2/6/2021
If you think about it, everyone has some degree of influence. You influence your friends, your family, your co-workers, clients, and most people you come into contact with.
No matter which area of dietetics you work in, you are still connecting with people to educate and share your nutrition message. So really, the term ‘influencer’ is a bit misleading, because we’re all influencers, even if you aren’t insta-famous.
So, if you’re still wondering how to position yourself to a brand if you don’t have a huge social media following, or what it is that brands want from RDs, or even places we see opportunities for RDs to work with brands- we’ve got all the info you need, below!
How to position yourself when trying to work with brands
Let’s kick it off by talking about what it is that brands want when partnering with RDs. The number one thing that you bring to the table is your credibility as an expert. But it is essential to remember that your RD credential is not your only value or your selling point (see Do’s and Don’ts for landing brand parnterhsips, here). The great news is that credibility is only one piece of the pie!
Remember, they aren’t just looking for any RD, they are looking for the right experts for their brand. So, when it comes to positioning yourself to the brand you need to showcase the various value-adds you would bring to a partnership. What is the specific value you bring? It doesn’t need to be a large following. Remember, it should be a mutually beneficial partnership. Your value may lie in your specialty or niche, food photography skills, experience writing, upcoming events and presentations, your food allergies, dietary preferences, or personal experiences with food and nutrition, and on and on it can go! Truly there are so many different ways to partner and bring value.
The key to positioning yourself is positioning your unique value. When positioning your value and what to highlight, consider the below list as things brands want from RDs.
What brands want from RDs:
- Credibility
- Trust
- Ways to stand out
- Brand Awareness
- Product in the hands of their target consumer
- Nutrition Insight – substantiate or help identify nutrition differentiators
- Consumer Insight
- Advice on product innovation
- Nutrition communications
Also, in your brand pitch, along with your unique value, be sure to include how your value relates specifically to their company, products, or what they stand for – it’s all about building the relationship and creating the best possible connections.
Areas of Opportunity
Opportunities are endless, really! Consider what you are currently offering to clients and think about where a brand may be able to fit in. Are you hosting a workshop, cooking class, or presentation? Do you have a membership, course, or podcast they could get involved with? Are you writing a cookbook? Do you love to write or develop recipes? Do you have experience in food science and want to offer your expertise on the product development side?
- Offer to take over THEIR social media accounts (again you don’t need to have thousands of followers to be on the brand’s Instagram giving nutrition tips in your specific area of expertise!)
- Share product samples with your clients
- Participate in ambassador programs
- Write for their blog if the brand’s audience aligns with your expertise
- Be a source for media mentions
- Create content
- Offer consultations on your specialty to help them learn more about communicating with this audience
- Webinar sponsorship
- Join RD-hosted conferences
- Host workshops – Food Photography, Culinary Nutrition, etc.
- Podcast ads
- Sponsored speaking engagements & presentations
- TV segments
See more ideas in this blog post too! Tell us, how have you worked with brands off of social media? Tag us with #linkrd to show or tell us what amazing things you are up to!
