Everything to Consider for Smooth Sample Fulfilment
Find out what you should and shouldn't do when it comes to sample fulfilment. Avoid some of the most common issues that come with fulfilment to get the best results out of your brand's marketing efforts!
Sample marketing can be a fantastic way to introduce your product to the market and encourage customers to try it. According to a NEOSOL research, 92% of people who are offered a sample will try it, and 53% of them will buy the brand introduced to them.
Undoubtedly, the strategy works for many different businesses and sectors, but creating and distributing samples alone can be difficult. Sample fulfilment companies and the right professional sample marketing partner will take on this task and manage every aspect of the process.
For example, think of producing sample-size items, creating attractive packaging and sending these samples to customers worldwide. It can be a lot, especially if your day-to-day business is not all about samples and marketing. Companies specialized in samples can produce smaller versions of your product and coordinate the entire campaign according to your business goals.
What sample fulfilment services provide
If you think sample marketing will benefit your business and want to explore this possibility, here are some of the services you should consider when hiring a fulfilment company.
Packaging
Samples are more than just a smaller version of your product. They are representatives of your brand and must showcase the same level of quality customers will find when they decide to make a purchase.
These items are also an opportunity to advertise your brand, engage with a broader audience and introduce a new product. Therefore, packaging should be attractive, creative and captivating.
Sample fulfilment services should be able to provide you with a wide range of packaging solutions. One of the key aspects you should consider when choosing packaging services is how customizable boxes, envelopes and bags are. Your brand should be recognizable and coherent throughout your campaign.
Delivery and distribution
The way your customers will receive a sample will depend on your strategy and what works best for your product. Food items, for example, can be distributed in person, at grocery stores or in supermarkets. Perfume or makeup samples can be mailed to customers worldwide. Consider these possibilities when choosing a sampling expert.
In some sample marketing strategies, you might need a service able to offer storage and refrigeration for perishable items or even other items such as cutlery and napkins. All of these issues must be addressed by the company you wish to hire.
With global companies, partnering with a sample expert capable of sending samples worldwide is a must. The logistics of sample distribution can be a lot of work, but it certainly gets more manageable if the company you hire has global expertise.
Stock and inventory management
The number of samples you need to produce will depend on your business goals and campaign objectives. Still, the sampling company must be able to manage the inventory of samples you have produced and even store the surplus for future campaigns.
Sustainability
As society is increasingly more aware of the dangers of climate change and the effect humanity has on the environment, a sustainable sampling campaign is crucial. This is more than a cause to be supported but a matter of brand vision and positioning.
With sustainable packaging, you are guaranteed to reach out to your customers, promote your brand and not harm the environment. After all, the amount of single-use plastic we use and dispense should concern everyone!
Results
If you are outsourcing your sample marketing campaign, the fulfilment company must be able to provide you with results and information about your marketing efforts.
Data such as sample allocation, sample distribution and cost per sample will help you understand your campaign's success and how to create engaging campaigns in the future.
Feedback is also crucial in any marketing campaign and can be especially useful in sample distribution. Since customers will be able to try your product, a sample marketing expert can offer a channel for you to receive feedback from recipients. At Odore, we have worked with email marketing campaigns and influencer marketing campaigns, as well as sampling, encouraging conversations with our clients and their customers.
Final thoughts
With the right partner, what seems like a difficult and time-consuming task can be a pleasurable experience that will bring excellent results. This can be said of sample marketing. Producing and distributing samples is a challenging but rewarding strategy.
We hope this article has helped you understand what you need to consider when carrying out your sample marketing campaign. Be sure to partner up with an experienced sample marketing agency to ensure your next campaign is a successful one.
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