For dietitians, the ability to communicate effectively is an essential skill. Whether working in a hospital, school, food company or even your own business – being able to convey the importance of good nutrition is part of the job. But it is not always obvious how to educate on nutrition in a compelling way that inspires change.

This September, Eat Well Global will hold a pre-conference workshop at the European Federation of the Associations of Dietitians annual conference (EFAD Conference 2018). This interactive workshop will provide strategies for dietitians to communicate effectively, keep a message on track and inspire healthful choices.

Sign up for the workshop here. And keep reading for 4 communication tips for dietitians.

Know your audience

Understanding your audience is the first step in effective communications and is necessary when explaining complex information. Differences in education, knowledge base and profession can impact perceptions and understanding. Identifying your audience can help you tailor your message to their background and skill level.

Actively listen

Actively listening to your audience will help you better understand their perspective and further tailor how you share information. Try echoing back what you hear to clarify viewpoints and demonstrate understanding. Once you completely understand your audience’s perspective, you are in a better place to communicate your message.

Keep your message on track

As dietitians, we tend to overshare information. However, dumping all of our knowledge at once doesn’t improve understanding. Instead, identify what messages you want to be heard, understood and remembered. Regularly come back to those messages to stay on track and communicate more effectively.

Communicate what’s important to you

When discussing complicated or contentious topics, it’s important to start the conversation by expressing your values and beliefs, rather than facts or figures. Recognizing shared values can help you build trust and have impactful conversation.

Join our pre-conference workshop at EFAD Conference 2018 to practice these and other communications tactics. And stay tuned for more communications workshops at upcoming events.