Body By Vi Challenge » ViSalus in the News

Please Donate Meals to Midwest Tornado Victims

Agnes Vigh — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 04:11:54 +0000

“When over 30 tornadoes hit the Midwest on Friday, it was yet another reminder:

We’re all a part of something much bigger than ourselves.”

To help send nutritional relief, you too can make a difference through the Body by Vi™ Community Challenge.

All Community Challenge donations made now through Friday, March 9th (11:59 pm PST) will go to these relief efforts!

In the face of this natural disaster, where so many ViSalus families are among the impacted, ViSalus has partnered with Feed The Children® to ensure our relief efforts are maximized.

In collaboration with Feed The Children—who has staff and distribution sites embedded in all the affected areas—ViSalus is able to provide short and long term nutritional support for tornado victims and displaced families. To jump start donations, ViSalus is currently preparing to ship out approximately 20,000 boxes of Nutra-Cookies™ and thousands of Vi-Shape meals to the affected communities.

Every contribution makes a difference!

Make your donation today by visiting: http://GetTo.VisalusGiving.com

ViSalus’s sales have increased to $231 million in 2011 from $34 million in 2010!

Agnes Vigh — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 15:59:57 +0000

All ViSalus Co-Founders Continue in Leadership Roles and Invest $14.6 Million Stake in Parent Company Blyth, Inc.

Originally posted on PRNewswire on January 13, 2012.

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – ViSalus, the ultra-premium lifestyle company delivering cutting-edge products via the Body by Vi™ 90-Day Challenge, today announced that Blyth, Inc. has completed the third of a four-phase acquisition of ViSalus. Under the terms of the acquisition agreement between Blyth and ViSalus, the acquisition payments are based on an amount equal to a multiple of ViSalus’s earnings. The amount on which the payments are based has increased to over $250 million for 2011 compared to approximately $16 million for 2010. ViSalus’s sales have increased to $231 million in 2011 from $34 million in 2010.

All three company co-founders, Ryan Blair, Chief Executive Officer; Blake Mallen, Chief Marketing Officer; and Nick Sarnicola, top sales leader, have agreed to stay on with ViSalus in their current roles. The founders personally invested $14.6 million from the proceeds of the acquisition in restricted stock of parent company Blyth, Inc., making them the largest inside shareholders after the Goergen family.

“We believe in Blyth. The Goergens have been like family to us so it only makes sense that we go all in with the Blyth family of companies,” stated Ryan Blair, co-founder and CEO of ViSalus.

“This answers the question as to the future of the founders of ViSalus and Blyth once and for all. We now own a significant stake in Blyth,” continued Nick Sarnicola.

“Our vision from day one was to build a great company that would stand the test of time,” said Blake Mallen, Co-Founder and CMO. “In 2008 we were privileged to become a part of the Blyth Family, and today we are honored to be significant shareholders. What excites me most is the lives we can impact together in the years to come.”

“We are gratified that Ryan, Blake, and Nick are continuing in their ViSalus leadership roles and have an enhanced presence with Blyth,” stated Robert B. Goergen, Blyth’s Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. “ViSalus’ market model and technology savvy is truly transforming the health and direct selling industries.”

Launched in 2005 as ViSalus Sciences and now known as ‘ViSalus,’ the company provides health benefits from weight loss and fitness milestones, or “Challenges”, to better one’s overall health and wellness. ViSalus’ product Kits support a range of fitness goals: Balance, Shape, Core, Transformation and newly launched Fit Kit and are used by people of all ages focused on creating and maintaining individually defined healthy lifestyle.

Learn more about ViSalus at http://www.visalus.com and http://www.njbodybyvi.com

About ViSalus
ViSalus, headquartered in Troy, MI and Los Angeles, CA, is a leading Health Transformation Company utilizing the direct selling channel to distribute its meal replacement and nutritional supplement products. ViSalus is built around the wildly successful Body by Vi™ 90-Day Challenge, a health challenge that helps people achieve their weight loss and fitness goals. ViSalus is majority-owned by Blyth, Inc.

SOURCE ViSalus

Help Joplin, MO! Donate with ViSalus & the Body By Vi Community!

Agnes Vigh — Tue, 24 May 2011 15:47:34 +0000

Visalus Sciences sent 10,000 meals to Joplin, Missouri last night!

Though most of the distributors homes were destroyed, they took what Vi-Shape Shake mix they could find and set up shelters to help those in need. As a Body By Vi Challenge Community, their were able to feed over 90 people last night at one of the shelters! This community in need is making an impact. Help them, help others!

