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[Progress] Sanctus Nutrition - Supplement Company (and first real entrepreneurial pursuit)

rogue synthetic

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Great points @Argue

It's worth highlighting the point about figuring out who you're talking to and how they're getting to your page.

The example of G FUEL is helpful, not (just) because they have great copy. The phrases "great copy" and "converting" are meaningless except as far as they connect with the people you are talking to. Your words and images need to convey the kinds of meaning that your people identify with.

It really is about building a brand, but "branding" sounds like sterile corporate-talk. I think the better word is "identity". You aren't selling a supplement, you're selling an idea. An opportunity. A vision of the future. You're offering a cool and interesting way of life.

A lot of marketers sadly end up thinking in terms of raw traffic numbers. The project is to make the traffic convert using the right colors and layouts and so forth. But that's missing out on this whole space of identity that gets attention and motivates buys.

Your sales funnel isn't just a net to sweep in all-comers and then cast a spell on them that makes them buy.

You need to find your people and speak to their desires and aspirations.
 
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Paul Thomas

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I have not kept up with this thread but, have you tried the following on FB?

The purpose of the below is to gather a highly interested audience at a cheap "cost per interest data point". Video views themselves are cheap on Facebook and if you have a long enough video 20-30 seconds+ you can gauge your interested viewers based on how long they watched, and you can then create an audience of people that are very similar for 0 extra cost.

Steps -
1. Create a video views campaign without a call to action (to stimulate solely views) and run it for $50-$100/day for a week - you'll get a bunch of video views and engagement [note: the point of this is gathering people that have intent in your product, video views campaigns are 10x cheaper than conversion campaigns]

2. Create a custom audience of people that have viewed 75% or more of your video from the campaign. Why? These people are interested, and Facebook will pull together all the people that were interested into a single bucket

3. Create a lookalike audience based on the custom audience of 75%+ views. Facebook will gather lots of other people in the world that are very similar to the ones that are interested in your video based on the algorithm. Start with 1% Lookalike in US, 1-2%, and 2-3%.

4. Create an offer based ad on the same video for 10-20% off (whatever you can be decently profitable at) and run it to the lookalikes at $50/day each audience. Put 3 dupes of the ad in each adset as the FB is weird.

See if that helps? Maybe you already knew this
 

Argue

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Great points @Argue

It's worth highlighting the point about figuring out who you're talking to and how they're getting to your page.

The example of G FUEL is helpful, not (just) because they have great copy. The phrases "great copy" and "converting" are meaningless except as far as they connect with the people you are talking to. Your words and images need to convey the kinds of meaning that your people identify with.

It really is about building a brand, but "branding" sounds like sterile corporate-talk. I think the better word is "identity". You aren't selling a supplement, you're selling an idea. An opportunity. A vision of the future. You're offering a cool and interesting way of life.

A lot of marketers sadly end up thinking in terms of raw traffic numbers. The project is to make the traffic convert using the right colors and layouts and so forth. But that's missing out on this whole space of identity that gets attention and motivates buys.

Your sales funnel isn't just a net to sweep in all-comers and then cast a spell on them that makes them buy.

You need to find your people and speak to their desires and aspirations.
@rogue synthetic, excellent points. Very well said.

Figure out your identity OP, and success will follow. Identity is my new favorite word now.

Identity > brand
 

DavidW

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You need to create a unique mechanism around why your product works. You are in the 2nd state of customer sophistication which is based around features.

Also what is the archetype of your audience? What is the archetype of your brand and how to you speak to your audience as your archetype to their archetype?
 
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racyred09

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I'm sad to hear things aren't going well! I didn't read through the replies so maybe someone suggested it, but have you tried using influencers? There are so many potential influencers in your niche that I imagine you could find someone with a large account that would push your name a bit if you offered some kind of giveaway for their followers! It sounds like you're trying just about everything. Your product is great and I really hope to hear good news.
 

racyred09

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One other thing I would say is that what sold me on your product is the low caffeine. Maybe you should emphasize that more- a lot of people work out at night. Have you tried running some ads with only that point on them?
 

MitchC

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Put your product on sale, like $69 down to $39 and install the app called hurrify.

Next you need before and afters and social proof. Send people free product for photos.

You are selling results, people are buying results, people want something that works, people want something easy, people dont want to be skinny anymore, people dont want to be fat anymore, people want to be stronger, they want to be healthier convince them you can do this for them. Scare them into thinking their current pre-workout will kill them. Convince them they will get better and safer results with yours.

