How to Get Your First 5 Clients as a Canadian Dietitian in Private Practice: A Step-by-Step Guide for Canadian Dietitian Entrepreneurs

Guest post written by Daniela Santos, Dietetics Student from the University of Ottawa and edited by Jennifer Neale, RD

If you are a Canadian Dietitian thinking about becoming an entrepreneur and starting your own private practice, you’ve come to the right spot. One of the biggest questions I hear from Canadian dietitians starting out in private practice is “How do I get clients?” 

As a dietitian who had all the same questions and concerns when creating my own practice, Nutrition IQ, I have put together a step-by-step guide that I would have loved to have when I first started my business. 

In this blog post, I will show you how you can turn your leads into paying clients.

Why Getting Clients Is the Hardest Part of Private Practice

Whether you are coming from a hospital practice or as a community dietitian, one thing that is often a shock when you’re opening your own private practice is going from wearing the hat of a dietitian to now also juggling new tasks as a business owner, including:

• Operations

• Administration

• Marketing

• Communications

• Finances

Many, if not most, of these new tasks are not covered in undergraduate dietetics/nutrition programs (in fact, most of them are full-time jobs unto themselves), yet all of which will affect your ability to get clients.

Don't forget to check out my FREE Private Practice Systems Checklist to see where you can make these tasks easier on yourself.

Now, if this new workload wasn’t enough, a private practice is less structured than clinical or community settings. There is also no built-in referral system, meaning you have to create and build your own.

The 3 Main Ways Dietitians Get Clients

Unfortunately, in Private Practice, simply opening your doors and telling people that you are open for business does not typically get you a client. Instead, here are the best ways you can get dietitians and how I myself found the most success.

Referrals (Highest Quality)

In hospitals, referrals are a given, as dietitians are typically a part of interprofessional teams. 

In private practice, the way you get referrals is slightly different: you need to build professional relationships on your own with other physicians, healthcare providers, and even other dietitians. These leads are super valuable as they often already carry a higher level of trust, making potential clients more likely to want to work with you.

In my personal opinion, physicians are the most difficult interprofessional referral. It’s hard to get a meeting with them, and they’re often so busy that they don’t spend a lot of time with their patients. Instead, I often encourage dietitians to look at who else their clients would be interacting with. Who else is part of their healthcare team? Are there allied health professionals with whom you can chat who would also be spending time with your clients? 

Not sure who this would be for your client base? Book a strategy session with me and let’s chat.

Organic Leads

In an ever-increasing digital world, one of the main ways you can get clients is by creating an online presence. This includes:

• Websites (you really should not be running a business without a website)

• Social media

• Guest appearances

• Podcasts

This is where it is important to have a solid understanding of social media trends, website building, and even search engine optimization (check out this starter guide on SEO).

These leads are game-changers, as they came from an online search or from social media algorithms. They did not come from paid ads or marketing, so aside from the time you spend building these platforms, they are essentially free, and these clients can have a higher intent to work with you.

The best part about organic leads like websites, social media, speaking engagements, and podcasts is that they let people get to know you. This is your trust builder. Who are you? What are you offering? Why are you different from other people? I always tell new clients that food is very personal; you need to find someone you trust to help you navigate it, so these platforms are how you, as a new Private Practice Dietitian, are going to foster that trust.

Paid Leads 

Unlike referrals or organic leads, these come from advertisements or paid platforms, which require a greater financial investment but tend to deliver faster results, especially at the start.

Here are some of the advertising platforms some dietitians may be using:

• Google ads

• Social media ads (Instagram, Facebook)

• Dietitian directories (these can sometimes be free!)

I have run paid ads in my practice, but I personally find that you have to be really intentional with what your ad is and what your overall goal is. Are you asking clients to book with you? Are you providing them with a free handout to then get them on your email list so you can build trust and authority? Before you spend money, consider the customer and the overarching goal.

Step-by-Step: How to Get Your First 5 Clients

Now that we’ve covered some of the main kinds of leads and ways other dietitians like myself get leads in private practice, here is a structured format you can follow to help you get clients.

Step 1: Define Your Practice Clearly

This first step is essential; it is your why. The reason behind your practice; it is what sets you apart and helps potential clients understand how you can help them and why they may want to work with you.

Ask yourself some of these questions:

• What are the pain points of my target audience?

• How can I help them

• Who am I, and what expertise am I bringing to the table

Keep in mind that specific messages help convert leads to clients much better than being vague or aiming to keep a general message. While you don’t have to create a niche from the get-go, it can be really helpful to identify your ideal client so that all of your messages are aimed at that ideal client.

Step 2: Reach Out to Potential Referral Partners

Just as I mentioned above, referrals and professional relationships are no longer a given, they must be built and fostered by YOU. 

Start simple: aim to connect with 5-10 local professionals through email, in person, or even on LinkedIn. Make sure to include who you are and how you could work together.