Visalus Sciences will match all $24 donations, meal for meal, and send all the meals to Joplin, MO!

Will YOU help make a difference by clicking on the green button above?

Body by Vi Challenge is the Fastest Growing Health Transformation Challenge in the World?

Agnes Vigh — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 19:06:16 +0000

ViSalus Sciences: Documentation Definitely Beats Conversation!

Estimated 4,000,000 lbs lost
Helped raise over 500,000 meals for kids
40% growth in the month of March
Over 25,000 people joined the Challenge in March
Refer 3 and get your next month free referral program
Over 25% of promoters are getting their kits for free each month
Averaging over $400 in product revenue per promoter, almost double the industry average
Rising Star program is 331% over last years 1st Quarter
2,335 BMW Qualifiers to date with 303 in March
1st Quarter commissions increased 481% from last years 1st Quarter commissions company wide

But don’t take my word for it! Check it out for yourself!

Blake Mallen, CMO, shares ViSalus Sciences‘ 2011 First Quarter Update:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Join our team today and we will get you started the right way, right away!

Plus, you have a chance at an amazing bonus! What bonus?

Our vi-family, friend & sponsor, Melanie, is offering this to ever new promoter we enroll:

Stars and Cars!

My waiting room is chock-full of excellent promoters of the Challenge, and you have the opportunity to have them placed into your group.

The rules:
If you are not yet a Director, you must have the following in place to have a promoter placed into your team:
#1 have 2 active promoter legs
#2 have a minimum of 1500 in volume

That way when I place the 3rd leg, you become a Director. EZ

Plus, be featured in Success From Home Magazine!

But you NEED to take action NOW!

Join our group today to take advantage of Melanie’s amazing bonus offer!

Become a Director and you can offer this bonus to your promoters too!

There is no ‘magic’ to it, it’s a very simple system we teach you to follow. The closer you follow it, the more you will make and the more people’s lives you can impact!

Call me if you are ready to take advantage of this bonus today: 732-790-0876

CLICK HERE TO PROMOTE The Body By Vi Challenge and Claim Your Bonus TODAY!

ViSalus & “You” to Be Featured in Success From Home Magazine – The “Just Did It” Reward is Back! Act Fast!

Agnes Vigh — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 21:47:08 +0000

ViSalus is for EVERYBODY! Whether you are someone just getting started or you are the seasoned professional, you need to watch this video to learn why ViSalus is a leader in the industry and why you should be promoting the Body By Vi Challenge!

Get educated NOW by watching…

Blake Mallen’s Top Ten Reasons Networking Leaders Love the ViSalus Compensation Plan

Click here to view the embedded video.

Now that you know why leaders love the ViSalus compensation plan, start promoting the challenge today! Why?

Because we are the fastest growing health challenge in the world!

Because we had 25,868 NEW people who joined the Challenge just in the month of March!

Because we have the highest grade Nutraceuticals on the market.

Because…

Special Rewards when you Take Action Now!

At the close of another powerful event at the recent National Success Training in Cincinnati, a special promotion was launched that gives EVERYBODY a chance to be recognized for their efforts.

Become one of the individuals who “Just Did It,” and look what you can WIN!

PRIZES:

Prizes
»» YOUR NAME in ALL NEW edition of Success From Home Magazine on national newsstands in August, 2011.
»» YOUR NAME featured on the “Just Did It” website—Names listed in order of when you qualify at www.justdidit.visalus.com
»» And PRIORITY SEATING at VITALITY July 2011 in Florida!

Qualify for the “Just Did It” list by:

A. Achieve the rank of Director for the first time between Sunday, April 17th and April 30th

B. Maintain Director or above AND Help at least 1 personally enrolled Distributor achieve Director for the first time between Sunday April 17th and April 30th.

Become a Promoter today and help others lose weight, win cash prizes and feel great again about their body, mind and spirit! Hit the second level of the ViSalus Compensation Plan and get a BMW paid for by ViSalus! Yes, the second level in the company is the Best car program available in the industry!

Have more questions? Email me at bodybyvinj@gmail.com today!

Take ACTION today so you can say that you “Just Did it!”

ViSalus Featured in Direct Selling News Company Spotlight “ViSalus Sciences: Marketing Its Way to the Fast Track”

Agnes Vigh — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 01:18:38 +0000

ViSalus Sciences: Marketing Its Way to the Fast Track

Originally featured in Direct Selling News: February 2011 “ViSalus Sciences: Marketing Its Way to the Fast Track” by Barbara Seale

Founder and CEO Ryan Blair says that he and his two co-founders spent the company’s first five years learning what not to do. Now that they have found the formula, they’re celebrating a year of 500 percent revenue growth.

