Nutrition Business Journal hosted a Webinar on Thursday, July 8, 2010 and discussed direct-to-consumer selling in the nutrition industry. NBJ Editorial Director Carlotta Mast and NBJ Director of Market Research Carla Ooyen  discussed how sales of dietary supplements and other nutrition industry products fared via Internet retailers, multi-level marketers (MLMs), healthcare practitioners, direct-response television (DRTV), direct-response radio (DR radio), and mail-order catalogs in 2009.   Network-marketing expert Mike Sheffield, CEO of Sheffield Resource Network also presented.  Mike provided an overview of the nutritional MLM landscape, discussed why nutrition companies might want to consider launching a new product via an MLM model, and provide insights into how to avoid the high failure rate prevalent in network marketing.

In addition to providing a detailed overview of 2009 nutrition sales by product category and direct-to-consumer channel, the Webinar explored:

•  How direct-to-consumer sales compared to retail sales in 2009 
• How the top global nutrition MLMs performed in 2009 and what is expected for 2010
•  The importance of continuity/auto-ship programs and how these have been impacted by the down economy and fraudulent billing practices related to nutrition products
•  Regulatory issues impacting direct-to-consumer nutrition sales, including newly revised FTC guidelines for the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising
•  The multi-channel sales strategies being successfully employed by nutrition companies * And much more…

Nutrition Business Journal is widely recognized as the journal of record for the U.S. nutrition industry direct to consumer sales markets. NBJ’s research into the direct-to-consumer channels sets our market research apart from that of other generalist research firms that look solely at the nutrition industry’s retail markets. Since 1996, NBJ has published the most detailed analysis of the U.S. direct to consumer sales markets available to investors and executives in or interested in the nutrition industry. NBJ breaks down supplements, natural & organic foods, natural & organic personal care and functional food sales into four primary direct sales channels: multi-level marketing, mail-order catalog, Internet and practitioners. In 2007, NBJ expanded this research to include more detailed analysis of the direct response television and radio channels. In addition, NBJ provides analysis on more than 150 popular supplement products and their sales through direct sellers.

	Carlotta Mast is the editorial director of NBJ and helps guide the editorial direction for all NBJ products. A graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, Carlotta has 15 years of business and health writing and research experience. She is a regular presenter during NBJ Webinars and at industry conferences and events.
	Carla Ooyen is the director of market research of NBJ.  In addition to producing market research reports, Carla is responsible for NBJ’s quantitative research, company databases and surveys. Carla earned her MBA from the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado.

Mike Sheffield is the Mike Sheffield, CEO of Sheffield Resource Network. During his more than 25 years in the industry, Sheffield has worked with many of the largest nutrition MLMs, including Shaklee, Nu Skin, Herbalife and Amway (Nutrilite). He also founded and ran one of the first nutrition network-marketing companies, Orion Herbs.