Another thing that would help is more products. One, it makes you look bigger and more legit, and 2, it will increase order values and 3, if people are buying supplements its going to be a lot easier and more likely if they can get them all from you rather than buying their protein elsewhere.
 
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Bhanu

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1. Can you contact gym owners and ask them to sell your product on commision basis ? (I mean for every sell they make they will get some commission)
2. Write intriguing 'about us' story . Tell the people why you are doing this business not what you are doing . Checkout simon sinek video on 'Start with why'.
3. Can your product be sold to kids ? can it be made into ice cream or something ? (You said your product does not taste that good but this can be one otion).
4. Show results . Prove people that your product works .
 

Brewer07

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I have not kept up with this thread but, have you tried the following on FB?

The purpose of the below is to gather a highly interested audience at a cheap "cost per interest data point". Video views themselves are cheap on Facebook and if you have a long enough video 20-30 seconds+ you can gauge your interested viewers based on how long they watched, and you can then create an audience of people that are very similar for 0 extra cost.

Steps -
1. Create a video views campaign without a call to action (to stimulate solely views) and run it for $50-$100/day for a week - you'll get a bunch of video views and engagement [note: the point of this is gathering people that have intent in your product, video views campaigns are 10x cheaper than conversion campaigns]

2. Create a custom audience of people that have viewed 75% or more of your video from the campaign. Why? These people are interested, and Facebook will pull together all the people that were interested into a single bucket

3. Create a lookalike audience based on the custom audience of 75%+ views. Facebook will gather lots of other people in the world that are very similar to the ones that are interested in your video based on the algorithm. Start with 1% Lookalike in US, 1-2%, and 2-3%.

4. Create an offer based ad on the same video for 10-20% off (whatever you can be decently profitable at) and run it to the lookalikes at $50/day each audience. Put 3 dupes of the ad in each adset as the FB is weird.

See if that helps? Maybe you already knew this

Ok, I have a video campaign in progress. Like, just hit publish.

Once the ad runs - how do I accomplish steps #2 and #3? How do I create an audience of people who view 75% or more from that specific campaign?

I think I can do #3 once I figure out #2, because I've fooled around with look-a-like audiences before.

Re: #4, what do you mean "put 3 dupes of the ad in each adset"? Like, literally put the same exact ad 3 times?

Thanks for the help. Really appreciate it, going to try this and see how it goes.
 

Brewer07

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Hey @Brewer07,

This is my feedback.

Part 1. The Website

ZcAWN7K.png


1. The copy is bad. There's no personality. Just scientific jargon about clinically this and that. Talk with me as a friend, not my chemistry teacher (I hated chemistry lol)

2. The image should be different. Emphasize more focus on your bottle. All the attention is on the female.

3. This is a bad button. What does I want better supplements mean? First, you need to add color to the button for contrast. Next, change the text to something more friendly. Try grab yours now, for example.

eUx3CwX.png

1. This is bad copy. It's just a bunch of jargon telling me I deserve better supplements. Why do I deserve better supplements? What's in it for me? Add more life and personality to your copy. Instead of the above, try: Our drink turns you from geek to all-star. Stop training like a wimp and start training like a UFC champion. Conor McGregor agrees.
(This is really bad, but I'm trying to get my point across that adding real life to your copy will be beneficial.)

Part 2. Examples of a Successful Brand

PqftveF.png


1. When I land on G FUEL's site, there's personality. Look above at their copy. It is brilliant. They're using DJ Khaled favorite line: you smart, you loyal, to persuade the reader. It's funny, resonates with the young crowd, and it converts.

BZ7Dzbu.png

2. When I check out their about page, it's organized. The "our story" tells us in a few sentences about the creation of their product. It has personality, it resonates with the target market, evokes emotion.

V1GE9lc.png

3. Your about us section has no life, sorry. It just talks about jargon, 300 mg of ginger, etc. Spark life into your copy, share your story on how your product was created in a fun story-telling way that evokes emotion. It should resonate with your visitor. Instead, it doesn't and scares them away.

7BdpW64.png

4. G FUEL does a great job at executing in a few sentences what the product can do for their customer. On your site, I can't say the same. The main idea on your site is how natural your ingredient is. Remember, what's in it for the customer?

gMeLFge.png


5. G FUEL does an excellent job with their CTA. Notice how the box is border red as if we entered the wrong email. I suggest adding a CTA to your site to collect emails. In exchange, your readers can read your newsletter.

Part 3. Conclusion

1. I know it's not fair to compare a mega brand like G FUEL with yours, since you're just starting out. But, take some notes on what they're doing. I bet it will work.