When entrepreneur Blair combined forces with his ViSalus co-founders Blake Mallen and Nick Sarnicola, they had noble intentions to build a health-based business that would benefit business owners and customers over the long term.

Blair says: “We spent the first five years learning what not to do. Then we spent last year not repeating the same mistakes we made over the first five and doing what works instead. The economic downturn forced us to get focused on what works, and now we’re at an all-time high in every category. By early 2011, we’ll be in the neighborhood of $10 million a month in sales.”

What turned everything around was a long-lasting flash of marketing brilliance called the Body by Vi™ Challenge. The Challenge has been so successful that it has become the company’s foundation.

Shaking Things Up

The simple 90-day program lets participants take advantage of ViSalus health products and support tools to transform their bodies. As a marketing tool, as well as a health-transformation tool, the Challenge has been wildly successful. Since its launch in July 2009, ViSalus estimates to have helped people lose 3 million pounds.

The core ViSalus products are low-calorie, high-nutrition meal replacement shakes. But because of the Challenge, distributors don’t focus on “selling” the products. Instead, they issue a friendly weight-loss challenge. “Let me tell you about these great weight-loss shakes” has transformed into “I’m working on losing 20 pounds in the next 90 days. Anybody want to join me?”

“The Body by Vi Challenge is the business. It’s the only thing we talk about,” Founder and Chief Marketing Officer Blake Mallen says. “It’s a simple conversational message that draws lots of responses. There’s nothing to sell or explain.”
ViSalus crafts products from high-quality ingredients that taste good. Then they develop packaging to conform to Challenge-participants’ goals. For example, the basic “Balance Kit” is targeted to people who simply want better nutrition. It contains 30 servings of the Vi-Shape™ Nutritional Shake Mix for once-a-day balanced nutrition. The kit includes an assortment of Health Flavors, which add flavor variety and even more health benefits to the shake. The Shape Kit includes 60 servings of shake mix, enough for 60 slimming meals—two a day that result in weight loss. The Transformation Kit includes the 60 meals, plus additional products to help people transform their bodies as quickly as possible. The Core Kit helps support the active lifestyle with one shake a day, healthy energy and nutritional supplements. All of the kits come with recipes, meal plans, exercise plans and more.

“Ours tastes really good—sort of like cake mix. We know that if you enjoy it, you’ll stick with it,” says Senior Vice President of Marketing and Brand Development Audrey Sommerfeld. “When mixed as directed, in the shake you get 22 to 25 grams of high-quality protein and a full serving of fiber that keeps your blood sugar level and makes you feel full. Those are the amounts of nutrients nutritionists recommend most. We recommend blending the shake mix with fruit. That makes a 200 to 220 calorie meal that saves you money and is much better for you than most American breakfasts. Use two shakes a day to melt the pounds away.”

The basic light sweet cream flavor that Sommerfeld describes as “like cake mix” is a foundation. It can be enjoyed alone or with added Health Flavors, such as chocolate, cappuccino, banana, orange or peach. Each offers specific health benefits as well as flavor variety. Craving something crunchy? ViSalus also has Nutra-Cookies made with their exclusive Tri-Sorb™ protein system, prebiotics, fiber and antioxidants to support a healthy immune system, healthy digestive system, and help curb appetite. More products are in the works for 2011. Mallen hints that new products will support energy and fitness.

Free Products

The products and the Body by Vi Challenge keep the business opportunity simple, and the Three for Free promotion lets distributors get their products at no cost.

“The whole message is super simple: Lose weight, get fit and save money because you’re replacing meals with our shakes, literally saving people a couple hundred dollars a month,” Mallen says. “Then we layered in Three for Free, which removed all financial objections and barriers. We let our customers and our distributors refer three other people. Then their own products are sent to them free. We’re averaging over $400 in monthly product revenue for every distributor in our company. That’s unheard of! And our retention is dramatically better than the industry average.”

Retention results from several factors, including a strong compensation plan that lets new distributors promote quickly.

“We pay out up to 80 percent payout at the highest levels,” Blair says, “and we have a car bonus at the lowest rank of any competitor we’ve looked at.” More than 1,500 distributors have already qualified for a BMW, making them members of the company’s fancifully named Bimmer Club.

