Volume 7, Issue 1

Welcome to the latest issue of Nutraceutical News from IFS. In this issue, we are delighted to give you an update on the growing market for "brain health" products in our Industry Update. In the Marketing Column, we'll tell you about the importance of "internal" marketing…in other words, marketing to your employees. In the Customer Service Corner, you'll learn how online consumers are increasingly pleased with their shopping experience. And the subject of this issue's Client Profile is…drum roll please…IFS! We want to share a new short video with you and we'll link you to our new website.

For more information about the content found here or about any of our products and services, you can always visit our Web site, www.ifssolutions.com. To share your feedback about this newsletter, please click here. To unsubscribe, please use the link at the end of this issue.

• Industry Update: The Growing Market for Brain Health Products
• Marketing Tip: Are You Marketing Internally? If Not, You Should Be!
• Customer Service Corner: Online Shopper Satisfaction is on the Rise
• Profile: A Brief Update on IFS
• About IFS: For More Information, Contact Us

According to an article in the May 2010 issue of Nutraceuticals World magazine, dementia now affects 14 percent of all U.S. adults over the age of 71. Alzheimer's is the leading type of dementia, and the Alzheimer's Association reports that 5.3 million Americans now have the disease.

As a result, consumers are growing more concerned about their "brain health" and spending more money on brain and memory supplements. In fact, the percentage of Americans who purchased these supplements more than doubled from 2007 to 2009.

According to a March 4, 2010 article on the Natural Products Marketplace Web site, the top five brain health supplements - in addition to a high quality multivitamin with an antioxidant - are:

• Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) from fish oil;
• Phosphatidylserine (PS), which is found in the neuron membranes;
• Acetyl L-carnitine (ALCAR), which benefits brain health, athletic performance and weight management;
• Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), which not only exerts antioxidant effects, but also aids in cellular metabolism and energy production; and
• Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), which helps turn glucose into energy, and which also passes easily into the brain where it helps protect nerve tissue from free radical damage.

The Nutraceuticals World article, "Designing Smart Formulations for the Brain Health Market," suggests that an integrated nutraceutical strategy may be the best approach. In a small recent study of elderly patients with mild dementia and depression, participants who underwent an integrative therapy that incorporated multivitamins, vitamin E, lipoic acid, Omega 3 and CoQ10 had significantly improved cognition, memory function and frontal lobe brain activity.

Perhaps incorporating these supplements into a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables, along with an active, healthy lifestyle, can be a recipe for improved brain health as we age.

Typically when you think of marketing, you think of reaching 'out' to your target audience. That's only natural…you want to reach the people who will actually purchase your products. But if you focus all your marketing efforts externally, you'll be missing a very important market: your employees.

Whether it's called "internal marketing," "internal branding"or something else, marketing to your employees is something every company needs to do. After all, how can your employees be expected to promote your company's product or service if they don't understand it and/or believe in it themselves?

Every year as you plan your marketing budget, be sure to include a portion for producing materials to help you train, educate and even reward your employees for promoting your company's product or service. Make sure they have a clear handle on not just the features of your product, but how customers benefit from it, as well. And stating those benefits in clear, personal terms - that your employees both understand and can articulate to others - will be money well spent.

Good news for both online retailers and their customers: According to an annual survey reported in May 2010 by ForeSee Results, online consumers appear to be happier with their shopping experience.

The study identified several factors that lead to a satisfied online experience; including fair and competitive prices, variety and availability of products, usability of the retailer's website, and accuracy and quality of information on the site.

Compiled via a method developed at the University of Michigan, the study was based on surveys of more than 23,000 visitors to the top 100 online retailers in terms of sales volume. Among those 100 e-tailers, Netflix came in first with a score of 87, which was two points higher than its score last year. Amazon came in second, and Apple tied for number three with Avon. This is the sixth year for the annual study.

The results of the survey are important to retailers because - compared to unhappy consumers - a happy online shopper is 73 percent more likely to purchase an item via the Net, 72 percent more likely to recommend it, and 47 percent more likely to buy it offline.

Perhaps it's time to ramp up your e-commerce marketing efforts!

If you haven't checked out IFS lately, now is the time! As we've grown and expanded, our existing Web site had not kept up, so we're excited to share with you a brand new site at our same, familiar web address, www.ifssolutions.com.

Some of the "fast facts" you'll learn about IFS from our new Web site include:

• You can expect a shipping accuracy rate of 99.99% as tracked from our 2009 results;
• Thanks to our Midwest location, your packages can be shipped almost anywhere in the country for arrival in just 2 - 3 business days via ground delivery, making shipping both fast and more affordable;
• Because we ship so many nutraceutical product orders, we have bulk carrier options available with fast delivery and cost savings specifically for nutraceuticals.
• A significant portion of our warehouse is climate controlled for nutraceutical and cosmeceutical products;
• As an IFS client, your dedicated Account Manager gets to know your business inside and out, in order to ensure that your customers receive exceptional service; and
• You'll find IFS clients are passionate about the service they receive, so be sure to check out the testimonials you'll find throughout the site.

In addition to these facts, be sure to view our new video, which tells you even more about our company.

IFS is a world class, full service fulfillment operation with a track record of success. A woman-owned business, we proudly serve some of the country's most respected corporations. With a special expertise in the fulfillment of nutraceuticals, we can help you run your nutraceuticals business more efficiently and more cost effectively.