We have long talked about the opportunity for brands to help Conscious Consumers along the purchase funnel with coaching. In the space of health and wellness and social change many are engaged. We’ve segmented them into varying levels of interest but most need help to build new habits.
In our 2015 THINK Report we introduced a new model for the brand marketing’s traditional purchase continuum. In the new model we introduce the notion of relapse.
Relapse in this sense does not need to be seen as a negative and you don’t always go back to the beginning when you relapse. It simply acknowledges that most people bounce around as they try to establish new behaviors.
Most self-help entrepreneurs and professional coaches will tell you that it takes 30 days to either build or change a habit. What I’d say is that depending on who you are the number of days will change. In the consumer segments of our THINK report we have the Torchbearers who are the innovators and early adopters. They pave the way for others, are far more committed and are likely the ones that will establish new behaviors quickly.
When looking at the Health and Wellness segment this represents 9% of all women and 20% of all men. But that’s not where the opportunity resides. The opportunity is with the Committeds who represent 35% of women and 36% of men, and with the Half-Hearteds who are 45% of women and 35% of men. These groups are the early and late majority who need your help. Your coaching.
LifeTime Fitness has long been a brand that has excelled in this space. From the fun runs and fitness challenges to studio teachers they find ways to engage you and encourage you to spend more. Recently they offered a webinar series focused on conducting a toxic cleanse. They brand it D.Tox. The series shared tips on how to eat better, how frequently to exercise, sauna, etc. all as a means to purge years worth of toxins that have built up in our bodies. The catch? You’re strongly encouraged to purchase their D.Tox kit for a cool $150.
They of course aren’t the only ones. Under Armour has their branded system HealthBox, which in my opinion was a great way to bundle multiple products. Interestingly none of them come from their traditional product line of shoes and apparel. You get their version of a Fitbit band, a heart rate monitor, a scale and subscriptions to their MyFitnessPal and MapMyFitness. It retails for $400.
Both of these are good examples of keeping engaged with your consumers to help them facilitate change. Yes, coaching. You don’t need to bundle and sell a product to help them change. You just need to look at ways that help them modify or create a behavior involving your product or service. This can be as simple as a recipe or as complex as the technology in Under Armour’s HealthBox.
Creating brand awareness will always be important. Moving beyond the traditional ways you can merchandise your products and services and helping the Committed and Half-Hearteds move along the continuum is where the biggest opportunities reside.