When a business launches a brand new product, it’s a very risky time. Companies spend a lot of time, effort and money in creating, developing, branding and marketing a new line. Much of the immediate future depends on sales, but sometimes growth is hard to come by.
There are a number of obstacles to overcome. There’s the issue of a competitive marketplace, where rivals are battling for their share of the revenue in just every industry that exists.
But perhaps a more pressing issue is the uncertainty surrounding whether a target audience is actually interested in the product in question. Consumers might be wary of a new product in the market and unsure of its quality.
By nature, we humans don’t like change. From our washing up liquid to our favourite brands of bread, we tend to stick to what we know even if it costs more money and is of a lesser quality. It sounds incredible, but it’s true. And all this makes it hard for brands to launch with any confidence.
But that’s where product sampling comes into play. Because sampling is free, people are automatically more receptive. A freebie breaks helps businesses overcome that initial hurdle – that of getting people to actually try their product in the first place.
Now, if a product is good enough, consumers will buy it – either there and then or at a later date. Plus, they could also recommend it to people that they know, which means that the reach expands beyond that initial face.
One thing about executing a product sampling campaign that’s often overlooked is how customer feedback can help shape a product’s future. As we mentioned, a product launch carries a lot of uncertainty, but even if a product has flaws, it doesn’t mean that they can’t be addressed.
Product sampling campaigns need thorough planning, since the cost of distributing multiple products to the public can easily spiral out of control. Furthermore, there needs to be consistent branding and messaging, perhaps even delivered within a creative and memorable event.
Ultimately, why leave anything to chance? Come speak to us. We’ve created, planned and executed numerous successful sampling campaigns for a variety of companies across a multitude of markets.
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.
