Provide Great Customer Service
Providing exceptional care and creating relationships with clients is a great way to build your reputation and retain customers.
Whether you are an online business or a physical business, it’s highly important to communicate with customers and make them feel like they are the priority.
Just remember: customer service represents your brand, values, vision and YOU as a person.
Lousia with Funky Fat Foods states just how important their customer service is:
Were consumer-focused and take care of our customers as quickly and correctly as possible.
I believe what is also working for us, is our customer service and the relationships we have created with them.
Even today we see huge support from Instagram, as you can talk directly to your customers all over the world. Basically, just ask them what kind of content theyre interested in, and always reply to their questions.
Weve recently started sharing our struggles and learnings via IG stories and see a growth in our engagement. We try to stay in as much contact with our followers as possible and strive to create good and engaging content through social media. As a result, we have been steadily growing our follower base organically.
We also run contests on Instagram in collaboration with other brands and send our bars to micro-influencers, which really help to increase awareness of the brand but there is still a lot of room to grow in this area.
Update: 6 Months Later
Ive changed manufacturers from DuraCap Labs to
While DuraCap was great to work with to get my product launched with just 140 bottles, Quality Supplement MFG has systems in place to take things to the next level such as the ability to get free insurance on your products and a rigorous FDA compliance department.
I highly recommend reaching out to Jennifer at Quality Supplement MFG if you are looking for a rock solid manufacturing company that is also extremely competitive on price.
*Note: I have no affiliation with Jennifer or Quality Supplement MFG except as a customer.
The Ethics Of Vitamin Branding
Branding a vitamin or supplement company is different from building a clothing brand or launching an ecommerce shop there are certain rules, regulations, and ethics involved.
Lets start with rules and regulations. The United States Food and Drug Administration has strict guidelines on labeling for vitamins and supplements for example, in order to claim your supplement is high in vitamin C, it must contain more than 20 percent of the recommended daily value for the vitamin. Before you make any nutritional claims on your label, its important to make sure those claims are in line with the FDA guidelines otherwise your company could be penalized or your products pulled from the market.
The same goes for disease claims. According to the FDA guidelines, a disease claim is defined as a claim to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent disease. Disease claims require prior approval by FDA and may be made only for approved drug products. So, unless your vitamin or supplement has been approved by the FDA as a treatment for a specific disease, you cant make any disease claims on your labeling.
Outside of following industry rules and regulations, you also need to build a sense of trust through your branding. While trust is always an important part of brand/customer relationships, its especially important for brands in the vitamin and supplement industrysince your customers are going to be consuming your products.
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I Want To Start A Supplement Brand Where Do I Begin
So you have an idea, but how do you expand on this brainwave to create your own brand of supplements?
Know what works and offer something new
In other words, find your Unique Selling Point . Check out popular existing health supplement brands and make note of what theyâre selling. What are their best selling items? Which vitamins and sports nutrients does every brand stock, and at what price?
Once youâve identified these key points, you can decide what you want to do differently. Maybe youâre keen to stock the most popular products but at a better price? Maybe your USP is unusual supplements that are hard to find anywhere else? Or perhaps youâre able to deliver your products in a much quicker time than your competitors? Whatever you decide, make sure that your brand provides the supplements customers want with a unique twist.
Do I need to register my supplement brand?
In most cases, no, but there are some legal boxes you should tick before launching your new brand!
Most health supplements will count as a type of food under general food law, so there is no need to get your products themselves registered or licensed, although as a UK business selling food supplements, you would need to get registered as a Food Business Operator with your local authorityâs environmental health department.
You can find out more about your legal obligations on the Governments food supplement information.
Where do I source my new brandâs supplements?
Wrap Up Manufacturing And Miscellaneous Duties
Production line of beauty products at plant or factory. Process of manufacturing and packaging cosmetics goods.
While you are waiting for stability tests results, fix and address other issues related to packaging, labeling, authorization, and certification. For example, make sure you purchase liability insurance and products labels are written according to FDA regulations.
Heres a link to a website where you can print labels. I use this website myself and guarantee their high quality. Plus, they are usually superfast. You send them the label artwork and before you know the labels are in your mailbox.
Some claims are not allowed for cosmetics. As a general rule of thumb, everything concerning the modification of a body function is not allowed. The FDA website collects all the warning letters the agency has been sending to cosmetics producer whose claims were too promising and reviewing them will give you a good idea of what to avoid. You can find those letters here.
