You’re a supplement manufacturer with a great product, but you’d love the endorsement of someone with a bit of clout, like a fitness professional or an N.D. What do you need to court someone in that realm? Supplement Perspectives’ Pete Croatto reached out to regular Supplement Perspective contributor Michelle Brown (http://michellebrown.fitness), a certified personal trainer and fitness nutrition specialist, to find out what’s required.

To become interested in a branded supplement--meaning promoting it or recommending it to clients--what do you need to be swayed?

First, there should be a true need for the product. There needs to be clear research showing the product’s effectiveness for intended use.  I need to be able to test it and see how it works for myself.

How can a supplement company become too aggressive in pursuing your endorsement?

Pushing a product that I don’t find a true use for. If I am finding no need for a product for myself, or for my clients, there is no reason for me to promote a product. Many of the companies want to get promoted through your social media and aren’t willing to provide you with the product to test.

What are the red flags that prohibit such an endorsement?

The product has little to no effect. Trying to target the wrong group of people for product use.

What does the company need to show you?

I like to see research. The exact intention of the product and for who is it made for. 

Who from the company do you want to deal with?

Someone who knows the product and the background on it; I don’t want to talk to a sales rep that is doing a hard sell. I want someone with deep knowledge of the ingredients and how it works when paired with other products.