Have you been thinking about starting up product sampling campaigns? Read this first….

As we have mentioned in our press release, our old company logo, MOG (Marketing Operations Group) focused on the “math” of marketing. And this math includes logistics metrics and figuring out the numbers before you order product for sampling in communities. The new MOGXP combines the math with the eXPerience. The math means nothing if you don’t provide the eXPerience. This mini-series on product sampling will discuss how MOGXP combines the facts with the figures to deliver the ultimate eXPerience for the consumer. At the end of the day, we want to help our clients find consumers who will buy from them because they know / like / trust their brand after the experience.

There are many ways to go about product sampling (or even product demos)

• Mobile tours
• Stores
• Events
• Street teams
• Pop ups
• Direct mail samples

But to begin, what MOGXP does is sit down with our clients and figure out the best way to reach their target audience. And figuring this out is about being at the right place, at the right time when product sampling.

Marketing Logistics= “Know Before You Go”

Plus, it’s about knowing the outcome before you invest the money from your marketing budget.

Here are just a few areas to consider as you plan your product sampling campaigns.

Product

After your brand chooses the best method for product sampling, it becomes then all about the logistics of how much product to order for sampling, based on:

• How many people to expect
• The hours your brand ambassadors will be there
• How will you provide the sample (might need cups for liquid)
• How and where to store the product (if refrigeration will be needed for example)
• If you’ll need a van or something larger for transportation

All this to say, what you don’t want is to waste product by giving too much out. This where the math comes in: figuring out how much you’ll need, down to the minute, to order for sampling, PLUS finding the right place where your demographic is.

Location, location, location

We also think about the importance of location, especially for events, musical or sports sponsorships, street teams or pop ups.

So, if your demographic is a smaller niche, you want to ask your brand ambassadors (always choose people in that same demographic who would actually use that product) where THEY would go. This is where you meet your target audience in their “lifestyle intersection”.

If your demographic is larger, a state fair might be the place to provide product sampling. But the downside is the administrative fees for an event so big. However, we can help you find more targeted venues and less expensive for the right audience to find your product. (Think local soccer teams and tournaments, not national for example.)

A side note on mobile marketing tours: There is not really one location for a big mobile marketing tour. Hence these would need to be scheduled months in advance. But the upside is being able to promote it for all those months, via social media and general PR.

Brand ambassadors

Both ordering too much product for your time frame and not having the right brand ambassadors will cause you to lose profit, as you’re basically giving away money. Your brand ambassadors, meeting consumers face to face within the same demographic, are the ones who can send the right message. And this message should be clear: it’s how this product fits into their lives and why they can’t live without it!

A side note about influencers. Who are your best influencers? Those in your target demographic. If you have extra product after an event, don’t “throw it away” by giving it to those who don’t want it. Instead, find your local influencers.

Or, you could donate extra product to local non-profits or even local first responders, who might even turn out to be influencers!

At MOGXP, we make plans with you to use your resources to the maximum benefit of your ROI. An investment in the right kind of marketing will go a long way.

Why Are Product Sampling Campaigns So Successful?

A Product Sampling Study that was conducted by Arbitron and Edison Media Research discovered that 35% of customers who try a sample will end up buying the product in the same shopping trip. A similar Arbitron and Edison Media Research survey also found that 24% of people who sampled a product said that they ended up replacing an existing item that they intended to buy and had used before with the “new” alternative.

The reasons why product samplings are so effective are numerous, too.

A successful product sampling campaign:

• generates brand awareness
• showcases your products and services
• identifies niche markets and target markets to reach
• helps drive sales for brand new offerings.

Simply put, a memorable encounter with your audience through an experiential event, pop-up, or other product sampling initiative can boost sales and create long term fans at a minimal cost.

The professional team at MOGXP are experts at incorporating product sampling into all of your experiential marketing strategies. But regardless of whether you team up with an experienced marketing partner or go it alone, keep these tips in mind so that your product sampling initiative is as effective as possible.

We Can Help

Want to learn more? Contact our expert team at MOGXP, and we’ll work together to identify the best opportunities to make your product sampling campaign a success.