Most attractive target-groups identified in growing healthcare market: "Self-Aware Inquisitives" and "Wellness Fans"
Roland Berger and the WKÖ survey the sunrise industry of healthcare
The secondary healthcare market can look forward to further growth over the coming years. Private spending on prevention will increase by 10%, on health foods by 8%. Other segments of this market can expect similarly sharp rises. Positive trends around health open up plenty of scope for innovative business models – from fitness and wellness through organic food to health-themed television for company intranets. Austria's chamber of commerce, the WKÖ, has collaborated with Roland Berger Strategy Consultants to produce a study of the healthcare market and the success factors. Designed as a practical guide for start-ups in this sector, "Erfolg auf dem Gesundheitsmarkt" ("Success on the healthcare market") centers on a breakdown of the population into five consumer types.
Private spending on health services and products keeps on growing – since 2002 by an annual average of 4.7% a year. Austrians are now spending around EUR 1,600 a year. The market has become very attractive for business, but success depends on understanding its distinctive features: Even if all consumers are becoming health-conscious to a greater or lesser degree, they are doing so in very different ways. Those seeking to exploit business opportunities in the secondary healthcare market need to know who they want to address. Dividing the population into health types is a first step toward getting more detail on consumers and developing markets and products to fit their needs. After all, hardly any products will appeal equally to all types. The best approach is for companies either to target one or two types of customers or develop different products – or even sub-brands – for different target groups.
Based on market research, Roland Berger has identified five basic types of consumers in the healthcare market. Each of these archetypes encompasses a roughly equal proportion (approx. 20%) of the Austrian population.
Self-Aware Inquisitive types
The most attractive target group for businesses consists of the Self-Aware Inquisitives. These consumers follow health issues closely and are very concerned about their own state of health. To maintain a personal sense of well-being, they are willing to spend an average of EUR 2,600 per year. Self-Aware Inquisitives are well-informed, using books, journals and the Internet for health information. They tend to believe themselves to be sick or unhealthy, matched only by the Foot Dragging type in terms of their poor self-assessment. Of all the consumer types, the Self-Aware Inquisitives are the least happy with their body weight. This group has a female bias (57%) and is strongly represented among those under 35 years old. Self-Aware Inquisitives are the most frequent consumers of organic products and nutritional supplements. They visit alternative health practitioners more than the other types and have the highest rate of private health insurance.
The Very Active type (Wellness Fans)
For 20% of Austrians, being proactive is the best path to a healthy life. These are the "Wellness Fans", identified in the survey as the Very Active type. People in this group do a lot of exercise, take advantage of wellness offers and are very interested in precautions and prevention. On the other hand, they are not overly concerned with health theory in general or with monitoring their own state of health in particular. While not making health a mission in life, they take practical steps to stay fit in an easygoing kind of way. This group's self-assessment of their health is more positive than the average. A slight majority is female (57%) and the age bias is toward the 30- to 50-year-old category. Their annual spend on health products and services stands at around EUR 1,850.
The Carefree Athletic type
When it comes to health-promoting behavior, this type of consumer has a very clear focus on sport. Sport is the overriding passion, demanding annual spending of around EUR 1,850 a year. They have little interest in information or wellness offers. Nor does the Carefree Athletic type want to spend money on prevention. These consumers go to the doctor only when it is really necessary. This group makes up 17% of the population and is quite evenly balanced between men and women (54% female).
The Foot-Dragging type
The Foot-Draggers think they should be doing more for their health, but just cannot pull themselves together and achieve a healthy lifestyle. They do hardly any sport or exercise, never opt for wellness and do not care about health issues. This group has a male bias (56% men) and is characterized by below-average income and education. Foot-Draggers go to the doctor far more often than the other types. But, at around EUR 1,000 per year, their health spending is well below the Austrian average.
A typical representative of this group does not use health-promoting services or products. Although he frequently visits his general practitioner, he would never be seen at the homeopath's. He buys relatively little fresh fruit and vegetables and never organic choices. This is partly a question of entrenched nutritional patterns and partly a question of saving money. Foot-Dragging consumers are most likely to be attracted by products and services that demand no initiative and effort.
The Traditional Minimalist type
In the case of Traditional Minimalists, taking care of yourself amounts to no more than the occasional trip to the doctor – but only when feeling ill. For this group – around 19% of the population – health means an absence of illness. People in this group do hardly any sport or exercise and are not interested in health issues. The Traditional Minimalists tend to be elderly and are more likely to be male (57%). They spend only EUR 500 on health per year, yet command the highest average income. What appeals to them most are traditional products and services closely connected with medical treatment.