But the comp plan is intentionally skewed toward the bottom and middle ranks of producers, helping them quickly earn income that makes a real difference in a family’s budget.

A Prosperous Partnership

Starting any new company takes a lot of money. In addition to the resources of ViSalus Sciences’ founders, the company also had silent backing from entrepreneurial icon and self-made millionaire Robert B. Goergen Sr., the namesake of the Goergen Entrepreneurial Management Program at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Ryan Blair, ViSalus Founder and CEO, has counted Goergen as one of his best friends ever since Goergen invested in Blair’s first business.

ViSalus proved its worth, and Goergen’s holding company, Blyth Inc., began to openly invest in it. A company that specializes in growing entrepreneurs, Blyth gives six-year-old ViSalus the stability of a company with a much longer history.

ViSalus has become one of the strongest performers in Blyth’s family of companies.

“Because they’re part of the team, we learned a lot about successfully scaling, growing and running a business,” Blair says. “It’s been very helpful having them as our partners. It lets the founders and management team focus on our core strengths, while we benefit from their depth of expertise in areas such as international growth. We’ve been able to piggyback on a lot of their contracts, which gives us a very efficient business model. Leveraging the Blyth knowledge and infrastructure lets us deliver the highest value possible for our customers and distributors.”

Goergen and his two sons, Robert Jr. and Todd, all sit on the ViSalus board of directors.

Youthful Energy

ViSalus distributors’ average is similar to many other companies, but they have a broader range of young, middle-aged and older persons. The top 10 distributors today tend to be slightly younger than the industry average, possibly attracted by the company’s 30-ish founders, but the age of those high achievers ranges from 31 to 75, Mallen says.

“What’s dramatically different is our image and energy,” he says. “In my opinion, young is no longer an age. It’s more of an energy. Everyone wants to feel young, be young, be around a young, vibrant culture. That’s why we attract people of all ages—we attract a young energy. That’s duplicated throughout our leadership and our whole culture.”

The youthful approach embraces the use of technology. In December, ViSalus launched a powerful new generation of Vi-Net™, the private website that its distributors use. Mallen describes it as “like a private Facebook. It will have a front-end marketing site system, the normal back-office genealogy, real-time commissioning and cool stuff for managing your business. But then it layers in an online community, literally like Facebook. People will be able to see everyone’s challenges and fitness goals. There’s a live community feed. It wraps an entire online community around the Challenge. It’s really big when you see that kind of support.”

The new ViNet is fully integrated with Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. Its energetic executives and distributors use it as a standard way of doing business.

Mallen himself sets the standard for activity on social networking sites. He posts videos on Facebook a couple of times a week with content that distributors can share with their personal networks. He often gets about 1,300 views in 24 hours. Technology also supports business presentations, and pre-recorded conference calls are available daily that support distributors’ businesses.

The future is exciting for ViSalus. Mallen says that the eventual revenue goal is $1 billion a year, a figure he believes is attainable within a few years. The ViSalus product portfolio is built years in advance, and the company plans to introduce new products that complement its existing line in 2011. International expansion is also on the horizon, beginning with Canada. And they plan to amp up their consumer-to-consumer business. But through it all, they’ll continue to try not to mess up the formula they’ve refined. It works.

“Our goals are really the same as when we started,” Blair says. “We want to add more value to customers and distributors; we want to get better and make the experience of our customers better. But basically, our ambitions are to continue to help the world lose millions of pounds.”

ViSalus Body By Vi Champion Reaches Her Ultimate Goal: ViSalus Century Club Member!

Agnes Vigh — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 18:27:26 +0000

Theresa Granmoe is Down 100 Pounds!

Theresa Granmoe, from Littleton, Colorado, has just reached her ultimate goal of being a ViSalus™ Century Club Member! At ViSalus’™ Vitality event in July 2010 Theresa was crowned a Body by Vi™ Champion. 81 pounds lighter, Theresa’s transformation landed her in Hollywood, California to receive her Hollywood Transformation Vacation. She received the red carpet treatment; Limousines, head to toe pampering, new wardrobe, a night out on the town with founders and management, and so much more!

Theresa’s motivation when she began the Body by Vi™ challenge was to look fabulous for her daughter’s wedding. As a ViSalus™ Body by Vi™ Champion it’s obvious that her motivation paid off! When ViSalus™ launched the Century Club at Vitality, Theresa’s next goal was to become a member.

