Globally the wellness industry has been one of the fastest-growing markets in the past few years and has been valued at just under $5 trillion and is forecasted to grow by 33% to reach $7 trillion by 2025. . The question is, why are so many people spending their money on their health and experiences, instead of traditional outlets, such as fashion? As a leading Wellness PR Agency, we’ve shared our reasons why below.
One reason, according to the Mental Health Foundation, is that adults are working longer and harder, with three out of four people admitting to feeling “overwhelmed”.
This has led to an influx of wellness trends that have helped contribute to the growth of the industry. Cleaner eating, wearable devices such as Apple Watches, wellness tourism and e-commerce sites like Amazon selling supplements have made access to wellness easier than ever before. And that means there’s stiff competition within the industry to win share of voice with customers and get their buy-in.
As a specialist wellness PR agency, we share our top tips to ensure your wellness brand stands out this winter.
Reconsider your audience
January poses fresh opportunities for your wellness brand as New years resolutions is often a time when people shift their focus onto their health and wellbeing. Therefore, it’s worth adapting your content and messaging to resonate with your target audience.
The new year can be the perfect opportunity to push your brand into the limelight, to make sure your key target audience picks your company above others promoting during this time above your competitors running campaigns during this time.
One way to target this audience is to pitch product suggestions to the gift guides they are most likely to be reading. Focus on key national publications, such as The Daily Telegraph’s gift guides, as well as traditional consumer magazines and titles focused on your audience’s areas of interest. Providing expert commentary pieces featuring the brand’s founders and experts – for example, the top five yoga poses for novices – will also help to cement the company’s position as a knowledgeable, leading brand in its field.
Many brands will also activate campaigns at the beginning of the new year, such as events or even larger brand stunts.
Hosting an event and inviting journalists will encourage people to include your wellness brand in their publications and will also help to create lasting relationships with writers and influencers to help you to stand out from the crowd.
Incorporate tech into your brand strategy
Across many different demographics, consumers are turning to apps and wearable devices to help beat burnout. Tech is continuing to play an increasingly important role in driving the global mental wellness industry, with the most popular devices focused on either sleep or stress.
If you want to stay ahead of the crowd, you could try to incorporate technology into your product lines or find a way to use technology within your existing lines, such as sleep brands launching their own sleep app. An example of a company that has successfully used this approach is the emerging wellness and lifestyle brand, Mintal, who this year launched their own app – Mintal Sleep – to help target this market.
Hop on timely trends
Tailoring your brand to a popular trend could help you to gain more followers and customers. For example, ‘hygge’ is a Danish concept that has gained a mass following over recent years. The idea centres around cosiness and wellness, such as sitting under a blanket with a cup of tea.
Many people who are trying to follow a more ‘hygge’ lifestyle are splashing out on meditation sessions, yoga, and supplements. More than ever, consumers feel compelled to keep their minds and bodies in pristine condition to help cope with daily challenges and unforeseen circumstances – such as global pandemics, for instance!
Why not create a special ‘Hygge’ journalist event in a cosy setting to show off your products for the Christmas gift guides? Not only will this encourage people to talk about your brand, but it will also put your products in the hands of journalists who will be keen to test out your brand for any upcoming review features they may be working on!
Other popular trends that many people jump on to create timely feature concepts include how to cope with the stress of seasonal affective disorder and winter burnout. Journalists will often utilise key themes such as these to help consumers through the Christmas period, meaning they will always be on the lookout for expert commentary and helpful products they can recommend to their readers.
Give your social media channels a makeover
Social media can be an extremely powerful tool, as it helps to provide brands with a direct link to their audience. Companies should connect with their clients this winter by producing engaging content centred around the Holiday season.
Engaging with consumers by asking them questions and providing interactive content is a great way to encourage them to comment on your posts. This will help to create a dialogue between the brand and its consumers, building a relationship and loyal fanbase.
If you would like to find out more about how our specialist PR and social media teams could help deliver results for your wellness brand, get in touch with our Wellness PR team.