Wellness Marketer - Q2 2021 by Conduit, Inc.

Trend Spotting

KEEPING UP WITH WHAT’S NEW IN MARKETING

SUMMER 2021 Strategies to outlast the pandemic • The importance of multi-channel engagement

CREATING COMMUNITY FOR YOUR COMPANY THROUGH CUSTOM CONTENT

channeling content & connections contact us to discuss what a content platform can do for you

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TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

WELLNESS MARKETER

16 MANAGING EDITOR Julie Shaffer EDITORIAL AND CREATIVE Conduit, Inc. www.conduit-inc.com

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

TREND SPOTTING

S TAT S & I N S I G H T S

S U R V I VA L S K I L L S

Q&A WITH KRIS MULKEY

ON THE RISE

PRINTED BY Printed courtesy of Daily Printing, Inc. dailyprinting.com

SUMMER 2021

P U B L I S H E R ’ S N OT E

Our time

Despite the current situation that the world finds itself in, we don’t have a lot of needs. Most everyone has a roof over their head, food and more entertainment than we could ever digest. Even in developing nations you find more access to mobile phones than clean water. To be honest, our desires often surpass our real needs.

T H AY E R L O N G PUBLISHER

Our role is not only

to engage, but to seek understanding and

then endeavor to make

people feel something.”

In the absence of deep needs, marketers now have the responsibility of bringing meaning to people’s lives. In other words, it is incumbent upon us to provide products and services that change how people feel, which alters what they do and what they come to expect. The silver lining of the confusion we live within right now, is that wellness organizations are focused on making people feel better while the best marketers are the most empathetic. Marketing is front and center right now. There is very little live engagement and connecting with the marketplace at a deeper level is more difficult. Our role is not only to engage, but to seek understanding and then endeavor to make people feel something. This is a tough task in any environment, but more challenging when the market is somewhat invisible. As the great philosopher, Ted Lasso, once said, “Taking on a challenge is a lot like riding a horse. If you’re comfortable while you’re doing it, you’re probably doing it wrong.” The bottom line is that marketers are built for confusing times. Their entire existence is to seek understanding and demonstrate care. So, while things may seem a bit hazy, it feels ripe for the marketing community. In this issue of Wellness Marketer, we want to help clear things up. Our cover article, “Trend Spotting,” discusses which trends were in play before the pandemic, which ones are still valid and which have been accelerated. And in our second feature, “Survival Skills,” we tapped into expert opinions on what it took to survive this past year and what habits will work for any organization amidst these confusing times. Enjoy the issue and remember that this is our time. A marketer’s time! Warmest wishes,

Wellness Marketer INSPIRING HEALTHY ENGAGEMENT

Healthy engagement comes from connecting with thoughtful marketing-minds. We gather the best health and wellness marketing insights and share them with you. Check us out online at wellnessmarketermag.com to stay up-to-date on the latest stories, data and trends. We look forward to inspiring you!

> VISIT WELLNESSMARKETERMAG.COM

F E AT U R E S T O R Y • T R E N D S P O T T I N G

Trend Spotting

KEEPING UP WITH WHAT’S NEW IN MARKETING

re-pandemic, Alana Sandel was keeping tabs on what a lot of brands in the wellness space were doing, paying close attention to how they were addressing pain points of various customer segments, especially those managing chronic health conditions like diabetes, arthritis and asthma. As CEO of Marketing for Wellness, a purpose-driven agency designed to grow brands that stand for wellbeing, Sandel wanted to see how these brands were planning to use their influence and creativity to help their most vulnerable customers find products that complement their lifestyles, especially when it comes to food.

