Sample Marketing – Standing Out From The Crowd

 

 

Everybody loves something for free! Receiving a give-away or taking the shampoos at a hotel, we all start to feel like kids at Christmas. This is why sample marketing is so effective. People are instantly engaged by receiving something for free. It cuts through all of the other mail that they receive in their letterbox and people will be instantly drawn to the sample. They will take more notice of the actual brochure or card that the sample is attached to and then look to save or use the sample.

How does sample marketing work?

Firstly people just love the idea of something for free, so you instantly get their attention and engagement. But for those that are providing a sample of their own product the prospective client gets to actually ‘try before they buy’. In marketing this is called experiential marketing. Instead of advertising the features and benefits of the product we let the product sell itself.

Think about dishwashing liquid. If you are trying to sell dishwashing liquid you might need to do a TV ad or try and attract people’s attention through packaging that grabs their attention. But there is still the unknown factors. What does it smell like? How will it make my dishes and my hands feel? Will it be effective as a cleaner? These are some of the objections that the buyer may experience and this will potentially stop them from trying the product.

If however they receive a sample in their letterbox, they can try it on a wash, with no risks. Then the product has the ability to sell itself. If the buyer likes the smell and effectiveness of the product then they are more likely to purchase it next time they are at the supermarket.

I don’t sell dishwashing liquid!

Of course the dishwashing liquid example is an easy choice. Not all of us can easily package up our product into a sample size, and some people are selling services. But with a bit of creativity you can turn this concept into something that will work for your business.

An optometrist could do a sample of a glasses wipe or cleaner, or a magnifier. A local chemist shop could give away little packets of tissues with their branding on it going into winter or little samples of sunscreen in summer. A local vet clinic could give-away a free dog or cat treat. A hairdresser could give a free shower cap or shampoo sample. In fact if you speak to the suppliers that you use they may even be happy to share the cost in something like the dog treat or shampoo since it is also promoting their brand!

Give us a call at Letterbox Distributors and we can help you brainstorm an exciting way to market your local business.