STRATEGY SESSIONS 101: MAXIMIZING THIS OFFERING AND CONVERTING CLIENTS

Strategy sessions are a common first step in the client journey. While they may seem easy, there are important strategies for making sure your calls are successful.

Most importantly, set expectations for both yourself and the client beforehand, such as:

• Schedule the call as soon as you speak to a lead

• State the purpose of the strategy call

• Keep the call to 20 minutes

• Speak generally, not specifically (don’t let it become a mini-consult!)

• End with clear next steps for the client to take

Also, the strategy call is a two-way conversation. You are also determining if the client will be a right fit for you. It can be tempting in the early days of your practice to accept any client. But is is worthwhile to notice when a client is not a good fit:

• A condition you have never heard of and feel unequipped

• Moderate to severe eating disorder should be referred out

• Expectations are unrealistic even after you clarify

• They are nutritionist-hopping (they’ve seen many others)

• They are self-described as high maintenance

• They are far outside your niche

Any of these scenarios could present an unsuccessful relationship for both you and the client.

Feeling nervous in the call

What about those first calls when you feel it is a good fit, but your brain goes blank about how to help them? Don’t worry! Remember you are not here to fix someone. Focus on the simple food and lifestyle changes that could make a difference, such as:

• Improving eating

• Pantry items

• Recipes

• Identifying offending foods

• Hydration

• Reducing stress

• Sleep

There are few people in the world who could not use help in some of these areas. Some of the ‘biggest’ health issues could be supported with these seemingly simple changes. Keeping it simple, focusing on what you are comfortable with, and being there for the client will make a positive difference in their life.

Watch our supervisors LIVE as they work with a patient in our Teaching Clinic - an all-time-favorite of our clinical nutrition internship and Mentorship Program. Our interns observe our supervisors deliver functional nutrition consults. Folks get to learn functional nutrition coaching skills, lab test evaluation, charting techniques, herb and supplement protocols while tracking hours towards their SPE requirements. We hold the Teaching Clinic every month & have 60+ hours of previously recorded interviews available to all our interns for observational hours in our nutrition Mentorship Program.

Become a patient in our Teaching Clinic!  We offer low cost access to integrative and functional nutrition therapy with seasoned practitioners.  Our CNS Supervisors are all clinicians and each have their own clinical practice.  If you are interested, please complete the Teaching Clinic Interest Google Form https://forms.gle/a5atFvnLeuXU6fESA, and we will follow up with you.