How to Market Flavonoids: Persuasive Content Meets Bioavailability Research

THE MODEL SOLUTION

Overcoming low absorbability has been a challenge for many plant substances, at least since the first health-related study involving quercetin appeared in 1948.

However, the best solution, phytosome technology, was not announced until 1991.

It was first developed as a cosmetic delivery system for quercetin, catechin, escin, and glycyrrhetinic acid. Now it is also widely applied to create oral supplements.

The use of the technology has skyrocketed since the 1990s. More than 200 research articles about it are already listed in PubMed. And at the end of 2021 a comprehensive review of phytosomes as innovative phytochemical delivery systems has just been published.

The use of phytosome technology to formulate new quercetin-containing supplements now leads the marketing success behind products containing this plant ingredient.

This is how the model for quercetin works.

The model also applies to other botanicals with low bioavailability.

THE ONE-TWO FIST OF PHYTOSOME RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

First, quercetin has been extensively studied. PubMed lists more than 22,300 scientific articles on this single ingredient. It is the best-studied flavonoid in the plant kingdom, surpassing even resveratrol and EGCG.

This database provides excellent material for crafting persuasive content about the research-backed benefits of quercetin.

Also, since quercetin is difficult to absorb, it presents a great example to educate consumers on the importance of bioavailability.

Second, the benefits of quercetin phytosomes have been scientifically well established.

Studies already show how they increase the impact of quercetin for various health applications. This is a rich and growing body of work. It provides a marketing bonanza to inform consumers about the science behind quercetin phytosomes.

A PERSONAL ENTRY

Why focus on quercetin or flavonoids?

Of course, the market survey cited above is one of the reasons.

However, I have to admit another reason. Flavonoids are my favorite class of natural products.

One of my professors introduced me to them in my first year of graduate school. From then on, they became my calling as I developed my professional background in phytochemistry.

Now, several decades later, most of my research publications have focused on flavonoids. And most of my graduate students also did research on them.

I’m pleased to see the most common flavonoid in the plant kingdom, quercetin, get the attention it and its fellow flavonoids deserve.

COMBINING CONTENT MARKETING WITH RESEARCH

The most effective content marketing combines the right amount of persuasive copy with the support of scientific research.

It is a two-headed process.

A ‘head’ is based on creating persuasive emotional appeals

The other provides research analysis that consumers need to justify their purchases.

Hitting the hot buttons, i.e. the health benefits, drives the initial decision process.

Then, the objective data ensures the final desired action, that is, to buy.

The increasing number of quercetin phytosome formulations attest to this process.

It is an ideal blueprint for all the hard-to-absorb phytonutrients.

HOW TO USE THE MARKETING MODEL

The model is already in play by major supplement manufacturers. Many phytonutrient phytosomes are already on the market. In other words, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel.

Looking at the best examples points the way. The leading developer of phytosome dispersal systems for phytonutrients is Indena SpA (indena.com). Their quercetin product, Quercefit®, follows the model of developing a well-researched natural product in a dispersion system that increases bioavailability.

Additionally, several studies published since 2016 provide an excellent marketing resource to extol the health benefits of quercetin phytosomes.

With this background, the use of the Quercefit® model is a gradual process that involves three phases.

1) PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Unless you have a sophisticated chemical research lab and a team of synthetic chemists, the first phase begins with contacting Indena.

In fact, it’s better to start there anyway, since Indena has intellectual property protection for its phytosome technology.

Also, they are super nice people. While developing this article, they provided me with all of their published research resources and gave me some great advice on explaining the value of phytonutrient phytosomes. This included health benefits as well as marketing prospects.

2) EMULATING SUCCESS

Indena has created several phytosome products. This means that supplement retailers are already willing to incorporate one or more of the ten phytonutrient products they have developed thus far.

The success of products like Jigsaw Health’s ‘Pureway-C Plus with Lysine and Quercefit’ and Dr. Mark Hyman’s ‘HistaQuel’ is worth emulating for products containing Quercefit®.

In fact, they also laid the foundation to build on the commercial success of their nine other phytosome products.

Equally important, it is the framework for developing additional phytonutrient phytosomes to create an even broader range of new product formulations.

3) CREATE CONTENT MARKETING

This is where the gum meets the road regarding the title of this article. It’s where compelling content meets bioavailability research.

Persuasive content means creating a desire in the eyes of the consumer for a product.

If marketing were like a rocket, this is the reinforcement stage to drive emotions towards purchase actions.

Citing bioavailability research confirms the consumer’s need to objectively justify the purchase based on facts. It is the marketing stage to put sales into orbit.

Content includes product descriptions, ads, landing pages, blog articles, press releases, interactive social media posts, and much more.

The key to making it all work starts with persuasive marketing copy.

HARNESSING THE POWER OF PERSUASION WITH SCIENCE

Persuasion fuels all successful marketing efforts. Sales of the best products increase with the quality of the persuasive copy.

Combining persuasion with science is the gold standard of supplement marketing.

That’s what a science writer like me can do.

It is about combining the skills of an expert writer with those of a research scientist.

I understand the jargon of scientific studies and can translate it into marketing content that drives supplement sales.