is A Nutrition Coaching Business?
A nutrition coaching business is a service-based business focused on helping people improve their diets, lifestyle, and achieve health goals through personalized guidance and support.
Here’s a breakdown of what a nutrition coaching business typically offers:
Nutrition Education
Nutrition coaches provide clients with knowledge about nutrition science, how to meal prep, how to use recipes to encourage veggie eating, how to eat a balanced meal and so much more. Nutrition education is one of the major components our nutrition coaches incorporate into a clients initial consultation.
Goal Setting, Support And Accountability
Our nutrition coaches work with clients to define specific, achievable goals related to nutrition and overall wellness. This could involve weight loss, improving energy levels, developing healthier eating habits, or working towards a fitness goal.
At Healthy Steps Nutrition, we educate our clients on the holistic approach to nutrition coaching because we recognize so much more goes into food choices than just deciding what to eat for the day. Things like stress, sleep, exercise, lifestyle, and social circle all play huge roles when people are trying to decide what to eat.
Nutrition coaches then provide ongoing support, accountability, and motivation to help nutrition clients reach their wellness goals.
Personalized Plans
Success looks different for everyone and our nutrition coaches are trained to meet clients where they are at. Some new clients come to us with a ton of nutrition knowledge while others know very little. A good nutrition coach will work with each client in a personalized manner and help the client take actionable steps to work towards their goal whether they are a beginner or more knowledgeable.
Regardless of where clients are starting, the first session always involves a nutrition consultation where a clients entire day is broken down so the coach knows how to help the determine a good starting point.
Unlike dietitians who may focus on addressing specific medical conditions, nutrition coaches typically create customized meal plans or dietary approaches tailored to individual needs, preferences, and lifestyle.
It’s important to note that unless the coach is a registered dietitian, nutrition coaches don’t diagnose medical conditions or provide nutrition advice with the intent to treat a medical condition. They focus on habit-based nutrition coaching, guiding clients towards healthier choices and empowering them to take charge of their well-being through nutrition and lifestyle changes.
Four Pillars To Keep In Check As A Nutrition Business Owner
Pillar #1 - Effective Communication
Having a consistent and clear message about the nutrition coaching program, both outwardly for potential clients and inwardly for staff members is imperative. There a few different ways that can be accomplished but here are two really good ways:
Ensure your coaching staff is on board with the program
Everyone working in your organization should be on board with the nutrition coaching program! A truly successful nutrition program goes beyond just the certified nutrition coach. When all staff members understand the program, its benefits, and how to seamlessly refer clients, it fosters a cohesive gym culture centered around the holistic approach. This consistency creates a powerful brand experience. Every interaction, from the front desk to the gym floor, reinforces your gym’s commitment to total health, solidifying your image and reputation as a leader in the nutrition and fitness industry.
Highlight Success Stories On Your Social Media Platforms
Success stories are powerful marketing tools. People are wired to be influenced by social proof – seeing others achieve their goals with your program increases its credibility and makes it more relatable.
Video testimonials are a compelling way to tap into this. They allow potential clients to:
Connect with relatable faces: People who share similar struggles achieving results fosters trust and allows viewers to imagine themselves experiencing the same success.
Witness the program’s effectiveness: Seeing real transformations demonstrates the program’s impact.
Visualize their own journey: Testimonials paint a picture of what their experience could be like, encouraging them to envision the program as part of their own story.
This combination of social proof and visualization builds trust and persuades viewers to invest in their own success story alongside your program.
Pillar #2 - Sales Strategies
Explore ways to integrate nutrition seamlessly into the sales process, such as bundling nutrition, fitness, and accountability, to increase sign-ups and revenue. Pricing and packaging your nutrition coaching program is one of the first things we teach our HSN Mentoring clients.
Every new client interaction starts will a free intro. A free intro allow the gym owner or coach to get know potential customers, and get a better understanding of a potential clients goals.
