If you’re launching a new product as a business, there are many marketing strategies that can be effective in allowing your customers to gather interest and resultantly drive sales. However, product sampling stands out as a leading choice for a range of businesses, especially FMCG businesses, by allowing your customers to try your product directly. In the blog below, we cover why this is such a successful marketing strategy for a variety of businesses and how you can get started.
What Is Product Sampling?
Product sampling is the process of offering new products to potential customers in the form of free samples. This is done in locations with high footfall, allowing for the opportunity to market towards a breadth of customers to advertise your product. By breaking down the initial barrier to purchase, this can be a highly successful method of driving sales by allowing customers to try the product before buying.
This presents a range of benefits for your business, as you will be able to get instant feedback for your product to learn what works and what doesn’t. In addition, you’ll create instant awareness with your target audience and are also likely to see an uplift in sales in the area you market in.
While other traditional marketing campaigns present their benefits, product sampling stands out for consumers as a memorable experience that advertising alone can’t achieve.
Types of Product Sampling
There are various methods of product sampling that involve different areas as to where your sampling can take place. Below are some of the most popular types of product sampling that businesses use to most effectively market their new products:
In-Store and External Sampling
In-store and external sampling is one of the most common methods of product sampling, and for good reason. Offering free samples of your products at a store allows you to reach a diverse range of customers at the point of purchase and directly influence buying behaviour.
As a business, it’s highly worthwhile to choose a popular supermarket for your product sampling for increased exposure. For example, choosing Morrisons external sampling spaces or Tesco sampling spaces is highly recommended as leading supermarket brands that will guarantee a high footfall.
Event Sampling
Event sampling is a highly effective form of product sampling, with events and exhibitions being the ideal space for launching a new product. With the buzzing atmosphere and the excitement of the attendees, you will likely attract more customers with them being in the mindset to try out new products. In addition, the positive association of the event with your product can be particularly beneficial in driving sales.
Mail Sampling
Mail sampling is a product sampling method that involves directly sending products to a consumer’s door. As a result, it can be a convenient option for customers and has the benefit of targeting your audience specifically.
However, you won’t benefit from the impact of in-person marketing, which allows you to directly engage with customers and influence purchase decisions at the point of sale. Therefore, this method works better for businesses as a supplementary method, while in-person sampling remains the most effective option.
Maximise Impact with Our Product Sampling Ideas
Product sample marketing can be a successful method for marketing a new product, though there are several steps you should take prior to running your campaign that are worth considering for maximum impact. We recommended taking into account our following product sampling ideas:
Consider Your Target Audience
To ensure that your product sampling marketing campaign is most effective, it should reach your intended audience. You should have a clear idea of who exactly your campaign is intended to target and where they are likely to be found to best appeal to them. Supermarkets are good options for many businesses, as they attract diverse customer bases. However, a more specialised audience attending a certain exhibition or event may be more beneficial if you wish to target a particular demographic.
Outline Your Approach and Intent
Your product sampling campaign will, of course, be underpinned by the opportunity for consumers to try your new product for free. However, campaigns can differ in their intent and how they are conducted.
For example, your campaign can benefit from trained staff who are well-equipped to explain product benefits, answer questions, and share brand stories. You may also run a photo-friendly stand that encourages customers to post their experience online, or you could gamify your stand by including prize wheels or challenges that drive buzz and engage dwell time.
Measure Your Campaign’s ROI
Tracking how impactful your campaign has been and whether it’s worth offering product samples in further locations is key to product sample marketing. You can do so by tracking immediate sales uplifts in the areas you have run your campaign and comparing results across different retailers and regions. Whether you receive feedback from your customers in person or after the sample in the form of an online survey, you can then use this to inform you of your product’s appeal and respond to critiques to further improve your product.
Popular Product Sampling Locations at Access Point
If you’re interested in running a product sampling campaign with maximum impact, you can find many promotional spaces at Access Point that attract high footfall. We have a wide range of locations to choose from at popular venues, with a diverse and large client list to target your ideal demographic.
By using our Venue Locator, you can easily search for the perfect site in your region that best meets your preferences. Our convenient tool allows you to tailor your search and find a promotional space that’s most optimal for your business and your campaign.
If you need assistance in finding the ideal location, we have decades of experience working alongside brands running product sampling marketing campaigns and are more than happy to help you. If you need any help with booking your space or have any other questions about our locations, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
