Question

You are an RD running a weight-loss and healthy eating program at a local endocrinologist’s office. This three-month program consists of once-weekly private, one-on-one nutrition counseling sessions with you, as well as once-weekly group meetings where you lead a discussion on a topic relevant to healthy eating and physical activity. It costs $600 to enroll in the three-month program. Currently, you have 20 clients enrolled, all direct referrals from the endocrinologist’s practice. The program is designed to appeal to both men and women, ages 18 and up.

The endocrinologist would like to grow this wellness program and expand it beyond her own client pool. Not only do you have to market the program to attract new clients but also create marketing tools that will keep current clients interested and possibly spur them to re-enroll beyond three months if needed. This takes time, and you are the only RD managing the program, plus counseling clients.

You need to consider your competition. This includes not only other dietitians in your area but weight-loss companies that are well known and cheaper, such as Weight Watchers. One advantage is that your program may be covered by some insurance plans, mostly for cases where clients have diabetes.

Another consideration is that you have little experience with marketing. You do know how powerful marketing can be to help build the practice. You have a limited budget that will not allow for advertising on TV, radio, or in local newspapers. In addition, the endocrinologist does not use or understand social media such as Facebook. She feels the program can grow successfully by word-of-mouth alone and that marketing may not be necessary. You must figure out a way to create buzz about the program to get potential clients in the door within budgetary constraints.

1. What are your challenges in marketing this weight-loss program? What are some things you may be unsure of in this marketing process?

2. Using information from your text about brand image, identify a “brand image” for your weight-loss program. Be creative in coming up with a name for the program, potential slogan, brand logo, and other branding ideas.

3. What marketing tools will you use? Consult your text and the three websites listed at the beginning of this case study. Also use any of your own knowledge on topics such as social media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter). List each marketing tool and your rationale for choosing that particular tool. Be sure to include a mix of traditional marketing tools and new ones such as social media. For each tool:

• Explain what the tool is and why you are using it.
• What audience do you plan to target with this tool?
• Draft an example of the actual tool, or an outline of what content will be included in the tool.
• How do you plan to measure the success of this tool

4.outline a timeline for rolling out your marketing plan

5. identify some tools you will use for current clients to keep them interested in the program and returning for more nutrition services as needed.

6. Describe how you will evaluate and measure the success of your program and your return on investment (ROI) for each marketing tool used in order to determine whether they are cost-effective enough to be used again. Brainstorm ideas on your own and consult Step 5 (“Evaluation”) of the Social Marketing for Nutrition and Physical Activity web course.

Answer 1

solution-

answer 1 - the challenges in marketing this weight loss program are as follows-

1.it is difficult to manage and create the whole marketing program and buzz alone.

2.the various competitors that are present are very important to deal with as some are way cheaper and well known.

3.the advertisement on tv radio cannot be done due to a low budget and it creates more challenges as these are the best mediums for advertisements.

4.the social media is not liked by endocrinologist she believes in word of mouth but in the real world, it is difficult.

5.the experience in marketing is very less that makes it more difficult to create a buzz that also with various conditions.

some things that RD may be unsure of this marketing process are as follows-

1.the possibility of fighting the competitors

2.the success of a marketing program in low budget

3.the word of mouth publicity

4.will this marketing program help gain new customers