2. Currently, your does not resonate. Go back to your buyer persona, and find out what they like to do for fun, what music they listen to, who are their favorite celebrities. Then incorporate that into your site.

3. For example, g fuel caters to the gaming community in a fun way. With Focal Force, try to be fun and engage with your target market who say stuff like cross fit is life, do you lift bro, etc. I really don't know because I'm not sure who focal force is for.

4. Your website can be a huge success, I believe in it and I love your progress. But it's going to be an uphill battle. You need to reimagine your product in a fun, exiting way that resonates with your customers. I honestly believe the problem is your copy. There's no life to it, just numbers and ingredients on how great of a supplement it is.

5. You can still make this work. I think instead of building up sales at the moment, focus more on your content marketing. Build more awareness through your social media. Also, create a twitter page. I tried searching but couldn't find a twitter page. Engage your market with stories, pictures on how to's, etc. Look around at successful brands and see how they're doing it. Take some of their ideas and create your own for Sanctus.

6. I'm not writing this feedback to be mean. Im writing this feedback from a consumer perspective. I know you and g fuel are different but take some ideas from big brands and try to incorporate their "formula" into your own. I genuinely hope this can help spark some ideas and get things rolling. After all, take this advice with a grain of salt.

P.S. I wrote this really quick, sorry in advance for any mistakes or inaccuracies.

This is great feedback. I appreciate you taking the time to put a good amount of thought into that. Feel free to be "mean", my feelings won't be hurt. I know I'm shit at writing copy.

I won't get super deep here but I struggle at relating/resonating with other people on a deep/personal level, and I think that's showing in the copy I write.
 
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Brewer07

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Put your product on sale, like $69 down to $39 and install the app called hurrify.

Next you need before and afters and social proof. Send people free product for photos.

You are selling results, people are buying results, people want something that works, people want something easy, people dont want to be skinny anymore, people dont want to be fat anymore, people want to be stronger, they want to be healthier convince them you can do this for them. Scare them into thinking their current pre-workout will kill them. Convince them they will get better and safer results with yours.

Another thing that would help is more products. One, it makes you look bigger and more legit, and 2, it will increase order values and 3, if people are buying supplements its going to be a lot easier and more likely if they can get them all from you rather than buying their protein elsewhere.

Appreciate the comment and feedback - thank you!

I'd love to carry more products but funding is an issue.

Here's my concern with apps like Hurrify: if I'm a consumer, I land on a page that has the typical mark-down with a countdown timer stating the sale ends in X hours...and I come back next week, and the EXACT same sale is still going on with the exact same countdown timer...I immediately lose trust in the business. Will it net me more sales in the short-term? Maybe. But are there long-term ramifications?

Like the stuff re: other preworkouts killing you. I haven't played the "artificial sweetener/food dyes are dangerous" angle enough.
 

Brewer07

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One other thing I would say is that what sold me on your product is the low caffeine. Maybe you should emphasize that more- a lot of people work out at night. Have you tried running some ads with only that point on them?

I haven't, but I have thought of and want to do that! I would especially love a way to target only people who workout later in the evening/at night, but I haven't found a way to do that on FB or AdWords
 

E-Sharp

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if I'm a consumer, I land on a page that has the typical mark-down with a countdown timer stating the sale ends in X hours...and I come back next week, and the EXACT same sale is still going on with the exact same countdown timer...I immediately lose trust in the business. .

I agree with your reasoning. Even if the customer doesn't lose trust, it seems a bit cheesy and gimmicky.
 
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W. Sabria

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Marketing is both an art and a science. Most of the tweaks being tested seem to be focused on the science; tracking conversion rates one discount and pixel at a time. I agree with @Argue here. Optimize the visuals and the copy first. Be edgier and sexier than the competition, take more chances and take on a bolder brand personality. The big brands will always win on price; couponing their way to sales targets. Challenger brands need to lean into their strengths. Differentiate in both product benefits and brand personality.

And sorry, don't love the logo or the packaging.
 

Brewer07

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Marketing is both an art and a science. Most of the tweaks being tested seem to be focused on the science; tracking conversion rates one discount and pixel at a time. I agree with @Argue here. Optimize the visuals and the copy first. Be edgier and sexier than the competition, take more chances and take on a bolder brand personality. The big brands will always win on price; couponing their way to sales targets. Challenger brands need to lean into their strengths. Differentiate in both product benefits and brand personality.

And sorry, don't love the logo or the packaging.

Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback! And no need to apologize, I'm not offended re: packaging and logo. I'd be offended if you weren't honest.

Are there specifics about the logo/packaging you don't like? Or is it just the overall impression leave you unimpressed?
 

Brewer07

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A question/problem that has been weighing on my mind:

This has to do with branding/identity.

I present Sanctus Nutrition as a "science"/"health" brand - formulated by a pharmacist, clinically-dosed, naturally flavored, etc.

I, personally, am not obsessed with putting on a "professional" image, in the sense that I say things like shit and a$$ and F*ck in every day conversation.

So, when making videos for the brand to put out on social media, I hit a conflict: is being myself going against the "science", "clean", "health" image the brand carries? Should I speak as if I'm talking to a friend, or do I need to change and talk in a manner and language congruent with the brand identity?

A good example, in the supplement field, is Andy Frisella, Founder/CEO of 1st Phorm. On his podcast ("MFCEO"), you can tell he's "real" - he speaks his mind, doesn't hold back, doesn't try and keep his language PG, etc.

I have my thoughts on this, but I want to see what this community has to say first.
 
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jcvlds

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A question/problem that has been weighing on my mind:

This has to do with branding/identity.

I present Sanctus Nutrition as a "science"/"health" brand - formulated by a pharmacist, clinically-dosed, naturally flavored, etc.

I, personally, am not obsessed with putting on a "professional" image, in the sense that I say things like sh*t and a$$ and f*ck in every day conversation.

So, when making videos for the brand to put out on social media, I hit a conflict: is being myself going against the "science", "clean", "health" image the brand carries? Should I speak as if I'm talking to a friend, or do I need to change and talk in a manner and language congruent with the brand identity?

A good example, in the supplement field, is Andy Frisella, Founder/CEO of 1st Phorm. On his podcast ("MFCEO"), you can tell he's "real" - he speaks his mind, doesn't hold back, doesn't try and keep his language PG, etc.

I have my thoughts on this, but I want to see what this community has to say first.

My two cents is the brand has a certain personality, tone, and voice. whatever you chose those elements to be, the messaging, marketing, and branding much remain consistent and congruent.... unless you are thinking about re-branding, but that is a different subject.

So, to give my opinion on your question: if your brand message is science-driven, clean, etc, it doesn’t seem like being rated R is congruent with that, but that’s just my view. Maybe it can be.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

MoreVolume

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A question/problem that has been weighing on my mind:

This has to do with branding/identity.

I present Sanctus Nutrition as a "science"/"health" brand - formulated by a pharmacist, clinically-dosed, naturally flavored, etc.

I, personally, am not obsessed with putting on a "professional" image, in the sense that I say things like sh*t and a$$ and f*ck in every day conversation.

So, when making videos for the brand to put out on social media, I hit a conflict: is being myself going against the "science", "clean", "health" image the brand carries? Should I speak as if I'm talking to a friend, or do I need to change and talk in a manner and language congruent with the brand identity?

A good example, in the supplement field, is Andy Frisella, Founder/CEO of 1st Phorm. On his podcast ("MFCEO"), you can tell he's "real" - he speaks his mind, doesn't hold back, doesn't try and keep his language PG, etc.

I have my thoughts on this, but I want to see what this community has to say first.
If you were to show the real you, and the real you deviates away from the common perception of what a professional should be, then I would try to add some more professionals to your advertising to balance things out. Maybe get a colleague or a Pharm school buddy to make some content for you

But with that being said, I would keep the same image that you have now.
 

W. Sabria

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Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback! And no need to apologize, I'm not offended re: packaging and logo. I'd be offended if you weren't honest.

Are there specifics about the logo/packaging you don't like? Or is it just the overall impression leave you unimpressed?

I commend you for being so open to feedback -- not just mine but that of this entire forum. I was reluctant to step into the proverbial kitchen and tell you how to cook the steak, but I didn't see much talk about branding and this is something I believe in wholeheartedly. Having worked in the advertising industry for over two decades, I can tell you that consumer engagement must begin with trust. Your brand identity, product packaging and marketing materials many times make up the first impression with consumers. In your instance, while your product portfolio is limited to two SKUs, you have a few different stories to tell in your presentation: 1) your brand story (Sanctus Nutrition), and 2) your product story (Focal Force). In your case you want the brand to look established, professional, reliable and credible (based on science, with a particular mission, vision and values) while you want your product to be exciting, emotionally compelling (delivering a promise of specific benefits).

When I look at your website, here is what I see:

Logo - font is hard to read, kerning is very tight and does not look like an established brand.

