4 Tips To Stand Out In The Online Weight Loss Industry
By Angela Myers, Market America | SHOP.COM
In an interview about Market America’s TLS Weight Loss Solution brand, Executive Vice President Dennis Franks noted that, “Close to 50 percent of Americans target losing weight or getting in shape as their New Year’s resolution.” When entering into the weight loss industry, businesses have to understand that the market is already saturated with products and programs. There are online weight loss programs from reputable companies that are available. The overall question is, how can a company stand out online?
For Market America, standing out meant clearly defining and communicating what made their program different. Market America is a global product brokerage and internet marketing company that specializes in one-to-one marketing. Franks and TLS Director of Sales Melanie Nelson gave four tips to help others who are trying to break into the online weight loss industry.
Tip One: Don’t Make Promises You Can’t Keep
Many weight loss programs promise that customers will slim down quickly. If the claim sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Franks and Nelson emphasized the importance of only promising what you can deliver. “When we say lifestyle and quality of life, we really mean that,” Nelson said. “Often, people are struggling through these diets with the claim that they’ll lose this much in this much time. It’s all fantastic marketing; however, they don’t feel better. We are the solution to that.” They advised discovering what it is you can actually deliver and building your marketing plan around that.
Along with highlighting the benefits of the program, set clear expectations about the discipline needed for the program to work as well.
“I don’t feel that we are selling a blue sky,” Franks explained. “We are definitely not making promises we can’t keep, and the reality of selling weight loss is the understanding that weight loss takes effort, work, and commitment.” Since the TLS program sets realistic expectations, it has cultivated a happy base of customers who recommend their program to friends and family, leading to more business that’s fueled by real results.
Tip Two: Educate First, Sell Later
The TLS Weight Loss Solution educates consumers before they buy the product. Franks explained, “On the tlsSlim.com website, we tend to educate first. We are a little bit more conservative about our approach. The first thing they do is watch a video and learn about the program. There is a free weight loss profile so they can get a better understanding of our baseline recommendations.”
This education is not just prevalent when people first visit the website; TLS maintains educational support even after the sale is made. “What makes TLS different is we do have people behind it to support and educate the customer if they want it,” Nelson said. Education first shows customers the TLS program’s devotion to promoting healthy living. As someone moves through the TLS program, continued education demonstrates the seriousness of the TLS commitment to improving customers’ well-being.
That education also plays a crucial role in the success of the program. Managing a healthy weight is multifaceted. It’s not enough to just work out or eat healthy for a month. Franks and Nelson emphasize that customers need to learn how to implement and maintain healthy lifestyle changes.
“Continuing education helps you make better choices, and if you make better choices, you’ll have better outcomes,” Franks said. By providing education with the program, TLS sets its customers up for increased success.
Tip Three: Customize The Program And Implement One-To-One Marketing Strategies
Beyond being a multifaceted solution, TLS is also highly customizable. One-to-One Marketing, or marketing with a message tailored to a specific consumer, could help customize other weight loss programs. “People are not responding to mass marketing. They want something for them,” Nelson explained. “They want to go into Starbucks and say, ‘I want a tall, double shot, blonde roast caramel macchiato with light drizzle and almond milk’ and for the person at Starbucks to accept the order and not look at them like they have horns. We do the same thing with TLS. We are the Starbucks of weight loss.”
Customization has increased TLS’s brand distinction and has brought better results for their customers. Franks puts it this way: “It’s a program that is highly customizable because we’re not all created the same.”
Tip Four: Balance Online Convenience And Human Support
Another way to customize the online shopping experience is to add human support. TLS assigns a coach to every customer. Franks said, “When someone buys something, it immediately goes to one of our coaches so that they have support. That’s powerful. We have independent contractors who have gone through the customer’s program and understand their struggles.” Customers do want the convenience of shopping online, but they also want human support during their weight loss journey. Nelson emphasized the need to deliver both.
“Our TLS programs have combined an online presence from the comfort of your own home with human support and One-to-One Marketing,” she said.
Setting realistic expectations, educating first, customizing the program and adding human support can help a company stand out in a crowded market. “The market is quite saturated and highly competitive, so that’s one of the biggest things to consider. What makes you different?” said Nelson. “What makes you rise above the noise and be special?”
Once a company discovers what makes them unique, Franks and Nelson advise marketing around that message. “You’re going to have to give a lot of value and separate yourself from the ‘me toos,’” Franks said.
About The Author
Angela Myers is a contributing writer for Market America | SHOP.COM. Angela is a sophomore at Elon University double majoring in Professional Writing and History. Her passions include business writing, travel, and fitness.