Mutual funds are always investing in emerging markets and our industry’s mutual interest should be in wellness. Wellness is an emerging market not to be confused with hospitals or pharmaceutical. Wellness is a market to be found in every company, organization, and government where the employer has 100 or more employees. The larger the number of employees, the more likely they have a robust program with the need for you.
And who are you? You are an employee engagement consultant. You are a consultant representing the wellness department of your promotional marketing company. That may be a mouthful but, to start in this market, invest a few dollars in a fresh and market specific business card – a card that does not focus on anything other than WELLNESS. Use these cards while prospecting for wellness programs through direct mail, or just to leave it behind. A letterhead template carrying the same image costs absolutely nothing. No one title or description adequately positions you for everyone – be application specific when identifying yourself and your company.
Wellness programs are generally administered through the HR department by a team of driven individuals. The larger companies install a very capable administrator, often with experience in social work, benefits or healthcare. Expertise, yes, but expertise in engaging people... not so much. Hence, an opening for an employee engagement consultant, a person who knows how to get people to participate.
Participation is the key to success. Just a few years ago, a Pennsylvania distributor was selling to a major university for years. After attending on of my wellness seminars, she asked her customer in the Alumni Department... does the school have a wellness program? The answer was “certainly.” Her contact took her a few doors down the hall and that opened a $25,000 a year new buyer within an existing customer.
There are many different types of programs offered in wellness campaigns. On average, managers find it hard to break the 50 percent participation barrier. Less than 50 percent of all employees participate in most programs. Of course, their objective is to get 100 percent involvement and your role is to motivate employee participation... you may have stumbled upon opportunities to sell something into their wellness programs.
Often distributors are asked, “Can you get me a sports bottle, barrel bag, towel, etc.?” Chances are the imprint is for a wellness short- or long-term program. Beyond the surface requests are a major opportunity. However, it is not a major opportunity for, as Shakespeare put it ... The Merchant of Stuff. It is an opportunity for the wellness administrator to team up with a consultant who knows what makes people participate, perform and achieve. This is what you do, your tools are promotional products and other methods of communication you can bring to the table. You can motivate and reward. You can inspire and recognize.
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Along with your new business card comes a few pages of copy and stock pictures to position yourself and your agency as a Wellness Engagement & Performance Agency. You will be amazed how many people want that type of professional on their team. You are key to their success and success is how they keep their jobs. It is not too dissimilar from sales. If the performance is not there, the job is in jeopardy. If the participation and resulting decrease in claims, downtime, etc. is not there, so, too, may their job not be there. You are a bit of job security, if you know how to help.
Positioning yourself to attack this market is only the first step. It is the single largest expanding market we serve and the vast majority of your competition is not targeting it. Nobody needs to tell you just how much “stuff” you represent. However, when you extrapolate products that specifically can help people lose weight, avoid colds, watch out for too much sun, sit correctly at a desk, reduce and manage stress, etc., your products are no longer “stuff” but essential prescriptions for good health. By the way, there is no science that proves squeezing a toy will actually lower your blood pressure, etc., but music has science behind it.
The Take Away
Assemble the products along with your business positioning for the wellness market and doors will open to a great new potential. More to come.
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS is CEO and Founder of Soundline, LLC, the pioneering supplier to the promotional products industry of audio products. Joel has 48 years of promotional product industry experience and proudly heralds "I was a distributor." He has been on the advisory panel of the business and marketing department of St. John’s University in New York and is frequent speaker at Rutgers Graduate School of Business. He is an industry Advocate and has appeared before the American Bankers Association, American Marketing Association, National Premium Sales Executives, American Booksellers Association and several other major groups. He has been a management consultant to organizations such as The College Board and helped many suppliers enter this industry. He is a frequent contributor to PPB and Counselor Magazines. He has facilitated over 200 classes sharing his industry knowledge nationwide. He is known for his cutting humor and enthusiasm in presenting provocative and motivating programs. He is the only person to have received both the Marvin Spike Industry Lifetime Achievement Award (2002) and PPAI’s Distinguished Service Award (2011). He is a past director of PPAI and has chaired several PPAI committees and task forces. He is a past Chair of the SAAGNY Foundation, Past President of SAAGNY and a SAAGNY Hall of Fame member. He was cited by ASI as one of the 50 most influential people in the industry.