When it comes to manufacturing, you have many options. A private label manufacturer could be the best solution if youre not ready to make a huge investment on machines. The downside is that these companies usually have high MOQ . I suggest starting with making 100-500 units only. The manufacturer will also store the raw materials for you making the process flawless and simple.
Read Also: What Foods Are High In Zinc And Vitamin C
Know Your Competition And The Marketplace
Your business wont be successful unless you understand your competition. This includes understanding what your competitors charge for their products, who their target customers are, how they market their product and what sort of value claims they make about their products. Great places to check out different supplement brands are on supplement websites such as Bodybuilding.com, A1 Supplements and My Supplement Store.
Design Your Labels & Branding
Once youve designed your formula its time to design you supplement label. Now is also the time to design your logo and decide what look and feel you want for your brand as a whole. This is another important step but you shouldnt let this keep you from getting started. Below are a few hints on how to make your supplements stand out.
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Selling Different Types Of Nutritional Supplements Online
Nutritional supplements offer a multitude of ways to improve physical and mental health. There’s a wide variety of supplements out there and each one is made to meet a specific need. Basic nutrition is covered by vitamins or meal replacements, which save tons of time and money for people who want to eat healthier but can’t fit the change into their current schedule. Other supplements help with mood, digestion, sleep, memory, energy levels, and even sex drive. Often, these types of supplements work by providing the body with certain nutrients that are hard to get in sufficient levels through diet. Others use plant- or animal-based substances that have been shown to have a positive effect on the human body, like ginger or fish oil .
Workout supplements are another market with vast potential, and there are tons of different types for use in all stages of exercise, from pre-workout to workout recovery. Weight gainers and protein are popular among people trying to pack on more muscle than diet alone would allow. Muscle builders like creatine are useful for strength training. While you might think only serious bodybuilders would be interested in these products, that simply isn’t true anyone with an interest in exercise, from the office worker to the triathlon competitor, can decide to use supplements to get the most from their workouts.
The Eye Opening Truth On Starting A Supplement Company
The supplement industry. It is often described as the wild west full of products promising to give you sick pumps, massive gains, and endless energy. Its a 150 billion dollar a year money-making machine with such a low point of entry that I see 5-10 new companies popping up every day.
You may be thinking to yourself I work out, I like fitness, I take supplements, and I want a piece of that 150 billion dollar pie. Im just going to go ahead and start a supplement company and watch the money roll in. Ill be like those other supplement company owners living in a massive mansion with a hot girlfriend hanging off my 40-inch arms cannons while rolling around in my $200,000 Ferrari. Ahhhh, wont life be swell!
I admit its easy to fall into this trap. The internet is full of articles telling you in 10 easy steps how to start the next supplement behemoth. Unfortunately, starting and growing a supplement company isnt all rainbows and unicorns. A large percentage of supplement company start-ups fail in the first year.
Im here to give you the unfiltered truth on how INSANELY hard it is to start and grow a supplement company. Sorry to burst your bubble, but the money doesnt fall into your lap without some significant start-up capital, unique offerings, good formulas, a savvy marketing strategy, great content, and a mega sh*t ton of your time.
Can it be done? Of course. But as Big Daddy Kane once said Pimpin…I mean starting a supplement company aint easy. Lets get started.
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Running A Supplement Company Is Hard But It Can Also Be A Lot Of Fun
I hope your eyes are open now on how difficult the supplement industry is.
In addition to the information above, there are so many other things to consider that go beyond the scope of this article is it relates to the costs and way to run a supplement business correctly and efficiently.
For the majority of this article I have been a Debbie downer on all the reasons you probably shouldnt start one .
Ive never been one the blow sunshine up peoples asses, and truth be told I am a little irritated with some of the articles on the internet telling you how easy it is to make money running a supplement company. Theyll even try to sell you a step by step guide for $19.99.
So, if youve made it this far, let me give you a virtual high five. You got guts, kid!
Now for a little optimism. Running a supplement company is EXTREMELY hard, but it also can be A LOT of fun and very rewarding!
As the grand prize for sticking it out, Im going to briefly outline in 4 easy steps the best and most cost-effective way to get your supplement company off the ground and grow the darn thing.
Best of all I wont charge you for this advice. That way, you can sink that money into your start-up.
Step 1: Re-Read everything above over and over again. It will help you avoid some of the common pitfalls of supplement company start-ups.
Step 3: Start by offering one product and make it GREAT. Test proof of concept. You can always expand your line-up later if the brand builds momentum.
Good luck!
