Need to drive sales? By leveraging digital channels for sampling, you can gain greater reach, more measurable impact, and increased ROI. Here are three proven ways to use digital product sampling to turn curious customers into loyal buyers.

1) Activate Your Email List with Exclusive Free Trials

Not everyone on your e-mail list wants to purchase products online, many of them may buy more frequently if they can purchase in store. By offering free samples or trials exclusively to your email subscribers, you’re tapping into an audience that’s already somewhat familiar with your brand. Here’s how to make the most of it:

• Create a Personalized Sampling Campaign: Segment your email list based on past purchases, demographics, or engagement levels, and send out tailored offers for free samples. A well-personalized message creates a sense of exclusivity, making subscribers feel valued and appreciated. Include a clear call-to-action (CTA) encouraging them to redeem their sample at a nearby retailer or online.
• Encourage Store Visits: Direct people to purchase the product in-store at full price and then receive a digital rebate.
• Follow Up for Feedback: After they’ve purchased your product, send a follow-up email requesting feedback or asking them to review the product. This not only provides valuable insights into your product’s reception but also nurtures a closer connection with your brand.

This approach combines the power of sampling with the engagement potential of email marketing, driving both brand awareness and in-store sales.

2) Use In-Store Demos with Digital Rebates to Drive Sales

In-store demos are a classic sampling method for creating memorable customer interactions, but integrating digital rebates can take them to a new level. Here’s how to use this approach effectively:

• Combine Physical Experience with Digital Incentives: While traditional in-store sampling gives customers a firsthand experience of your product, a digital rebate offers an immediate financial incentive to buy. For instance, after tasting a sample, customers can scan a QR code to receive a rebate offer directly on their phones. This removes friction from the buying process and motivates immediate purchases.
• Track Sales Impact More Accurately: Digital rebates allow for easy tracking and reporting. You can capture essential data—like where and when samples were redeemed and the associated purchase rate—providing clear metrics to assess the effectiveness of your demo efforts.
• Create a Loyalty Loop: Offering a rebate at the time of purchase encourages an initial sale, but consider layering in a secondary offer for a future purchase, too. This drives a repeat purchase and fosters loyalty, giving customers a reason to come back after their first experience with your product.

By making the sampling experience interactive and rewarding, in-store demos with digital rebates transform single encounters into long-term customer relationships.

3) Partner with Other Brands for Cross-Audience Sampling

When it comes to reaching new customers, brand partnerships can be a powerful tool, especially if you team up with complementary brands. Collaborating with another brand allows you to access a broader audience that aligns with your target market. Here’s how to structure these partnerships for effective sampling:

• Identify Complementary Brands: Look for brands that aren’t direct competitors but share a similar customer base. For example, if you sell a line of plant-based snacks, a partnership with a beverage brand that targets health-conscious consumers could be mutually beneficial.
• Craft a Cross-Promotional Sampling Offer: Collaborate on an exclusive offer for each other’s email lists. Send out a co-branded email featuring both products, with a link to redeem a sample. This exposes each brand to new potential customers, effectively doubling the reach without doubling the cost.
• Add Value Through Bundled Offers: Consider creating a bundled sampling experience where customers receive samples from both brands in a single package. This approach not only boosts engagement but also enhances the perceived value for customers, encouraging them to try—and hopefully buy—both products.

By leveraging each other’s customer base, both brands benefit from greater exposure, leading to increased product trials and potential sales.

How to Implement Digital Sampling and Rebates

Why Sampoll Is the Future of Digital Product Sampling

Sampoll offers a robust digital sampling and rebate program that makes it easy to acquire new customers or direct existing ones to purchase in store. Their new virtual brand ambassador even allows people to interact and learn more about your products before purchase.

Sampoll offers a “Bring Your Own Marketing” plan designed to help brands acquire new customers and boost sales velocity. Deploy targeted retail focused (or DTC) digital product trial offers in just a few clicks! For $399/month, brands receive 1,000 signups to support their marketing initiatives. Additionally, as a limited-time offer, the first 10 customers can get the first month for just $199—50% off the regular price. This plan provides an affordable, efficient way to expand your customer base and drive growth.