Wellness Marketer - Q3 2021 by Conduit, Inc.

Constructing Trust IDEAS ON BUILDING AUDIENCE CONNECTION

FALL 2021 Lead with transparency and honesty • Engaging with today’s consumers

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

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

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

CONSTRUCTING TRUST

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

WORTHY

Q & A W I T H T. J . T E D E S C O

T H E V I TA L S

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

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P U B L I S H E R ’ S N OT E

Embrace the Change Sometimes we come to a time where the old way of doing things just doesn’t work. Attitudes and actions that generated success in the past don’t give us the results we want. Strategies for growth no longer deliver and are difficult to implement in the new landscape. Like it or not, it’s time for change.

Change came into our personal lives like a bull in a china shop. And maybe a silver lining is that the change announced its presence loudly and provided us a chance to rethink just about everything. When change is subtle, on the other hand, we cling to the old patterns too long and fail to embrace the opportunity of new possibilities. T H AY E R L O N G PUBLISHER

When change is subtle, we cling to the old

patterns too long and

fail to embrace the opportunity of

new possibilities.

One thing that will never go out of style is the idea of connecting deeply with our clients. Regardless of the macro environment and the forced alterations to our worlds, business is still predicated on emotion and intimacy. Engaging people at a level below the conscious is still what matters even in a pretty antiseptic climate. While our need to connect hasn’t changed, how we go about developing authentic relationships may have. We must accept that new marketing tactics are required to reach our communities. Content marketing strategies and one-to-one marketing tools are wonderful pull techniques that we can implement. And new listening strategies will be important as we anchor our brands to a customer-centric philosophy. The greatest change that may be happening is a commitment to empathy. And I would guess that we can all get on board with that. In this issue of Wellness Marketer, we thought it was vitally important to combine some insights on the wellness industry and marketing trends that aid your community-building efforts. Our two features, “Constructing Trust” and “Worthy,” focus on how to create the right message for the right audience and how gaining trust has never been more important. The bonds of trust and loyalty have become weaker and this article reminds us that there is tremendous opportunity for those wellness brands that can figure out how to connect better with their audience. Embrace change and be hopeful. All the best,

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 • C O N S T R U C T I N G T R U S T

Constructing Trust IDEAS ON BUILDING AUDIENCE CONNECTION

WELLNESS MARKETER

n 1983, Samuel Kaymen and Gary Hirshberg were running a nonprofit organic farming school on a small 19th-century farmstead in Wilton, New Hampshire. Their mission was to help family farms survive, keep food and food production healthy, and help protect the environment. But like any good initiative, their farming school needed funding. After some discussion, Kaymen and Hirshberg took the farm’s seven cows and began making yogurt free of toxic pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Their yogurt hit a soft spot among consumers who were not only looking for healthier, more organic products, but who were also connected to protecting the environment. Today, Stonyfield Farms offers a complete line of grass-fed, whole-milk yogurt, organic yogurts and smoothies for babies and kids, Greek yogurt and a Smooth & Creamy line. Over the years, one of the biggest allies in helping tell the Stonyfield story has been Pulse Health & Wellness, an advertising and marketing team that works with a number of health and wellness brands. The cornerstone to Pulse Health & Wellness’ success is its ability to earn face-to-face recommendations for healthy brands from the most trusted source of guidance—a consumer’s own health professional. Brian Levy, CEO of Pulse Health & Wellness, says building that trust factor is at the heart of why health and wellness brands succeed or don’t succeed. “We are living in a trust economy, and trust is everything in the current environment. Consumers are growing increasingly skeptical of information they find on the internet, through the media and even word-of-mouth from friends. They are looking for credible and trusted sources of information and guidance—particularly when it comes to their health and wellness.”

