Gyms across the country and more people are turning to the internet as a way to workout. That means for every athlete, as part of their conditioning they’re looking online for new ways to train and products that will help them get ahead. Sports supplements and protein shakes are two ways that athletes can gain an edge. Even as they’re self-quarantining, and it’s logical that with all the time they’re spending online they’d look to make their purchases online, too.
Here are five tips for selling supplements online.
1. Choose a target audience.
Retailers often forget the first rule of selling a product. It is choosing a target audience. If you don’t know what your consumer is looking for out of a product, you won’t be able to clearly define what your niche is. It affects every other aspect of your business. When you think about athletes, it’s a good idea to adopt a binary mode of thinking.
For example, if you’re selling pre-made protein shakes, the ingredients and look of your supplements should be a bit different. It must be based on whether you’re selling to men or women. Similarly, a higher amount of protein per serving should be used if you’re planning on selling to bodybuilders as opposed to other kinds of athletes or fitness buffs.
2. Research the best supplements.
Not all protein powder manufacturers are created equally. If you want the best supplements you’re going to need to do a little research. It’s a good idea to decide on whether or not you want to sell a whey, casein, or soy-based supplement, too. But, without the right manufacturer, it doesn’t really matter which base you’ve chosen. There are many factors to consider when choosing a supplement manufacturer. These are some of the most important traits to keep in mind before you make a decision:
- experience adhering to all FDA requirements and standards for your product
- custom formulation to help you create the exact product and flavors you’re looking for
- pricing that scales with volume to save you money as your business grows
3. Choose your sales strategy.
There are many different ways to sell supplements online. Some companies choose to target consumers while others aim for distribution that gets their protein powders onto store shelves. Ultimately, you’ll want to make sure to have an online presence for customers that are a fan of your products so that they can buy directly.
One of the easiest ways to sell your supplements online is with a Shopify-powered online storefront. If you’re spending all of your time focusing on the formulation and marketing of your protein supplement, it may be better to leave your eCommerce platform up to a Shopify web developer with years of experience. There are many developers for Shopify in the market, offering you all the web design, development, and eCommerce services. These help to get your protein supplement company up and running in the digital sphere.
4. Choose your marketing strategy.
Once you have a solid website, you’ll want to come up with a marketing strategy. There are a wide variety of platforms and channels to use when marketing your products, and each has its pros and cons. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, for example, are some of the most popular options when it comes to social media, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that social networks like Snapchat are a bad idea. Ultimately, you want to pick a platform where you know your target audience already is.
5. Get the word out.
After you’ve come up with a solid marketing strategy, it’s time to go to the market! The first few months of any business can be a bit shaky, but with perseverance and a clear plan, you’re bound to start making sales. Once you’ve made some money from your business, make sure that you spend some time analyzing what commonalities you see between your customers to further bolster your sales moving forward.
Krishan Jangir