Losing weight is a common goal for many people. In fact, there are countless products on the market that promise to help you lose weight quickly and easily.
So, who is the target audience for weight loss products?
The truth is that the market can be split into various segments based on people’s needs with different weight loss products targeted toward different segments.
First, there are those who are already very motivated to lose weight and are actively looking for solutions. Then, there are those who have gained some weight recently and are starting to become concerned about their health.
Finally, you also have the group of people who have been struggling with their weight for years and have tried many different methods without success.
If you’re looking to create a weight loss product, you will need to understand each of the segments so that you can create a marketing strategy that resonates with and appeals to the audience in each segment.
Who is the Target Audience for Weight Loss Products?
The most obvious answer to this question is that the target audience for weight loss products is people who want to lose weight.
But such an obvious answer misses the point which is that different people (all of who want to lose weight, of course) look for different things in different weight loss products.
So a more subtle way to understand this audience is to understand Why people want to lose weight. Once we understand their needs and their motivations, we can better understand what type of weight loss product would be best for them.
Such needs-based segmentation is essential to truly understand the target audience for weight loss products.
And this gives us the following customer segments:
- People who want to lose weight fast for a special occasion
- People who want to lose weight for health reasons
- People who have always struggled with weight and want to lose it
- People who have never had weight problems but want to lose some
- People who want to lose weight and gain muscle
- People who are training for a sporting event
1. People who want to lose weight fast for a special occasion
For this segment of the target audience for weight loss products, the operating word is: Fast.
This is what distinguishes them from the other segments of this market. Of course, everyone wants to lose weight fast but this customer segment actually has a real deadline. This might be a wedding, reunion, or vacation.
They are more open to extreme methods of weight loss because they have a specific goal that they are trying to achieve.
They may try a crash diet or use saunas and steam rooms to help them lose weight quickly. But whatever method they choose, their goal is to make weight for their event.
2. People who want to lose weight for health reasons
These people might have recently been diagnosed with obesity or diabetes. They want to lose weight to improve their health and often are looking for a sustainable solution that they can stick with for the long term.
This customer segment is often more willing to make lifestyle changes and try new things like health and wellness programs. They are also more likely to be receptive to messages about healthy eating and regular exercise.
3. People who have always struggled with weight and want to lose it
This group of people has probably tried everything when it comes to losing weight. They have tried many different methods, including fad diets, without success. They are frustrated, despondent, and might even be a little bit angry.
They are often skeptical of any new method but are willing to try anything that might finally help them reach their goals.
What they are really looking for is a weight loss solution that actually works. They don’t want to hear about the latest diet or quick fixes, they want something that they can commit to and see results from.
This customer segment is often the most difficult to reach because they have been disappointed so many times before. But if you can find a way to reach them and show them that your product is different, you might be able to win their business.
4. People who have never had weight problems but want to lose some
This customer segment is interesting because while they are looking to lose weight, they’ve never had any trouble doing so in the past.
So they are not familiar with the challenges and obstacles that come with trying to lose weight.
They might be looking to lose weight for cosmetic reasons or because they want to be healthier. But either way, they are approaching the task from a position of strength.
This group of people is less open to hard work and more interested in easy solutions because they have never had to struggle with their weight before.
They might be willing to try a fad diet or a new weight loss supplement but they are unlikely to stick with anything for very long.
5. People who want to lose weight and gain muscle
This target audience for weight loss products is looking to improve their physical appearance. They might be motivated by a desire to look better or to attract the opposite sex.
But whatever their reasons, they are looking to lose weight and gain muscle. This is a difficult task because it requires both diet and exercise.
People in this customer segment are often willing to join a gym and commit to a workout routine.
They are also very open to following a healthy diet and taking nutritional supplements.
To gain muscle, they are often open to taking foods based on protein powder to help them reach their goals.
6. People who are training for a sporting event
This last group of people is interesting in the sense that they may not actually have a weight problem. Yet, they may want to lose a few pounds to get fully in shape or because they are training for a specific event where they need to be within a certain weight class.
For example, boxers, wrestlers, and mixed martial artists often need to make weight before their match. So they will go on a weight loss regimen in order to do so.
Similarly, someone going on a long-distance bike race might want to lose a few pounds in order to increase their speed and endurance.
People in this customer segment are often willing to do whatever it takes to reach their goals. They are typically very disciplined and have a strong commitment to achieving their targets.
Summary
As you can see the target audience for weight loss products can be segmented based on the reasons why they want to lose weight.
Some want to lose weight to look good for a special occasion or to fit into clothes from 20 years ago. Others have health issues and losing weight is a necessity to get their health back. Yet others are training for a sporting event and may want to lose weight and gain some muscle instead.
Further, people can be segmented based on their ability or propensity to lose weight. Most people after a certain age find it difficult to lose weight. Yet there are those lucky few who never seem to have any trouble with weight – they don’t gain it easily yet they can lose it quickly.
By understanding the nuances between the different segments of the market for weight-loss products, you can better understand what products will appeal to each segment and what marketing and communication strategies can be most effective to appeal to those in each segment.