When putting together a product marketing team, one of the essential elements for success is having team members with the right expertise. After all, you probably won’t get far selling something that nobody on your team has ever had personal experience using.
Having a good awareness of a product, industry, and target consumer base is one thing, but having a direct understanding takes your content marketing strategy to a whole new level.
If you’re wondering how to market a product in the health and wellness industry, you need a health expert, like a registered dietitian (RD) on your team. Here’s why.
The Health and Wellness Industry Consumer Connection
The health and wellness industry is a beast like no other. First of all, it’s enormous and ever-changing, with an interesting marriage between consumer desires, nutrition science, food trends, and technological advancements.
Every consumer can find some way to connect with the millions of health and wellness products out there today. Whether it’s a personal health journey, motivation for achieving a goal, or interest in improving the quality of products and food in one’s life, every one of us has a reason behind the types of products we purchase.
Determining how to market specifically to a consumer’s needs is a big piece of the puzzle when figuring out how to market a product and do it well. Having a nutrition expert on your product marketing team can give you an edge.
7 Benefits of Nutrition Expertise in the Wellness Marketing Industry
Why should you have a health expert like an RD on your marketing team? Here are 7 reasons worth considering if you want to really connect with your target consumer base.
1. They have relevant education and firsthand professional experience
An RD isn’t just someone who has an interest in nutrition and decided to give themselves a fancy title. To become an RD, someone has to obtain a relevant undergraduate degree, such as one in nutrition and food science or dietetics. Then, they have to apply, be matched for, and complete an accredited dietetic internship, which includes 900-1200 supervised practice hours and further education.
In the end, they must successfully pass the RD exam and then maintain their credential with continuing education credits every five years. Soon, RDs will also be required to hold a relevant Master’s Degree.
In other words, having an RD on your product marketing team means you have someone who has lived and breathed nutrition and wellness in a way nobody else has.
2. They know the ins and outs of the health industry
Having someone on your product marketing team who has years of personal experience in the health industry will be able to provide a more accurate insight into it than someone who may just be studying it from the outside.
Many RDs have a cascade of opportunities to engage in different areas of the health industry. For example, nutrition experts are needed in places like hospitals and health systems, outpatient and long-term care centers, sports facilities, physician’s offices, health-related media, food service operations, counseling, education, and more. Plus, this gives them exposure to various populations, such as children, the elderly, men, women, athletes, and individuals with medical conditions.
3. They understand the customer base deeply
Many RDs have worked closely with your target audience in a 1:1 and/or group setting during their careers. This allows a unique perspective into the true desires of your consumers, including ones that don’t always make the news.
Nutrition experts who work with people have a more thorough understanding of consumer pain points. An RD can provide ideas for how you can develop position and messaging that ensures your product is the best solution.
4. They can call BS on nutrition pseudoscience
You don’t want to be one of those companies relaying misinformation into the world. Not only is this misleading to consumers, but it can also be damaging to your brand reputation. RDs are trained in calling out nutrition pseudoscience and offering niche expertise.
Hiring a nutrition expert is a smart move, as they can help you make claims about your product that are both rooted in evidence and regulatory compliance. Nutrition experts who work with brands are well-versed in responsible and ethical marketing practices. This should help ease your mind as far as legality and reputation go and give you a leg-up against competitors that may not be doing the same.
5. They have a pulse on the trends
If there’s one thing that pretty much all RDs have in common, it’s that they always know what’s going on in the health and nutrition industry.
One of the coolest things about hiring a nutrition expert to help with your product marketing is that they can offer niche expertise in the areas specific to your product and brand. This also means they’re paying attention to the trends and can help you stay one step ahead of the competition while providing insight into where consumer interests may be headed.
6. They offer both logical and creative skill sets
There’s a misconception that dietitians just provide meal plans or tell people what to eat. On the contrary, RDs cultivate a variety of skill sets that directly impact your marketing plan.
For instance, many dietitians can:
- prepare recipes using your product
- take beautiful food photography
- perform detailed nutritional analyses
- offer formulation and ingredient change recommendations
- ensure the marketing reflects the scientific evidence
- provide perspective on how marketing language will connect with consumers
- write blog posts, product descriptions, and other content marketing services
- act as a reputable brand representative or social media influencer
- provide expert interviews and product advocacy that reach your audience
7. They can help elevate your product
RDs are highly respected nutrition experts and are often looked to by consumers for reliable product recommendations and professional advice.
Working with a dietitian may provide the opportunity to boost the reputation and reach of your product simply by having their input and stamp of approval.
Overall, hiring a nutrition expert like an RD is an investment in your product marketing strategy. They can provide a competitive advantage by ensuring your product messaging is rooted in evidence, meeting regulatory compliance, and connecting with the consumer in a way that resonates. A nutrition expert can save you time on market research because they have direct first-hand experience with your target market.
Whether you’re launching a new product or revamping an existing one, having a nutrition expert on your team can help you build a successful and trustworthy brand in the health and wellness industry.
Ready to experience the benefits of having a nutrition expert on your marketing team? RWS Content + Strategy is a great place to start. Click here to book a call and get more information about our services.
