This article will show you what benefits a well-run sampling campaign can give you.
What is a sampling campaign?
A sampling campaign is nothing else than distributing samples to potential customers, but in such a way as not only to gift them and make them happy but above all to get them involved with our brand. If we are gifted with something that evokes positive emotions, we will remember it and come back for more. A sampling campaign is therefore a tool by which we can increase brand recognition, sales of our product or establish a brand-customer relationship. A sampling campaign is one of the most positively perceived product promotion campaigns.
Sampling is a chance for customers to get to know and understand your product or brand better. By checking the smell, taste or touching of the product – the consumer can test it and decide if it is suitable for him or her. Words, slogans or advertising itself will not achieve the kind of persuasion among customers – that a sample will. When testing a product, the customer does not have to trust in words, but can experience the product’s performance first-hand. May compare it with other products and see the differences. By giving customers a sample of your product you allow them to get to know it, and if it is interesting, unique – it certainly creates the desired effect. Most consumers are more likely to buy a product they have tested than one they have seen in an advertisement, because it is through our senses that we make a decision. When we buy any product, we are entrusting our feelings with the final decision.
Advantages of a sampling campaign from the customer’s perspective
Sampling not only works to the benefit of the entrepreneur who offers it to potential customers, but also to the customers themselves. Through sampling, consumers can:
- test the product before purchase
By testing the product, we can assess whether it is meant for us, suits our preferences, hits our taste. If a product is unsuitable for us, the fact that we have been allowed to check it will help us avoid making the wrong purchasing choices.
- get to know the new product
Getting to know a product through a sample reduces uncertainty when purchasing it. Everyone prefers to check an item before deciding whether to buy it. Having already got to know a product, we are more likely to choose it when shopping than an item we are not yet familiar with. Therefore, testing a sample of a product reduces uncertainty about it, making the product more authentic to us.
- compare our product with others used so far
By getting a sample of the product, we certainly compare it with the product we have used before. Each of us always wants to make the most appropriate choice in every area of our lives, and this doesn’t exclude decisions concerning, for example, the hand cream we use. When I test a newly received sample of cream, I compare it with the one I currently use, its scent, texture, effect after application. This is a good opportunity to get to know the market and see what brands have to offer us.
- experience the product with your senses
We make all our decisions through our senses; they are our tools for selecting the best product for us. Even if we do not plan to buy a newly discovered product, it can make such a strong impression on us that we remember it and are more inclined to buy it in the future. Even if we do not plan to buy a newly discovered product, it can make such a strong impression on us that we remember it and are more inclined to buy it in the future.
- enjoy a free sample
Receiving something for free makes a positive impression on us, such a brand becomes the positive one in our eyes, which reaches out to us and allows us to test its product briefly, without having to buy it. This results in a positive impression of the brand itself, and a positive impression is memorable.
The benefits that an effective sampling campaign will provide your company
Most of the benefits that the customer receives through the samples mentioned overlap with the benefits we can achieve – as a brand that runs such a campaign. The most significant benefits that a sampling campaign will provide us with are:
- increased sales
If you are sure that your product is great, and you can test it with a sample – this sampling will bring a guaranteed increase in sales. Nobody wants to buy a pig in a poke. When you reach your target customer group, your sales are likely to grow. Customers are more likely to buy a product that they have been able to see, touch, experience – without having to trust advertisements. For example, 37% of consumers are encouraged to buy a perfume because of a sample they can take home and test (data according to ASM research).
- building brand recognition and awareness
Samples are a great type of advertising, allowing our company to gain recognition among potential customers. This will result in increased interest in our other products as well. Sampling is not just about distributing a sample of a product, it is also a tool for building relationships with customers to gain recognition and be remembered positively. If consumers find the product valuable, they will certainly be inclined to recommend it to their relatives, so we can also gain popularity among people who have not been direct recipients of sampling.
- creating a positive impression and perception of the brand
Giving away samples of a product is always perceived positively because we like to get something for free or gratis. When we order a particular product and get samples of other products as a gift, we are always pleasantly surprised. We feel pampered by the brand and will be more convinced to order from it again next time because of the positive impression it has made on us. Even when the product is not exactly to our taste, we remember the brand as one that reaches out to us and allows us to check before we buy. This will build a positive impression of our products and trust in our brand.
- testing a new product – getting feedback or opinions on the product
Sampling can also have another effect, we can use it to survey opinions about our product so that it is more targeted toward customers. We can target a small number of people and ask for feedback or gather information about its target group. This is an opportunity to get to know your target market better, so that you can refine or improve your product to make it more relevant to consumers. Refining your product in the early stages of promotion saves money before you launch it for good. By doing so, we can also expand our customer base and increase market share in the sector.
Summary
Effective sampling improves sales results, helps build brand awareness and is a helpful tool in promoting our company in the market. A sampling campaign benefits both the brand and the customers. However, sampling involves a considerable cost to carry out, so it is important to plan such a campaign well. A well-planned and executed sampling campaign is a good investment that brings profit.
Purells Innovative / Burgopak Poland can help you run an effective sampling campaign. Contact us – for years we’ve designed and produced sample packaging for companies in Poland and internationally.
Sources:
https://www.samplrr.in/product-sampling-benefits-you-need-to-know-to-make-it-effective/
https://poradnikprzedsiebiorcy.pl/-sampling-wzmocnij-sprzedaz-bezposrednia
https://oexcursor.pl/baza-wiedzy/sampling-i-testowanie-produktow/