WELLNESS MARKETER

In the time before COVID, Sandel paid close attention to marketing trends like personalization, a practice she believes is the future of marketing, especially when it comes to the delivery of content and products. She cites Element Bars’ decision to allow customers to build their own healthy snacks so they know exactly what they are putting into their bodies. Like any marketer you talk with, Sandel will tell you that COVID has changed the game. Today, one of the biggest trends she says is in how the pandemic significantly accelerated peoples’ awareness of their health. “We were all completely taken aback by COVID, and no one had any idea how to address the pandemic without the fear concept and lockdowns. We realized, perhaps for the first time in our lives, that our biggest defense against the challenge we faced due to the virus was to our immune system. We learned that people with chronic health issues are not only most vulnerable when they get sick, but also when they try to manage their lives with serious side effects.”

This heightened Sandel’s awareness about the pain points of people with chronic health conditions. For wellness marketers, COVID opened the door to helping brands find new opportunities to help people manage their lives. Myriad brands jumped on the wellness wagon, adjusting their products and incorporating ingredients like ginger and turmeric into their recipes. To help meet the crush for information, Sandel launched the not-for-profit For Well Being, specifically geared toward people looking to take care of their health in a collaborative environment. A series of “Let’s Do it Together’ classes helped educate people and inspire them to eat better through cooking classes and more mindful exercises.

Brands must figure out how marketing, customer service and sales are aligned, and engage their audience.” — ALANA SANDEL, CEO, MARKETING FOR WELLNESS

SUMMER 2021

F E AT U R E S T O R Y • T R E N D S P O T T I N G

Standing out, Sandel says, means continually working to craft the perfect recipe for your brand. “I don’t believe there is any one thing you can do, even if you do it really well, that can make you stand out from competition because most things can be easily copied. We advise our clients to pay attention, first and foremost, on how to manage their brand. If they have a strong brand strategy, brand foundation and messaging, the important part is to make sure the brand remains relevant and compelling. If your brand doesn’t have a strong foundation (vision, mission statement, key messages, brand essence and a map to define and address customer pain points), it’s back to the drawing board.”

you can figure out how to relate to your customers, starting with the products and services you deliver. Getting to that place requires placing data and technology—Artificial Intelligence (AI), for example—at the core of your blueprint. Data helps create more relevant experiences across one or more dimensions of what marketers call the 4Cs: • • •

• Once you put the fundamentals in place and map out your customer journey,

Content (provided in experiences like emails or mobile apps) Commerce (physical retail, e-commerce, or a hybrid experience) Community (convening B2B buyers at a virtual trade show or hosting a webinar on home repair for consumers) Convenience (offering consumers coupons or benefits from a loyalty program)

Today, while most of the 4Cs are delivered in a “one-size-fits-all” approach, Sandel says consumers want personalization. “Brands must figure out how marketing, customer service and sales are aligned, and engage their audience. You really need to deliver across the board from product design to messaging in a way that is cohesive, relevant, original and impactful.”

Hitting the books…

One of the biggest challenges facing the wellness world is that the term is not universally understood, i.e., it means different things to different audiences. To stand out, Chris Ross says you must understand what wellness means to your audience, and assure that you have something meaningful and compelling to offer in that area.

WELLNESS MARKETER

“Wellness is a very noisy space, and it covers lots of categories and audience needs,” says Ross, CMO of Isagenix Corp., a multi-level marketing company that sells dietary supplements and personal care products. “There’s no easy or universal way to stand out. It just requires establishing deeper insight, and designing products and services aligned to those insights.” Before COVID, Ross says the “Happiness Industrial Complex” was taking over the world. It seemed people everywhere were overrun by various thought leaders evangelizing their collective need to define and pursue the ever-elusive idea of happiness. Work-life balance, job gratification and basic holistic health were the themes of the day. With the pandemic and the cultural context surrounding it, Ross says that everyone is under extreme pressure. Mental health, sleep, real social connection and friendships quickly became extraordinarily precious and precarious. The good news is that like many pandemic-related themes, many of the issues that surfaced during the past year will continue to be important as we emerge from the crisis. “Anyone involved in wellness related marketing will need to connect back to those themes. Getting clarity on the marketplace means doing your homework. Do the research, talk to your customers and prospects, your salespeople, industry experts. Insight is a competitive advantage. Organizations that know more will win.”

