There are 3 ways that you can improve the efficiency of a product sampling campaign. They are all grounded in common sense, so let’s dive right in.
The first way is to really get to grips with your target audience. Ultimately, the more you know about your ideal type of consumer, the more successful you’ll be.
If you’re using an existing mailing list to drive action for a campaign, then ensure that you’ve cultivated your list beforehand. Send surveys so that you can pick up one or two nuggets of information that you can use to your advantage.
Spend some time creating a solid buyer persona, so that you can then pick the right location, select the right time, display appropriate branding, create effective messaging and just generally connect with them better.
The second way is to measure and record as much data as possible. From gathering consumers’ information through to recording how many samples were given out, data is crucial.
These details will allow you to work out whether your campaign was a success or not and give you the tools to fine-tune any subsequent sampling plans.
Don’t forget that, ideally, you’ll want to communicate with people who took a sample over the course of time. And whilst that adds another layer of complexity to a sampling campaign, this kind of attention to detail will boost your ROI.
The third and final way to enhance a sampling campaign is to be really flexible in your approach. By this, we mean that a sampling campaign doesn’t have to involve live stalls, huge numbers of promotional staff and months of planning.
Modern technology affords us many more opportunities. Years ago, product sampling had to be something physical and something that existed in a shop or a shopping centre. But not any more.
It’s entirely possible to offer freebies via a website and, in some ways, sampling can be extraordinarily effective. Maybe even more so than traditional sampling set ups. Because, with doing everything online, you’re able to capture emails and contact information and just generally be in more control of what’s going on.
Our advice would be to try and test a variety of approaches. Over time, you’ll be able to deduce which process works best in your niche.
Hotcow is a non-traditional creative agency that specialises in experiential marketing that goes viral. Our campaigns generate buzz through crowd participation, PR and content sharing. Contact us on 0207 5030442, or email us on info@hotcow.co.uk.