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

Levy says that recommendations and insights from consumers’ own health professional—be it a doctor, nurse, pediatrician or dietitian—carries more weight than any other source of guidance. In fact, consumer trust in bloggers, influencers, websites and the media—even credentialed health professionals—is significantly lower than trust in their own health professionals. He believes this presents a critical opportunity for health and wellness brands to tap into trusted relationships. Pulse Health & Wellness encourages its clients to add value to these face-to-face conversations between practitioners and patients by providing printed materials and resources to professionals, positioning their brand not

only as a health and wellness solution, but also as a trusted partner in supporting professionals and patients alike. “This approach works not only because of the trusted relationship between practitioner and patient, but also because professionals are constantly being asked for brand recommendations by their patients,” Levy says. “Having printed materials and resources from brands—which professionals prefer to digital resources— allows professionals to meet a specific need by sharing these materials and resources with patients.” For years, Pulse Health & Wellness has been conducting successful programs for Stonyfield that demonstrate how

effective this approach can be. By regularly delivering printed educational materials on first foods to pediatric professionals, supported by brand information, coupons, digital engagement, and ongoing research with professionals and consumers, it has helped Stonyfield own the first foods conversation at pediatric practices across the country. The strategy has led to earlier and more frequent recommendations of the brand, as well as increased purchase and loyalty among consumers.

Having printed materials and resources from brands—which professionals prefer to digital resources—allows professionals to meet a specific need by sharing these materials and resources with patients.” — BRIAN LEVY, CEO, PULSE HEALTH & WELLNESS “For brands to tap into this trusted relationship, they need to add value— through education, resources, product samples, coupons and special offers, and so on,” Levy says. “They need to build around education and meet professionals’ preferences, adding value to counseling interactions with printed educational materials, marketing their brands appropriately, and focusing on building trust and credibility. A key way to think about this is that health-conscious consumers want more information, not less. Provide them with detailed information about the health topic and your brand—more than you could ever do in

WELLNESS MARKETER

a print ad, 30-second TV spot, or earned media—and you are well on your way to building trust and earning loyalty.”

Team + Teamwork = Success

With a membership base of more than 3,000 independent optometrists (and growing), IDOC is an association dedicated to giving independent eye care professionals a competitive advantage and the opportunity for long-term success. Through industry-leading vendor saving programs, expert guidance and myriad networking opportunities, IDOC is an ally in a landscape littered with big-box and online competitors like Costco, Walmart and Warby Parker, among others. One of the strongest selling points of the IDOC is its ability to connect its membership base in a united front of initiatives, ideas and strategies geared toward going toe to toe with the Goliaths. In order for these strategies to work, IDOC Director of Marketing Bridgette O’Brien says you need the buy-in from all levels of the organization—from the top, down. “Here at IDOC, we discuss wellness efforts and initiatives at the board level and within each department on an ongoing basis,” O’Brien says. “One of our company’s core values is ‘People First, Always,’ which we lean into each day. Decisions are made with this mentality and understanding the value our employees have on our business.” The main tenets that run through each of the programs and initiatives IDOC creates is brand loyalty and trust—goals each and every member and vendor connected to the association strives for. “When you have brand loyalty and trust, it means you’re delivering a high-quality product and excellent customer service. The best way to build that is through authenticity and integrity. Understanding and living in your company’s ‘why’

and core values help guide and shape the decisions you make and how to stay true to your customers’ needs. It’s important to be honest and transparent, to drive brand loyalty.”

When you have brand loyalty and trust, it means you’re delivering a high-quality product and excellent customer service. The best way to build that is through authenticity and integrity.” — BRIDGETTE O’BRIEN, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, IDOC Building a connection is centered on the buy-in to these principles—a connection that if made effectively is all powerful. O’Brien says that listening to your organization, providing opportunities and platforms for peoples’ voices to be heard, and then coming together to make changes happen and act on those ideas is the only way to see progress. “Change management takes time and effort and is an ongoing journey. It’s important to keep people informed, provide training, and gather feedback along the way. This will help your team stay engaged and ‘on the journey’ as progress takes place.”

engaging consumers where they are (social media, events, etc.); listening to the needs of your customers; and being authentic and true to your brand/ company values. O’Brien says none of those strategies work unless you and your team practice what you preach. “Some of the strategies that have worked best in making connections, particularly in this new remote work environment, have been both group virtual meetings and one-on-one conversations. Companies also find success when they survey employees and provide opportunities for people to share feedback to the organization. Feedback sessions help leaders get a pulse on the overall wellbeing of its employees and offer a platform for new ideas to emerge.” In the end, getting the right message to the right audience at the right time is as effective as the strategies and processes you put into place.