Packaging - i like the product name but typography looks generic, militaristic and overall too masculine. Also, it is very copy heavy.

Colors - beyond the yellow and black, additional color(s) could be added to make more dynamic. (although I can appreciate that more colors on the label might have additional cost implications)

Website - move away from traditional looking serif fonts throughout. Go with something more modern looking.

While most consultants are notorious for telling you what to do vs. how to do it, I wanted to make sure you got your money's worth in my response. I spent 20 minutes playing around in Photoshop, imagining what I would do if I was tasked with a brand/packaging redesign. I've attached a comp of where I landed.

I simplified your logo and made it look a bit more medical in appearance. I gave more prominence and energy to the product name and simplified the supporting copy. I also numbered it with "1" to illustrate the sequence of the product consumption (as you build out your product line, you can add "2," "3," etc. And lastly, I added some a color gradient background with abstracted gym imagery to add more excitement and context.

I hope you like it. But I will not be offended either, if you don't. Know that you are free to take what you like and use it/whatever elements you feel suit you best. Best of luck!

focalforce.png
 
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Hey Alex!

Firstly, well done for getting the project so far. I can feel your frustration.

Your issue is obviously not product quality as the people that have tried love it, and it seems like an excellent product.

Before I go into this a quick bit about me - I am a female 42 year old Crossfitter, and I see your avatar is a Crossfitter so my feedback is in that context. I have read most of this thread but skimmed over some things, so please excuse me if I am repeating what anyone else has said.

I take a variety of supplements, pre workout NOT being one of them, but have done in the past. I care about what goes into my body and pay attention to diet, chemicals, sugar and all that sort of stuff that can potentially F*ck with my hormones, head or well being. I feel like since turning 40 things are getting a bit harder, and still being competitive with the 20 somethings and trying to "hang on" (laughing here). I could potentially be a good market for your supplement, simply because I care about the "no added" crap stuff and could use something to boost my performance , until I'm ready to empty my denial cupboard and give in to being "good for my age" rather than " she can still give the young' uns a run for their money". This is all a bit tongue in cheek, but with plenty of truth in it. You could easily sell this to me. But I may not be your target market, and I think this is where things get confused, as I dont think you are marketing to your avatar. Let me tell you what I see when I hit your website. I have read your avatar description, with body builders being your 2nd target market so delivering the below in the context of this.

BRANDING

I see male brand, with two colours - red and black, both of which would appeal more to males, only the red is weird sort of terracotta so that confused me a bit ( needs to be stronger if keeping the red i think) . Currently it's not sexy, as there is not enough 'oomph' in it and frankly the branding is just OK.

Photos - Evan probably wants to see some males with six packs in their 30's, fist bumping or high fiving (a very crossfit thing) after smashing yet another successful WOD and the brand being a bit more upmarket, since he can afford to shop organically and has disposable income. Even if Even doesn't have a six pack yet, he probably secretly wants one. He wants to imagine himself completing a workout and looking like " that guy" who just smashed it.

What he sees instead, apart from the un memorable branding is guy in a middle of a cable exercise, who frankly looks a bit high. Then an image of a girl whose expression is pretty flat and emotionless. This is very confusing as if Evan is your avatar, neither of these are even remotely relatable.

Cross fitters don't even do cable exercises (or very rarely as supplemental work). Picture quality is also not great - underexposed , colour balance not consistent. Even if you have sold me on the pharmaceutical benefits, I'm still buying a dream - you need to sell the dream. Evan wants to take your supplement and visalise himself smashing workouts - you need to help him do that. Images are SO important in that field and really do need to be aspirational. If you are wanting Evan to buy you have to sell to HIM.

I would really suggest you hire a professional to take your images, it is well worth the investment. I had a quick google - Check out the link below for example https://www.saiterol.com/crossfit34
Or this guys gallery Rob Hammer is an advertising photographer based in San Diego, California. for examples of striking imagery.

So image quality is a biggie , but content of images is also a biggie - relatable, aspirational & relevant being the key words.

Your second potential target market of bodybuilders - MILES apart from Crossfitters, totally different things will rock their boat. You only need to read a few threads on the bodybuilding.com forum (yes I used to be a member) to get the idea.

So I think you need to decide if you are sticking with Evan - and if so get your website look sorted. I'm not saying just males, the crossfit market is full of women who like smashing workouts too and if you can help with that then a big hurrah to that.

