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Please note that this blog post contains affiliate links. I only recommend tools I use and genuinely believe are useful for Canadian dietitians in private practice.
When it comes to starting any business, whether it’s a private practice or something else, the main thing you need is clients. You can have the nicest website and the best social media content, but if no one is coming through the door to actually pay you, you unfortunately don’t have a viable business. FYI, if you're just starting your private practice, don't miss my blog post on getting your first 5 clients as a Canadian Dietitian in Private Practice.
In my professional opinion, as a Dietitian and business coach, one of the easiest ways to get more clients is to implement an online booking system that allows clients to book an appointment directly from your website.
When you first start out in Private Practice and you don’t have any clients, it can feel really daunting to pay for things. I think this is why many dietitians will opt to have clients email them to book appointments rather than setting up an online scheduling system. Email is cheap, and if you have a lot of time on your hands because your practice isn’t full of clients (yet), it is an option.
However, responding to emails results in lots of back and forth that may be taking up more time than you imagine. For example:
I think that email could work for a practice that isn’t busy, but think about the time that emailing back and forth takes and the time lag that occurs between emails. Even if you’re in your Inbox frequently and emailing back quickly, it doesn’t mean that your client is.
My recommendation: Look to use an online booking link. It will save you more time than you think.
In order to avoid losing time to your Inbox, set up a way for your clients to book themselves in to see you, or at the very least, have the ability to send them a link to your calendar after the initial email so they can easily view your availability and book a time that works for them.
While this doesn’t get your clients completely out of your inbox, it will at least save some time going back and forth. A booking link allows clients to look at your schedule and compare it with their own. This is a much more streamlined process than suggesting times back and forth over email.
To truly level up and keep clients out of your Inbox, add an option for patients to book an appointment directly on your website. This gives clients autonomy and helps to avoid the back-and-forth emails. It can also increase the number of clients who book with you since they can book something right away while you’re top of mind.
Many practice management software programs, such as Practice Better, have built-in options so that clients can book, reschedule, or cancel their appointments; however, you can also use a separate online scheduling software if you’re not planning to use charting software. Some examples of online scheduling options include:
With these software options, you can save time by letting clients book their own appointments, send automatic reminders, and even send and receive intake forms automatically.
Whenever I suggest to Dietitians to add a booking calendar to their website, the pushback I get is: “What if I allow clients to book an appointment, but they aren’t my ideal client, or I can’t actually help them?”
If you are worried about the wrong clients booking appointments, you can do what I do and only allow new clients to book a short discovery call. The discovery call is a mandatory part of my onboarding process. This allows me to explain my approach to new clients, listen to what they need and make sure that I can actually help them. More often than not, I end up booking the initial consultation during the call, no emailing required.
I see a lot of Dietitians cobbling together multiple free software options to avoid spending money. While free is great, there are some instances where you need to spend money to make money (I don’t think that’s true in all cases, but it is here). Here are some questions to ask yourself:
Remember that free is not always free when you factor in the cost of your time.
Creating an online booking system is crucial for your Private Practice. If clients can’t book an appointment with you when they are actively looking for help with their eating, you are leaving money on the table. While I understand that it can be challenging to pay for software when you are first starting your business, this is one instance where your money is well spent if it means that clients can book appointments with ease, and it saves you time going back and forth over email.
If you’re feeling stuck trying to decide which tools are the right fit for your practice, let’s chat. You can book a FREE discovery call with me, and I can help you get your systems up and running so that clients can book their first appointment in no time.
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New to private practice in Canada? Discover how dietitians get their first 5 clients, including tips to build your referral networks and optimize your online presence.
As a Dietitian, running a private practice means balancing meaningful client care with endless admin tasks. In this post, I share the 5 software programs I literally couldn’t run my business without. From scheduling and charting to transcription, email marketing, and bookkeeping, these tools have helped me reclaim time, energy, and peace of mind after 13 years in private practice.