Getting clarity on the marketplace means doing your homework. Do the research, talk to your customers and prospects, your salespeople, industry experts. Insight is a competitive advantage.” — CHRIS ROSS, CMO, ISAGENIX CORP. their audiences. “Channels are always audience-specific and even a ‘ripe’ one can be misused or ineffective without the right messaging, creative and offers,” Ross says. “Print has become a bit of a premium item. The right intersection of customization and quality can make print a powerful tool. There is a tension between print and sustainability, but there are brands who have balanced those tensions to create effective print work.”

In a time of complex change, today’s consumers are as intelligent and well-informed as ever, with one distinct quality marketers must recognize—they are very attuned BS-detectors. “Any wellness related messaging or offer needs to be grounded in reality and hold up to consumer scrutiny,” Ross says. “If you’re going to go down the wellness path, just be authentic or be prepared for the backlash.”

To engage with consumers looking for connections, wellness marketers will have to find the channels that fit

SUMMER 2021

S TAT S & I N S I G H T S

Click

WHAT MAKES CUSTOMERS SUBSCRIBE TO BRAND EMAILS How often do you communicate with your customers? According to “The Path to Email Engagement in 2021” research report from Pathwire, 79% of people want to hear from the brands they love at least once a week, while 25% prefer to hear from them twice a week or more. So, what makes them hit the subscribe button? Take a look!

56%

53%

39%

20%

17%

To regularly receive special offers

To get a one-off discount

To hear about the latest updates (launches, news, and products)

To get personalized recommendations

To receive new articles, blog posts, and educational content

Without the in-person interaction of physical retail, shoppers are craving connection. Engage with consumers in an authentic way: lead with purpose, communicate authentically, and share how you contribute to the community. Key takeaway: bring humanity into the digital shopping experience.” — KELLY WENZEL, CMO OF AMAZON PAY, ON THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN CONNECTION COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC

New Dimensions

WELLNESS MARKETER

6 WELLNESS CATEGORIES THAT DRAW CONSUMER INTEREST

The definition of “wellness” is constantly changing. To stay up-to-date on the latest consumer trends, McKinsey & Company conducted their “Future of Wellness” survey. It found that consumers expect to increase their purchases of both wellness products and services. The top areas of interest include the following:

HEALTH Medicine, supplements, and healthcare services all make up the most popular wellness dimension.

APPEARANCE Skincare, athletic apparel and anything that beautifies the consumer.

SLEEP Beyond sleep medications, this includes sleep trackers and other sleep-enhancing products.

MINDFULNESS Focus on the here and now with meditation apps and offerings.

FITNESS Many people are struggling to maintain normal fitness levels due to COVID-19.

NUTRITION More than just optimal fuel, consumers want fresh and tasty options.

SUMMER 2021

F E AT U R E S T O R Y • S U R V I V A L S K I L L S

Survival Skills

WELLNESS MARKETER

STRATEGIES TO OUTLAST THE PANDEMIC

n March of last year, when the reality of the pandemic started making its presence felt, Wellness House quickly transitioned all of its in-person programming to an online format. The nonprofit organization located in Hinsdale, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, offers 485-plus free psychosocial support programs to encourage, educate and emotionally support people with cancer and their families. The move helped ensure that everyone would receive uninterrupted support. In the early stages of the transition, the Wellness House website posted more than 50,000 visits to online programs from 27 states, with many of them coming from geographical areas it was trying to reach. To comprehend the full scope of Wellness House’s transition, for the past 30-plus years, the organization mostly held in-person programs with some pre-recorded content. To survive the jolt the pandemic rendered on its delivery platform, Wellness House had to reinvent its business model. “We basically changed our

