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.

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.”

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!

Is timing really everything?

If you asked the 58 people who became BMW qualifiers in May, what would they have to say about “Timing is everything”?

ViSalus and the Body by Vi Challenge is definitely sweeping the nation.  ViSalus is in full momentum.  MLMRankings.com voted ViSalus the #1 GAINER IN PUBLIC INTEREST industry wide and 90.34% for Internet Popularity!

ViSalus has been averaging two Free Black BMWs a day for the past 2 months!  Yes, that’s two BMW qualifiers a day and it is predicted not to slow down any time soon!  The question is, do you want to be part of it or look back a year from now or even 3 months from now and say “I should have”?

ViSalus is an amazing community of people all striving to help others get healthy.  Did you know that two-thirds of the people in the USA need to lose weight?  So why NOT make a ton of money helping them lose that weight with a program that has helped people lose an estimated 200 million pounds already?

BONUS THIS MONTH

ViSalus is offering the June Rising Star bonus this month.

Earn an extra $500 CASH on stage at Vitality by becoming a Regional Director who helps at least 5 people become Rising Stars this month!

Collect the $500 “Rising Star Search” Bonus on Stage at Vitality in Orlando!

Regional Director, the second level in the comp plan, qualifies for the Black BMW paid for ViSalus!

I have been on the Body by Vi Challenge and have been drinking my ViSalus Vi-Shake for breakfast for the last 42 days.  Oh wait, I just realizes I haven’t missed one morning shake yet!  Gold star for me!

I just finished watching this video which makes me even more excited that I am drinking my shakes each morning!!  If this isn’t an eye opener, I don’t know what is!  So before you venture through another drive-thru on the way to work in the morning, please watch this!

Click here to view the embedded video.

My stomach is still turning from watching this video.  I used to eat fast food once in a while.  I don’t think I would even want to know how lunch or dinner would compare!

Are you ready to become a healthier person?  I watched this video the other day and this is very informative too.  See how we as a society today compare to the 1960′s.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Are you ready NOW?  Great!  Click on the banner below to get started today to a better you!

I read this blog post the other day and wanted to share it with you.

Losing Weight – Fast or Slow?

Original Blog Posted on Thursday September 10, 2009 5:14 pm on Vi-Net by

Audrey Sommerfeld, SVP of Marketing for ViSalus Sciences

On the product education call recently, we had one of the best questions asked about our Body By Vi Challenge™. The question was: “I hear that the quicker you lose weight, the quicker you put it back on. Is the Body By Vi Challenge™ a quick, or slow and steady way to lose weight?”

Click here to view the embedded video.

There are many questions in that question, so let’s begin with the first one: Losing weight fast.

There are many programs out there that can have you lose weight fast, only to regain it back quickly. For example, if you cleanse, or drink those cayenne pepper type of drinks you will lose weight quickly. The challenge is you may be losing water weight, and eliminating waste to feel lighter, fast. When you go back to eating normally again, you will gain back the water weight because our diets are so high in sodium. The average American consumes as much as 8x more sodium per day than needed. These fast weight products can also cause you to lose life enhancing muscle, slowing your metabolism and weakening your long term health.

The Body By Vi Challenge™ is different. It is designed to have you see quick results to keep you motivated, and it also provides optimum nutrition to help you lose steadily, and safely. The core of the program is our amazing Vi-Shape® Nutritional Shake, followed by all the other products. Our Shake gives you nutrition that is not easy to get from foods alone. The nutrients found in the shake can compare to those found in over $100 dollars of groceries, including 1.5 cups of broccoli, 1.5 cups of frozen yogurt, 18 ounces of tomato juice, 13 eggs, 15 slices of wheat bread, and more. How can we do this? With concentrated nutrition, and perfectly balanced nutrients. One shake contains the digestive support from enzymes equal to those found in 3 whole pineapples. This helps your body break down the protein, and helps it absorb it for maximum muscle and hunger support. This is just one reason why our shake helps support a healthy heart, healthy digestion, healthy elimination, healthy bones, healthy blood sugar, and more.

Our Balance kit helps those who simply want great nutrition, to get started. By replacing one shake per day in place of a typical breakfast of a bagel with cream cheese, orange juice and coffee you can shave 300-500 calories per day, and fuel your body. This may result in ½ to 1 lb. per week of weight loss if you are overweight, or can help you maintain your healthy weight level once you have achieved your goal.

Our Shape kit helps those who want great nutrition, and better shaping support. By having 2 shakes per day in place of regular meals, along with healthy snacks (10 almonds, protein, fruit or vegetables) you will see weight loss and shaping faster. This is because one pound of fat is the size of a large grapefruit. As you lose fat (and our shake helps you maintain lean muscle) you will see and feel inches dramatically melting away.

Our Transformation kit really helps those that want a dramatic change, to see and feel results. This kit includes our shake, along with additional products to support boosting your metabolism and curbing hunger. This powerful 1-2-3 combination will help your body melt fat, fast. The ViSalus Neuro™ will help keep you hydrated and full of energy. Why is this important? Well, a little over 1/3 of us confuse thirst for hunger, so keeping hydrated helps with hunger. We also know that when we cut calories, we may feel tired and sluggish, so Neuro helps support healthy energy for the body and brain. Lastly, we know that keeping hydrated can improve our metabolism. The Essential Oils in the transformation kit also help you on your way to the body of your dreams with healthy and robust Omegas. These support joint flexibility as you work out, along with a healthy heart. And because you’ve got the special oils your body needs to function, it will support your efforts to burn fat, build lean muscle, and get in great shape.