Now she is a Body by Vi™ Champion and the first female ViSalus™ CENTURY CLUB MEMBER! She has lost a total of 100 pounds with ViSalus products! As a Century Club Member, Theresa will receive a ViSalus™ Century Club Membership pin, $500 in ViSalus™ Sample Packs, and $500 in ViSalus™ Taster Packs to help build her ViSalus™ business.

ViSalus™ sends their biggest CONGRATULATIONS to Theresa Granmoe for reaching her ultimate goal!

Original Posted on ViSalus Sciences Blog on Friday, February 4th, 2011

ViSalus Vi-Net is a Cutting Edge Marketing & Business Management Tool for Promoting The Body Vi Challenge!

Agnes Vigh — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 23:26:19 +0000

Vi-Net™

Raising the Bar Once Again!

Since its official launch in 2008, Vi-Net™ has been a cutting edge tool for promoting ViSalus™ and the Body by Vi™ Challenge online. Often leading the industry in innovation, spotting and seizing trends before they became reality, and putting a powerful marketing and business management tool at your fingertips, ViSalus™ is about to take another leap with a new version of Vi-Net™!

Launching company-wide on February 8th, Vi-Net™ will burst onto the scene with a new look and feel, and a host of new tools to make promoting the Body by Vi™ Challenge and managing your ViSalus™ business easier, more rewarding, and more FUN than ever before!

A taste of what’s coming…

New Look
Fresh and more user-friendly design

New Websites
More options, easy to customize, better conversion

New Body by Vi™ Tools
Track your progress, view support videos, and more

New Promoting Tools
Enhanced Contact Manger, Web & Print Tools, Email Marketing, and Resource Library

Dynamic Dashboard
One-stop-shop for managing your ViSalus™ business

New SUCCESS Library
The best SUCCESS has to offer, only one click away

New Body by Vi™ Profile and Community!
Post, share, and comment like never before

With Vi-Net you will work smarter to market the #1 Home Based Business!

Watch the OVERVIEW, then JOIN THE CHALLENGE!

Have questions? Call me at 732-790-0876!

Body By Vi Challenge Featured in Direct Selling News “Transforming the Masses: Why Weight Loss Products Are Thriving in a Bad Economy”

Agnes Vigh — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 04:20:45 +0000

Transforming the Masses: Why Weight Loss Products Are Thriving in a Bad Economy

Originally featured in Direct Selling News : January 2011 “Transforming the Masses: Why Weight Loss Products Are Thriving in a Bad Economy” by J.M. Emmert

While the economic downturn of the past few years has forced many consumers to tighten their belts on discretionary spending habits, sales of weight loss products has remained consistent and, in many instances, experienced tremendous growth over other products offered by the direct selling industry.

For companies that offer weight loss or weight management products, that means good news for the bottom line. However, that good news comes tempered with the knowledge that the success of these companies is in large part due to the failures of millions of Americans who continue to struggle with weight issues.

Sadly, more than two-thirds of the American population—190 million people—are overweight or obese. The neglect to their health is generating long-reaching effects that ripple into the economy, the workforce and the medical industry, which currently exceeds $147 billion annually for obesity-related diseases.

The problems associated with the escalating obesity rate—like weight loss solutions—have no easy fix. However, direct selling companies are doing what they can to help those suffering from weight issues find alternative ways to live healthier and more fulfilled lives. Even in these recessionary times, companies are growing this segment of their businesses and new companies are forming to meet the increased demand.

Why Business Is Thriving

“You only have to watch the news every day to hear about the obesity epidemic that’s taking place and the quality of the food that everybody’s eating,” says Kevin Guest, Chief Marketing Officer for USANA. “The health issues, the diabetes epidemic that’s taking place across the board—there’s a significant relationship among weight, nutrition and many of the degenerative diseases that are plaguing our world. So we see this as a very viable business.”

The challenge, says Guest, is getting people to change their behavior, change their habits and change those things which they are accustomed to and comfortable with.

“Many times we see that it’s not until they have a health crisis in their life that they are really motivated to make a big change,” he says. “And so our challenge in that space is it’s hard to sell prevention. People are pretty comfortable, and selling prevention is a difficult sell.”

USANA, which focuses on a nutrition message and not a weight loss message, offers meal replacement shakes and nutrition bars as part of its overall diet and energy program. In addition, its biggest seller, the RESET weight management system, encourages customers to reset their bodies and reset their cravings. The nutritional-based product, which consists of low-glycemic ingredients to control carbohydrate cravings, represents about 12 percent of the company’s overall business.

At Herbalife, more than 60 percent of the company’s business is weight management. Products targeted to dieters include shakes and snacks that help them lose those unwanted pounds.