I think 35 + is great age range to aim for too as this is where people generally will start seeing a decline in performance and maybe no longer be able to compete with the youngsters, so you are SOLVING A PROBLEM or at least a perceived problem. And people at that age are more body aware and have grown to care more about what they put into their body. I didn't give a shit in my 20's , with self awareness definitely increasing from late 30's onward and probably quadrupling since turning 40.

So in a nutshell , make it appealing to your avatar. No point writing such an excellent profile and marketing to no one in particular.

COPY/DESIGN

Most of it has already been very well said in terms of content - needs to be more succinct, sexy, and to the point. Front page is just too messy - white writing on black and then vice versa combined with those photos just all looks OK. But just Ok isn't enough. Image opacity needs changing as a minimum as the burned out highlights make your eyes go all over the place.

Fonts - I think you need a different one, cleaner and a sans serif if possible. This website is excellent for finding font pairings What’s Trending in Type · Typewolf. I'm really liking Brandon grotesque as a font right now, check it out Brandon Grotesque in action plus good fonts to combine it with | Typ.io

Font pairings are important - your logo font does not go with your website text font

So - home page needs better pics, call to actions are too small, better font and personally I think you need pics with your testimonials.

Shop section looks great, nice and clean but as you are only selling 2 products I am thinking you may be better off having a different layout as it makes it look empty, and i would remove the wording which says "2 products" as it draws attention to it even more.

One of the leading products here in the UK which many Crossfitters use is GLC2000, check out their website product page. Supplements – GLC2000

A recent addition to the popular products here is this - activ7,RECOVERY OIL,MOBILITY BUNDLES,BATH SALTS,ACTIV7 RECOVERY BUNDLES , this is being bought in my Crossfit box owners and resold to members - this is quite common here, not sure if thats the case in the US.

Your story page - messy, image quality comments as before, image placement all over the place. Some wording used not accessible to everyone ( like who will know what 'proprietary blend' means)

"Ok, I don’t like trashing other companies. I'd rather promote our benefits"
- just by saying that you look unprofessional, better wording would be " what makes us different" and use your USP.

"
what other company has a flavoring that ACTIVELY helps you recover?" - Blowing out someone else's candle does not make yours any brighter. Let other companies be, you just concentrate on what you are doing for your clients.

Your USP is your background and the resulting product - anything based on medical evidence/pharma/science has a bit of an automatic effect of establishing some trust. Tell me what problem you are solving and make me imagine the end result, paint a picture.

Current copy is bit of a turn off for me if I'm honest. The whole "LETTER FROM THE CHIEF CAESAR"...just no. I feel it needs a rewrite.

Blog - I would have all featuring images same height and width, looks much better and arrange like a grid if you can. Unless you are blogging regularly ( like weekly) I would remove dates, an idle blog never looks good.

Your blog posts are super long and full of knowledge, one of these can be probably broken down into 10 separate , smaller more digestible posts. People do not have the attention span nowadays! If you are sticking to cross fitters as a main target market, do some blog posts about that and how you can help with performance.

Lastly, make it clear that you expand each post by clicking on the image, as its not obvious.


My take on what you can do ( for what its worth)


I have a friend who has built a Crossfit clothing brand from scratch and I watched her to do it, She is doing ok, but scaling is really slow going. I believe thats because of her branding but that's another story. But I can tell you how she has done it -

1- She joined a Crossfit gym and involved herself in the community
2 - Sending out free clothing to athletes that are most visible firstly in the local community in return for Instagram mentions and tags
3- constant activity on social media, showing a variety of crossfitters wearing her clothing
4- Stands at various Crossfit competitions - they take place almost daily
5- Becoming a sponsor for an athlete that now has qualified for the Madison Crossfit games

She is extremely tenacious BUT I think scaling will be an issue for her as the brand IMHO opinion her branding will be her failing. But she is definitely got herself visible. She has spent a lot of man hours doing a lot of legwork, and ultimately it was for free ( well not free as the other side of the coin she hasn't spent money on advertising).

So my question for you would be what is your ultimate aim and how patient can you be with scaling? Because if you do it the way above it takes time, but the ultimate end result could be the same ( and you may not wish to get involved in the community to get an inside look)

If you want to scale faster then my strategy would be different, but it depends on how much money you have available or can find.

First I would sort out your website - easy fix, essentially it could be done in less than a day if you can sort photography.

Secondly I would reach out to people who have medium established names or are 'up and coming".