Along with the products, the best part of the Body by Vi Challenge™ is that if you join it with 3 other people, your product can be FREE. When you are embarking on a new way of eating, it is helpful to have others share the journey to keep you motivated, supporting long term weight loss.

Lastly, we have maintenance. Many programs that have you lose weight quickly, see you gain it back because they don’t offer a maintenance program. The Core Kit has all you need to maintain the shape you worked hard to achieve, fueling your body with the ultimate in fun, flavorful, and easy to take nutrients.

So share the program, share your results, and have fun losing weight quickly, steadily, and help maintain your health with Body By Vi.

I, personally, am not a healthy eater and don’t eat half the things they mention in the video below.  I started my challenge on August 13th to lose 10 lbs.  I am down 5 lbs and I already see and feel the change in my arms and around my hips.  I wore a top to work this week that was always snug around my upper arm.  I showed my husband just earlier and he said, “this stuff is really working” and I said yes it is and it tastes great!

Since being on the oh so yummy shakes,  I have noticed I am more conscious of what I eat and how much.  Some days are easier than other to just walk on by the amazingly delicious chocolate cakes they have when I am buying my lunch at work.  And let me tell you, there are days that are hard much harder than others and takes major willpower for me to not grab a slice!  Thursday was one of those days!  You see my major issue is that I have such a sweet tooth!

It was different when my bodies metabolism worked it right off when I was in my late teens early 20′s.  As the years went by that has changed and now it just sticks to my butt and thighs!  Who can relate to that?

Click here to view the embedded video.

ViSalus is that magic in the Body by Vi Challenge.  The Vi-shake gives us the nutrition many of us are missing.

Click here and watch the three videos and come back and leave a comment to tell me if you eat like the guy behind the camera does!  It’s a great example of today’s society and they way most people eat!

You are ready for the Challenge and you will lose the weight, you will get fit and you will feel better!

Transform your life starting today!

For Anybody, and Any BODY – this challenge is customized for YOU.

Take the challenge to Save money, save time, and reshape your body!!

Just want to learn more?

CLICK HERE

Exciting news about my Body By Vi Challenge!!!  Yes indeed!

I decided to weigh myself after putting on a pair of pants this morning that felt a bit loser than usual.  Stepped on the scale and it told me that I weighed 141.5!  That’s 3 lbs since I started on August 13th and only on the Balance Kit!  Wonder what my progress will be on the Transformation Kit that I will start on Wednesday.  That reminds me got to log in to Vi-Net and  check on my order to make sure it is still on schedule.

Transform your life starting today!

For Anybody, and Any BODY – this challenge is customized for YOU. Take the challenge to Save money, save time, and reshape your body!!

Just want to learn more?

CLICK HERE

It was hot and humid but well worth every step I took about an hour ago!

I had to get my son to take his afternoon nap way earlier than yesterday (3 pm) so we can get to a afternoon Hungarian Folk Concert at 3 pm.  I grabbed his stroller out of the car though I could have easily taken his for a car ride instead.  I chose not to take the easy way out and to incorporate some exercise into my Body By Vi Challenge!

Breaking a sweat sure makes me feel great!  I feel like I have accomplished something and my legs can use the exercise to get ready for my Hungarian Folk Dance practices that start again this Friday!  I can’t wait for that because that will be an additional work out!  Some of those dances are like an aerobic workout with great music and company!

Loving my morning shakes!  I still can’t believe there is <1 gram of sugar in it! Those  Slim Fast Shakes have 35 grams of sugar!  Yikes!

Join the Challenge and get back into shape!

I have been religously making my Body by Vi TSS shakes for the past week.  I am very happy that I am not starving by the time I get to work and can make it through to lunch, no sweat!  I feel fuller, quicker when I am eating lunch.  I am good about only eating what I feel is enough and have been asking for less when the give me my lunch!

I am going to start incorporating exercise into my routine a few times a week.  I have been on hiatus from my Hungarian Folk Dance group all summer which starts up again next week and want to start getting a bit in shape for that cardio work!  Sometimes I leave feeling like I just left an aerobics class and not a dance practice!  Some dances from one region can be full energy with a lot of jumping!  Others can be mellow non-jumping dances from other regions!  But that’s for another blog for another day!

Now I am off to bed to get a good nights sleep which is a huge part of getting fit and healthy!

Until next time…keep motivated and stay strong!

You Can Do It!

When I joined the Body by Vi Challenge I decided to make time for ME each morning to make a TSS Shake for breakfast before running out the door.

Between getting myself ready and my son, the time in the morning goes by very fast!  With two scoops, 8 oz of milk and fresh fruit or the chocolate mix-in, my TSS Shake is ready in 30 seconds!  Ok so maybe 1 minute if I have to wash the fruit of the day.  Bananas are the easiest because you just have to peel it!  Love having a Magic Bullet even more now!

This morning my two year old son decided that two bites of the banana I peeled for him was enough for him for breakfast so I used it in my shake.  He wanted to taste the “smoothie”, as he likes to call it, and kept coming back for more!  Wait until he gets a taste of the chocolate mix-in TSS Shake!

I am not one to keep drinking or eating something if I don’t like the taste.  I was pleasantly surprised at just how great the TSS shake tastes.  Great tasting with a killer website to help you keep track of your progress which you can access from anywhere there is internet and a computer!  Talk about easy access!

So if you are fighting with a few pounds or a lot of pounds and want to make a change so that YOU look and feel good, then try the Body By Vi Challenge and get your body in Balance, into Shape or Transform yourself to the person YOU want to be!