Mailing

Including Sample Products: Good or Bad Idea?

15
Jan

Let’s face it, everyone loves a free sample! Those bite-size bits at the store, a free keyring (that most of us never use), or even a free trial, we just love being given stuff. 

But is it worth including sample products in your campaigns? If you’re worried about it being too expensive or too complicated, here’s why we feel you should give it a shot. 

Creates Confidence In Your Product 

As long as your sample is the same quality as your full product, customers will get a little taste of what to expect. They don’t have to use their imaginations about your product – they’ve had experience! 

This can be an invaluable tool. Research shows that almost 60% of customers who receive free samples plan on buying the product, but around 35% will actually buy the product on the very same day! 

In other words, if you want people to fall in love with your product immediately, including sample products could be a game-changing idea. 

Builds Brand Loyalty 

First-time customers who receive a sample product from a company tend to view the company in a more favourable light (provided they actually like the sample, though!). This is the ideal place to start building your company-customer relationship! 

On the other hand, you can easily introduce existing customers to new products with this method. If they’re already a loyal fan and have had good experiences with your products, we can guarantee their heart is going to jump when they see your branding on the envelope! 

Including Sample Products in Your Campaigns 

Not every business will find it feasible to add samples to their direct mail campaigns. However, it’s a good strategy for most kinds of companies. Don’t think that if you offer a service rather than a product, you can’t offer a free sample. It’s a simple matter of being creative! 

Products 

Not all products will be able to send out free samples. For example, if you’re an office furniture company, you can’t exactly send a chair to everyone in the mail. A good rule of thumb is that you can send items that people can taste, smell, or touch. 

Here are some examples: 

  • A bite-sized piece of whatever you offer (non-perishables) 
  • A gulp-sized sample of your beverage 
  • Single/two-use bottles or sachets of cleaning products 
  • Stationery items 

Services 

Don’t think that if you offer a service instead of a product you can’t offer free samples! Here are some ways to take advantage of it: 

  • Coupons 
  • A free discovery call 
  • A free appointment/meeting with an agent 
  • An invite to an exclusive event 

Conclusion 

Including sample products in your direct mail is an excellent way of showcasing your offerings and getting people excited about them before they even get to the store! You can’t create that kind of excitement with email! 

It’s a great way to introduce your business to new, potential customers in a favourable way. It’s also an excellent way to keep your existing customers engaged, in the loop, and feeling like they’re important to you! 

And if including sample products in your direct mail campaign sounds like a good idea to you, get in touch! We’d love to help you create your perfect campaign.