How to Create a Product Sampling Campaign That Gets People Talking

Sampling is often a successful marketing addition because people tend to trust what they know more than what they hear. Essentially, people are more likely to buy something they’ve already tried and know they like than to buy something because someone told them it was worth the money. Sampling is a great way for companies to get their product into their audience’s hands while maintaining a strong marketing strategy. A great product sampling campaign combines giving people a chance to try it with making it shareable. If you’re looking to add product sampling to your marketing strategy, stick around as we share insights on how to create a product sampling campaign that gets people talking. 

Why Does Sampling Work?

Sampling has been around for ages as a way to get people to buy a full product, and it’s still one of the most successful ways to get your product into people’s hands. One reason this works so well is that many first-time buyers feel a “risk,” and samples eliminate that risk by letting them try it before committing to a purchase. In experiential marketing, the senses are a huge part of it, and samples let your audience smell, touch, taste, or use your products, giving them a deeper marketing experience than they’d get elsewhere. 

How to Create a Product Sampling Campaign 

If you feel that product sampling might be right for you, then creating a share-worthy sampling event should be your goal. Following these next steps can help you plan an impactful, shareable sampling event so you get the most benefit. Here’s a look into what you can do from setting goals to creating a reason to talk or share. 

Set Your Goals 

The first thing you should do when creating a shareable product sampling experience that gets people talking is set your goals. Obviously, with any marketing campaign, you’ll want to set the campaign goal, as this helps you measure success. Determine what you want to achieve with this event, whether it be more sign-ups, purchases, engagement, or social sharing. Focus on one goal, then pull the metrics that align with it so you know what to track to determine success. If you’re wanting more engagement, figure out exactly what that looks like, whether it’s shares, mentions, referrals, or another method. 

Know Your Audience

You have to understand your audience to create an event that captivates them and pushes them to buy. You need to define who would like the product, who you are speaking to, and what kind of pain points they’d align with. Match your sampling items to this specific audience and cater to their personality type with the event, structure, and overall vibe of your event setup. 

What Sampling Method Should You Choose? 

Many sampling methods are available, and the best choice depends heavily on your industry and the type of product you are sampling. Every product has different options: for a dessert product, you might build your own dessert bar, whereas for a body care brand, you might offer mini samples of your lotions. Here’s a look into some of the different types of sampling events you can choose for your product: 

• In-store or event sampling with live demos and stations set up for tasting 
• Sample boxes sent through direct mail where target customers will get your samples for free to try 
• Pop-ups where you’ll set up in a high-traffic area for a limited time 
• Digital sample requests that you can put in your forms where target customers can get free samples 
• Partnerships like subscription boxes where you will put your product inside their box to get in front of their audience 

All of these ideas can be successful campaigns, but which options work depends on your goals, product type, and where your target audience is located. 

Making the Sample Worth Sharing 

After planning the accrual sample, you’ll want to plan how you’re going to make it shareable for the person on the other end. The goal of sending or giving out samples is to get the person to either purchase a full-size version or share it with their audience. 

Give an Experience: It’s not just about a free product; it’s about giving them a piece of what it’s like to be your customer and use your product. It should feel experiential, not just giving out free products. 

Design Share-Worthy Presentation: Your setup should be aesthetic and look good in person and on camera. Whether you have specific spots set up for photo ops or a visually appealing, interesting setup, you’ll want something that makes people want to take a photo or video of it. 

Make it Easy to Try: Making it easy to try helps to give people a positive outlook on the product and make it more worth sharing with their followers or friends. You can also give them special discount codes or coupons that they can share with their followers to help incentivize sharing. 

Social Sharing Details: Hashtags, sharing contests, and referral incentives can all encourage social media sharing. You can also invite micro-influencers or content creators to share their experience online and showcase your product. 

How to Turn Free Samples Into Sales 

Companies typically give out free samples hoping the recipient will like them enough to buy the full product. The key is the follow-up you do after sending or giving out free samples to your audience. Sending a follow-up email or text message a few days later can help put your brand name back at the top of mind. You can even offer a limited-time coupon or code to help initiate a purchase specific to sample recipients. You should always stay on top of retargeting people that are not responding, as they still could potentially be a customer, just at a different time. Don’t forget to always ask for feedback and reviews as well so that you can have an idea of what people like or dislike and what kind of things would make the product more appealing to them, therefore more appealing to new customers too. 

Planning Your Product Sampling Campaign 

Plan your product sampling campaign in detail to support your goals and make the most of the event. Sampling is, and has always been, a great way to get your product into people’s hands and incentivize them to buy it. Starting with a goal in mind, knowing your target audience, and coming up with a memorable sample can take you a long way when executing your sampling campaign. If you are booking an experienced team to help build a plan for your event so you can get the most out of it for your business, contact Factory360, and we’ll set up a consultation!