“Obesity continues to be a global health problem, and so weight management products are in high demand as people become more aware of the benefits of incorporating healthy nutrition into an active healthy life,” says Des Walsh, President of Herbalife. “Weight management products are popular because they can be life-changing, and their effects can spill over into other aspects of one’s life. It’s about more than just buying a product; it’s about changing habits to improve one’s life.”

Herbalife, which also offers energy and fitness drinks, vitamins, nutritional supplements and skin and hair care products, recently reported that net sales for the third quarter of 2010 had increased 14.7 percent over the same quarter the prior year.

For ViSalus Sciences, the shift in its business model in July 2009 due to the recession led to a 90 percent weight loss focus. As a result of that focus, the company went from adding 12,000 new people a year to 12,000 new people a month.

“When we were looking at who we wanted to be and what we could be passionate about, how we could live this business as founders and management, weight loss and fitness were the only two things that were really consistent among all of us,” says Ryan Blair, CEO of ViSalus. “If we love what we do and try to do what’s best for our customers and really focus on providing them value, we’re going to win. In a bad economy, people don’t have discretionary spending and are going to cut anything and everything that is not necessary to the functioning of their daily lives. We added a lot of value to our consumers in terms of saving them time, getting them results and saving them money.”

The ViSalus product line offers solutions for eating right, cutting calories, boosting metabolism and calming hunger pains, which is all part of its Body by Vi Challenge that provides customers with a game plan for success.

“I’m a firm believer that a big element of our success is the fact that I’m a product of our products and I’ve dealt with the challenges of weight,” says Blair. “So I know firsthand exactly what people go through—the mindset, the decisions, the lack of clarity.”

EIRO Research, which has been in business for only a year, has had a phenomenal first 12 months with its weight loss products.

“For us, the weight loss business is a rapidly growing segment of our product mix,” says Chris Hausman, CEO of EIRO. “Obesity continues to be a problem. It’s a growing problem in the United States. I think it will continue to be a viable category for the company for quite some time based on an analysis that came out recently stating that certain trends, as well as genetic and biological factors, calculate the steady state of obesity to reach 42 percent in the United States.”

The company’s EIROfit weight management system includes energy shakes and diet and exercise guidelines to help customers achieve meaningful and sustainable weight management. Its meal replacement shake is a proprietary blend of resistant starch and fiber for optimal wellness and weight management.
Amway, which has seen sales for weight management products flat in recent years, anticipates growth in this category due to a unique product offering that aims to solve weight challenges for consumers: The new NUTRILITE Weight Management Program.

Based in genetic science, the program has customers begin with the Inherent Health Weight Management Genetic Test, a simple cheek swab that generates a report within days. The test results include a personalized plan backed by clinical studies and strong genetic science to show if a person should follow a Carb Reducer (low-carb), Fat Trimmer (low-fat) or Better Balancer (balance of protein, fats and carbs) eating plan, as well as the level of exercise intensity to be followed for best results based on one’s genetic makeup.

“Science has proven that you are more likely to lose weight following an eating and exercise plan matched to your specific genetic makeup,” says Mark Nelson, Director of Nutrition for Amway North America. “In a recent clinical study, people lost over 2.5 times more weight on a diet that was matched to their genes than those who were following a diet inappropriately matched to their genetic makeup.”

Nelson notes that additional weight translates into an increased risk for serious medical conditions, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, sleep apnea, respiratory problems and osteoarthritis. The company believes that the NUTRILITE product line will be a valuable addition to its overall health and wellness business, which includes NUTRILITE nutritional supplements, sports nutrition, energy drinks and functional foods and the weight management products that account for the largest share of its business in North America.

AdvoCare, a nutrition company specializing in health and wellness, weight management, vibrant energy and sports performance since 1993, has seen sales go up 40 percent for its weight loss and energy products.

“The reason [sales are] sustaining for us is that people are looking to sustain their weight loss,” says Jan Wold, Vice President of Marketing for AdvoCare. “Once they lose the weight, they want to continue that. How do you do that? You do that with good nutrition, you do that by becoming active, you do that through increased fitness. And those are all product solutions that we offer.”

Those solutions include the 24-Day Challenge Bundle, a comprehensive weight loss system of shakes, supplements and snacks.

Health vs. Image

While health concerns are very real and valid for many purchasers of weight loss products, some executives believe that another motivation is driving the purchasing of their products—body image.

