With so many supplement brands on the market, competition is at an all-time high. Existing brand owners and stakeholders have never been more challenged to find differentiators that separate them from the next best rival. As contract manufacturers of sports nutrition, weight loss and vitamin & mineral capsules, tablets and powders Supplement Factory sees the challenges faced by many emerging and growing brands.
It is Supplement Factory’s goal to help with the success of brands that we manufacture so we offer lots of advice and tips to companies that approach us for their specific needs. Here we put some popular questions to Digital Sales & Marketing Manager for FORZA Supplements Wayne Page. The FORZA brand is stocked in Tesco, Boots, Superdrug, Lloyds Pharmacies’, Holland & Barrett and Costco amongst others so Wayne has his work cut out supporting their online demands.
How long does it take to establish a brand?
There is no definite timeline here, it’s the combination of the right product offering with unique selling points and how it’s packaged up to make a desirable proposition. With the right team and experience, establishing a brand can be achieved successfully in a short period of time. It’s important to remember what a brand actually is – a lecturer once emphasised to me ‘a brand is the mind of consumer’, so when they’re next looking to solve a need, making your brand front and centre to solving that need is essential.
When launching a supplement brand is it important to take part in social media right from the start?
Developing social buzz is becoming increasingly more important using the likes of Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram and LinkedIn just to name a few. Businesses often try to amplify their core messages and social media accelerates this process which is incredibly valuable when starting a brand. The question is, can you afford not to?
Where are the best places to sell own label products?
Online retail platforms including Amazon and eBay are a fantastic way to get your products in front of your target demographics. With robust websites that require very little technical knowledge, you’re able to get your products to market in a matter of minutes. Developing your own website is also for me a key marketplace that supplement brands cannot ignore. Gone are the days when you required a ‘techie/computer geek’ to build and update websites, open source platforms have taken the hassle out of this. Introducing your own website should be seen as a key element within every brand’s marketing plan, an opportunity to inform and communicate directly to your consumer.
Can anyone run their own marketing campaign or do they need experience?
The beauty of marketing is that we’re all exposed to examples in our everyday life; drawing on these experiences can help to shape your own marketing campaigns. To maximise investment and get the best return an experienced team can help to launch your campaigns quicker, with fewer mistakes and with more results.
What marketing tips would you give to entrepreneurs entering the supplement industry?
Research, research, research. The market is ever changing and so are the propositions. Over the last 18 months there have been some significant changes that have affected the supplement brands both on third-party platforms including Amazon and eBay, and through search engines like Google and Bing. Without keeping up to date with new entrants, latest platform rules and algorithms you will not be able to maximise your brands potential.