Product sampling is a well defined process of giving free samples to the customers. The idea of this process is, that once the consumers try the product for free, they’ll be able to give feedback and be more confident in paying full price for the same item. Giving away the product for free can feel a little daunting but when it comes to free samples, the company has to cover the cost. Free samples are a huge way to boost sales of a product.
A company can use sampling products to:
-Introduce their product to new audiences who are unfamiliar with the brand.
-They can foster relationships and inspire loyalty within the existing target customers.
-These free samples help to expand the shoppers’ knowledge about the products they offer.
-It encourages to create customer loyalty and generates more sales of the new products.
– It helps the companies to earn attention for their brand.
•Why is sampling product effective?
It is very important to understand why freebies hook customers. And it is more important to understand why giving their product out for free leads to paying customers. There is always resistance when giving products away for free. The companies nor the sampling agency know if the result will justify the cost of team building and the product itself. Product sampling isn’t something like a new concept, however, the concept still causes many problems for the companies that make campaign attempts. The business strategies of product sampling are ever-changing and growing ever more complex. There are still many more traditional in-store customer and distributor sampling interactions that occur but now there is a mix of new creative strategies which are shaking things up in the market. Brands are beginning to test out new outlets for product sampling. This has allowed a great boost of creativity in the market. Brands aren’t just targeting customers, but they are also targeting customer Influencers.
It is a very advantageous move to offer product samples to the target audience because it increases the appearance and allows customers to taste the product which may leave them wanting more. By applying the sample distribution of the new product to the marketing campaign, a company’s business will get a great result and may leave the competitors feeling overshadowed. For many years, the brands have been using the distribution of free samples through any sampling agency to get the product directly into their customers’ hands.
•Types of Product Sampling in the market
There are different types of product samples in the market. Direct Product Sampling and Indirect Product Sampling are the typical methods adopted by any sampling agency to attract consumers to experiment with the product.
Indirect Product Sampling
Indirect Sampling is a method in which there is no physical interaction between the company and the customers. In this, the companies through any sampling agency can offer free samples of a product to customers when they buy another product within its reach. But there is a limitation to using this product sampling method, the company may have no idea whether the customer liked the freebie sample or not, as there is no quick feedback from customers on this strategy.
Direct Product Sampling
This powerful strategy is the opposite of indirect product sampling. Direct Product Sampling is categorized into these kinds:
–Dry Sampling
It is a method in which a company with the help of a sampling agency offers the customer a product for at-home testing. In this method, there is a physical interaction between the company seller and the target consumer. Dry Sampling has two types:
•Event-Based Sampling
This strategy follows the distribution of free samples of the product through a particular event. Event-based Sampling depends upon the relevancy of the event. The cost of using this strategy is high as it involves sponsorship and the value of free samples.
•Super-market Sampling
In this sampling, If more people reach the product, the better will be the chances of achieving sales and growing one’s business. The overall cost of this method is low.
•Wet Sampling
Wet Sampling is one of the most popular methods of direct sampling. According to this method, the company offers its products in its store. This method is regarded as more specific. It is further categorized into two types:
Guerrilla Product Sampling
A productive guerrilla marketing strategy that helps a company to put the product into the hands of the customers can be very useful. This marketing strategy has a vast reach and is very powerful. This strategy requires a very massive cost as it requires heavy investment in the distribution team.
Selective Product Sampling
This strategy focuses on giving a freebie to only those customers who are highly interested in the company’s product. This strategy only revolves around the most targeted audience who are desiring the product. The cost of using this strategy is considered high, as it includes the selection cost along with the distribution cost.
