For most new entrepreneurs, creating and manufacturing a great product, brand, and presentation for launch often leaves little time to craft a strategic marketing plan to make sure their story is told and pushed out to as many interested consumers as possible. Couple this with limited resources and a lack of marketing expertise by most small entrepreneurs, and it's easy to understand why many new products never get flight and achieve success.
So while you are thinking about creating that pitch perfect PR release, glossy advertisement, or a cutting edge social media strategy, consider sampling as a key component in your launch marketing campaign.
Think about all those times you've been in a grocery store or a department store, only to be lured over to try something new by an eager salesperson. Whether it's a free tasting of a fresh, out-of-the-oven new food offering, or a free makeover to try a new cosmetic product, you've probably bought something that you may never had tried otherwise. Sampling, whether it's tasting, touching, or seeing a product in action, creates a sensory experience for us that is hard to resist. And, since it's free, you're more apt to try something new.
This "try it before you buy it" strategy continues to rank among the most effective tactics used by marketers to drive sales. According to the Opinion Research Corp, who conducted a survey on behalf of the United States Postal Service in December 2010, a whopping 81% of consumers will buy a product after receiving a free sample, and most prefer to try them at home.
For marketers and entrepreneurs, this is nirvana! The ultimate goal of any marketing campaign is to get a potential customer to just try a product. Fancy ads, great packaging, and an awesome product only go so far. Here's why sampling continues to be a favorite direct marketing strategy employed by both large corporations and small entrepreneurs alike...
1. Appeals to the senses - Sampling gives potential customers a tease of what that product can mean to them and creates a sense of excitement. Whether its food, cosmetics, baby products, or something for the home, experiencing it can forge a bond between customer and product that no other form of advertising can do. It's like speed dating - experience it, get excited about something, and then come back for more!
2. Ability to target interested customers - Think beyond traditional retail outlets such as grocery stores to do sampling. The dynamic shifts created by the explosion of social media provides some very creative ways to find the right customers for a new product. Facebook and Twitter allows targeted postings and there are have some great apps to run sweepstakes. Influential blog sites geared towards a product can be targeted to get a sample into their hands and hopefully shared with their audience, creating a buzz that money can't buy. Even creating a company blog and getting it "seen" via great SEO can help find potential customers that are interested in trying a creation.
3. Better ROI - Isn't the desired end result of any ad, fancy packaging, PR release or any other marketing strategy to get someone to try your product? Why not cut to the chase and give a sample of your product directly to an interested customer and see that relationship blossom? Dollar for dollar, sampling is the best way to spend your time and marketing resources.
4. Get valuable feedback - Depending on the avenue you choose to provide samples, and how creative you are with follow up, sampling can provide valuable feedback on your product that you might otherwise miss. Consider setting up a website that provides a coupon or giveaway if they'll provide some feedback on sampling your product. It's also a great way to get authentic testimonials to use in your marketing pieces.
5. Compliment and "amp up" other marketing strategies - If you're set on a big marketing campaign that includes print ads, and PR releases, find a way to build sampling into those mediums. One example is to create a QR code, printed on your ad or promotional coupon, that drives them to a website where they can request a sample, sign up for a newsletter, or download a freebie. In other words, always look for ways to create easy paths in each marketing tactic for consumers to stay engaged.
In the end, you have to create a balanced marketing plan to touch as many people as you can. Targeted marketing, a connection with potential customers, solid ROI for your marketing budget, and a chance to learn what your customers think are all reasons why sampling should be a part of your marketing mix. There's a reason companies like Sephora, Splenda, and Clairol all offer free samples to consumers. If you're a small entrepreneur, why not learn from them?
Crafted by Mad Smaple ( http://www.madsmaple.com ), a website dedicated to helping small entrepreneurs successfully launch products through samples, discounts, and promotions to our members. Launching in March 2013, sign up for a free 6 month membership on our website, http://www.madsmaple.com. If you are an entrepreneur or blogger in the field of entrepreneurship, product development, or marketing, and are interested in being featured, please contact us at info@madsmaple.com.
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