At Nature’s Sunshine Products Inc.—which offers MetaboStart Plus to boost metabolism, reduce stored fats and feed lean muscle—the belief is that the motivation for buying really depends on the person. “Health or body image… I think people are concerned with both,” says Blake Christensen, Director of Product Marketing for Nature’s Sunshine. “Not only is it image for a lot of people, but it is because they have poor health. A major factor with weight loss these days is diabesity. A lot of people are becoming diabetic as well as being overweight. What makes us unique is that we have the products to help maintain normal blood sugar levels that people can get on while they are doing a weight loss program.”

Herbalife’s Walsh believes the motivation may be driven by both concerns, as well as the age of consumers. “We think it’s a little of both, but primarily driven by a growing awareness of the importance of healthy nutrition and the negative impact of being overweight or obese,” says Walsh. “In addition, we have an aging population in many markets. People want a program that’s personalized to their specific nutritional needs, and this is where Herbalife distributors can add significant value in helping customers achieve their weight loss and nutrition goals.”

Sales spikes in January and the summer months at companies such as USANA, Amway, ViSalus and AdvoCare lead some executives to believe that many buyers are more concerned about improving their body image or self-esteem.

“I would say the physical appearance, image, self-esteem is the No. 1 driver,” says Blair. “On January 1, when people are writing their goals, I don’t think it’s because the doctor told them ‘you’ve got to lose the weight.’ Those would be the more advanced stages of obesity and extreme health-related issues. There are certainly people who join our challenge because they know they have to, not because they want to. However, a larger portion joins because they want to look better for their husbands, their wives; they want to fit in a pair of jeans that they keep putting on and taking off. They know that they’ve let themselves lapse, and they want to get back on track. And they don’t want to take a shortcut.”

Guest agrees that body image is the concern of many and the impetus for the growing market segment that caters to those seeking to improve their appearance. “There are a few groups out in the marketplace that focus on body image, and they are really, really doing well,” he says. “And so I think body image is part of it. From a USANA perspective, though, our concern is health and nutrition. That is what we’re talking about and what we’re trying to get people engaged in—taking an active approach to improving their health, and once it’s improved, to maintain it. So our focus here is not body image; it’s truly ‘find your best healthy self,’ so to speak.”

Of course, as Wold points out, there is one other driver that could be just as important as the health or body image concerns—the fact that people simply don’t know how to diet successfully. “They need assistance,” she says. “A lot of people start out because they are overweight and have no energy. They can’t exercise properly. They have a host of other problems, but once they start losing weight they realize that they see relief from the diabetes and joint problems. It ends up being all-encompassing at the end of the day, especially for those who lose significant amounts of weight. And AdvoCare products work. We’ve seen success after success after success with our weight loss and energy products.”

Who’s Buying

So who is it making these lifestyle changes, regardless of whether they’re for health or self-esteem reasons? Virtually everyone—from teens to septuagenarians, at-home moms to athletes, and even entire families. While some companies see a marked difference in gender purchasing—that women do the majority of the buying—weight loss products have been designed with everyone in mind.

“It’s equal because we designed it to be equal,” says Blair. “Culturally, we have young males who founded the company, and so it’s really for us to identify with our male target audience, our under-50 male audience. However, we wanted the design to be gender-neutral. We wanted to give families the opportunity for everyone to get involved.”

Amway’s NUTRILITE Weight Management is a highly personalized program that is for you, regardless of age, gender, fitness level, and so forth,” says Nelson. “Our sensible eating plans support both the parent who needs to prepare dinner for the whole family or the individual who cooks for one.”

Nature’s Sunshine is one company that has seen a large number of women coming into the business and purchasing products. “About 85 percent of the people who become a member of Nature’s Sunshine are women,” says Christensen. “The biggest age category is the baby boomers, about a 59-year-old female, which is probably older than the norm. The simple reason for this may be because we have been around for 40 years, and a lot of our customers have been with us for a long time.”

Herbalife doesn’t have precise data on gender and age groups, although Walsh acknowledges that women may outnumber men in purchases. “Men and women both buy our products, although it’s probably safe to say that women may be bigger consumers of certain products than men,” he says. “We also have a significant number of athletes as customers, since these individuals are always looking to improve their performance, and through our sponsorships, we have a growing awareness of our products and their value in sports nutrition.”

Maintaining Weight, Maintaining Customers

For most people, losing weight is only part of the battle. The real challenge comes after the pounds have been dropped and the realization hits that losing weight is not about a quick fix—it’s about a lifestyle change.

