| There is no shortage of health-related infomercials or | | | | claims of others. Many consumers associate a familiar |
| pop-up ads circulating on the Internet and television | | | | name with trust, causing some companies to invest |
| today. In fact, the health industry relies on | | | | millions of dollars by marketing health products through |
| attention-grabbing headlines and quick bits of | | | | a famous face. |
| information to make customers pay attention. This is | | | | 2. Association with celebrity endorsement |
| not the right way to market a product, and it may also | | | | Similar to the above-referenced method, marketing |
| be unethical. Marketing any product can be difficult in | | | | health products using this technique may also require |
| such a competitive market due to the wide range of | | | | the use of a celebrity. However, it is not the opinion of |
| products available. | | | | the famous individual that consumers are drawn to, it's |
| Along with the usual methods, marketing health | | | | the product itself. Fitness equipment, for example, is a |
| products often requires a need to support the claims | | | | popular product involved in marketing health products. |
| being put forth by the company. This usually takes on | | | | When a muscle-bound celebrity fitness guru takes to |
| a fact-based approach, providing statistics and | | | | the stage, viewers gain faith in the equipment. As they |
| research to support their information. Caution must be | | | | watch the spokesperson flex, they begin to believe |
| used when marketing health products because false | | | | that the product will provide them with the same |
| claims may be harmful to an individual's health or life. In | | | | results. |
| many cases, the supportive evidence is funded by the | | | | 3. Promotion of health benefits |
| company promoting the product! This is a strong | | | | Some products claim to have special health protection |
| reason to be cautious about the product. | | | | or prevention capabilities. When this type of strategy is |
| I n order to provide statistics, a variety of research | | | | used for marketing health products, the company will |
| methods must be followed. When marketing health | | | | point out the reasons why you need to buy their |
| products, some companies choose to conduct | | | | product. This method may also include a direct |
| scientific tests and others opt for a more generic | | | | comparison to other products on the market. |
| approach. Scientific research will not only provide | | | | Marketing health products may prove to be more |
| valuable data, but also prove to the company itself that | | | | difficult than that of other goods or services because |
| the product works as expected. | | | | of its close connection to people's health. It is important |
| There are three main types of tactics involved in | | | | to take a step back and consider the facts and |
| marketing health products: | | | | testimonials being provided, in order to avoid risking the |
| 1. Influencing potential buyers | | | | well-being of viewers or consumers. Some products in |
| In this case, health product marketing relies on influence | | | | the market may work as claimed, but most do not. It is |
| to attract new customers. This type of marketing is | | | | difficult for the consumer to choose from the diamond |
| often seen on late-night infomercials, complete with | | | | from the rough. The simplest way to make a decision |
| celebrity host. Using a popular or well-qualified | | | | is to look for unbiased, third party information about the |
| spokesperson, the company attempts to sell their | | | | product. |
| products by drawing the buyers into the opinions and | | | | |
