A person’s health is something that they must consider every time, especially during a global crisis. Many factors affect one’s overall well-being. With this in mind, here are some health statistics and facts many of us need to know:
- More than 31 million people in the United States have diabetes, and about half of those cases are linked to obesity.
- Heart disease was the number one cause of death in the U.S.
- Diet and lifestyle contribute greatly to our risk for hypertension, stroke, and many other degenerative diseases.
- Having any of these diseases significantly increases our chances of developing severe symptoms if we contract COVID-19.
If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, starting a healthy food business or franchise might be a smart way to encourage people to eat healthier, all while gaining income. It’s a worthy investment and a strategic business move since consumers always have to eat regardless of the state of the economy. Now more than ever, there is a clarion call for Americans to make better food choices.
There is always room in the world for healthier food options, and even more so in the time of COVID-19. Here are some tips for marketing your healthy food business this 2021.
Capitalize on the cultural moment
This is not about capitalizing on people’s pain or suffering. Capitalizing on the cultural moment recognizes the demand for healthier food choices and meets that demand. It’s hard for the average U.S. citizen to find healthier options in the supermarket, and often those with labels like “gluten-free” are more expensive. Why not be the person that provides them with healthy food that won’t break their bank?
Create simple and informative online content
One only needs to do a quick Google search to find the overwhelming amount of information on calories, nutrition, gluten-free, and other buzzwords that aren’t necessarily helpful to beginners. When creating content, why not start from the beginning?
If you don’t have a background in nutrition, consider employing the services of a dietitian or nutritionist in coming up with helpful and accurate content that those who are starting in their health journeys can easily understand. This will give you a head start against competitors using jargon and highfalutin words in their content. Always make sure your information is both accessible and accurate.
Encourage long-term lifestyle changes
Often, what lets consumers down are big promises from businesses. When marketing your healthy food business, be honest about what it takes to be healthy. Don’t make claims about your products that they can’t fulfill; if drinking your shake won’t cause them to lose inches, don’t use that as a marketing tactic.
Encourage your audience that the key to long-term changes is consistency in their diet and exercise. This way, you would also ensure that you would have repeat customers since they would keep coming back to your products and services.
Establish a solid brand voice
Having a unique and unforgettable brand voice is crucial to making a connection with your consumers. The last thing you want is to sound like a generic brand they can find in a supermarket. You want to ensure that your brand voice has its own personality and has something useful and important to say during this time, especially since shoppers are bombarded with different brand voices every day.
Be informative, educational, relatable, and on top of your products and services. This voice will set the tone for all of your social media content, product descriptions, emails, customer service interactions, and everything else. So develop it and teach your employees how to replicate it.
If you’re franchising, abide by their marketing guidelines
There are so many advantages to franchising a healthy food business instead of starting your own. For one, you can be assured of support from a bigger company. For another, many of the key business operations, like marketing, may already be established; you need to follow the guidelines they set.
Here are some pointers for marketing a franchise:
- Arm yourself with everything the company has already prepared, like sample materials, the website, campaign guidance, and social media presence. More often than not, franchise companies are already on top of these things to help you capture the vibe and aesthetic they set.
- Gain training on their approved tools and technological platforms so that you don’t need to start from scratch.
Marketing healthy food in COVID-19 should come with a lot of compassion and empathy for your consumers’ hardships. Getting started on one’s health journey is not easy, and your business might be what can help encourage and propel people to take this first step. Be kind and informative, and your audience will be drawn to your brand in no time. Good luck!