At CrossFit HSN, we offer two ways to get started with both nutrition coaching and fitness:
Option 1: 12 Week Total Transformation: $499/month for 3 months, High Accountability; clients get:
4 – 1 hour PT sessions used as onboarding for CrossFit
Monthly Inbody scan & progress assessment
Monthly goal setting session
Monthly unlimited small group CrossFit class
Open gym daily
Individualized nutrition plan & access to our exclusive HSN app
4 In person meetings with a nutrition coach
Weekly virtual checkins with a nutrition coach
Weekly calls with a nutrition
Option 2: 12 Week Total Transformation: $399/month for 3 months; client get:
4 – 1 hour PT sessions used as onboarding for CrossFit
Monthly Inbody scan & progress assessment
Monthly goal setting session
Monthly unlimited small group CrossFit class
Individualized nutrition plan & access to our exclusive HSN app
4 In person meetings with a nutrition coach
Weekly virtual check in with a nutrition coach
Pillar #3 - Fulfillment and Consistency
Offering a structured and standardized program that provides efficient guidance while allowing for individualized support is extremely important. This means you get the best of both worlds: a proven framework and personalized attention for nutrition clients specific needs.
A wellness and nutrition coaching business needs to have a structured framework regarding SOP’s for nutrition coaching, social media posting & marketing strategy, client education, running a nutrition challenge, hosting nutrition talks, and keeping track of KPI’s. All this makes for a successful program.
It’s not enough to just coach clients.
Part of the reason this article exists is because we realize that many gym owners don’t have a structured plan in place and their nutrition coaching business is running like the wild west.
Two great ways to determine if your nutrition coaching business is on point with pillar three is to:
Meet with your nutrition coach regularly to go over the program!
current client load
current revenue, retention, leads
opportunities
issues/concerns
future short term & long term events, plans challenges etc
Make sure your nutrition coach has an annual evaluation
At HSN Mentoring, our nutrition coaches have annual evaluations, and we highly suggest our mentoring clients nutrition coaches do as well. This ensures your nutrition coach is up on their continuing education, client interaction protocol, engaging with their clients and following effective accountability and follow up procedures.
Pillar #4 - Retention and Longevity
If most clients are not staying in your nutrition business past their 90 day initial commitment, something should be changed. In our experience most clients have a length of engagement around 9-12 months.
Here are some strategies to help your nutrition coaches retain nutrition clients longer:
Focus on Building Relationships and Value
Personalized approach: Go beyond cookie cutter. Take the time to understand each client’s individual needs, goals, preferences, and challenges. Our Coaching The Coaches Program teaches HSN nutrition coaches to use a client centered approach.
Regular communication: Schedule consistent check-ins each week, and maintain open communication channels. We suggest one check in via our HSN app weekly to our nutrition coaches outside of in person checkins. This allows concerns to be addressed, celebration of success, and plan adjustment as needed.
Celebrate non-scale victories: Focus not just on weight loss but also on improvements in energy, mood, sleep, and overall well-being. Non Scale Victories are HUGE wins and although they are not the same as the scale moving – they are equally as important.
Offer Ongoing Support and Engagement:
Effective follow-ups: Make sure coaches regularly follow up between sessions to provide encouragement, address questions, and hold clients accountable.
Tailored resources: Offer personalized resources like recipes, holistic framework help, grocery lists, and educational materials relevant to clients goals.
Community building: Create a community atmosphere through online forums or groups for all clients in your nutrition program. This fosters connection and motivation.
Deliver Results and Demonstrate Expertise:
Track progress and set realistic goals: Work with clients to establish measurable goals and track their progress over time. Everyone needs to be held accountable and if clients are wanting to lose weight, progress needs to be tracked.
Stay up-to-date on the latest research: Coaches need to be continuously updating their knowledge and integrating evidence-based practices into coaching. At HSN Mentoring we offer multiple opportunities for continuing education monthly. If you are a client your nutrition coaches can attend weekly coaches corners and monthly webinars.
Wrap Up
Remember, creating a thriving nutrition business within your gym isn’t just about good intentions. It’s about putting a strategic plan in place, implementing strong systems, and continuously monitoring your progress. By following the four pillars outlined in this post, you can transform your wellness check-up from a hopeful wish to a powerful tool for building a successful program that empowers both you and your gyms nutrition clients to achieve lasting results.