entire method of delivery to an online platform and became completely virtual,” says Marketing Communication Manager Deb Kwiatt. “It was a seismic shift in the way we did things and required a shift in thought process, delivery of product and how we marketed our services. We were determined to remain at the core of who we are. That’s where knowledge and expertise can bend and mold with a new circumstance.” The long-term ramifications became a silver lining. With a mission statement designed to help people affected by cancer thrive, especially in cases of can-

cer health inequity, the online platform actually helped lead to an increase in accessibility to its programs. Today, Wellness House is melding the in-person and online models into a comprehensive new delivery platform that puts exercise, nutrition, support groups and stress management on the map no matter where someone lives. “We’re now adjusting our staffing resources and marketing plan to execute this new hybrid model,” Kwiatt says. “Opportunity comes with learning, innovation and utilizing resources in the smartest way possible.”

SUMMER 2021

F E AT U R E S T O R Y • S U R V I V A L S K I L L S

Several years ago, Wellness House began to build partnerships to expand into underserved areas so that more people affected by cancer could access programs. When you’re working with physical locations, the process tends to be slower, especially when you factor in challenges like transportation. But when the pandemic forced a different way of thinking, the opportunity to examine other options presented itself. “We basically removed geographic barriers,” Kwiatt says. “Because of that, like many companies and organizations, the pandemic has revealed opportunity.” That’s where culture enters the picture. Kwiatt says having a strong culture instills a sense of wonder at the opportunity, even with the inevitable challenges that come with changes and growth. “A brand is built from the inside out and that includes a culture that lives and breathes a focus on relationships, innovation, idea

We basically removed geographic barriers. Because of that, like many companies and organizations, the pandemic has revealed opportunity.” — DEB KWIATT, MARKETING COMMUNICATION MANAGER, WELLNESS HOUSE sharing, equity and diversity and striving for quality with a work life balance. That might sound lofty, and no organization is perfect, but when it’s woven through everything and intentional, it becomes a reality and makes its way to action, identity and perception. When the pandemic hit and we had to think differently and make quick decisions, we knew our organizational leaders were supportive and invited new thoughts and ideas.”

For example, Wellness House’s HR Manager created several remote/virtual opportunities, including open chats with leadership or informal lunches, that helped foster communication in social and informative ways. “Internal communication and the opportunity to connect is more important than ever, particularly for new employees who haven’t experienced the company culture in person,” Kwiatt says. “Silence by leadership and inaction is a killer of culture because I think that’s when you see disengagement and a fracturing of culture which affects overall success in a profound way.” The tools that will grow even stronger thanks to the pandemic include communication, flexibility, and the ability to look at the greater good and what’s beyond the horizon. “We have been in uncertain and uncharted territory for over a year and there’s more to come,” Kwiatt says. “Compassion and the ability to work with ambiguity also go a long way.”

WELLNESS MARKETER

Keeping it real

One of the most lasting fallouts of the pandemic’s impact on today’s work climate will be the dynamics it has created on how and where people work, especially as it relates to marketing. Ask Christina and Steve Ross, owners of Silver Frog Marketing, and they will tell you that regardless of where the sign on your door is psychically displayed, you still lean on your team, and follow your systems and processes. When Silver Frog employees were forced to work remotely, the systems and processes that the marketing firm built into the framework helped keep everything pushing forward, hiccups and all.

Having a good culture, good support system, knowing other people have your back and that everyone is pulling in the same direction can take a lot of stress off—personally and professionally.” — CHRISTINA ROSS, PRESIDENT & MARKETING DIRECTOR, SILVER FROG MARKETING “Having a good culture, good support system, knowing other people have your back and that everyone is pulling in the same direction can take a lot of stress off—personally and professionally,” says Christina, President and Marketing Director. “It is important for your employees to feel their work is valued and their voices are heard.”