Be Your Own Boss: Start A Home Business Selling Vitamins And Dietary Supplements
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Are you sick of your job? Perhaps youre looking for a little extra cash, but need something that provides you with flexible hours. Or maybe youve always dreamed of striking, creating your own business, being your own boss. No matter what your situation is, starting a home business selling health products can provide you with a satisfying business opportunity to expand your financial horizon.
One of the advantages of selling health supplements like vitamins is that you dont really need a lot of capital to get started. In fact, many vitamin or nutritional supplement companies will allow you to buy products on credit, so with a relatively small investment you can start your own business. However, like anything, its buyer beware, and you should make sure to do your research and find out what products are selling well before you buy.
For instance, if you live in an area where there are many elderly individuals, selling a multivitamin formulated for seniors is probably a better choice than protein powder targeted toward young bodybuilders. If you dont already have an idea about the population in your area, a Google search for your citys last government census should provide you with a basic breakdown of your population.
Many of these companies will allow you to sell their products online. Using this route has several advantages. First, you wont have to research your population because youll be marketing to almost anyone in the United States!
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Read Also: What Time Is Good To Take Vitamin D
Choose A Business Model
There are many ways to start a supplement business: custom, private label, drop shipping. Each one has its own pros and cons so its important to decide which one is right for you. Here at Quality Supplement Manufacturing we specialize in manufacturing custom tablet, capsule and powder supplements. Check out the video below to find out why you should use contract manufacturing.
Selling Supplements With On Demand Fulfillment
At On Demand Fulfillment we combine private labeling and drop shipping to provide you with the absolute simplest way to start your own supplement company.
With On Demand Fulfillment there are no minimum order quantities and no need to hold inventory. You only pay for inventory when your customer buys, we then label the supplement with your label and ship it for you. You can easily integrate our system with whichever e-commerce platform you choose.
And because we know that the quality of the supplement matters for your success, weve partnered with one of the top supplement manufacturers in the country, Vox Nutrition. Vox Nutrition is a FDA registered, cGMP compliant manufacturer that makes their supplements right here in the USA. They even complete third-party testing for all of their supplements to ensure that your customers are getting what they pay for.
Not every supplier is created equal but when youre looking for the simplest way to start your own supplement business theres no beating On Demand Fulfillment.
Benefits of On Demand Fulfillment
- Ecommerce platform integration
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How Much Does It Cost To Start Your Own Supplement Line
There are many reasons for why people think of starting a company and decide to pursue such a venture. A multitude of industries exist that potential business owners can enter, including the automobile industry, skincare and makeup, electronics and technology, the furniture industry, and fashion, clothing, and retail.
A person who wishes to start a business should consider creating a company in an industry that experiences constant and current growth, such as the dietary supplement market. Researchers placed the value of the dietary supplement industry at an estimated 140 billion dollars . According to researchers expectations, the dietary supplement agency could reach and exceed 216 billion dollars by the year 2026.
Some potential reasons for the supplement industrys growth include increased nutritional interest and awareness as well as an increase in the countrys geriatric population. Many people who desire to use dietary supplements or proceed to use them do so because they could help with weight loss and act as preventive health measures.
Starting a supplement line can be successful and profitable if business owners use consistent marketing tactics to raise their brand awareness and visibility. The reliable manufacturing and distribution of products and excellent customer service can also contribute to a supplement lines success.
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Start A Supplement Store By Following These 10 Steps:
You have found the perfect business idea, and now you are ready to take the next step. There is more to starting a business than just registering it with the state. We have put together this simple guide to starting your Supplement Store. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.
Check out our How to Start a Business page.
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Launch Strategies For Your Supplements Company
There are various different ways you can launch your supplements company successfully.
Here are a few different strategies to get customers excited about your supplements company.
- Build hype with a landing page: you can effectively do this through waiting lists, discounts, countdown timer etc
- Create a teaser video: even just a 30 second video is a great way to exposure for your supplements company, and possibly even go viral
- Reach out to influencers: The right influencer for your product has the ability to reach your audience with just one post, and because of their loyal following, this could lead to a big return for you.
- Get Press: Whether you plan a PR stunt or get exposure through a popular news outlet, this is a great way to attract initial customers
- Launch on popular sites: A great way to get buzz about your supplements company is to submit your launch to popular startup sites.
Here are a few popular sites to launch on:
Learn more about how to launch your business successfully here
Benjamin Hebert, founder of Natural Stacks discusses the launch strategies that really helped moved the needle for their business:
In our first 100 days, we did over $100,000 in revenue which was a god-send because I think my bank account was very close to bouncing.
We wanted to launch directly to the early adopters, the people who understood the problems in our industry and would champion our message.