The only issue is that knowing who these people are is not easy if you are not that world or "bubble" whatever that may be. So reaching out to friends who ARE and are able to point you in the right direction would be the way forward. Offer to sponsor them in exchange for promotion. This means Insta tagging , FB posting and would involve giving away free product. I would also at that point make sure I get plenty of feedback and some measurable results - this could be done in all different ways, for example -
* promo video going into gym with athlete, filming a workout ( WOD), hoping they smash it and getting direct feedback straight after as in ' how did that feel compared to usual' type thing

If you can get a couple of well known names in the community to become your ambassadors/or you become their sponsors is a good start - but for the to WANT to, when they look at your website they need to think ' yeah that looks great' and initially they are actually willing to give it a try and then b) if they love it they will actually want to promote it. Ego plays a part here too - an 'up and coming' athlete will be to a degree flattered to be approached in this way, ie. as an ambassador.

I would happily put you in touch with a couple of people who fit these criteria in the UK but I'm guessing the UK market is not what you are after, due to shipping costs.

Thirdly I would definitely get yourself into Crossfit competitions - Not sure if its within your budget , but we have the Cross fit games starting in August - obvs this is the largest Crossfit event in the world, so thats aiming high - I had a look at vendor booths, here is a link CrossFit Games | The Fittest on Earth , as you can see sold out with waiting lists, but this could be an option for next year . You could just attend for a day, give out some free samples CrossFit Games

Local competitions are great, they always have booths, and not that expensive, here is a website with some listed but loads on google The ULTIMATE List of CrossFit Competitions For 2018

Get as much out on social media & get social proof. Lots of legwork and networking, create some hype and some buzz, get people a bit excited.

My personal feeling is that at the moment you are throwing money at ads for a product with not enough people raving about it, your website is completely lost in the "sea of average", and you are banging your head against the wall. I think you need to put some of the passion you have for the scientific side of things into your marketing side. And if you can't, hire someone to do it for you and 'spread the love".

I would look at getting yourself on a few podcasts as a guest, there are many out there ( like 100's) associated with fitness and nutrition ( do not have to be cross fit related at all), because you can play up the 'no added' card. If you can't get on as a guest, then you can buy sponsorship slots.

Influencers on insta sponsor posts , so look into that - I came across one yesterday who charges $1000 per post but thats not unreasonable for her reach at all.

If you can get some people to trial your products from local boxes, feature them on your blog, everyone likes a bit of ego massaging and exposure - target top athletes at individual boxes.

Lastly - re purposing. it costs money, but this company s a good example https://www.content10x.com/
They can re purpose a blog post , a podcast a video - anything really.

There is so much you can do , but it is legwork and a bit of time, with some avenues being quicker than others.

Because it doesn't matter how talented you are, how great your product is , if no one knows you exist you are basically f****d.

Good luck and I hope some of this helps. I'm very straight talking so no offense meant in any way - and at the end of the day all of the above is just my opinion. And you know the saying - " Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one!", so feel free to ignore me.

By the way was just about to buy the caffeine free one to try but its sold out!
 
Last edited:

Jedwab

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I commend you for being so open to feedback -- not just mine but that of this entire forum. I was reluctant to step into the proverbial kitchen and tell you how to cook the steak, but I didn't see much talk about branding and this is something I believe in wholeheartedly. Having worked in the advertising industry for over two decades, I can tell you that consumer engagement must begin with trust. Your brand identity, product packaging and marketing materials many times make up the first impression with consumers. In your instance, while your product portfolio is limited to two SKUs, you have a few different stories to tell in your presentation: 1) your brand story (Sanctus Nutrition), and 2) your product story (Focal Force). In your case you want the brand to look established, professional, reliable and credible (based on science, with a particular mission, vision and values) while you want your product to be exciting, emotionally compelling (delivering a promise of specific benefits).

When I look at your website, here is what I see:

Logo - font is hard to read, kerning is very tight and does not look like an established brand.

Packaging - i like the product name but typography looks generic, militaristic and overall too masculine. Also, it is very copy heavy.

Colors - beyond the yellow and black, additional color(s) could be added to make more dynamic. (although I can appreciate that more colors on the label might have additional cost implications)

Website - move away from traditional looking serif fonts throughout. Go with something more modern looking.

While most consultants are notorious for telling you what to do vs. how to do it, I wanted to make sure you got your money's worth in my response. I spent 20 minutes playing around in Photoshop, imagining what I would do if I was tasked with a brand/packaging redesign. I've attached a comp of where I landed.

I simplified your logo and made it look a bit more medical in appearance. I gave more prominence and energy to the product name and simplified the supporting copy. I also numbered it with "1" to illustrate the sequence of the product consumption (as you build out your product line, you can add "2," "3," etc. And lastly, I added some a color gradient background with abstracted gym imagery to add more excitement and context.

