E-sampling – engages customers more than traditional marketing and it allows us to establish an ongoing relationship with the customer – you can find out more about this topic in this article.
What is an e-sampling campaign?
E-sampling campaigns are marketing activities that use the internet and digital technology to distribute the samples of products or services to prospective customers. As part of e-sampling campaigns, brands offer the samples of their products or services by means of various electronic channels, such as websites, social media, emails or mobile apps.
E-sampling allows us to adapt to customers who are now far more likely to shop online with home delivery. Our world is becoming increasingly digital, so brands that are not developing their digital technologies – are being left behind.
The main objective of e-sampling campaigns is to reach a wide group of prospective customers and give them the opportunity to try a product or service before buying it. By making samples available, we have the opportunity to convince our target group of the value and quality of our products, and encourage customers to buy them.
The e-sampling campaign at a glance
Let us suppose that we are a cosmetic company and we decide to run an e-sampling campaign to promote our new perfume. The aim of our campaign is to reach prospective customers and encourage them to try our product.
The first thing our company has to deal with is creating a sample of a new perfume fragrance that is sufficient for a few applications, during which customers will be able to assess its performance and quality. Such samples should be packaged carefully and aesthetically. Such packaging should include the name of the perfume and details to contact our company.
The next step in building e-sampling is the choice of distribution channels. We may choose to use our website or social media to promote and distribute samples. We provide a special form on the website and in social media posts where users can order a sample by themselves. In this way, we will gain prospective customers from the target group of our product, so that our sampling is not sent en masse to people who are not interested in a product in that category. It is essential to promote the campaign through online advertising, social media posts, influencer partnerships, newsletters or email marketing. We keep our prospective customers widely informed about new perfumes and encourage them to try our products and give feedback and pass the information on to others.
How will ordering a sample look like in this case?
Prospective customers visit a website or click on a link in a social media post or email, where they are redirected to a sample order form. The form asks for their contact details, such as name, email address and shipping address. Once the order is received, we pack and send the perfume samples to interested parties. They can be delivered by post or courier or we can make it possible to collect a sample in our stationary shop.
Customers receive a sample of the perfume and can try it out, it is important that it is enough for several days; sending a sample that we can only use for one day will not give a good impression of our company, and it will not be profitable for us. In the case of perfume, a small amount can be applied to the wrist or sprayed on a scent sheet. The sample should contain information about the fragrance, the fragrance notes and contact details of our company.
After trying the product, customers can share their opinions about fragrance and its durability. They can do this through comments on the website, posts on social media or a survey sent with the sample. We collect and analyse customer feedback and reactions. This analysis allows us to assess the effectiveness of our campaign, the increase in sales or interest in a new fragrance. This will allow us to make more accurate decisions on further marketing activities.
The example described here outlines the progress of an e-sampling campaign for a perfume. In practice, it may look different and be tailored to the specific characteristics of the brand, product or target group.
What are the best products for e-sampling?
The effectiveness of e-sampling campaigns can depend on a number of factors, such as our business sector, our target group, our budget and the purpose of the campaign. However, some products may be more suitable for this type of marketing effort than others.
Product categories that often achieve good results in e-sampling campaigns are:
- Cosmetics, perfumes and skincare products. The samples of cosmetics, such as face creams, lotions, shampoos or perfumes, are often in high demand; they are also everyday use products, which makes them very popular. Customers are eager to test these products before deciding to buy them.
- Food products. The new flavours of snacks, drinks or other packaged foods are welcomed by customers. In the case of new food products, sampling can help build brand awareness and consumer interest in our product.
- Dietary supplements. The samples of dietary supplements, such as vitamins, minerals or nutritional supplements, can be an effective way to demonstrate their effectiveness and convince consumers to use them regularly.
- New technologies, electronic equipment and gadgets. In the case of innovative electronic products, such as smartphones, smartwatches or wireless headphones, e-sampling can help generate interest and enable prospective customers to try these products before they buy them. Companies often give the opportunity to test a product and only then we make a decision to buy it. It also happens that, as a sampling of such products, companies offer a demonstration meeting where we can see how it works and decide to buy it.
- All products for children and parents. The samples of baby products, such as nappies, creams or baby food jars, can attract the attention of parents who are looking for quality products for their children.
Summary
E-sampling campaigns can be an effective marketing tool. They enable us to reach a specific target group, as customers interested in our product order a sample by themselves. They also allow us to collect feedback data on the product or service.
E-sampling is an extremely effective marketing strategy, but it requires careful consideration and a well-chosen strategy. Customers will judge our brand by the sample we provide. So it has to be of high quality and the sampling process itself should be trouble-free. Brand reputation will suffer if our e-sampling is not prepared carefully.
It must be acknowledged that e-sampling wins over traditional marketing, it engages customers in action and builds a relationship with them.
Are you planning an e-sampling campaign for your product? At Purells Innovative / Burgopak Poland we can help, we are experienced in designing packaging for cosmetic samples; write to us and we will prepare a suitable offer for your samples.
Sources:
https://odore.com/blog/where-e-sampling-wins-out-over-traditional-marketing-methods
https://www.pm360online.com/how-e-sampling-can-drive-revenue-through-customer-centric-marketing/
