Whether you are selling candles, cosmetics, spices, coffee, energy drinks, supplements or any other product, your customers love to get samples. They love to taste, feel, or smell it. They love to try it before they buy it. Business cards, advertising and word of mouth can be great ways to market your business; but experience has shown that samples are often necessary to close the sale.
Include samples in existing orders. Give samples to prospects. Follow up with current customers with a sample of something they have not yet tried. Also do not overlook the benefit of leaving samples in places where others will find them. Samples are often a low cost investment, so you can distribute them liberally, and the payoff can be great.
What do I mean when I say “Leave Samples”?
Strategically place samples in various locations. You should not encounter any problems of soliciting because you are just leaving free samples – something that someone can actually try before they buy.
The list below should give you an idea of places you can leave your samples. Take a chance that whoever finds it may be interested or may pass it along.
• Public bathrooms
• Bleachers when you get up from a basketball, soccer, or football game
• Self-pay credit card slot at gas stations
• Library books before returning to the library
• Grocery carts
• On a park bench
• Lobby while you’re waiting for an appointment
• Locker room at the gym
• Tubes at the drive-through bank teller or the drive through pharmacy
• Public bulletin boards at Laundromats, stores, or apartment complexes
• Airports or seat pockets of airplanes
• Taxi cabs, trains, buses, subways
Another option is to hand them to people, face to face and say, “If you know anyone who likes [candles, lotions, spices, etc.] could you please pass this along?” It’s non-threatening, and comes with a low rejection rate; after all you’re offering something free. Chances are favorable they will take it.
If you’re thinking that you can’t afford to make or buy samples and then give them away for free, let alone liberally, think again. You can’t afford not to. This is another example of how you need to spend a little money to make a little money. Don’t look at it as an expense, but rather an investment. Of course you can certainly list your samples on your books as a business expense – just don’t think of it that way.
Happy sampling. May it bring you phenomenal results.
P.S. For even more direct sales advice and opportunity overviews, please visit my home party plan site http://thebestdirectsalescompanies.com.
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Angie Nelson
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My father-in-law goes to Costco just to sample their stuff (i.e. have a free lunch); so yes, free samples are powerful!
PS Is something wrong with your CL, Angie?
Thanks, Ana! Must be a problem with my cache plugin. I’ll get it fixed ASAP.
Should be fixed, Ana. Thanks again!
Great post Angie, I do agree with you, samples can be very powerful! Face to face if done in the right way has really low rejection rate. Unfortunately in our business samples are not really possible.