Direct selling companies understand this as well and have carefully designed their weight management programs to address those long-term needs, thus, in effect, maintaining their customer bases and realizing greater profit margins.

USANA offers ongoing education on the importance of nutrition, stressing to its customers that through the right combination of proper nutrition, exercise and a healthy diet, they can maintain not only their ideal weight but also the new lifestyle transformation that comes with their efforts.

“The focus for us really is a lifestyle change,” says Guest. “As you see results, you’re not just dieting, but you’re literally changing your lifestyle, you’re reprogramming your body. It’s not the same as it was before you started.”

At EIRO Research, customers are guided through two phases of a weight management program that was designed to help change behavior and, most important, be simple enough to follow to accommodate today’s busy lifestyles.

“We gathered a lot of data showing mainly that the products were not so important; the specific ratios of carbohydrates to calories to proteins and fat, not so critical. What was most critical was getting people to stick to the program,” says Hausman. “In the induction phase, you lose the weight, and there are product regimes and dietary and exercise guidelines specifically designed for that. Once the weight is off, then you move into the maintenance stage, where we have specific products and regimes as well.”

Companies such as Herbalife manage to draw in repeat customers for the personalized programs they offer. “Our company is focused on more than just weight loss; we’re focused on creating customers of good nutrition for life,” says Walsh. “We have products to help people manage their weight on an ongoing basis and products to help meet needs at different stages. Our customers stay with us, because they realize by working through their distributor they’re getting a personalized program with someone who gets to know their needs and lifestyles and how to help them improve their overall nutrition throughout their lives.”

Of course, the key for any company to retain customers is to provide a positive customer experience. “If you get customers results and have a positive experience with them, those customers will buy for life,” says Blair. “I don’t care if they lose all their weight in 30, 90 or 120 days; I want to get them the results. And we’re really focused on creating positive experiences with our customer and distributor bases. If a person decides not to use our products after they’ve lost the weight, great. When someone asks them how they did it, they’re going to refer us proudly. Our motto is to give the customer the best experience, the best results, and they’ll do the selling for you.”

Transforming Lives

As Americans look for wellness solutions to combat their struggles with weight and the myriad of health issues associated with obesity, direct selling companies are on the front lines, arming consumers with the products and knowledge they need to reverse the alarming health trends and help create positive lifestyle changes.

Through new scientific research and data, quality nutritional foods and supplements and weight-management programs that teach the benefits of healthier living, these companies have successfully impacted millions of lives.

And what has perhaps brought about the greatest success for these companies is one intangible that continues to draw in customers—the personalized care and honest goodwill that encourages those in need to live well and live long. This gives direct sellers a competitive edge over other channels that will help them continue to thrive for many years to come.

“To be a weight loss company and to really profit from the channel, you have to live it, you have to be it,” says Blair. “Our goal is not to show you befores and afters and unattainables. Our goal is to show you somebody who was unhappy with their weight, whether it be for health or for self-esteem reasons, and now they’re happy with their weight. That’s true transformation.”

Originally featured in Direct Selling News: January 2011 “Transforming the Masses: Why Weight Loss Products Are Thriving in a Bad Economy” by J.M. Emmert

ViSalus & The Body By Vi Challenge Featured in September Issue of…

Agnes Vigh — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 15:14:43 +0000

…Success from Home magazine because of the explosive growth of the Body By Vi Challenge!

I wanted to share this amazing news with you! While in Orlando at Vitality, July 16th-18th, we got to see and get our hands on the September Issues of Success from Home Magazine in which ViSalus, The Body by Vi Challenge & The Body By Vi Community Challenge is featured!

A very limited amounts of the magazines were available for us to purchase before the magazine hits newsstands on August 10th!

We are having Debut Parties all over the US all week long to give our friends and families an opportunity to check it out beforehand!

Want to get a sneak peak before August?

Find a party in your area to attend and then RSVP at 732-790-0876 to get the full details!

Debut Parties are being added all the time so check back often!

Debut Party Special! FREE $25 Product Voucher to all new Customers and Distributors who buy any Challenge Kit before midnight, Sunday, July 25th!

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Sunday, July 25th

Body By Vi Success from Home Magazine Debut & Challenge Party
Piscataway, NJ
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM Eastern Time

ViSalus Celebration: Success From Home Magazine Debut
Denver, CO
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM Mountain Time

Grand Rapids Success Magazine Debut
Grand Rapids, MI
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM Eastern Time

Success Magazine Debut Party w/ Kyle and Susan Pacetti
Orlando, FL
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM Eastern Time