The various ways IDOC builds connections include: creating a safe environment and being inclusive; keying in on group meetings and one-on-one interactions; making time for team-building activities;

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

Feeling Swell(ness) Wellness Creative Co. noted in January 2021 that the health and wellness industry has gone mainstream in recent years. CEOs now promote meditation as a productivity hack. The big hotel chains have all launched wellness tourism brands as they’re seeing huge growth in demand. And people are spending more money on their health and experiences instead of traditionally popular areas like fashion. The global wellness market is now valued at over $1.5 trillion, with annual growth of 5 to 10 percent, according to McKinsey & Company. You should be feeling pretty swell.

Going to the Well

Workplace wellness has become an increasing focus for organizations around the world. According to Wellness Creative Co., the corporate wellness industry continues to grow in both dollars and importance. You could say they are really going to the well.

75%

$66B

The global corporate wellness market is estimated to reach $66 billion in 2022.

33% Approximately 75% of large employers and 33% of small companies run wellness programs.

The corporate wellness industry is being driven by increasing insurance costs related to growing obesity levels.

$1,429 1.5-3x

Medical costs for people classified as obese (almost 40% of the US population) are $1,429 higher than those of normal healthy weight.

Well-designed wellness programs have a return on investment of 1.5-3 times the dollar amount spent over 2-9 years.

WELLNESS MARKETER

Crystal Ballin’

With the explosion of the wellness market, Wellness Creative Co. along with others, did some work to uncover where the sector is going and what some emerging trends might be. The following represent what might be the next big thing.

DIGITAL WELLNESS As people adapt to spending more time at home, there’s increased demand for digital wellness offerings that they can enjoy without leaving the house.

HEALTH & IMMUNITY



Consumers are prioritizing their health more than ever, which means greater receptiveness to products and services that support this (particularly those associated with boosting the immune system).

ESSENTIAL OILS In terms of wellness industry products, essential oils have seen a surge in popularity that doesn’t look set to slow.

BEAUTY PRODUCTS REFLECTING DIETS We’re seeing a huge increase in beauty products being marketed as vegan and gluten-free with mainstream brands like Garnier highlighting this in adverts.

MEDITATION No longer restricted to yoga classes or considered ‘woowoo’, meditation’s health benefits are now being widely recognized, which is boosting its popularity.

WELLNESS TOURISM The wellness tourism market is projected to reach $919 billion by 2022 with leading brands like Equinox launching getaway concepts.

PROTEIN POWDERS WIDENING THEIR APPEAL When it comes to the health and wellness food industry, protein powders have always been big business. But they’re now developing products targeting women and vegan exercisers specifically instead of their traditional body-building market.

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F E AT U R E S T O R Y • W O R T H Y

Worthy MARKETERS LOOK TO GAIN TRUST

t may take years before we truly understand the ramifications of what a series of lockdowns and social distancing efforts did to our psyche during the past 18 months (and counting). But there are efforts currently underway to explore those impacts. For example, a recent scientific study by Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine’s Center for Human-Animal Interaction and its Dogs on Call therapy dog program is exploring how animal therapy might help reduce loneliness and potentially influence positive health outcomes for hospital patients in aging adults. The study is investigating how patients respond after interacting with the Dogs on Call human-canine teams, and will compare their response to patients interacting only with the handlers and those receiving standard treatment. One of the sponsors of the program is Mars Petcare, which continues to invest heavily in increasing the impact of companion animals on social isolation and loneliness. UCLA Consumer Psychology and Consumer Market Research Professor Dr. Emmanuel Probst says that Mars’s research and accompanying actions exemplify how a brand can make a positive contribution to society. The efforts, which come

across as authentic and human, also help drive sales for its products and services. “Brands can no longer lure consumers by remixing marketing platitudes. They are now expected to inform and educate the public and make a positive contribution to the world around them.” Today more than ever, marketing is about compelling storytelling and then finding ways to amplify those stories. To gain trust, consumers must hear stories from sources of merit. Building this kind of trust is critical for wellness brands trying to connect with today’s ever-increasing health-minded consumer.