Pro tip: once you get your first client, ask them what other healthcare professionals they meet with and make a plan to reach out to those people. You can reach out saying that you share a mutual client and want to touch base about making sure that you’re on the same page for their care. Then, during that email or call, you can explain who you are and what you do. I find that this personal touch makes people remember you and refer more clients to you.

Step 3: Create a Simple Booking Process

How potential clients can book with you should be evident to them and should be relatively simple. You don’t want to turn potential paying clients away because they don’t know how to book with you, or your booking system is too complicated. This means that you should have some baseline components, such as:

• A service page

• A summary of what you offer and the types of clients you see

• A booking link

Having things clearly laid out for your audience will reduce potential friction that could complicate the intake process and reduce the number of clients you get. I’ve had clients tell me that they booked a discovery call with me because they could book it directly from my website. If your clients can’t book with you when you are top of mind, you will lose clients.

Step 4: Use Your Existing Network

Sometimes, the easy answer is often the right one. Many first clients can come from your pre-existing connections, from friends and family recommendations, classmates, or even colleagues. 

These are individuals who come with a higher level of trust in you and your ability to help.

Step 5: Get Testimonials Early (When Possible)

You don’t have to wait before asking for testimonials. When there is an opportunity with a client who has seen improvement or has already voiced positive comments about your help, use this as a chance to ask for a testimonial. 

Remember that trust in your abilities as a dietitian is hugely influential, and social proof of others’ successes and wins with you can go a long way.

Please note that not all provincial colleges allow you to ask your clients for testimonials. In fact, if you’re in Ontario, you are not allowed to ask clients for a testimonial, nor are you allowed to post testimonials on your website. So before you ask clients for testimonials, check with your provincial college to make sure that you can. As a Private Practice Dietitian in Ontario, one thing I have done to build social proof is to ask my referral network to provide a testimonial rather than my clients. If someone feels comfortable referring clients to you, then they could put that in a Google review for future clients to see.

P.S.: It’s only natural to feel overwhelmed at times with everything to consider when opening a private practice. Feel free to book a free discovery call with me to chat about how I can help you streamline or start your business! We can strategize about who your ideal client is, who your potential referral sources are, how to streamline your booking system, and much more.

What Actually Turns a Lead Into a Client

• How clearly they can envision you helping their problem

• Relatability

• Trust

Some other very important things to consider when building your business as well are:

• Is your offer niche or general?

• Ensure your messaging is clear and simple (think: can they easily take action or move to the next step?)

• Keep the booking process simple and easy

Common Mistakes That Slow Down Growth

Below are some of the sneaky yet super common mistakes that can happen to any dietitian who is just starting out:

• Trying to target everyone (sometimes casting a wide net isn’t better)

• No clear niche or target audience

• Pricing isn’t fully clear to your audience

• Not doing any outreach

• Not following up with potential leads that turned cold (no, you are not bothering people by popping into their inbox to check in)

Key Takeaways for Dietitians Starting Private Practice

Building a private practice means applying more than just your clinical skills; it involves setting up your business, networking, communication, finances, and much more. 

There is no automatic client flow as there is in hospitals, so it is absolutely crucial to build professional relationships as you go. Keep in mind that trust is a foundation for client acquisition, so positioning your business around professionalism, ethical care, and clear communication is essential.

Private practice comes with obstacles that may be new to dietitians coming out of more traditional dietetics roles, as they once did for me, but stay patient, and remember these are not insurmountable. Long-term success comes from consistency and constant evolution of your own practice.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, that's normal. When you are starting your Private Practice, it always feels like there's so much to do and very little time to actually do it. If you need some help defining your practice, strengthening your messaging, and identifying your ideal referral partners, I can help.

I help dietitians build businesses that work for them so they can spend more time on client care and helping people and less time on marketing and admin. Book a free discovery call with me to chat about how I can help you make your business feel easier and get more clients in the door faster.

FAQ

How do dietitians in Canada get clients?

• Dietitians in private practice typically get their clients from professional referrals, through their network, colleagues, classmates, and friends and family.

Do dietitians need experience before starting private practice?

• No, you can open a private practice at any point. However, many regulatory bodies recommend having around 3-5 years of experience, as this ensures you are competent in assessments, counselling, and even decision-making.

• That being said, if you do want to jump into private practice right out of the gate, you can (I did; I opened my practice part-time right out of school while also working part-time in a more traditional dietetics job). You can also look for other Dietitians who have been working for a long time who offer supervision for new Dietitians and can help with some of the counselling skills and decision-making around client care.

Can dietitians offer virtual services in Canada?

• Yes, however, you have to follow professional standards set by your dietitian regulatory body and ensure you have the right systems in place to provide confidentiality and privacy. 

What systems do dietitians need before seeing clients?

• You should have a few things at baseline: an appointment and scheduling system, a secure communication method, a documentation and record-keeping process, privacy and consent procedures, as well as payment and cancellation policies. If you need help figuring out what exactly you need for your practice, I can help. Book a free call with me today.

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