Business Skills

Put a dietitian in a clinical setting and she feels at home as she’s been trained to be successful in this environment.  But at retail, the players are different, the business goals create a pressure cooker environment, and health and wellness is still a relatively new business driver. 

A great food demonstration can be a powerful thing. Whether done in a store, on Facebook live, or for a community presentation, when done correctly, a demo allows your audience to experience the positive benefits of your product(s) and see how the items may make their life easier, more affordable and healthier. Here are some tips to make certain your product demonstrations increase sales and meet consumer needs.

Bucking human nature and focusing on individual strengths can increase productivity and results.

Here at Kroger, our purpose is, quite simply, to feed the human spirit. The healthcare practitioners inside our stores live this purpose through their mission to simplify healthcare and connect with people on an emotional and personal level.  One of the most personal and emotional facets of health is food, and who is better poised to simplify food and nutrition than a registered dietitian? 

Although it may be new and uncomfortable, upselling your services to customers can be one of the easiest ways to increase revenue and show your ROI. Depending on your retailer, there can be several ways to implement these strategies but start with the needs of your current customer base to help ensure success.

As a retail dietitian, you may have traditionally provided store tours, presentations and other programs for customers at no cost, but models are changing. In some instances, RDs are being asked to “upsell” by offering a higher level of service to customers for a fee. While many RDs may feel uncomfortable with charging for their services and integrating sales techniques into their role it does not have to be painful. This article will review how to be an effective salesperson by learning strategies that engage customers and focus on value-added services that meet consumer needs.

Fall’s hectic schedule can make family meal time a challenge for your shoppers.

Delivering on the business model of health and wellness at retail is still a challenge and many retail RDs work alone or in a small group of dietitians making a mastermind group an ideal solution for creating of your own sounding board.

There are great health benefits to family mealtime but let’s face it, gathering everyone around the table at the same time in the evening is tough to pull off. Between adult work schedules and kids’ activities, the logistics just don’t always align. To help families feel good about eating together you may also want to provide solutions for family breakfasts. 

The growth and expansion of health and wellness programs at retail is predicted to continue as supermarkets capitalize on their capabilities to provide solutions that meet consumer needs within the changing healthcare environment.