Having just increased its staff and moved into a larger office space one week before COVID hit, the Silver Frog Marketing team was forced to shut everything down. During the initial quarantine, everyone worked remotely. To help out, Silver Frog provided laptops, dual monitors and cell phones for every employee. And while it took some getting used to, the synergy eventually kicked in. “We started working together more as a team,” Steve recalls. “We started utilizing technologies like Zoom, and shared documents to communicate better and work more efficiently.” And, in a time when the bottom fell out for a lot of companies, Silver Frog ended up growing sales by about 334% versus the previous year. Taking a page out of the how and why it transformed its workplace environment, Silver Frog now has implemented a hybrid work schedule, which allows for in-office and remote days. “Now that the pandemic is settling down and people are able to return to work, we have implemented a hybrid work model that’s working for our team,” Christina says. “Additionally, we have three short morning meetings per week where each of our team members is given a platform to share what they’re working on that week, wins they’ve had, give praise or crowdsource help with a challenge. This has really brought us together and helps eliminate division among other departments even when we are not all always in the same location.” Like many companies around the country, the ability for Wellness House and Silver Frog to keep an open mind and change with the changing business conditions has paid off. Driven by a newfound commitment to patience and level-headedness, the path forward is clearer than it has ever been.

SUMMER 2021

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Kris Mulkey

Chief Marketing Officer at In-Shape Health Clubs Marketing leader talks about engagement and what matters most As Kris Mulkey’s marketing

team develops and executes In-Shape’s multi-channel

marketing strategy, she takes

solace in the fact that they are changing people’s lives every

day. She is focused on driving

new membership growth and

member engagement through a host of communication

channels, internal employee engagement programs and

event marketing. We sat down with Mulkey to get her take

on the challenges ahead of her and her team.

As a CMO, what challenges are right in front of you?

Understanding our members’ current mindset is our number one challenge. We see what is happening with the mental and physical health of our communities and we want to help. Our second priority is member retention, and our third priority is changing the face of fitness from focusing on vanity and performance to health and wellness.

We have responded by creating new products. If a member can’t make it to the physical club, we provide them with digital workouts. If they don’t have space inside their home, then we provide them with outdoor options. If they just aren’t in the mood, we provide them with tips on mindfulness, sleep and nutrition. Our success is directly tied to their overall health and happiness. And by success, I mean our ability to keep our members connected to In-Shape. 2020 was not a financial success (as much as we would have liked it to be). Our clubs were closed, and we were not collecting any revenue, but we focused on keeping that connection so when we reopened our members would return to the club. That attention to detail paid off a year later when we finally reopened.

Marketers seem to carry more of the burden today than pre-pandemic. Why do you think this is the case?

We’ve always been very involved in program and product development for the acquisition and engagement of members. Being a member of our club is great but being an active member of our club is awesome.

Our mission is to create places of belonging and connection that motivate our communities to live healthy, fit and happy. We don’t say anything about fitness or working out because we are not in the gym business. We are in the “motivating people” business.

We now know that to succeed in our category we have to have an omni-channel offering which meets members where they are—indoors, outdoors or online.” We have a responsibility to understand where our members are so we can meet their needs. If we don’t understand this, our message and product offering could be completely wrong. We collect member data on a daily basis through check-in surveys, member surveys and feedback in social.

WELLNESS MARKETER

Health clubs and gyms can be intimidating for many people. If we don’t change the perception from being a place where you have to be fit to walk in the door to a place where you can be yourself and feel comfortable in your own skin then we consider that a failure to our communities.

How are fitness and wellness brands like yours supposed to develop relationships at a distance?

We consider our members part of our In-Shape family just like our team members. We knew that whatever our team needed, our members would need too. Last year within weeks of closing our clubs we had online workouts on Facebook for adults and kids. We organized a #QuarantineTo5k virtual run. We created online recess for kids to give them a chance to get the wiggles out, and our parents a moment to catch their breath. Our weekly e-newsletter expanded to two or three times a week and we considered these emails our virtual checkins with our members. Unique content was created for all our member segments to ensure it was relevant.