That’s what makes Mars Petcare’s involvement so vital. The brand has long believed that pets play an important role in addressing social isolation. Several years ago, it conducted a study in collaboration with Human-Animal Bond Research Institute which showed that 80% of US pet owners say their pet makes them feel less lonely, with nearly nine in 10 people saying that pets helped reduce feelings of loneliness. Mars Petcare also is actively involved in research efforts through its Summit on Social Isolation and Companion Animals working groups, which helps provide evidence-based guidelines for healthcare professionals relating to animal therapy programs.

WELLNESS MARKETER

Don’t be afraid to speak up and make your commitment known. It’s never too late. The thing about being transparent is that it isn’t a trend, but there is a time limit to it.” — ANKIT VAHIA, PHD, EXECUTIVE STRATEGY DIRECTOR OF THE PHARMA/HEALTH AND WELLNESS AT GREY GROUP

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F E AT U R E S T O R Y • W O R T H Y

“Most marketers are bubbled, whereby they live in big cities, read more, listen to more podcasts and are more educated than the consumers they target,” Probst says. “Too many brands these days shout their message at their audience, forcing their products down their consumers’ throats. Post-pandemic, it is time to take a step back and listen to consumers in order to understand what feels meaningful and purposeful to them. From there, marketers can build brands and products that will help consumers fulfill their quest for meaning.”

Into parts unknown

In a time when up is down, and vice-versa, health and wellness continue to be very personal, which Ankit Vahia, PhD, seems to believe is a little ironic given that nothing is more personal than one’s health. Vahia, Executive Strategy Director of the Pharma/ Health and Wellness at Grey Group, believes there is a broadening in the wellness category that has been accelerated by COVID—a broadening that means people want and need to trust brands more than ever. “People want control over understanding what is happening in their body (home testing market and wearables, for example) and are driven to stay younger, stronger and for longer,” Vahia says. “Challenges in meeting the needs of the diverse wellness population really range from the probability of authenticity, connection to communities and targeted fluidity. We see this with our clients in both the wellness and health space.” If there’s one thing wellness brands have learned from the pandemic and the COVID-19 vaccination drives is that consumers react to sources they have faith in—this applies equally to both pharma and wellness companies. Today,

consumers are making choices based on the value of the product as well as where it is coming from, which at the end of the day, comes down to trust. At the heart of building trust between a brand and its community is transparency. “It’s that simple,” Vahia says. “Let the people know the truth—good or bad—and it will help build a sense that there is nothing to hide. The biggest turn-off for consumers is when they feel like they are being duped or played. Second is a connection to a purpose—wellness brands must stand and act for something not connected to their brand.” As simple as it sounds, the process all starts with having a strategy. No brand can just go out there and say, “Hey, look at us. We’re transparent and honest.” Vahia says the process starts by understanding the real problem you are trying to solve and the appropriate context within which you want to be transparent, honest and gain trust—and to do that. “Strategy is critical. Don’t be afraid to speak up and make your commitment known. It’s never too late. The thing about being transparent is that it isn’t a trend, but there is a time limit to it.”

Most marketers are bubbled, whereby they live in big cities, read more, listen to more podcasts and are more educated than the consumers they target.” DR. EMMANUEL PROBST, PROFESSOR OF CONSUMER PSYCHOLOGY AND CONSUMER MARKET RESEARCH, UCLA

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While aiming for trust and knowing when you have it are two very different things, Vahia says the process and outcome will become clear if you follow the plan. “There are a few ways to know when and if you have gained trust. On a very technical front, it is about tracking the online conversations and understanding the associations with the brands. The other will be in regard to the drivers of uptake associated with the brands. If brands listen to what their community is talking about, they will quickly learn how they are perceived; they will also learn how they will need to pivot.”

In a world of information—at times too much and way too inaccurate—how a brand steps into the light of getting the buy-in from its community remains one of the more critical components to success. As the pandemic continues to accelerate our digital transformation, the relationship between brand and consumer spans across many channels. That means your customer experience must be seamless and consistent, whichever story you are telling.

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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

T.J. Tedesco

Co-founder & VP of Customer Success, VIVIO Health Marketing-minded entrepreneur on engaging with today’s clients T.J. Tedesco started a marketing services agency in 1996 and ran it until 2016. It soon became the agency of record for a Silicon Valley healthcare software company. After great success, Tedesco and the leadership team started an “accelerator” focused on helping early-stage healthcare companies position themselves for similar market success. Through the accelerator, he partnered with a visionary drug management leader and became cofounders of a healthcare data company that now has over 500 customers and is successfully solving one of America’s prickliest healthcare challenges—specialty drugs. We sat down with the marketing-minded entrepreneur to get his ideas on engaging the clients today.

