Brand preference is proof that advertising and marketing work. You vote on your personal brand preference every day by deciding on where to spend your money. Some brands advertise on TV, billboards, magazines, online, radio, etc. while other brands want their product to be shared by their customers through word-of-mouth (WOM). The therapeutic-grade essential oil companies leverage word of mouth marketing practices through incentivizing their customers. In this format, the companies do not have to spend money on advertising or on opening physical store locations staffed with sales personnel. Instead, they rely and reward their customers who share the products with others. This is essentially what multi-level marketing companies do. It can seem like a pyramid scheme, but in actuality it’s just a different business model and marketing approach. Of course, there are still a lot of essential oil brands that you can find in physical stores as well. Point being, there are numerous brands and with each brand there is a different approach to their business and marketing strategies.
Since I spent 12 years in marketing I get it, but here are 5 reasons why I have trouble with the current system and the apparent disdain those that sell have for other essential oil brands.
* No company is perfect. You will have people with both great and poor experiences from each and every company. It’s just the way of business today. Although now, you have more opportunities to read about it online and via social media.
* No one is perfect we are all human. Let’s get real. We all have our own personalities and opinions, which some people will love and some will not. In this light, those that sell essential oils will likely rub some the wrong way depending on their approach and style to sharing the information. I think everyone has good intentions, but where one person uses an educational model infused with facts from third party intelligence there will be another person who takes that same educational model and use it as a platform to be almost dogmatic, elitist and snobby about any other brand that is not the brand they are trying to sell.
* Anything that has to be processed will have imperfections. The quality of essential oils is always a point of differentiation between brands on the market. Therapeutic, food and perfume are just a few of the types or grades of essential oils out there on the market. Yes, with that comes the likelihood that some of will be cheapened with synthetics or diluted to lower the effectiveness as well as the cost. Do your research and know what’s in your products, just like you should do with the food you eat. No matter what, unless you are God, if you take something from nature and process it in ANY way there will be imperfections.
* Our body chemistry is unique. Think of it like a diet, no one diet will work for every single person on the planet. Our bodies respond differently because we are all unique. The same holds true when it comes to essential oils some people will respond to different brands over others.
* Price may vary. We live in an economy and time where price really does matter. Essential oils can be flat out expensive. It’s an investment in your health and in nature, but price is a factor in how people choose what brand they ultimately select. Just because an oil is expensive doesn’t mean it is the best and on the flip side because an oil is cheap doesn’t mean you should buy it either. You have to do some research and comparisons to determine what is best for you.
Overall, shouldn’t it be a win for any person or brand but that someone is trying to get back to the roots and get back to using nature proactively for their health? I use Young Living essential oils. I may not agree with how others handle their approach to building their business, but I do like the products and have good results. I also have personal friends and family that use other brands. Do I tear them down for choosing a different brand? No. Are there still oils out there that are synthetic, diluted and adulterated by other chemicals? Yes, and I attempt to educate them. In reality, our food supply is a similar story.
If someone chooses to pick up an essential oil first to try a natural solution versus a pill then I call that a win. It’s like someone choosing organic vs. conventional vegetables. As a holistic health and nutrition coach, I recommend organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible, but I call it a win either way if someone chooses a conventional carrot over a bag of Oreos any day of the week. It is still a win.
My philosophy is that you need to be proactive when it comes to your health and do you own research. You need to make the best decision for you and your body. Essential oils are just ONE tool in your toolbox for your health, not the end all be all. Do you homework, ask advice from your naturopath or healthcare provider and make the best decision for you regardless of other people’s brand preferences!
Is there anyone else out there that feels we need to celebrate the fact that essential oils are beginning to be discussed in the main stream and people are using them rather than tearing each other down for what brand they choose? Come on now, let’s take a step back and look at the bigger picture.
Now that I jumped off my soapbox, I want to hear your opinion – how do you choose your essential oils?
Image Credit: Filip Lachowski via Flickr