14 Nov

Store shelves in today’s consumer-driven market are lined with identical products from different manufacturers. Your sampling staff are usually the first point of interaction between your product and customers, and first impressions go a long way in creating a lasting brand image.

More customers are increasingly looking for a human connection in their purchases, and product sampling staff can offer this connection and more. According to research, 96% of customers who had an interest in a product said they were more likely to make a purchase after trying or experiencing it.

So it’s evident that sampling strategies are a vital component of effective marketing campaigns.

What Is Sampling in Business?

Sampling is a form of market research where companies give out free product samples to drive sales or introduce a new product. Product marketing samples also offer valuable data collection, as sampling staff can collect customer opinions, questions, and complaints.

Promotional staff can hand out samples in shopping centres, streets, or parks to increase a brand’s awareness.

What Are the Benefits of Product Sampling Staff?

Sampling staff are specifically trained to promote a product and engage customers on an interpersonal basis. Event staffing agencies in London and across the UK manage promotions through planning, scheduling, and staffing businesses that want to ramp up their marketing efforts.

As the face of your brand, sampling staff use various strategies to create interest around a product. They have the knowledge and professionalism to explain the product’s use and answer customer questions. It is, therefore, vital that considerable resources are allocated for training and developing sampling staff as part of your marketing campaign.

They specialise in accessing various locations, including city centres, tube stations, offices, and shopping areas. Trained and engaged sampling brand ambassadors offer clear targets, brand promotion, and product knowledge to give your customers the necessary information. With professional marketing samples, you can get your product to more potential customers in a cost-effective and highly impactful campaign.

Sampling Strategies

There are two main types of sampling:

• Indirect sampling. This involves no interaction between a producer and potential customers — for instance, giving a free sample with the purchase of another product. Indirect sampling is more effective when samples complement the main purchase — for instance, by giving out a free toothbrush with a toothpaste purchase.
• Direct sampling. This involves a direct connection with your clients through giveaway events or promotional drives. Direct sampling offers more benefits, as it offers an interactive session with your customers.

Why Sampling Works

Handing out product samples has been an essential part of marketing for decades. Companies like Coca-Cola used to set up sampling fountains to try out new flavours before full-scale manufacturing, and this strategy can be applied to any product line. Sampling strategies work because of several psychological reasons, which include:

The concept of risk aversion

Customers often make irrational decisions because thinking through all our daily decision is just a lot of work. For this reason, we make many purchases on a whim, and it’s only natural to buy products we’re already familiar with.

Sampling is effective because customers would rather have a product they’re not paying for, creating a positive association with the product.

Reciprocity

Human beings are naturally wired to give something in return, which is how sampling works. If a customer gets a free product, they may feel inclined to purchase that product later. This is one of the strategies businesses use where customers get free merchandise on their first visit.

Sentiment

Sampling staff interact with customers and give them a chance to feel and try a product. This is a powerful way to create an impression with customers, as they feel familiar with the product when they make a purchase.