There are approximately 108 million people on diets in the United States at any given point in time, according to ABC News. For advertisers, this provides a wealth of opportunity to reach consumers through various mediums including television, internet and mobile. Weight Watchers is one brand that has been successful in their marketing efforts to this broad demographic. In fact, this global weight loss program rakes in upwards of $1.2 billion annually. That's triple the number of its competitors Nutrisystem and Jenny Craig.
Regardless of your own industry , consider working with a local online marketing firm and learning from Weight Watchers' advertising success. Business owners should follow Weight Watchers' template for success and:
1) Pay attention to what consumers want
If there is one thing that Weight Watchers understands, it's how to fulfill people's desires. Executives at the company know that while those who sign up for the program want to shed pounds, in most cases, they are not necessarily willing to give up their favorite sweets. Marketing involves a healthy dose of compromise. Give your customers what they want without asking them to sacrifice too much.
2) Let individuals sign up for free
After people sign up for Weight Watchers, they are invited to attend a free meeting near them and during this gathering, they are given additional free information. It's this type of practice that leads individuals to pay for their membership. When men and women don't feel like they are being forced to pay for something, they are much more likely react positively.
3) Target a new audience
In the majority of cases, women are more likely than men to follow a diet program. But, Weight Watchers has been making a push to cater to a male audience. Celebrities like Charles Barkley now appear to advocate for the program during NBA games and other sporting events. When you expand your consumer base, you'll bring in more money.