The secondary healthcare market can look forward to further growth over the coming years. Private spending on prevention will increase by 10%, on health foods by 8%. Other segments of this market can expect similarly sharp rises. Positive trends around health open up plenty of scope for innovative business models – from fitness and wellness through organic food to health-themed television for company intranets. Austria's chamber of commerce, the WKÖ, has collaborated with Roland Berger Strategy Consultants to produce a study of the healthcare market and the success factors. Designed as a practical guide for start-ups in this sector, "Erfolg auf dem Gesundheitsmarkt" ("Success on the healthcare market") centers on a breakdown of the population into five consumer types.
Private spending on health services and products keeps on growing – since 2002 by an annual average of 4.7% a year. Austrians are now spending around EUR 1,600 a year. The market has become very attractive for business, but success depends on understanding its distinctive features: Even if all consumers are becoming health-conscious to a greater or lesser degree, they are doing so in very different ways. Those seeking to exploit business opportunities in the secondary healthcare market need to know who they want to address. Dividing the population into health types is a first step toward getting more detail on consumers and developing markets and products to fit their needs. After all, hardly any products will appeal equally to all types. The best approach is for companies either to target one or two types of customers or develop different products – or even sub-brands – for different target groups.
Based on market research, Roland Berger has identified five basic types of consumers in the healthcare market. Each of these archetypes encompasses a roughly equal proportion (approx. 20%) of the Austrian population.
Self-Aware Inquisitive types
The most attractive target group for businesses consists of the Self-Aware Inquisitives. These consumers follow health issues closely and are very concerned about their own state of health. To maintain a personal sense of well-being, they are willing to spend an average of EUR 2,600 per year. Self-Aware Inquisitives are well-informed, using books, journals and the Internet for health information. They tend to believe themselves to be sick or unhealthy, matched only by the Foot Dragging type in terms of their poor self-assessment. Of all the consumer types, the Self-Aware Inquisitives are the least happy with their body weight. This group has a female bias (57%) and is strongly represented among those under 35 years old. Self-Aware Inquisitives are the most frequent consumers of organic products and nutritional supplements. They visit alternative health practitioners more than the other types and have the highest rate of private health insurance.
The Very Active type (Wellness Fans)
For 20% of Austrians, being proactive is the best path to a healthy life. These are the "Wellness Fans", identified in the survey as the Very Active type. People in this group do a lot of exercise, take advantage of wellness offers and are very interested in precautions and prevention. On the other hand, they are not overly concerned with health theory in general or with monitoring their own state of health in particular. While not making health a mission in life, they take practical steps to stay fit in an easygoing kind of way. This group's self-assessment of their health is more positive than the average. A slight majority is female (57%) and the age bias is toward the 30- to 50-year-old category. Their annual spend on health products and services stands at around EUR 1,850.
The Carefree Athletic type
When it comes to health-promoting behavior, this type of consumer has a very clear focus on sport. Sport is the overriding passion, demanding annual spending of around EUR 1,850 a year. They have little interest in information or wellness offers. Nor does the Carefree Athletic type want to spend money on prevention. These consumers go to the doctor only when it is really necessary. This group makes up 17% of the population and is quite evenly balanced between men and women (54% female).
The Foot-Dragging type
The Foot-Draggers think they should be doing more for their health, but just cannot pull themselves together and achieve a healthy lifestyle. They do hardly any sport or exercise, never opt for wellness and do not care about health issues. This group has a male bias (56% men) and is characterized by below-average income and education. Foot-Draggers go to the doctor far more often than the other types. But, at around EUR 1,000 per year, their health spending is well below the Austrian average.
A typical representative of this group does not use health-promoting services or products. Although he frequently visits his general practitioner, he would never be seen at the homeopath's. He buys relatively little fresh fruit and vegetables and never organic choices. This is partly a question of entrenched nutritional patterns and partly a question of saving money. Foot-Dragging consumers are most likely to be attracted by products and services that demand no initiative and effort.
The Traditional Minimalist type
In the case of Traditional Minimalists, taking care of yourself amounts to no more than the occasional trip to the doctor – but only when feeling ill. For this group – around 19% of the population – health means an absence of illness. People in this group do hardly any sport or exercise and are not interested in health issues. The Traditional Minimalists tend to be elderly and are more likely to be male (57%). They spend only EUR 500 on health per year, yet command the highest average income. What appeals to them most are traditional products and services closely connected with medical treatment.
Program of action for SMEs
The free booklet (available only in German) "Erfolg auf dem Gesundheitsmarkt – Ein Leitfaden für die Praxis" can be ordered by telephone (+43 05 90 900-4279) or downloaded at www.unternehmerservice.at/publikationen. It was jointly compiled by the BMWFJ (Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth), the WKÖ (Austrian Chamber of Commerce) and Roland Berger Strategy Consultants.
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