I hope you like it. But I will not be offended either, if you don't. Know that you are free to take what you like and use it/whatever elements you feel suit you best. Best of luck!

View attachment 20167

Totally agree with that and LOVE that new logo/branding, very nice indeed. And very Crossfit!
 

Argue

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@Brewer07,

When I think about Sanctus, this is what I have in mind.

ofwwl8L.png

I drank 2 Becks and came up with this mock up.

I agree with everyone else that you should use sans-serif. I suggest Poppins.

--> Link: Google Fonts

Pros:
  • Modern
  • Loads quick
  • Looks amazing and clean
  • FREE
Personally, I place product to the left. Copy aligned to the right. Button beneath copy. Converts well.

hMDqDtn.jpg


Fix your copy. Remove the check emoji. Use a sans-serif font. Do not align center. Replace logo. Add color to button. Remove girl working out. Home page needs to showcase the bottle.

Last, I do like @W. Sabria mock up. However, reminds me of this shirt.

02iTKOz.png
 
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Last edited:

Xolorr

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@Brewer07,

When I think about Sanctus, this is what I have in mind.

ofwwl8L.png

I drank 2 Becks and came up with this mock up.

I agree with everyone else that you should use sans-serif. I suggest Poppins.

--> Link: Google Fonts

Pros:
  • Modern
  • Loads quick
  • Looks amazing and clean
  • FREE
Personally, I place product to the left. Copy aligned to the right. Button beneath copy. Converts well.

hMDqDtn.jpg


Fix your copy. Remove the check emoji. Use a sans-serif font. Do not align center. Replace logo. Add color to button. Remove girl working out. Home page needs to showcase the bottle.

Last, I do like @W. Sabria mock up. However, reminds me of this shirt.

02iTKOz.png


Argue, this is why you're my favourite forum member.

I see you in random places, giving some DAMN good looking value. Nice job on the Mock-up bro ⚡️
 

Kruiser

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[QUOTE="A good example, in the supplement field, is Andy Frisella, Founder/CEO of 1st Phorm. On his podcast ("MFCEO"), you can tell he's "real" - he speaks his mind, doesn't hold back, doesn't try and keep his language PG, etc.

I have my thoughts on this, but I want to see what this community has to say first.[/QUOTE]

My advice is to follow what Andy DOES in marketing his supplements, not how he talks on the MFCEO podcast. Get on the 1stPhorm site now, scroll down, and watch the 2+ minute video of Andy talking about his manufacturing facility. There's your answer.
 
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Argue

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Argue, this is why you're my favourite forum member.

I see you in random places, giving some DAMN good looking value. Nice job on the Mock-up bro ⚡️
@Xolorr, thank you. I appreciate the feedback. :praise:
 

The Abundant Man

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I like the website but I don't see anything else. Only two versions of the same preworkout product. No postworkouts?(Protein Shakes or Creatine) No intraworkouts?(For example BCAA or Amino Acids)

Other than this you've been making a lot of progress. Keep at it.
 

yungmillionaire

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Hi @Brewer07 ,

The amount of value contributed by members in this thread is amazing.

I'm just wondering if there has been any updates. I see that Sanctus is still operating so that's good news.
 
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Brewer07

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Hi @Brewer07 ,

The amount of value contributed by members in this thread is amazing.

I'm just wondering if there has been any updates. I see that Sanctus is still operating so that's good news.

Hey, thanks for stopping in! Glad you found so much value here.

Sanctus is still operating, but that's about the only good news or update. It isn't growing, and frankly, I'm at a loss for what else to do/try.
 

John F.

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Hey, thanks for stopping in! Glad you found so much value here.

Sanctus is still operating, but that's about the only good news or update. It isn't growing, and frankly, I'm at a loss for what else to do/try.
Have you looked at expanding your offerings, or potentially moving into a different supplement niche under another brand or company?

I am going to be offering supplements as part of my business and have several ideas for branching out after my initial set of supplement offerings.

Supplements are something you know quite a bit about already. You could probably have quite a bit of success by just branching out a bit. Maybe something like a post-workout or overnight recovery sort of product. Just throwing stuff out there.

I'm in a very different supplement niche, but I do know that people are always looking for something that not only gets them through their workout, but helps them recover so they don't feel like garbage for the next one. If you could figure out how to make leg day not hurt so bad for the next 2 days, that would be HUGE.

Pre and Post workout package deal.

Good luck!
 

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