Sending samples is a standard practice in foreign trade. Giving free samples to potential target customers and markets is a way to quickly gain a large number of customers because you are effectively sending your products or services to the people who are most likely to buy your products.
This seemingly simple operation is actually a marketing strategy called free sample marketing, and this marketing strategy is also supported by corresponding consumer psychology.
01
What is Free Sample Marketing ?
Free sample marketing is the act of giving away products or services for free to potential customers.
When people talk about sample marketing, the first impression is giving away free samples on the streets, in shopping malls, supermarkets, commercial centers, train stations, airports and any other place where the target audience can be seen. Although we are all used to this promotional experience in the B2C field, it is certain that this marketing method has also been well verified in B2B, because as a marketing method, providing free samples is based on 2 consumer psychology:
- If a potential customer has tried a product for free, it is psychologically harder for them to resist buying it.
- They have already felt the function and quality of the product and will pay more attention to its advantages and benefits
02
What benefits can giving away free samples bring to you?
- It provides a powerful “sales weapon” for salesmen or sales personnel (but you should use it with caution, which will be explained in detail later)
- Create brand awareness and build brand trust
- Build business relationships and foster customer loyalty
- Introducing new products
- Build an email list of your target market (i.e. give samples in exchange for their contact details)
- Increase conversion rate to sales
03
The Right Techniques for Offering B2B Free Samples
1Realize that free samples have a cost
The first thing you should realize is that a free sample is never free. It is free for your customers, but it costs your company money. Samples have two main cost factors:
- The cost of the sample itself
If the cost of the sample is high, then your company has incurred an expense. Therefore it must have some kind of guarantee of future sales, or the salesperson should have a high degree of confidence that sales will follow. - Time cost
This cost comes in the form of sales staff spending, that is, the time the sales staff spends following up with the customer afterwards.
2Don’t use free samples as a panacea
Salespeople may fall into the trap of offering free products as soon as a customer shows no interest. They think this is a way to retain the customer’s attention, but they don’t realize that the customer may be telling the salesperson that now is not the right time and is not interested. If the salesperson insists on offering a free sample, the customer may accept it, but it will be a waste. You need to understand:
- The customer’s interest will not change just because you are willing to offer a free sample
- Even if customers accept samples, it does not necessarily mean that they will test your product or give you a chance to do business.
So don’t be so casual about offering free products because free samples aren’t free for your company. So how should you offer samples to your customers?
- Define the cost of the sample
First, who will pay for shipping, you or your customer? Second, what is the value of the product itself: is it a large amount between $500 and $1,000, or a small amount between $10 and $15, If your company offers free products at multiple prices, be sure to have a clear distinction as to how salespeople should handle samples at different price ranges. - Use Upfront Verbal Contracts
Whether the product is in the $500 range or the $15 range, salespeople must use upfront verbal contracts, meaning salespeople should not provide samples without receiving anything in return. You should also have clauses and policies in place for more expensive items. - For lower-priced products, make sure the salesperson has some sort of guarantee.
This guarantee may include a date for testing the product, a possible response date, or a time point when the salesperson will receive a response. - Only move forward if the conditions are right
If your customers have no interest in Chinese Overseas Africa Number Data buying from you, it’s a waste of time and money to provide them with samples. For your more expensive product lines, you can have your customers pay for the samples. Which will allow you to filter out those who are seriously interested.
04
Where can you use free sample marketing?
The simple answer is: anywhere your potential customers are, both online and offline, such as the following places:
- Development letter
- At trade shows and conferences
- Any communication with a sales representative
- Email Marketing
- Telemarketing
- Independent website
05
Email templates to provide samples to potential customers in development letters
For domestic foreign trade companies, foreign trade factories, and foreign trade SOHOs, free samples are welcomed by customers and are quite tempting.
The following email templates all mention providing samples to customers. You can choose the corresponding template according Azerbaijan Phone Number List to your needs. In addition, when you send out samples, you also need to follow up continuously. For specific suggestions and sample follow-up templates, you can visit this link:
This is a development letter written by a British person, for your reference only.
This email itself does not have many special features, but it is natural, concise and appropriate. There is no complex or advanced word, nor difficult-to-understand sentence patterns and grammar.
This is a great development letter that can be understood by anyone with junior high school English skills and is not likely to cause ambiguity.