ISPA as Partner in Success
an ingestible beauty product because online marketing doesn ’ t always formulate the kind of trust consumers need to make a purchase . “ I expected huge online success when we first launched because I thought we were being savvy with online marketing ,” recalls Yu Ming . “ But I learned a very hard lesson ( and thankfully early in the game ) that with ingestible products , it ’ s a tough sell to get customers to trust what we are selling right off the bat without tasting it .”
Their decision to go directly to the source through spas and spa professionals has created a bond with customers she never expected . She uses that bond to listen to what her customers want and create products that reflect that . “ We started out with just two products , the orange powder and the capsules , and based on our customer feedback , we realized that there needed to be an easier path to discover Sparkle Collagen , so we are producing starter kits in 2017 intended to help someone new to the brand to easily sample the flavors and choose their preferred option . On top of that , we learned that having a choice of flavors really enhances the retail experience by making it fun — that ’ s why we are going from one flavor to six flavors in 2017 .”
Clinical Evidence Another common factor why health-savvy consumers may feel wary about taking an unknown supplement brand is their need to be assured that the product is safe , effective and clinically tested . “ Sparkle Collagen products are Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) -compliant . The FDA regulations cover numerous aspects of bringing a dietary supplement to marketingredient certainty and traceability , manufacturing quality , product labeling , marketing claims , and others ,” says Derek .
In addition , he says they take necessary steps to go through independent audits to ensure continuing compliance . “ Regarding efficacy , the principle ingredient in Sparkle Collagen is called VERISOL Bioactive Collagen Peptides . There have been a number of studies done on VERISOL that are peer-reviewed and published . Gelita , the manufacturer of VERISOL , also has a patent application in for VERISOL . That patent application describes in detail the bio-chemistry and physiological response that has been observed on the body when consuming VERISOL ,” Derek explains .
Overall , the entrepreneurial couple are constantly driven by their core mission to help people feel positive about themselves by encouraging them to take good care of themselves and showing them how that can have an amazing impact on their life . “ The core [ philosophy ] of Sparkle Collagen is about practicing good daily habits that help you feel and look good ,” Yu Ming says . n
ISPA as Partner in Success
Joined ISPA in : 2015 Inspiration to join : “ In early 2015 , we started exploring the world of spas with the idea that the spa setting might be a great way for Sparkle Collagen to be discovered . That thinking was quickly supported by many spa directors and estheticians , and we started to see great results with spas offering Sparkle Collagen both as an introductory experience during treatments ,” recalls Derek . “ Given that , we felt that we should explore all the various resources available for us to understand and engage with the spa industry , and joining ISPA became an obvious and sensible step .” ISPA resource that is most beneficial to your business : “ We love Pulse magazine ! Highly informative , great insights , and always great to keep across what so many people whom we have met in the spa industry are up to ,” Derek says . Using ISPA ’ s research to your business advantage : “ As we are a nutrition products business , we are focused on trying to understand how and why consumers are engaging all aspects of wellness and nutrition . The ISPA research has been useful in contributing to our learning and in helping to shape our thinking on how we want to present our product .”
TO READ ABOUT VERISOL Bioactive Collagen Peptides and Gelita ’ s patent application , click here .
March / April 2017 ■ PULSE 63