As a CMO and customer experience expert, what challenges are right in front of you?

Strategy is core to success, but knowing and living it are two different things. When I was leading a marketing services agency from 1996-2016, I thought the successful strategy we were talking about was my own company’s strategy, not our customers’. We were fixated on compiling the best marketing tactics, choosing the right ones for each client, and executing flawlessly. While not necessarily wrong, high level wellness marketers would prioritize understanding their customers’ strategies over their own. The business is about the clients and not your offering.

The recent lack of face-to-face access has accelerated the blurring of the line between marketing and sales.”

The sooner you realize your business is their business, the better you and your organization will perform. If you don’t understand your customers’ wants and desires, you may earn a few bucks here and there, but you won’t make a long-lasting difference. You’ll be just selling stuff and not building a relationship.

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

The pandemic has packed a decade worth of change into 15 months. Over the past half-century, the sales process has slowly evolved from the three-martini lunch to a value-add consultative approach. However, the recent lack of face-to-face access has accelerated the blurring of the line between marketing and sales. Figuring out what’s important to the decision maker used to be one of the main roles of the salesperson, but today, a buyer’s electronic fingerprints paint the clearest roadmap of what’s important to them and their organization. This, coupled with the fact that marketing inherently scales better than sales means marketing will “carry more of the burden” going forward, especially in a future where business travel may be reduced.

WELLNESS MARKETER

How are brands supposed to develop relationships at a distance?

Less available face-to-face time means companies need to quickly change their sales focus to strategic value and data. Companies that rely on personal in-person engagement have been feeling the pressure for years, but during the pandemic they were forced to change. As things open up, it’s important for companies to remember the best way to compete is through data and ideas, and to use face-to-face meetings to reinforce this point, not vice-versa.

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

The pandemic has accelerated the timetable for push marketing’s demise. Being housebound for so long has lowered many people’s tolerance for invasive advertising, and the junk button is being used more now than before. Spammers have noticed. In June 2020, the average daily spam

volume across the globe was 316 billion. Six short months later, the volume dropped to 61% to 122 billion. Advertising still makes up 36% of all spam content, but smart money says it will go down from there. Going forward, marketing departments need to focus less on process-driven push marketing tools and more on content-creating pull marketing. The line between marketing and PR is blurring too. Bottom line, the ability to create compelling content will be a skill very much in demand.

Finally, do you have any advice for wellness marketers?

If content is #1, what’s #2? That’s easy— automation. Today’s content marketing automation tools are fabulous, easy to use and getting better all the time. With so many publishing and social media platforms available, these tools help you properly distribute your content at the right frequency. Data should drive your daily decision-making; it’s not possible for you, as a marketer, to do your job well without automation.

What is content’s role in marketing going forward?

Simply put, content is king. This is different than a decade ago. Search engines are so good, and today’s buyers are so well trained to do their own research, that marketing’s #1 goal is now to create and execute a winning content creation and management strategy. If you properly research, write and place it, they will find it.

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

The Vitals Wellness marketers have used content marketing successfully to create brand awareness, educate audiences, build trust and generate demand. Prior to the pandemic, content marketing was a valued component to engagement. In light of the new landscape, content marketing is vital to wellness brands. In their “2020 B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks” report, MarketingProfs and the Content Marketing Institute highlighted the importance of content marketing and the goals that B2B marketers have achieved. The percentages of marketers that accomplished those goals follows:

CONTENT MARKETING SHOWS YOU CARE

NURTURE SUBSCRIBERS/ AUDIENCES/LEADS

BUILD LOYALTY WITH EXISTING CLIENTS

GENERATE SALES/REVENUE

CREATE BRAND AWARENESS

DRIVE ATTENDANCE TO EVENTS

EDUCATE AUDIENCES

BUILD A SUBSCRIBED AUDIENCE

BUILD CREDIBILITY/TRUST

SUPPORT THE LAUNCH OF NEW PRODUCTS

NONE OF THE ABOVE GENERATE DEMAND/LEADS

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

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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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