Hello! I am P.J.S. Dougherty, the Natural Health Writer. You can call me Pat.
Born with an innate curiosity about the healing power of nature, I first began my career as a natural health writer in 2003. I landed a copywriting job for Nature’s Plus, a legendary company in the dietary supplement industry.
Soon I became Executive Editor of their magazine Energy Times, which peaked at 500K circulation (in health stores) under my watch. In this capacity I wrote about alternative health from all angle. The magazine’s dietary supplement emphasis and holistic health features gave me broad experience throughout the entire wellness sphere. The third-party published magazine environment was amazing. After one year, I felt my skill as a natural health copywriter had advanced beyond anything I could have imagined.
In 2007, I left it all to become a publisher. I started a third-party publishing company — Vibrant Life Publishing, Inc. — that served the nutritional supplements industry. Over this span, Vibrant Life published 20+ million booklets that were distributed in outgoing orders of mail-order supplement companies.
Around 2012, the next chapter began for me. Print had declined. So I switched to becoming a full-time freelance writer for the dietary supplement industry. As a dietary supplement copywriter, I gained exposure to even more brands.
Dozens of them, over the years. Along the way I would get different holistic health writing projects, too. Website content for doctors, product copy for alternative health practitioners, branding copy for medical devices, magazine articles about holistic modalities and more.
But really, my time as a freelancer has been mostly focused on dietary supplements.
Dietary supplements have become my area of expertise. I have had great experience in this industry. I have worked one-on-one with some of the biggest names in the industry, assisting with all sorts of different copywriting and creative marketing campaigns.
Along the way I have learned so many supplement marketing strategies.
I have become quite fluent in FDA-friendly copy. To be more specific, my copy has passed legal review for some of the biggest nutritional supplement companies in the world. In reality a lot of my work has been shredded by lawyers! But I learned more and more each time. Now I am a leading expert when it comes to dietary supplement copywriting guidelines.
Of course my real story is much deeper than dietary supplements. But from day 1 I have been passionate about the natural products industry. I have always advocated for natural health. And helping companies to excel in this space brings me great gratification.
I created this site to share my knowledge and gain some new clients along the way.
Please do explore it as you wish, and check out some of my articles.
If you want to work together, I encourage you to contact me anytime at pjsdougherty@gmail.com.
I will conclude this About page by pasting in my resume below, after some social links to prove I am a real person! Thanks for your time.
My Resume!
P.J.S. Dougherty
THE NATURAL HEALTH WRITER
pjsdougherty@gmail.com ~ 631.790.4331
20+ year dietary supplement writer
Idea Man with unique creative talent
Visionary content marketing strategist
Rainmaking storyteller across all media
DSHEA, FDA & FTC regulatory expertise
EXPERIENCE
APOLLO PRESS, INC., Patchogue, New York 11/07 – Present
Writing and marketing consulting for Nutritional Supplement Industry. Some examples:
Mind Lab Pro – Directed rebranding, site update and content of (now) world-leading nootropic
• Developed Universal Nootropic™ and 100% Brainpower™ product-defining taglines
• Wrote sell sheets for supplement and ingredients, including research, claims and features
• Orchestrated formula upgrade, including R&D, labels, packaging, supplement facts updates
• Wrote press releases, Google ads, banner ads, email marketing campaigns
Spearheaded launch and management of Mind Lab Pro blog:
• Conceptualized blog article style integrating education and product marketing
• Conducted keyword research to develop editorial calendar with rich SEO value
• Managed team to publish 100 SEO-tuned, research-backed nootropic articles
• 97% of articles are first-page on Google for high-traffic nootropic keywords
• Personally wrote Google #1-ranked articles on most competitive keywords
Performance Lab – Directed creative and content for new human performance optimization line
• Brainstormed names, taglines and marketing positions for 15 core and sport formulas
• Developed product confidentials rich with research, market analysis, graphic concepts
• Wrote sell sheets showcasing each product’s features, benefits, quality, research, directions
• Conceptualized website presentation and wrote all website content
• Created Media Kit and marketing materials for expansion into Nu-Tropic nootropic energy bar
• Directed all content, positioning and branding of sister nootropic pre-workout Pre Lab Pro
Nature’s Bounty – Go-to copywriter and creative visionary for multiple NBTY properties
• Contributed copy, marketing direction and branding to Puritan’s Pride
• Wrote FDA-friendly newsletters that passed rigorous internal legal review
• Developed key brand documents on quality, manufacturing and history
• Wrote Healthy Happenings, a quarterly print newsletter for Vitamin World Sales Associates. Content included sales techniques, executive insight, training and nutrition news.
• Oversaw rebranding content for Physiologics doctors’ nutritional supplement line, including the Art of Nutrition quality brochure, sell sheets and condition-specific supplement guides.
Piping Rock Health Products – Directed all copy creation for company launch
• 400+ supplement landing pages, SEO balanced to please The Google
• 125+ essential oil sell sheets, complete with history, uses and recipes
• Nutritional supplement and natural health product blurbs and brochures
• Mission, history, manufacturing content, quality content and storytelling
• Created brand book and brand voice, including messaging from Founder
• Developed multiple video scripts with an emphasis on clean compliance
• Directed fresh B2B content for expansion into Nature’s Truth product line
VIBRANT LIFE PUBLISHING, INC., Patchogue, New York 11/07 – 11/18
President – Third-party publishing solutions for the Natural Health Industry
• Wrote and published the People’s Health Series booklets: Educational package stuffers on cutting-edge nutritional supplements. Total circulation is now 10+ million copies.
• Hallmarks include nutrition booklets on Phosphatidylserine, which yielded 12X ROI; and Pycnogenol, which doubled sales of that supplement within 60 days of printing.
• Produced Sight For Life magazine, a 30,000 circ. Specialty magazine focusing on eye health and distributed in optometrist and ophthalmologist offices.
• Produced Rx Complement magazine, a 100,000+ circ. custom publication focusing on nutrition and natural health distributed in complementary health professionals’ offices.
NATURAL ORGANICS INC., Melville, New York 10/03 – 11/07
Executive Editor, Energy Times Magazine (11/2006 – 11/2007)
• Directed editorial content for this national natural health magazine with 525,000 circulation.
• Brainstormed fresh editorial calendars with creative, intriguing story concepts – all while promoting timely subject matter that harmonized with new product releases.
• Wrote features, departments, website content, media kit content, mission statement, advertisements, e-mails.
• Washington Update: Coordinated with Gerald Kessler each month to produce a column detailing DSHEA and promoting health freedom to generate consumer support for supplement industry
• Overall success of magazine’s new editorial vision realized in steadily rising advertising revenue over the course of my leadership.
Lead Copywriter/Creative Specialist for Nature’s Plus brand supplements
Directed all copy creation as a Department of One, coordinating with Founder Gerald Kessler, President, Vice Presidents and Department Managers. Roles and duties included the following:
• Advertising Group: Created advertising concepts and copy published in national magazines including Women’s Health, Body & Soul, and Vegetarian Times.
• Research and Development: Wrote product-oriented content including brochures, pamphlets, website content, textbook chapters, tag lines, slogans and shelf talkers.
• Marketing: Generated trade and consumer ads, with an emphasis on advertorials. Wrote press releases for new product launches. Created product marketing direction.
EDUCATION
BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY, Binghamton, New York 1996
Bachelor of Arts in English