What is marketing’s role in nurturing your internal culture these days?

One of our key priorities is to create an open and engaging culture for our team and members. We made a conscious decision at the beginning of the pandemic to be as transparent as possible, so they understood what was happening. We updated our office hours and had flexible schedules for working parents who were home-schooling kids. We started to have “no meeting” Fridays and blocked time in the day so everyone could take care of their families and themselves. Through a lot of hard work, we kept the team engaged, their spirits up and retention high.

Finally, do you have any advice for marketers?

We all rely on data to drive decisions. But connecting with your customer (our members) and the team is the best way to make a comprehensive, well-informed decision. Use your product. Visit your locations. Be present with the team. Ask questions and listen—then follow your gut (and the data).

For our senior members (over age 65) we created a senior newsletter with content and workouts specific to seniors because we knew that many of our seniors lived alone and would really miss the In-Shape community.

Due to the pandemic, how has the skill set of a marketing department changed?

We now know that to succeed in our category we have to have an omni-channel offering which meets members are—indoors, outdoors or online. This wasn’t a necessity pre-pandemic. The skills of the team now have to support this model.

SUMMER 2021

V I S U A L I Z AT I O N S

On the rise From fitness to nutrition to mindfulness, the global wellness market is rapidly growing. Recent research from McKinsey & Company estimates its worth at more than $1.5 trillion, with annual growth of 5 to 10%. The growth of the entire sector, along with pandemic-related influences, have brought about new consumer trends. Understanding consumer needs and preferences is the first step in providing them with products and services that they care about. McKinsey & Company’s “Future of Wellness” survey found the following six consumer wellness-related trends have been on the rise:

NATURAL PRODUCTS GET THEIR DAY IN THE SUN Consumers across the world are looking to ditch chemical-laden products. They are focusing on clean, natural products in multiple areas, such as skincare, supplements, subscription food services, cosmetics and sleep enhancers.

MORE PERSONALIZATION, PLEASE How well do you know your consumers? While privacy is still a concern for many, most consumers are comfortable trading privacy for messaging specifically personalized for their interests.

6 RISING CONSUMER WELLNESS TRENDS

THE FUTURE IS DIGITAL

While some traditional channels will hold steady for certain products, many are shifting to digital. Meet your consumers where they are by providing omnichannel and digital offerings.

UNDER THE INFLUENCERS Don’t underestimate the power of social media influencers. More than 60% of consumers report that they will “definitely” or “probably” consider a brand or product posted by a favorite influencer.

THE RISE AND RISE OF SERVICES The health and wellness market isn’t simply product based. Consumers are also seeking out experiences and services such as personal trainers, nutritionists and counseling.

CATEGORY LINES CONTINUE TO BLUR Keep an open mind and consider how your company can play across the health and wellness categories and channels. Opportunities are everywhere.

WELLNESS MARKETER

T H E ST R E N GT H O F P R I N T Direct mail comple ments the other c hannels used b y impro ving overall multich annel campa ign per forman ce

REPORT SHOWS THE IMPACT OF DIRECT MAIL

es piec l i a ct m ed a Dire rsonaliz y tel pe are mple o c r lot o

s ail i re m t o c Dire antly m comes ific n it l sign e whe al ng iv i t s h c effe o reac dience t u et a g r a t

Are you using all of your marketing muscles? Direct mail is a tried and true way to reach your audience and beef up your campaign. According to PFL’s “The State of Multichannel Marketing” 2020 report, a quarter of marketers planned to increase their budget for direct mail during the pandemic, and they are seeing results. Those who are investing more in direct mail are more likely to report the following.

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90%+ of Direct mail is opened.

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ONLINE FOLLOW-UP

If a prospect leaves your website without taking action, your ads will show up throughout the Google Network directing them back to your website.

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Keep your follow-up ads in front of your prospects even when they’re scrolling through their newsfeed on Facebook and Instagram.

LEADMATCH

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