Is Your Brand Leveraging Self-Improvement Season?

This content is an installment of Kelton Global’s DESKSIDE series. It originally appeared on LinkedIn Pulse.

It’s no secret that January is mayhem for Communications professionals. From catching up on backlogged emails to endless 2016 planning meetings, this industry hits the ground running unlike any other. In the hustle and bustle of mapping out future campaigns, it’s easy to forget that January is also the best time of year to deeply understand and anticipate consumer needs.

Read on for the hard data on consumer preferences and mindsets during Self-Improvement Season and ideas for how you can tailor your brand message during this critical time of transformation.

By The Numbers

A 2015 study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology found that 45% of Americans habitually make New Year’s Resolutions. That amounts to at least 143 Million consumers in need of products and services that will help them achieve their goals. The number is likely even higher, as this figure doesn’t even include the 17% of Americans who only sometimes make resolutions. While goals may vary from the personal (falling in love) to the practical (spend less, save more), they all have a common theme: Self-Improvement.

A University of Scranton study found that Americans in their 20’s are more than twice as likely to achieve their goals than those in their 50’s (39% vs. 14%).

Consumers may have a broader common goal of self-improvement, but it’s important to remember that certain groups approach goals differently than others. This is particularly true for older versus younger consumers. A University of Scranton study found that Americans in their 20’s are more than twice as likely to achieve their goals than those in their 50’s (39% vs. 14%). Armed with the facts on how different age groups fare with their annual goals, you can better craft messaging to attract your target audience.

Aligning Your Messaging

Some products or services will be a better fit for tackling certain goals over others. Go through last year’s list of top resolutions with your team and identify which goals most align with your brand. Be sure to think outside the box and look out for subtle solutions, especially if your brand offers a service. For example, consider how a consumer might not make an immediate connection between hiring a housekeeper and losing weight, but doing so could help them to create more time for exercise.

Top 10 New Years Resolutions for 2015

1. Lose Weight

2. Get Organized

3. Spend Less, Save More

4. Enjoy Life to the Fullest

5. Stay Fit and Healthy

6. Learn Something Exciting

7. Quit Smoking

8. Help Others in Their Dreams

9. Fall in Love

10. Spend More Time with Family

Still stumped on how your brand might fit? We reviewed opportunities for brand alignment with a few common and not-so-common resolutions, to spark creative ways to frame messaging for the self-improvement sect:

Stay Fit and Healthy

Losing weight may be the most common resolution on the list, but there are more opportunities than ever before for brands to help consumers tackle this goal. From wearable technology, to online fitness classes, consumers are thinking beyond gym memberships to help them stay fit. Task-related services like ODesk or Fiverr can help to create time for a workout. Healthy meal delivery options, such as Blue Apron or Hello Fresh, not only save time but make healthy eating convenient, too.

Enjoy Life to the Fullest

This resolution can be interpreted in a variety of ways – from spa days, to staycations, to foreign excursions. No matter how “enjoy life to the fullest” is interpreted, busy schedules, obligations at home, and budget concerns are common roadblocks. Travel deal sites and app companions are an easy solution to jumpstart world travels. While expense manager apps can also act as a tool by allowing a person to save and manage the funds needed for their next big adventure.

Learn Something Exciting

As businesses embrace more of an online presence versus brick and mortar, the opportunities are endless to learn something exciting in an accessible way. The new wave of tech education is even moving to mobile devices, enabling more people to learn snackable information on the go. Even if the product or service doesn’t typically “teach” consumers, there are always ways to create interesting content related to a brand that informs and excites. For example, a running shoe company can produce a booklet on running technique, offering consumers an opportunity to learn something new, while interacting with their brand.

As we know, it takes much more than sheer determination to accomplish a goal. With tailored messaging, your brand can be the critical help that keeps people on track and ensures their ambitions are met, whatever they may be. Introducing your brand as a valuable tool during Self Improvement Season is the optimal moment to foster customer loyalty, setting you up for a successful 2016.